Addicted To Love
by BonTempsBaby
Summary: Sequel to "Pour Some Sugar On Me". Sookie and Eric come to terms with their new relationship. Very romantic, with more action in second half. Told from both POV's. Rated M for mature situations. Eric/Sookie/Bill/Pam
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters, and as always I am just borrowing them for amusement _

_**** Before going any further, I want to thank my best friend and cohort Kathy, who keeps me writing even when I'm convinced I should give it up and take up basket-weaving; and also Jesi, who has helped me a great deal with suggestions and editing. _

_****Here is the first chapter of the sequel to __Pour Some Sugar On Me.__ This story will be told from the alternating viewpoints of Sookie and Eric. Even though you see some of the night from both points of view, you will always learn something new from each. As in the first story, the first half is very much a romance, with much more action in the second half._

_Just to remind you of the major events in __PSSOM__: Sookie and Eric finally recognize their love for each other, and after a very short engagement, they get married. Niall has promised them a rather mysterious wedding gift, which he has not delivered yet. Sookie has discovered that she has fairy magic of her own, but unless her life is threatened, it is still very unpredictable. The Viking and the Telepath have entered into a very rare, very sacred relationship called a Second Bond, which means not only can they feel each other's emotions, their souls are actually intertwined. It has some drawbacks, though; they constantly crave each other's company, and in fact cannot be parted for very long without very serious repercussions. _

_Eric has given Sookie a restored mansion on a several-hundred acre estate, which she has named Valhalla. It is located half-way between Bon Temps and Shreveport. Sookie has given up her job at Merlotte's, but finds herself quite busy helping out with running Fangtasia, and also in her new role as Eric's wife and partner._

_To keep Sookie from being added to Felipe de Castro's nest, and also to avenge his former Queen Sophie-Ann, Eric very deviously allowed Victor Madden to follow through with his plans to kill Felipe. In turn, Eric killed Victor, thus allowing Eric to become King. His claim was upheld by the Ancient Pythoness; who, after proclaiming them to be "Fated" to be together, also issued a mysterious prophecy regarding Sookie and Eric's future. Quinn the Were-tiger was involved in a plot to break Eric and Sookie's Bond, and perhaps even conspired with Victor to have Eric killed. He disappeared the night of the coup, and has not been seen since._

_Eric and Sandy Secrest were co-conspirators in the plot, with the agreement that they would split Felipe's old Kingdom. Sandy is uncertain of her hold on Nevada, however, and has made her interest in making a political Royal vampire marriage with Eric known to him (which is allowed under vampire law in spite of any prior marriages to humans). Sookie is unaware that this is even a possibility, and Eric has vowed to keep it that way. Eric was also aided in the take-over by his life-long friend and nest mate, Sir Robert (a Knights Templar in his human life), and Stan, King of Texas. _

_This story begins a couple of weeks after Eric has become King of Louisiana and Arkansas..._

**Addicted to Love **

Chapter 1

Sookie's POV Wednesday

I had never been so happy to see a vampire bar in my life. Well, not just _any_ vampire bar..._my_ vampire's bar, Fangtasia. We had just pulled into the back parking lot, and parked his red Corvette near the back door. Eric got out, stretched up to his full 6'5", and then came around, opened my door and offered me his hand. Taking it, I slid out as gracefully as I could manage, and then shivered a little as the cool night air hit my exposed body parts...which were most of them. My Viking had picked my outfit, darn him. Obviously _he_ had never had to escape the clutches of a Corvette's low slung bucket seats in a tight black leather mini-skirt. He said that since I was now his Queen, I would have to start dressing the part...at least at the club. Pam had come home a little more than a week ago to oversee Fangtasia and Area Five in Eric's absence. Eric's day man, Bobby Burnham, had driven the 'Vette out to the airport to meet our plane. He had taken our luggage back to our home in the country, Valhalla, while we drove straight to Fangtasia. We had been gone from home for about a month now, counting our honeymoon; the last few weeks had been spent in New Orleans getting all the kinks out of the transition.

What _is_ the proper term for a take-over of a take-over? I didn't know, but the whole event had resulted in my husband and Twice-Bonded, Eric Northman, former Sheriff of Area 5, becoming the vampire King of Louisiana and Arkansas. Instead of living in New Orleans full time like his former Queen, Sophie-Ann Leclerq, he had opted for running things from Shreveport. He had decided to keep the "Royal Residence" there, because he would still have to go there frequently (he was definitely a hands-on type of vampire) and all the important vampires that he would be dealing with would no doubt rather meet in New Orleans for events than the more sedate Shreveport.

Since Eric had taken over as King, I had found myself pretty busy helping him screen all the day humans that were associated with Area One, and also I had been in charge of re-organizing the staff and so-on at the Residence. Oddly, I didn't find it much harder than hiring waitresses. Eric had been all for firing everybody and starting over, but that hardly seemed fair...or prudent (a recent Word of the Day… I took to buying my own calendars after falling out with Arlene). Due to Katrina, the workforce was much slimmer than it once was, so I just "listened in" on each member of the staff until I figured out which ones were worth keeping. It turned out that Reuben (the head day-human at the Residence) wasn't a bad guy at all, and good at his job; and so he got to keep it.

Eric had appointed Rasul to the very important position of Area 1 Sheriff, after both Bill and Pam had turned down the job. Bill and Mr. Cataliades were both still in New Orleans, and would probably be there for at least a few more days. Eric had surprised the heck out of me when he told me that he had given Bill the option of either being one of his two Lieutenants, or staying in his current position as Area 5 Investigator. Apparently, Bill had still not given him an answer. Since Eric and I had gotten married, the two of them had finally managed to get along fairly well. Although I could tell it still took an effort for the Viking to not be jealous of my former lover, he had learned to control it much better. As for Bill, he seemed less inclined to irritate Eric on purpose...so far.

In any event, we were finally home...Well, almost. I could tell that Eric was glad to be back in his own neck of the woods, so to speak. Eric held the back door of Fangtasia open for me, and I stepped into the long hallway leading up to the bar. In my left hand I carried a small gift bag. Pam must have heard us come in, because she came gliding out of her office. She bowed deeply and then said formally, "Master. Mistress. Welcome back."

I rolled my eyes. We'd had this same talk bout fifty times already. In exasperation, I said, "Pam! Cut it out! You know very well that you do _not_ have to call me that!"

I looked back at Eric, to get him to back me on this, but he just stood there with a little mischievous grin on his handsome face. I could tell he was enjoying this battle of wills between his two women. Men! Arrrg. "Some help you are," I said frostily. "Well, I'm sure you two have a lot to discuss, so I think I'll go give Felicia her gift."

I turned and marched down the hallway towards the bar. It was only a Wednesday night and the place was packed. I could see Felicia busily hustling drinks along with the two other vampire bartenders. She glanced up from her work and saw me coming, and I could see her swallow, hard. If it had been possible for her to get any paler, she no doubt would have. I sighed. I guessed she _did_ have good reason to be a little nervous, since the prior bartenders of Fangtasia really didn't seem to do very well around me...although I was only directly responsible for one final death. Nonetheless, I was determined to win her over, so I had bought her a little something while Eric and I were on our honeymoon in the British Virgin Islands.

I slid in behind the bar. The other vampires gave me a little half-bow, just to acknowledge my new status, and then went back to work. Felicia turned towards me, bowed very low and then said, "Mistress. Welcome back. Can I get you something?"

"I saw this while we were on our honeymoon, and I thought of you. I hope you like it," I said, giving her my best smile, and handing her the brightly colored gift bag. I said,

Her eyed widened, and I could tell that she was shocked that I had even bothered. She reached out and took the little sack. Plunging her hand inside, she pulled out the little wad of tissue, and opened it. It was a lovely pair of earrings that I had bought from a beadwork artist on Tortola. She stammered, "Ah, Mistress, I don't know what to say..."

I said gently, "Just a "thank you" is plenty. Listen, I know that you and I had a rocky start, but really...I promise you are completely safe from me."

She stared down at the little earrings, and said, "Thank you very much. They are beautiful and I will treasure them as a gift from my new Queen."

"Listen, about that...Please, just call me Sookie, okay? I'm not really a Queen...well, I am, but only in the sense that I'm married to the King. A consort, I think they call it. You know, I have no real authority or anything." I would never tell Eric, but it made me feel a little strange when anyone but him called me by that title. I had never wanted or expected to be the Queen of anything, but then, I knew Eric had not really been all that hot to become King, either. He had mainly done it to save me from the awful fate of being added to Felipe de Castro's Royal nest, so the least I could do was accept my new role as gracefully as possible.

For once, Felicia looked me right in the eye, and said, "Excuse me for saying so, ma'am, but in _this_ kingdom you have _plenty_ of authority....what vampire in their right mind would go against the King's Twice-Bonded? They would be staked immediately!"

A wave of unease swept over me. She might very well be right, and I absolutely did _not_ want to be the cause of any more deaths, vampire or otherwise. As I had vowed to do on Mardi Gras, on Ash Wednesday I had gone to St. Louis Cathedral and had ashes put on my forehead, as a gesture of atonement; and had said prayers for all those deaths that I had anything to do with...I realized as the priest was placing them on my forehead how appropriate they were...ashes for ashes, so to speak. However, I had every intention of keeping my head down from now on, or as much as I possibly could given the much more important position that Eric now held.

I patted Felicia's arm and said, "Just chill, okay? Nobody's going to get staked on my account. Now, can I have a couple of Bloods for Eric and Pam, and a coke for me?"

She bobbed her head, and said quickly, "Of course, Mistress! Right away!" When she handed them to me, though, she gave me her beautiful smile, and that time I believed it to be a genuine one.

I dutifully carted all three drinks back to Eric's office, balanced myself on one foot, and shoved the partially closed door open with my other, which wasn't all that easy in 4" stiletto heels (also Eric's choice). Pam was sitting on the edge of his desk, and apparently they had been having an intense conversation. As soon as I entered, they both looked up at me, twin looks of total innocence on their beautiful faces. Pausing at the door, I surveyed my vampires. I realized that, in addition to those patently ridiculous looks (who ever heard of an innocent vampire, I ask you!) I had also caught just the slightest twinge of guilt coming through our Bond. What on earth were those two up to now? I sighed. As much as they trusted me, and loved me, clearly they still weren't ready to spill every little vampire secret.

I walked over and carefully sat all three drinks down on the corner of Eric's desk, then handed them each a bottle. I took my coke, and sat in one of the chairs. Rather mildly, I said, "Felicia seemed to like her earrings."

Pam rolled her eyes and drawled, "Sookie, really! You didn't need to get her anything!"

I could see that around her neck she was wearing the really beautiful diamond and amethyst drop that Eric and I had brought _her_ as a gift. I just smiled, and changed the subject by asking, "So, what's going on in here? You two look as thick as thieves."

Again, the tiny hint of guilt through the Bond, but Eric spoke up and said, "Lover, we have received an invitation from Sandy. She is going to hold her coronation ceremony in about ten days, and has asked that I attend. "

What? We just got home! What I really wanted to do was just hang out for awhile, work on decorating the wonderful old home Eric had given me as an engagement present, and visit my friends. I was also homesick for my old farmhouse, and I hadn't been to see about Gran's grave in weeks. I had never been away from home for this long in my life, and I just wanted to stay put for awhile. Of course, the big question was... why did Eric feel guilty about going to Las Vegas? I asked, "Why so soon? Sandy just became Queen a couple of weeks ago. Do we absolutely have to go?"

Something about Sandy made me very nervous, but I couldn't exactly put my finger on why. She had always been perfectly polite... but then, so had Felipe de Castro, right up until I had told him I wasn't too crazy about the idea of Eric and I living in his Royal Nest in Nevada. I couldn't help but wonder what Sandy had up her sleeve.

Calmly, Eric answered me, "Yes, my Love, we must go. She wants to make it clear that I support her, and have no intention of trying to regain Nevada. She will be attending my Coronation, for similar reasons."

Sensing that I was about to argue, Pam spoke up, and said, "Mistress, it will be fun! You have never been to Las Vegas, have you?"

Reluctantly, I shook my head. She continued, "There is so much to do! Besides gambling, there are many great shows, and wonderful shops. You and I can go to the night spa, and have massages and pedicures! You will enjoy it, you will see!"

She sounded downright enthusiastic, which made me know without a doubt that something was definitely up. Pam was never, ever enthusiastic about anything not involving blood, sex, or fighting. All I could think to myself was, _Oh, crap! Here we go again!_

Pam stood and smoothed down her mini skirt, and said, "Now, Sookie, if you are still interested in helping me with the scheduling, I have the new chart ready to be filled in on my desk. Will you come have a look?"

I could tell it was a diversion, but I obediently got up and trailed behind her to her office. She brought the schedule over to her little sofa, sat down, and patted the cushion next to her. I joined her, and she showed me the list of available waitress, bartenders, maintenance people, etc, and the time slots needing to be filled. I noticed right away that Becca's name was no longer on the roster. I asked Pam why she quit. "Oh, I think she said something about getting a job in another state..." she replied vaguely. "Now that you are back, we will need to hire someone new. I will see about posting an ad on the Internet tonight."

Given Becca's past relationship with the now finally dead Clancy, and my part in him becoming that way, I figured that it was just as well she had moved on. Pam showed me what to do with the scheduling, and then she said she was leaving it up to me. Now that Eric was King, things were a bit more complicated than before, and he and Pam were busier than ever. Since almost all of the Kingdom staff in New Orleans had come from Nevada, Sandy had taken most of them back with her. Eric was already talking about hiring more people to help run things, but until then I was going to pitch in and help as much as I could until things settled down. Right then, it was time for Pam to take door duty, so I went and sat at her desk and worked on the schedule. Fangtasia had a lot of employees and since this was my first time to do the scheduling by myself, it took me quite a while. However, I finally filled in the last slot, made copies for everyone, went and posted them in the proper places and taped the copies to each employee locker, as instructed.

I was headed back to Pam's office, when I saw a boy who looked like a college student coming cautiously down the hallway. He was carrying a couple of boxes, and appeared to be very nervous. His eyes were darting around, and I could a light sheen of sweat on his brow. If I had just listened in on that phony fangbanger the first time I laid eyes on her, I could have saved everyone involved a lot of unnecessary worry; so this time, I let my shields down and heard...._I promised Dad that I would never come into a vampire bar, but I need this delivery job!...Why do vampires need food delivered anyway?...Oh shit! Maybe they are really after the delivery guy and not the dinner!_

He looked like he was about to bolt back down the hallway, so I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile and said, "Hi! Can I help you?"

The young man cleared his throat, then stammered, "Uh... yes, ma'am. Food delivery for Sookie Northman?"

That vampire! He could have asked me first! In the last few weeks, I _had_ been losing some weight, and Eric seemed intent on seeing that I ate regularly. Tonight I had been too busy packing and then getting to the airport on time to eat in New Orleans. I said, "That's me. Um... let me get some money."

"Oh. No, ma'am, everything was paid for by credit card, including my tip." He handed me the boxes, and I could hear him think, _Is she a vampire? She couldn't eat food, could she? Whatever she is, she sure is pretty! Maybe vamps aren't as bad as Dad says..._

Well, bless him for that. I said kindly, "Thank you for delivering. I'll bet you've never been here before, huh? I remember the first time I ever came here. It seems pretty weird, right? I've gotten used to it though; I just married the owner."

He gave me an appraising glance and asked, "Really? Wow...are you...human?"

Reminding myself to make an appointment at the tanning salon, I laughed and said, "Yep. Now, you had better get on back, you won't make much money if you take too much time on each order." He turned and scurried out the door without a backward glance.

Pam was still busy out front, so I took my dinner in her office to eat it. It had come from a real restaurant, not a fast food place, and was quite good. Although I really wasn't very hungry, I ate as much as I could get down, threw the rest away, and then went to brush my teeth in the locker room. While I was in there, Julie, the waitress I had helped hire, came in. Apparently she was on her break. The minute she saw me her face lit up with that engaging smile of hers. "Hi!" she said cheerfully. "You're Mrs. Northman now, right? I haven't seen you since the wedding, so... congratulations!"

"Thank you, Julie," I replied, as I returned her contagious smile. "How is the job working out?"

Enthusiastically, she answered, "Great! The tips here are super!"

Just as she opened her locker to retrieve something out of it, she fumbled and dropped a pen on the floor. She leaned over to grab it, and as she did I happened to notice several fresh fang marks on her neck and shoulder. When I interviewed her, I didn't remember seeing any. I said gently, "Um...not that it's any of my business, but are you dating a vampire now??"

She stood back up, and absently rubbed the little marks with her hand. She grinned sheepishly, and said, "Well, not exactly dating... just a little fun after work last night. Nothing serious."

"Someone from here?" I asked, in spite of myself.

"No, just some vamp chick drifting through. I've never seen her in here before. She had the coolest English accent, though!"

That's what I get for not minding my own business. I hadn't realized Julie was bent that way, but okay. However, instead of letting it go, I discovered that I still wanted to know more. I guessed that after all our recent troubles, I was still a little paranoid, so I asked, "Julie, did she ask any questions about Eric and me?"

I think she could tell I was not just being nosy. She thought for a minute, and said, "Well, she did ask a few questions about the Master... er... your husband. Actually, she wanted to know more about _you_, come to think about it. I really don't know very much about either one of you, but even if I did I would never spill anything important about you guys... I know better, and I really like this job! However, she _was_ in the office talking to Pam for a long time, anyway, so maybe you should ask _her_."

If she was talking to Pam, she was probably okay, just checking in, as was protocol. However, something made me ask, "What did she look like?"

The little waitress gave me her special, infectious grin and said, "She was gorgeous! I can't believe that she even _thought_ about hitting on me! She was about 6 feet tall, black hair, green eyes... a real knock out. She was pretty extreme in bed, too... oh, TMI, right?"

_Way_ too much information! Thoughtfully, I said, "Julie, if anyone ever asks you any questions about any of us, other than the ordinary ones the tourists ask, you need to tell me immediately, okay?"

She looked at me very seriously, and said, "Yes, ma'am. I understand completely. I keep my ears open, and I know that Mr. Northman isn't exactly your average vampire, especially now."

Most humans still did not know anything about the vampire hierarchy, but I supposed that humans working for vampires were bound to figure it out pretty rapidly, if they had any smarts at all. I just winked, and said, "Oh, he's very special in many ways. Speaking of my husband, I'll bet he is wondering where I've run off to... I'll see you later, okay?"

She grinned again, and nodded. Leaving the locker room, I went straight down the hall, passing Eric's office. The door was partially shut, and I glanced in. He was on the phone, and when he saw me his face broke into a grin. I almost went in, but since he was clearly busy, I

reconsidered. Instead, I just gave him a little wave, and went out into the bar in search of Pam. Sure enough, she was out on display, giving the tourists their money's worth. I walked over and took a seat next to her. She said in a bored tone, "Mistress, I am glad you are here. This crowd is so dull I was just about to bite someone to get the place popping again." She saw my glare, and she amended, "All right, all right... _Sookie_."

I glanced around, and it _did_ look a bit duller than usual at this hour. However, I had come out here with a specific goal in mind, and I decided just to dive right in. I asked, "Pam, I understand that a vampire woman was in here last night, and talked to you. She was tall with black hair, and spoke with a British accent. She was questioning one of the waitresses about Eric and me. Who was she?"

Although she never moved so much as a hair, I could tell my question had startled her. Nevertheless, she said smoothly, "Just an acquaintance, passing through town. Believe me, no one you should be worried about."

Something about her answer bothered me, but I couldn't put my finger on it... but before I could ask any more questions, Pam stood up, grabbed both my hands, and pulled me to my feet. She said, "Come on, Sookie, we need to get this crowd fired up. They aren't drinking nearly enough. Let's dance!"

Before I knew what was happening, she dragged me out onto the dance floor. I had no idea the title of the song being played, but it had a great beat, and the lyrics (at least the ones I was able to understand) were plenty suggestive. I was having a blast in no time! Pam must have invented the concept of dirty dancing and, as intended, I could tell that we were whipping the crowd up pretty good. Sometimes I could hardly believe she had been a carefully raised, very proper Englishwoman in her human life. I was no slouch either, and between the two of us we were giving the bar patrons a pretty good show. After the last several weeks of stress, I was enjoying being able to let go of some steam.

Almost immediately, I could tell without even looking that the Viking had put in an appearance. I glanced over my shoulder, and sure enough, he was standing on the edge of the dance floor, arms crossed, watching us with his most inscrutable look. The tourists were certainly getting their money's worth tonight; he was dressed entirely in black (my choice), his long golden hair was flowing loose over his shoulders, and in general he looked huge, dangerous and completely gorgeous. I nudged Pam to make sure she saw him. I raised my eyebrows and wiggled them at her. Instantly on the same wavelength, she gave me a shark-like grin, and nodded. Sliding in close behind me, she placed her hands on my hips, and we very sensuously snaked our way over to him. We both started rubbing all over him in time to the music, and I seductively pulled his head down and kissed him full on the mouth. Through our Bond, I could feel amusement, followed closely by a jolt of pure lust. Putting an arm around each of us, he pulled us in close. He turned and kissed Pam lightly on the lips, patted her on the butt, and then let her go. As for me, he turned those blazing blue eyes on me, reached down and swooped me up in his arms, and rapidly carried me back to his office.

Not too long ago, I had been pretty reluctant to have sex in his office, and most especially when the bar was open and full of customers. Right now, though, I thought my hootchie was about to spontaneously combust at any second. Eric had come to bed too close to dawn this morning to have time for love-making; and of course we hadn't had time tonight, because we had to catch our commercial commuter flight not long after first dark. I was more than ready, and of course it was obvious that he was, too. Any arguments from me would have likely been a complete waste of breath! Also, I had quite recently given up any semblance of ladylike behavior when I actually agreed to having sex in front of a room full of vampires. Granted, it was a required part of a very sacred ceremony, the room had been completely dark, and there had been drapes... but still! Every time I thought about it, I blushed like crazy.

So, when my vampire kicked his door shut, sat me the edge of his desk, and started giving me some of his no-holds-barred, totally erotic, panty-drenching kisses, I figured... what the hell? I had pretty much asked for it with that sexy little dance with Pam, hadn't I? Fortunately, the music in the bar was really loud, so no one could hear a thing; and they all _thought_ we were in here doing exactly what we _were_ doing anyhow. Eric ran his hands up under my short leather skirt, ripped my panties off in a flash, parted my legs, and then dropped to his knees. He was growling deep in his chest, and I could tell he was really, really looking forward to making up for lost time. I leaned back on my elbows, and prepared to be pleasured by the Master. He did not disappoint, either. In practically no time at all, he had me twitching and moaning; and then he bit into my femoral artery and started off my orgasm, and my god! It felt so good!

He stood, quickly pulled off his shirt, and unfastened his pants. He stepped between my legs, and I reached in, pulled him free, and his erection sprang into my hands. I stroked his smooth hardness for a minute, then I pulled him to me, guiding him to my entrance. He slid his big hands up under my bottom to steady me, and then shoved into me in one smooth motion. Oh! Oh! Even after all this time, I still had to adjust to his size. He began to move, first slowly, then with increasing speed. It was not the gentle kind of loving that I knew he was capable of either; it was the ferocious, growling, claiming kind of sex that was guaranteed to have me screaming his name in about a minute. I slid my arms around his neck held on for dear life. Sure enough, in practically no time I felt myself building up to another climax, and I was waiting for him to bite me, but surprisingly, he didn't. He had just taken a tiny sip from my leg earlier, so I was a little surprised, but then he hit just the right spot and the waves of my orgasm began to roll over me, and I ceased to think about it.

Sure enough, in spite of having told myself earlier not to, I found myself gasping out, "Eric! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh!" As always, this seemed to make him even more inflamed, and he pounded me, hard, about three more strokes, moaned loudly, and then came inside me in a torrent. I clung to him, panting, my heart pounding away in my chest. Even after his climax, he kept moving inside me just a tiny bit, as if he just wanted to keep us joined a little longer. He whispered something to me in his old language, and I didn't know what it meant; but I could feel the sentiment behind it through our Bond. I noticed he had been speaking to me that way much more often now, and it always sent a thrill through me when I heard the liquid syllables rolling from his lips.

I hugged him, tight, and said, "I love you, baby. I'm sorry we missed this earlier."

He chuckled, and said, "Dear One, I love fucking you on this desk. In fact, I would say it is one of my all-time top five fantasies."

I pulled back enough to look him in the eye, and asked in a sultry voice, "Oh? What are the other four?"

"Don't worry... I think I'd rather just show them to you one at a time," he replied, breaking in to his most mischievous grin.

He went around to the other side of his desk, got a little soft towel out of a drawer and then proceeded to clean me up a bit. Other than my poor panties, I was still pretty much fully dressed. I slid myself off his desk, took the towel, and excused myself. I went on down to the restroom and finished repairing the damage. As I was making my way back down the hall, Pam was heading into her office. She quite obviously inhaled as I got close, and her fangs ran out immediately. She smirked and said, "Bar tabs up 20 percent in the last twenty minutes. Sookie, you and my Master are _good_ for business!"

I had noticed the phenomenon at Merlotte's. When one couple on the dance floor got really amorous towards closing time, bar tabs would start rising immediately. I once asked Sam to explain, and he called it the "Drink 'em pretty" effect. In other words, it was late, suddenly everybody wanted to get laid by whoever was willing, and drunk enough that it didn't really matter what their partner looked like. Sad, but true.

In any event, I went on back to Eric's office, and found him dressed and sitting on the sofa drinking a TrueBlood. I sat down next to him, and he pulled my legs up over his lap, and then began to stroke them rather absently. For the second time that night, I wondered what was going on in that beautiful golden head of his. As for myself, I was wondering what in the heck he was doing drinking bottled blood when he just had an opportunity to have as much as he wanted of vintage Sookie Stackhouse Northman.

Just as I was about to ask him, his cell phone rang. He set his bottle down, dug in his pocket and pulled out his phone, and then flipped it open. As he began to speak, I leaned my head back against the sofa, closed my eyes, and just enjoyed listening to the sound of his deep voice. He continued to run his hands up and down my legs, and it was so soothing....

The next thing I knew, I heard Eric saying gently, "Come, Angel, it is time for us to go home."

I opened my eyes, and realized I had fallen asleep on his sofa. He had covered me with the soft blanket that he kept in his office for me once I started coming to Fangtasia with him all the time. He took it off and tossed it over a chair, then lifted me and carried me out to his car. He tucked me in the Corvette, jumped in the driver's side, and we set off for home. I think I was asleep again before we hit the end of the parking lot.

Surprisingly, he drove us all the way to Valhalla. I woke when we pulled up in front of the gates. Now that Eric was King, there were guards posted at the house twenty-four hours a day, and at night they were vampires. They bowed and opened the gates. Eric drove on through and then down the long drive to the house. The lovely old mansion came into view, and as always it was just so beautiful that I could hardly believe that I actually lived there. Bobby must have come earlier and dropped off our luggage, because the porch lights were on and the downstairs windows were glowing softly in welcome.

As soon as we came to a stop, I opened my own door and got out all by myself. As much as I loved it, Eric didn't need to carry me around like a baby all the time. We walked up on the porch, and he punched in the code and unlocked the huge old door. We stepped into the hallway, and I gasped! It looked... magnificent! My interior designer Daniel had been supervising the painting and wallpapering of the areas that had already been planned and approved. The wallpaper looked fantastic, and he had already hung the huge antique mirrors, and a few paintings. There was a round mahogany table sitting under the chandelier, resting on one of the oriental carpets that I had bought with Robert in New York. On it was sitting an enormous arrangement of fresh flowers. A small envelope was propped next to it. I looked questioningly at Eric, but he just shrugged.

I opened the envelope, and pulled out a note card with a golden royal crest on the front. I opened the card and read:

_**To King Eric of Louisiana and Arkansas and his lovely Queen Sookie,**_

_**Congratulations and welcome home. **_

_**Prince Niall Brigant**_

I smiled. I had called the Prince on Ash Wednesday, to be the first to tell him about our little change in circumstances. Of course, he already knew all about it. He seemed a little steamed that Eric had allowed me so close to the action, but was clearly pleased at the outcome. I guess if his great-granddaughter just _had_ to be married to a vampire, at least it was to a vampire King. I had also thanked him heartily for my magic tutor, Faeryn. His wonderful laugh had spilled through the phone, and he had said, "My dear, she thinks you hung the moon! She was very pleased at your progress, as am I. Tell me, have you been practicing?"

Rather guiltily, I admitted that I had not. Too many other more critical things had been happening, and plus, I had been surrounded by vampires who weren't supposed to know anything about it! He chastised me by saying, "Sookie, my child, you really must devote some time to this every day. You must not let vampire affairs come before your own best interests. Now, promise me that you will practice!"

I had promised, and now tried to practice a bit every day. As Faeryn had predicted, it was harder to do magic now that I was home. I still had a huge amount of trouble getting things to come to me. I had learned the hard way to only practice with non-breakable items, since my attempts to knit things back together were a complete waste of time. Niall had told me that he was going to be away for a few weeks, but would contact me on his return. He reminded me that we still needed to "discuss" my wedding gift.

After reading Niall's card, I smiled and handed it to Eric. He looked it over, and asked me, "Did you tell him we would be home tonight?"

"No, I haven't spoken to him in a couple of weeks," I replied.

He looked thoughtful, but said no more on the subject. He did, however, take a good look around the entry and commented, "This is quite lovely. I approve of your choices. Shall we see what else has been done?"

I was still pretty sleepy, but I _was_ dying to see the progress. We had only been at Valhalla a short time on the night of our wedding, and the groom had other things on his mind that home furnishings; so Eric had really seen none of the things I had purchased. We walked from room to room, and I could tell by the way his eyes were glowing that he liked everything very much. I was absolutely astonished at how much had been accomplished in the last three weeks! It was amazing!

Although I had my hands full at the Royal Residence, I had talked with Daniel almost daily while Eric and I were in New Orleans, and he had e-mailed me many times with pictures of choices. I had been somewhat worried about decorating a house remotely like that, but so far, everything looked just wonderful! It was every bit as lovely as the Residence in New Orleans, just not nearly as stuffy. It looked like people could actually relax and have fun here, which was exactly what I wanted. The formal areas were plenty fancy enough for company, which was good given Eric's new status. At the time I had stared the project, I had no idea that Eric becoming King was even a remote possibility.

I had finally gotten Eric to explain to Daniel all the technical issues involved with making the bedrooms light-tight, and most of that work had been taken care of in our absence. The upstairs was still not completely done, but was well on its way to being ready for vampire (or other) guests. Eric took my hand, and said, "You have done a wonderful job, especially given the circumstances. I am very proud of our home, and my lovely wife. Now, it is nearly dawn, and I would like a shower before we go to rest. Will you join me?"

I gladly followed him down to our room, and went straight to the bathroom. He undressed quickly and then helped me finish removing my clothes. He ran his hands over my body, with what I imagined was a slight frown. He started the water and we had our mutual shower. It was a lovely shower too, the kind where you get clean, then dirty, then clean again. However, even though I enjoyed it very much, he still had not bitten me. I was starting to get a little worried. Had I been eating garlic without realizing it? In New Orleans it had been nearly impossible find anything without garlic in it! Did he just not like the way I tasted anymore? I would know if he had been feeding from others, wouldn't I? Looking back over the last couple of days I realized that he had fed from me very, very little.

My vampire had gotten into bed, and patted my spot next to him. He said, "Come, Dear One, dawn is getting close and I want to hold you a little."

I crawled up next to him, and laid my head on his chest. He wrapped both arms around me, and pulled me close. He kissed the top of my head, and asked, "It is good to be home, is it not?"

"Yes, it is," I hesitated a moment, and then asked, " Eric, will you tell me something? Why are you not feeding from me? Is there something wrong?"

My vampire seemed to mull this over before carefully replying, "You are losing weight. I have been taking too much from you. You must stay healthy."

I didn't know why, but that answer made me want to cry. I said, "Baby, you were right. I just haven't been eating enough. I promise, I will do better, now that we're home. But it's not because of you taking too much blood! I feel absolutely fine!"

He sighed heavily, and said, "Nevertheless, until you start regaining some weight I will drink the bottled blood, except for just a nip now and then."

I knew by the way he said it he meant it. When he had that tone it usually meant that his mind was made up, and that was that. I have no idea why, but the next thing out of my mouth was, "Eric, do you love me?" Gah. I couldn't believe I sounded so... needy. I wished immediately that I could take it back.

His face became serious and he said something sharply in his native tongue, and then amended it to English so that I could understand, "Yes, of course I love you. What kind of question is that? You are my Queen and my Twice-Bonded. Now, Beloved, close your eyes and rest with me."

With that, I could feel the sunrise, and he fell into his daytime slumber. I lay there, wrapped safely in his arms, but it took me a long time to finally go back to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Notes: I am going to get this ball rolling by posting two chapters at once, and especially since we are all having TB withdrawals. I was going to start out by writing out some of the lyrics to the title song, but it turns out that is forbidden by the rules of the FanFic site; so instead, I recommend that you go to YouTube, and listen to the song Addicted to Love, by Robert Palmer. Think of our couple while you are listening!_

**Chapter 2**

Eric's POV: Wednesday, First Dark

I open my eyes for the evening, and the first thing I see is my Bonded scurrying around the room, apparently getting the last of our things packed. She is only wearing a very sexy bra and panties, so I am actually enjoying the show as she bends and stoops... but I am not certain why she is doing all this herself. She should have had one of the servants doing this last night while we were out, but I suppose she just forgot; and of course, she knows that no one else is allowed near me when I am resting during the daylight hours. The sight of my Bonded's luscious body is making me quite aroused, and since we have been together these last few months I have become accustomed to having sex and a snack immediately upon waking. However, I know that in order to catch the airplane to get us back to Shreveport, we need to hurry. She can sense that I am awake, and rushes over and says, "Hi baby!" She climbs on top of me, and gives me a kiss, and I am just about to forget getting to the airport on time. Making love to my sweet little fairy-wife is much more important than getting back to Shreveport, at least as far as I am concerned; but then, Sookie smiles at me and announces, "I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get home!"

She looks so adorable, I find I cannot disappoint her. I know she has been longing for home the last few days, but she has never once complained. Honestly, I am looking forward to being back in Shreveport myself. The transition has gone as smoothly as could be expected, in part because Sandy was willing to turn over any records she had, and also because most of the vampires of this territory were quite glad to see the last of Felipe de Castro and his Nevada group. As the oldest and most certainly the strongest vampire in the territory, I was the logical successor to our slain Queen Sophie-Ann; and I have been almost universally welcomed in as the new King.

One of my first tasks was appointing new Sheriffs, and redrawing the areas lines to better reflect the changes in population in the aftermath of Katrina. Rasul accepted the position of Area One Sheriff with gratitude, and I believe he will make a good one. A firm hand is needed here in New Orleans, all the more so because of the types of vampires it tends to attract; and so I will be coming here frequently. While my brother Robert was still here, I took advantage of his special skills. Even after the battle on the night of the ball, I had a little more

"house-keeping" to do, hunting down the last few of Victor's minions. I intend to rule this Kingdom from a position of strength, and have made it a point to establish that fact early on.

Out of the old group, one of the Sheriffs had been aligned with Victor, and had fallen in the battle on Mardi Gras morning. One had returned to Nevada with Sandy. The last, a vampire I had known for many years before Felipe's takeover, had fought bravely for my side. He had been wounded in the battle, but is now completely recovered. I had rewarded his loyalty with allowing him to keep his position as the Area 3 Sheriff.

Much to my delight, Sookie has taken over the job of staffing the Residence and done a remarkable job so far. Her telepathy is invaluable when it comes to screening humans, and I am reminded again what an extremely valuable asset she really is. We work quite well together, and I have come to rely on her common sense. I have known all along that additional staff will be required back in Shreveport, but I am not very trusting, and intend to be very particular about who fills those positions. In addition to Kingdom staff, we will be doing a great deal of entertaining from now on, and Sookie will need to hire more domestic help.

I roll out of bed, and see that Sookie has laid out some clothes for me. I can see that she has some clothes ready for herself as well, but they are rather pedestrian. I have a desire to see her in the little black leather skirt that I bought her recently, and so I ask her if she will humor me and wear it. She rolls her eyes a bit, but I can tell she really does not mind; so she digs the requested items back out of our luggage and slips on the skirt. It looks wonderful on her, but it is not nearly as snug as it was when we bought it a little more than a week ago. I want to see her wearing her black stilettos, too, because they make her legs look so long and elegant. I retrieve them from her bag, and then kneel at her feet and put them on for her. I cannot resist the feel of her silky skin; so I run my hand slowly all the way from her ankle up the inside of her leg, and do not stop until I can feel the fabric of her panties. I can hear her draw in her breath in anticipation, and she is watching me to see how far I am willing to take this.

I can feel her rising desire for me, but I also know how much that she wants to get home. I sigh, and remove my hand from under her skirt. The anticipation of having my way with her later will give me something to think about on the trip. Instantly, I fantasize about setting her up on my desk at Fangtasia, and just fucking her senseless. The first time we ever did that is one of my all-time favorite memories, and one I replay in my mind often. She sighs, too, and strokes my hair. Reluctantly I rise to my feet, and get dressed. We look well together, and I am proud to have my beautiful and sexy Queen at my side.

The porters come to retrieve our luggage. The travel coffins will be transported back to Shreveport by road later, since the airplane trip is not long enough to require them. Pam left hers here when she returned home a little more than a week ago. Compton is staying on here for a few more days. He has been working diligently to track down all the funds that Victor had managed to divert. Bill has still not given me an answer about which position he wants, but I think it is becoming clear that he is going to be a Lieutenant. Much to my surprise, I realize that I have come to rely on his calm and accurate assessments, his abilities at gathering intelligence, and also his fighting skills. For a such young vampire he is very strong and quite ferocious, and he has proven his loyalty to me and mine on more than one occasion. With a little guidance, in time he could become an excellent warrior.

As far as his connection with Sookie is concerned, I have tried my best to accept their relationship... although I sometimes still find myself somewhat... well, I suppose Sookie would call it jealous. Robert seemed rather amused by my half-hearted attempt to keep Compton here in New Orleans, and rightly pointed out that he is an asset better used elsewhere, not least as the perfect guard for Sookie when I am unavailable. I wish my old friend could have stayed longer, but of course I knew he would not. He loves his life in New York too much to be happy in the much more sedate Louisiana. However, he has promised to come back for my Coronation Ball, once it has been arranged.

Rasul is waiting out in the courtyard to bid us goodbye. He has always treated Sookie with a great deal of respect, and now he bows to her, and says, "Have a pleasant journey, my Queen. It has been a pleasure spending time with you."

Next to him is the Italian vampire Fabrizzio, who also bows, takes her hand, and kisses the back of it. Holding it, he gazes at her with his dark eyes and says, "Farewell, gracious lady. I hope you return to us soon."

Sookie looks utterly charmed by his courtly manners, and gives him one of her devastatingly beautiful smiles. I eye this new vampire carefully. He has an uncanny resemblance to Bill, and that Italian accent which human women seem to find so enthralling. Young continental vampires are much more open to physical contact than the ones in this country (what Sookie would call "touchy-feely") and I have also noticed that the younger vampires are not taking the trouble to lose their native accent. In my day, it was a necessary survival skill in order to blend in. I worked very, very hard to lose my accent, and now it seems to emerge only when I least expect it; generally on those extremely rare occasions when my emotions are threatening to get the better of me.

The young imp is still holding my wife's hand and gazing at her with something close to adoration. I feel a stab of irritation, and so I say to him rather sharply in Italian, "Rimuovere le mani dalla vostra Regina e non toccare mai più." _Remove your hands from your Queen and do not touch her again._

He drops her hand, steps back, and manages to look chastised. This has the unfortunate effect of making him look like a whipped puppy, and probably more appealing to her than ever. Sookie can feel my irritation, and gives me a sharp look. She has no idea what I just said to him, but probably imagines it to be worse than it actually was. She looks kindly at Fabrizzio, and says charmingly, "Thank you for all your help! Now, if you have any questions for me, just call or email me."

Obviously she has given him her personal contact information, and I am suddenly reconsidering the wisdom of giving him the job of being in charge of the Royal Residence. He served us well in the recent campaign, though, and Sookie insists this will be a good position for him. Ah, well, if I worry about every vampire that she charms, I will have no time for anything else. He is clearly no threat... just annoying. Bill is waiting for us in the entry hall, and he says, "Have a good trip. I expect I will be back in a few more days."

Sookie gives him a peck on the cheek, and says, "See you soon, Bill."

One corner of his mouth twitches up in answer, and then he turns to me. He says, "The car is here. Your bags are already loaded, and you should be to the airport just in time."

I nod, and my Queen and I take our leave. As the limousine is pulling away from the Residence, I think back on the night we had first arrived here. I have to chuckle a little. What a difference a few short weeks can make.

******

The flight to Shreveport is a short one, and once on the ground, Bobby is waiting for us. He will collect our luggage and take it to Valhalla. He has brought my car, and as soon as I tuck Sookie in, we head to Fangtasia. It feels good to drive my own car for a change. Limousines are a great convenience and required in certain situations. Ever since the invention of automobiles, though, I have loved to drive. It is a little passion of mine, and I love this particular car because it handles so well. It reminds me a little of my Bonded...sexy, quick to respond, a joy to handle...but seriously high maintenance.

The drive to Fangtasia puts me in excellent spirits, and I glance over at Sookie. Her eyes are closed tightly, and I can tell she is fighting to remain calm...although what she has to be nervous about I cannot fathom. I am an excellent driver!

In practically no time, I pull into the parking lot of the club and park in my customary place. It really does feel good to be back on familiar territory, although I would never admit that to anyone. I know I will have to be spending more time in New Orleans now; but I intend to run my Kingdom for the most part from Shreveport, at least for the foreseeable future. My child greets us at the door, and I know there are many things requiring decisions and documents needing my signature so we head to my office immediately. Sookie walks up towards the bar to take Felicia a little gift she bought for her in the Islands. I find my Bonded's determination to win over the young bartender amusing. Felicia must obey her Mistress in any event, or answer to me. As my Queen and Twice-Bonded, Sookie is due respect and obedience, and I intend to see that she receives it.

Pam and I proceed to my office, and I sit down in my chair. Ahhhh. Just as I am about to relax and enjoy the feeling of being back in my own office, in my own bar, Pam sits on the edge of my desk and says rather urgently, "Master, I received an email from Sandy's office. It is an official invitation to her Coronation in ten days."

I nod. I have already spoken to Sandy in person, and agreed to attend. Pam lowers her voice, and adds, "Also, an emissary has been sent to negotiate an official offer of marriage from the Queen of Nevada. He will be here tomorrow night."

What? I thought I had already made it perfectly clear to Sandy that I am not interested. If Sookie should get wind of this...I shudder at the thought. Somehow, I must divert her attention long enough tomorrow night to meet with this emissary, and put this issue to rest. Pam gives me a stern look, and asks, "Well? Are you going to tell her?"

Not likely. I say smoothly, "There is no need to upset her, because the issue is moot. There will be only one Queen, and she is the one who already bears my name. Tomorrow I will send the emissary back with a polite but firm rejection."

My child looks at me like I am the slowest vampire she has ever had the misfortune to lay eyes on. She says, "My Mistress is many things, but stupid is not one of them. You should tell her, before someone else does."

Momentarily, I hesitate. What if she _does_ find out somehow? Perhaps I should just tell her...but no. After tomorrow evening, the issue will simply disappear, and my beautiful bride will never have to know that the possibility ever existed. I say firmly, "I will handle the situation. Now, is there anything else?"

Watching me carefully, Pam says all too casually, "Oh yes. We had a visitor check in last night. She heard all about about your becoming King, and stopped by to offer her congratulations."

I raise my eyebrow, and ask, "Well? Was it anyone of any importance?"

She looks at me square in the eye, and says with distaste, "Well, I suppose that depends on how you look at it. It was Sabriel."

An unpleasant jolt runs through me. Of all the possibilities, that was absolutely the last one I would have guessed, and the least welcome. That is what comes of me having brought her up to Robert the other evening. Speak the devil's name, and she appears....what game is the little bitch up to now? Closing my eyes, I lean my head back against my chair. Reluctantly I ask, "...and what exactly did she want?"

My child is just about to answer me, when the door to my office flies open and Sookie enters, carrying three bottles in her hands. She stops cold, and gives us an appraising look, but then she brings our drinks in and sets them down on my desk. She hands us warmed TrueBloods, and then announces, "Felicia seemed to like her earrings."

I can see Pam rolling her eyes. She cannot seem to understand why Sookie would bother to curry the favor of one rather unimportant vampire. She snorts, and says, "Sookie, honestly! You didn't need to get her anything!"

Instead of arguing, my Bonded merely smiles, and then asks, "So, what's going on in here? You two look as thick as thieves."

Behind my desk where Sookie cannot see, Pam nudges me sharply with one pointed-toe pump. I have heard tales of the wrath of her Manolo Blahniks but she has never before had the nerve to use them on _me_. I know she wants me to tell Sookie about Sandy's Proposal, but instead I announce, "Lover, we have received an invitation from Sandy. She is going to hold her Coronation ceremony in ten day's time, and has asked that I attend. She wants to make it clear that I support her, and have no intentions of trying to regain Nevada."

I can tell immediately that the idea of leaving town again so soon is less than appealing to my Bonded. She objects, and asks if we must go. If there was any way at all to get out of attending, I would; but unfortunately it is necessary and I tell my Bonded as much. I can look at her and tell that she is preparing to argue, and Pam does her best to stem the coming tide by saying, "Mistress, it will be fun! You have never been to Las Vegas, have you?"

She goes on to list all the attractions available, but Sookie just stands there looking skeptical. Pam decides to change the subject and offers a diversion by reminding Sookie that she agreed to take over the employee scheduling. Sookie follows her somewhat reluctantly out of my office, pulling the door partially closed behind her.

The minute the door closes, I lean back in my chair and try my best to remain calm. Ye Gods! My first night back, and now this...I should have stayed in New Orleans! What in hell could that she-devil Sabriel possibly want? I have a horrible feeling I already know. The minute she heard that I had become King, she wasted little time in beating a path back to my door. She always did find wealthy and powerful vampires irresistible, which is how I got tangled up with her in the first place. Although she must be aware that I am now Twice-Bonded and legally married, she will care little for that. She truly believes that humans are good for nothing but sex and feeding, and no doubt thinks that Sookie is merely a short-lived pet who can be dealt with easily. The fact that Second Bonds are made only for love will have escaped her entirely, because I truly believe she has no capacity for love. Somehow, I doubt that she did even in her human life. I imagine she has told herself that the more mystical aspects of the Bond are more myth than fact as well.

Until I get more information from Pam, there is no sense getting worked up over the situation. In fact, what do I really need to worry about? If she puts in another appearance, I will simply be firm, and tell her that I have no interest in resuming a relationship of any sort. Sabriel had best keep her distance from Sookie, if she values her lily-white skin...surely she will have the sense to stay away from her. For now, I intend to put the matter out of my mind, and get on with the business of ruling this kingdom. Pam has left a huge pile of paperwork for me to review and sign, so I start pull the first item from the top of the stack, and begin.

I work steadily for quite some time, but something is gnawing at the back of my brain; something I need to see to...Oh, yes. Sookie has once again eaten nothing, and it is getting late. I look up the number for a nearby restaurant that I have taken her to on occasion, and order something I know she likes and request for it to be delivered. From now on, I have instructed our housekeeper to see that she eats during the day, starting tomorrow. In that intense period between the wedding and the Second Bonding ceremony, I fear I over-did feeding from her a bit; so recently I have been taking less blood from her, to give her body a chance to recover. Come to think of it, she has not taken much of my blood since the Bonding, either. I need to see that she takes some, maybe that will set her to rights. Mm. The idea of it makes me start to stiffen...and I re-visit my earlier fantasy about fucking her right on this very desk.

Just then my phone rings, and with a sigh I answer. It is my new Sheriff from Area 3, needing to discuss some important issues. I continue to sign the dreaded paperwork during our discussion, something I believe humans refer to as "multi-tasking". The minute I am done with him, another call comes in, then another...and before I know it nearly two hours have passed. Sookie poked her head in a few minutes ago, then flitted away somewhere. I am just about to go in search of her, when I can feel a sense of enjoyment through our Bond.

Eager to see what is causing my Lover so much pleasure, I stride out into the bar, and am amused to see Pam and Sookie out on the dance floor. They are apparently doing their level best to inflame every male in the bar. Judging by the glazed looks on many of those watching this completely erotic display of dancing, they have succeeded admirably. I watch as my child sensuously runs her hands over Sookie's curves, all while swaying in time to the music. My fangs slide out and I get an instant hard-on; I just stand and enjoy the show along with everyone else. Sookie must sense that I am watching, because she looks over her shoulder and smiles sexily at me. They both turn in my direction, and dance towards me. Pam has snugged herself up behind my Bonded's beautiful ass, her hands on Sookie's hips guiding her as they dance towards me. I can tell by the look on her face she is enjoying teasing me as much as Sookie is. As soon as they reach me, they continue dancing, but instead of each other they are now sliding their hands all over me.

Well aware that every eye in the bar is glued to the three of us, I pull both of my women in close. I give my child a kiss and send her off back into the crowd. I have much different plans for my little Lover; and so I pick her up and take her immediately to my office. Watching her move around in that short leather skirt and those fantastic stilettos has kept me half-way aroused all evening, and then this erotic little display...A vampire can only stand so much provocation. As soon as the door is closed, I set her on the edge of my desk, and proceed to play out my earlier fantasy. It is even better in the flesh, so to speak. I am in no mood for sweetness tonight. I want to fuck her hard until she screams my name...and eventually that is exactly what happens.

We both reach our completion much too soon to suit me, so I hold her to me to keep us joined for a few moments longer. Her heart is still pounding away in her chest, and she is clinging to me. Now that I have had the edge taken off my two hungers, I am ready to be sweet again. I have been speaking to her in my native tongue much more frequently lately, and now I say,"Du behaga mig som ingen annan. Du är min, och jag älskar dig." _You please me like no other. You are mine, and I love you._

I love the adorable little smile this produces. I can tell that she likes it when I speak to her this way. After a little playful banter, she leaves to go clean up a bit. The small nip of her Blood that I allowed myself only served to make me even hungrier, so I go to the bar and get another TrueBlood. It is too bad they do not make one that tastes more like my Bonded! Before long, Sookie rejoins me in my office, and sits next to me on my sofa. Just as I have draped those fantastic legs of hers across my lap, my cell phone rings, and this time it is Bill with another report. As we speak, I amuse myself with feeling every luscious nook and cranny of my Lover's spectacular legs, and even mange to sneak a peek up her short skirt...and of course she is now wearing no panties, since I destroyed the last pair just a few minutes ago. She keeps threating to buy by them by the gross and keep a boxful in my office, but I flatly refuse...it would totally spoil little serendipitous opportunities such as this.

Finally, my call ends, and I realize that she has fallen asleep. I carefully slide out from under her, and cover her with a soft blanket. I return to my desk and finish up the remaining tasks. When I am ready to go, I carry a sleepy Sookie to the car, and tuck her in. She sleeps all the way home, which is just as well. Since the roads are mostly empty at this hour, I am able to really open up the car and enjoy the drive. In no time, we are pulling up at the gates to Valhalla. Due to my new status, it will now be necessary to have guards here full time, not just during the daylight hours. In anticipation of this change, I ordered the new security fences and cameras to be installed weeks ago, and the job has just been completed in time for our arrival. The guards let me through, and I pull up the drive to our home.

I am anxious to see what Sookie has done with the house so far. This really is the perfect place to entertain guests, and I know my little Southern Belle will be the perfect hostess. I go around to get her, but she is already out of the car and headed for the front door. I unlock it and we step inside. Clearly the decorator has been hard at work, and has done an outstanding job. Sookie looks quite pleased at the result, as am I. There is a large arrangement of fresh flowers on the entry hall table, and Sookie looks at the card, smiles, and hands it to me. The flowers are from the Prince. Since Sookie swears that she did not tell him of our plans to arrive home this evening, I can only conclude that he is keeping close tabs on us; this is a thought that does not exactly thrill me.

I want to see the rest of the house, so we walk from room to room and inspect everything. I had no idea that Sookie had made this much progress, and I am extremely happy with the way the place is coming together. The overall feel is very elegant and yet not too formal, which is the style I much prefer. When we reach the last room, I take Sookie's hand and tell her, "You have done a wonderful job, especially given the circumstances. I am very proud of our home, and my lovely wife. Now, it is nearly dawn, and I would like a shower before we go to rest. Will you join me, my Lover?"

She smiles, and allows me to lead her down to our room. As we are undressing, I run my hands over her beautiful skin and can feel how thin she is getting. It makes me more determined than ever to restrict my feeding from her until she can recover. I am absolutely not willing to risk her health, even if it means drinking that bottled rubbish for a few weeks. I wish that we had time for a nice, luxurious bath before dawn, but a shower will suffice.

We step into our shower and I begin to bathe her. I love the feeling of Sookie's firm skin sliding under my hands as I soap her, and the hot torrents of water running over us have made her skin tantalizingly pink. Although I enjoyed our earlier tryst very much, it was not nearly enough. I slide my arms around her from behind, and begin to soap her breasts again, in a very particular way that I know she loves. She leans back against me, and sighs as I play. After a few minutes of that, she turns around, and pulls my head down to hers in a very passionate kiss. Her beautiful breasts are crushed to my chest, and her hand snakes in between us and begins to stroke my cock. I allow her to continue that for a time, until I get too close to the edge.

I make her stop, so I can back down just a bit before taking her. I lean down enough to pleasure her with my fingers; soon she is moaning deep in her throat and I can tell I am making her knees weak. She is so slick and swollen that I simply must be inside of her right this minute! I lift her up, and then place her on my waiting erection. Her legs slide around me, and I rest her back against the cool tiles of the shower. I was rough earlier, and fast. This time, I am sensual, and slower. I can feel through our Bond the deep physical pleasure I am giving her, as well as her love for me; and the combination of the two is just amazing. The sensation of her hot little pussy sliding up and down my shaft is driving me crazy! Soon I can tell she is near her climax, and the urge to bite her is nearly overwhelming; I am so very hungry for her rich, sweet blood...but I have made a vow, and I intend to honor it.

Even without the bite, she has a very intense orgasm, and as her muscles are contracting around me I reach my own peak. If it had gone on even a minute longer I really might not have been able to restrain my natural urges to feed. I wash her again, then we get out of the shower and get dry. While she is puttering around putting on creams and lotions, I go to our bed and climb in. It really does feel marvelous to be back in our own bed. I have come to heartily dislike travel coffins. She comes into the room, and I can smell the faint perfume that she always wears to bed. I say to her, "Come, angel. Dawn is getting close and I want to hold you a little."

She crawls into bed, and snuggles up next to me. I ask her, "It is good to be home, is it not?"

"Yes, it is," she answers me, then pauses. I can tell she has something on her mind. Finally, in a soft voice, she asks me, "Eric, will you tell me something? Why are you not feeding from me? Is there something wrong?"

I knew that this subject would come up sooner or later. I am prepared for her to argue, but I am her Bonded and I know what is best. I try to explain it so that she will understand that it is for her own good. I tell her, "You are losing weight. I have been taking too much from you. You must stay healthy."

I was expecting her to be disappointed, but I can tell this has upset her. When she speaks, I can hear a little tremor in her voice when she says, "Baby, you were right. I just haven't been eating enough. I promise, I will do better, now that we're home. But it's not because of you taking too much blood! I feel absolutely fine!"

I have to be firm, because I know it is necessary. I reply, "Nevertheless, until you start regaining some weight I will drink the bottled blood, except for just a nip now and then."

She is silent for a time, and then she bursts out with, "Eric, do you love me?

She sounds so...forlorn. I expected my normal spitfire Sookie, who would rather spit in my eye than admit that she is insecure. This is just so unlike her, that I know that I have wounded her somehow; but to question my love for her? How can she even ask me such a thing? By the gods, she might as well stake me now and get it over with! She has startled me so much by this question that I begin to reply in my own language before catching myself and switching to English, "Sjalvklart jag älskar dig! Yes, _of course_ I love you. What kind of question is that? You are my Queen and my Twice-Bonded. Now, Beloved, close your eyes and rest with me."

Hopefully, when she has had a chance to think it over, she will realize that I am right. It is only for a short time, and things will be back to normal. I hold her tightly, and kiss her; with that, the sun pulls me under.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters. I am only borrowing them. **** Sorry, I meant to have this up by Thursday night, but it just didn't work out that way! I'll do better with Chapter 4, I swear! Please forgive any typos, I did not have time to send it to the Beta.**** Thanks for all of the great reviews! You guys are awesome!_

**Chapter 3**

Sookie's POV: Thursday afternoon

The next day I didn't open my eyes until late in the afternoon. Since our honeymoon, I had been doing my best to adjust to vampire hours, with some success. Rolling out from under Eric's arm, I went into our bathroom and dressed. I went upstairs, and I could hear some noise coming from the kitchen. I had no idea who it was, but I wasn't too worried. Our troubles were behind us now, and the house was very well guarded. I rounded the corner, and our housekeeper Juanita was putting things into the refrigerator from a large cloth bag. I could smell something heavenly coming from the oven.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Northman! I hope I didn't wake you," she said, giving me a broad smile.

Somewhat surprised to see her, I asked, "Juanita, how did you know we would be here? I forgot to call you!"

She replied easily, "Oh, Mr. Northman sent me an email earlier in the week. He asked me if I could help him find a cook for you...and I told him that you seemed to like my cooking just fine. Now, if you would prefer, I can start to look for someone..."

"No! I _love_ your cooking! It reminds me of my Gran's," I said sincerely, "All of a sudden my husband has gotten it in his head that I need to eat more."

She looked me over carefully, and said, "You _are _thinner than when you left, that is for sure. However, I will fix you right up! Right now, I am fixing you some fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans for dinner. After that, I have an apple pie in the oven, and I bought some Bluebell vanilla ice cream to go with it. How does that sound?

I said truthfully, "Like I will gain ten pounds in one meal alone! Can I help?"

"No, I came yesterday and made sure I brought everything that I needed," she replied with a smile, "I even brought my iron skillet."

In complete understanding, I nodded. Gran had always said it was impossible to properly fry a chicken without one. I said, "I still need to bring mine from my old house. Anyway, I guess I need to go make some calls. How long until dinner?"

After thinking a minute, she told me that it would be about an hour and a half. I went into the library, and sat at Eric's antique desk. Glancing around the beautiful old room, I admired the graceful proportions of the room, as well as the elaborate fireplace and huge windows. I had never in my wildest drams thought I would ever live in a house that had its own library! Staring at the mostly empty shelves, I wondered if they would ever be filled. I really didn't own that many books, except for paperbacks. Even though I was an avid reader, books were expensive and the public library was free. However, Eric had told me last night that he had plenty of books to go in here, and soon he would round up his favorites and move them here from his other houses. His comment had made me realize that I still had no idea where all of his other places were located, or even how many he had. Oddly enough, even though we were married now I still felt funny about asking him too directly about things like that.

For some reason, that line of thought brought back our last conversation from just before dawn, and I felt myself flush with embarrassment. I just could not _believe_ that I asked him if he loved me, like some helpless sappy teenager... that was just _so_ not me! In refusing to feed from me, Eric was just trying to keep me healthy, even if he was dead wrong (ha) about the cause. After dating Bill, I knew exactly what too much blood loss felt like, and only once had I ever come close to that with Eric. More than likely, my loss of appetite was simply due to stress and a lack of schedule. As old as he was, I was a little surprised at how little he _really _knew about human women; well, except for sex, he knew plenty about that. Well, one thing was for darn sure, I wasn't going to beg him. Not gonna happen, no way, no how.

Unfortunately, next I began to wonder how long he would _really_ go without fresh blood. I wasn't really worried about Eric feeding from someone else, since we were together so much. Of course, I was asleep a lot of the time that he was awake, but still... Surely I would know! Wouldn't I?... Oh stop it, Sook! Get a grip! Even if he did, would it be the end of the world? Uneasily I realized that for me, it just about would. It wasn't just about him taking blood from other sources, either, although that idea didn't thrill me. With vampires, feeding and sex went hand-in-hand, and that was one area where I absolutely could not stand sharing him. Even though I had eventually come to forgive Bill over his sleeping with Lorena (he really had no choice), I could never quite get the imagined picture of the two of them together out of my head. It was one of the main reasons I had never been able to get back together with him.

Suddenly, I realized how upset I was getting over something that hadn't even happened yet. This was just nuts. I had intended to make some calls, and instead I had just managed to get all worked up over nothing. As long as I was with Eric most of the time, I could just try to relax, eat more, and everything would be fine. Attempting to shake myself out of such a rotten frame of mind, I pulled my cell phone out of my jeans and called Amelia. I had talked to her a couple of times since Mardi Gras, but I wanted to tell her we were finally home. I really, really missed my old farmhouse, and seeing my friends, so I called my old roommate and arranged to meet her at Merlotte's for lunch the next day.

After that conversation, I called Daniel and told him how much I loved everything he had done to Valhalla so far. He wanted to meet me here at the house in the next couple of days, to work on the upstairs. I told him how much Eric seemed to like everything, and the designer sounded both proud... and relieved. Now I understood why Eric had insisted that I spend as much as necessary on furnishing the place. I had a feeling that he had known all along that someday this might very well turn out to be a "Royal Residence," and that in the future we might be having lots of very unusual guests. I sincerely hoped I was up to it. Gran had been big on manners and graciousness, and I hoped that would be enough to see me through.

Once I was finished making my calls, it began to sink in that for the first time in weeks I didn't really have anything to do. Oddly enough, instead of being glad for the break, I felt curiously antsy. I paced around the library for a few minutes, and then it occurred to me that I hadn't hung the painting that my tutor Faeryn had given me. I had written her a long letter from New Orleans, thanking her for her all the gifts and more importantly for her help with my magic. I went into the living room, where the framed canvas was propped up against a wall. I retrieved it, and took it loose from its wrappings. The beautiful painting of the sea brought back all the wonderful memories of our spectacular honeymoon in a rush, and I sighed. A lot had happened since then; and even though it had only been a few weeks, it seemed like a lifetime ago. I took it back into the den, and looked around for the perfect spot to hang it; until I realized that I didn't have a hammer in the house! Until I could get one, I propped the painting up on the mantle, so I could admire it. Plopping down in a comfortable chair, I just sat staring at it for awhile.

The painting of the sailboat brought to mind my magic lessons on Sandy Cay, which in turn made me remember that I needed to practice. Looking around the room, I saw some pillows piled at the end of the sofa. I held out my hand, and concentrated. For a moment nothing happened. I thought about it harder, and tried to think about how much I wanted that soft little pillow to come to me. I gave it an extra little push, and suddenly, it appeared in my hand. Success! Pleased with myself, I grinned. For the next little while, I practiced with a variety of (unbreakable) objects, until I got too tired.

Eventually Juanita came in, and told me that dinner was ready. I followed her back into the kitchen, and just about fainted, the food smelled so good! She had set me a place at the breakfast table, and I saw that she had prepared plenty of food. "Juanita, will you please join me?" I asked. "I really get tired of eating alone."

At first, I thought that she was going to refuse, but then she broke in to a warm smile and said, "Sure, why not? I'll just set another place."

So we sat together at the table and ate a delicious, companionable, entirely human meal... and I enjoyed it immensely. It made me realize that I _was_ going to have to make more of an effort to be around humans more often. While we ate, the housekeeper and I chatted and got to know each other a little better. I could tell at once that Juanita was a very serene person who was not easily rattled, and seemed very comfortable in her own skin. I was glad she was someone I didn't feel would look down her nose at me just because I wasn't used to having a housekeeper.

After dinner, it was approaching dark and nearly time for my vampire to rise. Once Eric and I had finally "come to an understanding," first dark had rapidly become my very favorite time of day; and as always I tingled with a sense of excitement and anticipation at being with him. I had just started in the direction of our bedroom, but as I was unlocking the door, I once again flashed back to our talk from the night before. I absolutely could not bear of him thinking of me as so... weak and emotional. In order to regain at least a little dignity, I decided to show him that I had no intention of whining and begging for his bite... even if that was exactly what I wanted to do. I turned around, marched myself back to the kitchen, and got out one of his favorite bottled bloods to heat. Shaking it well to even out the temperature, I headed back downstairs to our chamber to wait. Perching on the side of our bed, I sat and gazed at my sleeping vampire. As always, I admired how beautiful he was in his rest, and a wave of love for him washed over me. Soon enough, he opened his eyes, gave me a radiant smile, and said, "Hello, my Love. Have you enjoyed being home?"

I handed him the bottle of Blood, and he took it with a look of surprise. In what I hoped was an off-hand manner, I said, "I thought you might be hungry."

He gave me an inscrutable look, but then he propped himself up in bed, took the bottle, and downed it. Almost immediately, he became a little pinker. He handed me the empty bottle and said, "Thank you. Now, why are you dressed? Come here."

He had me peeled out of my jeans and shirt in no time. Almost reverently, he ran his big hands down my body, and I could feel his love and passion coming through our Bond. He made love to me with tenderness, and it was wonderful... except that he didn't bite me. I admit, I missed it. In fact, I craved it... it just didn't feel right, somehow, like some important component had been left out of a ritual. Afterwards, we lay cuddled together and I was playing absently with his necklace. He didn't really seem to be in too much of a hurry to get going, which was odd, because I knew he still had tons to do. "My Love, I have been thinking... you have been traveling non-stop now for weeks," he said slowly. "Perhaps you would like to stay home for an evening."

Now that the threat of Victor Madden had been dealt with, I was once again safe. I did not have to be constantly monitored by a vampire at all times any longer, which suited me just fine. My first reaction was, "Great!", but then, I realized how unusual this was. Normally Eric seemed to want me with him all the time, and got grumpy when I had other ideas on the subject. I hated to look a gift horse in the mouth, but the memory of those twin innocent expressions from the night before, and that tiny feeling of guilt... Hmm. I wondered what in the world those two were up to.

However, the idea of having a night all to myself was fairly appealing, and I figured eventually I would probably find out what was going on anyhow. Or... not. Propping my head up on one hand, I looked into those guileless blue eyes of his, and said cautiously, "Um... okay. I still haven't unpacked our luggage. There is lots of laundry to do from our trip, and I can watch a movie while I'm ironing...." I was wondering if I had remembered to bring my iron from Bon Temps, and hoped that Juanita had bought plenty of laundry detergent, when I noticed my vampire was staring at me with a completely astonished look on his handsome face. I couldn't imagine what I had said to rate that look, so I asked uncertainly, "... what?"

As if it should be completely obvious to anyone, he announced forcefully, "Sookie, you are a Queen. You do _not _do laundry!"

Oh, holy cow. Who did he think had been doing it before we got married? Although, come to think of it, I had always done the washing when he was at rest, so maybe he just thought Juanita was doing it all along. Rather irritably, I said, "Juanita has enough to do, trying to clean this huge place and cook for me...the least I can do is help out with the laundry!"

He gave me a no-nonsense look, and said sternly, "You need to hire some additional domestic help. I absolutely forbid you to do that sort of labor. It is beneath you."

Oh, brother! He sounded serious! However, since he was going to be at Fangtasia for hours, I figured I would just wait until he left, and then I could do whatever I wanted; so I said sweetly, "Okay, baby, just calm down. I get it. Now, why don't I go start your shower? I'll bet you need to get going."

I guess by now he must know me pretty well, because he gave me another stern look and said, "I mean it, Sookie. No housework, whether I am here or not."

I must have still looked unconvinced, because he added, "You did not seem to have any trouble running the staff in New Orleans. Why should it be any different here?"

I shot back, "_This_ is our home! _That_ is the Royal Residence! It's just... different."

"Sookie, when we are here, this _is_ the Royal Residence," he said patiently, "We will be having guests, and parties. You will need help. Maids, and gardeners...perhaps Juanita can help you find some people. Promise me you will begin looking tomorrow."

For some reason, it really had not occurred to me until just now... this _was_ the new Royal Residence. I guessed he had a point, so I finally said, "All right. I promise! Now, Your Majesty, shall the little downstairs maid run your shower for you... and then help scrub your back?"

Immediately, his handsome face broke into a grin and he readily agreed, so I went in to our bathroom and started the water. I did scrub him, rather well; and I washed his hair for him while he sat on the built-in tile bench in the shower. Afterwards, we both dressed. Since I was not going to the club, I just slipped on some shorts and a top. Eric wore his customary jeans and a Fangtasia t-shirt. Apparently he had no intention of changing his wardrobe, even if he _was_ now a King; a fact that endeared him to me even more. I just love a confident monarch.

We went upstairs, and he kissed me and then left for Shreveport. It felt pretty odd, since I was so used to being with him during the night, and when I heard the big engine of the Corvette fire up, I actually got a lump in my throat! Good grief! Was I turning into one of _those_ women, who had no life of their own? Gah. Not this girl. I figured I could find plenty to do around the house... except that I wasn't really supposed to _do_ anything.

Eric had made it clear that he expected me to step up to the plate and start acting more like the Lady of the Manor. In one way he was right; in New Orleans it had not seemed strange at all that there was a domestic staff. Why should it be any different here? I had promised him that I would see about hiring more people, so I went off in search of Juanita, and found her dusting the enormous dining room table. "My husband has recently... gotten a promotion," I began rather cautiously, "We will be doing some entertaining, and having parties and things, and he thinks we will need more help around here. Do you think you could help me find some people?"

She stopped dusting for a minute, and looked me right in the eye. She smiled broadly, and said, "Of course, Miss Sookie. I imagine the new King of Louisiana will most definitely be doing a lot of entertaining."

I was completely taken aback, since I had no idea that she knew even the slightest thing about the vampire hierarchy. Incredulously, I asked, "How long have you known?"

"When I first decided to go to work for a vampire, I did as much asking around as I could. Domestic help almost always knows just about everything there is to know about their employers, if they keep their eyes and ears open," she calmly replied, "I learned from my friends who already worked for vampires all about how things worked, and that Mr. Northman was the most important vampire in the northern part of the state at that time. A Sheriff, is that correct?"

I nodded, and she continued, "Then, a couple of weeks ago while you were in New Orleans, my husband's cousin called and said, "Congratulations, Juanita, did you know that you now work for a King and Queen?" I was very happy for you, Miss Sookie! I just didn't feel it was my place to say anything."

I for one was relieved that the cat was out of the bag. It would have been pretty hard to hide it in the long run, if not impossible. I said, "Well, I'm glad you know. It will make everything loads easier. Now, who all do you think we need?"

"Oh, I have already given this some thought. I believe that to start you will need at least two daytime gardeners, maybe three; one more full-time maid; and someone part-time that we can call in when you are having guests," she said firmly, "We will have to hire a chef on those occasions that you expect any more than just a couple of human guests, since I am just a plain cook. We can always hire additional help as needed for parties. Will you be keeping Mr. Northman's other places, too?"

"I don't know. I guess I will have to ask," I replied. I guess I was just going to have to overcome my reluctance to pry, and soon.

"Would you like for me to set up some interviews?" she asked. "I have some people I know in mind, ones that are already familiar with vampires and their special requirements."

Eric was always telling me that I needed to learn to delegate tasks, so I asked, "Juanita, will you be in charge of all these people? I want you to be head housekeeper. Of course, since you will have more responsibility, your salary will be increased. Are you willing?"

"I was born and raised on a large ranch in Texas. My mother was head housekeeper for a very wealthy family," she replied with pride. "I think I can handle it quite well. I may need to adjust the hours that I work, though, so that I can be here earlier in the day."

With a great deal of relief, I said, "All right. We can work all that out. Just let me know when you have the interviews lined up. Now, I will let you get back to your work. Oh... I have lots of laundry to be done. Do you mind helping me with that?"

"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "I always wondered why you didn't let me do your clothes before!"

Ruefully, I said, "Juanita, I'll tell you the truth. Until very recently, I did _everything_ myself, and it still seems a little awkward to ask someone to do something I can do perfectly well on my own."

"I understand, but your circumstances are much different now. Look at it this way: you are providing employment for people who need a job," she pointed out," Mr. Northman pays very well, and I promise you these people will be very happy to work for you. Besides, don't you go to work most nights with your husband? You can't do everything, you know!"

Well, she had a point there. Up until tonight, Eric seemed to just expect that I would be with him most of the time; which brought me back around to wondering what in the heck he was up to tonight... however, maybe it was better if I didn't know. There were still plenty of aspects of his "job" that I found pretty disturbing, and maybe he was just trying to protect me. I sighed. Although I had thought I had understood what I was facing when I agreed to marry him, it was just beginning to sink in to my head what this marriage _really_ meant, in terms of adjustments. Oddly enough, he seemed to be dealing with it lots better than I was. Right now, for example, he was busy doing his secret vampire stuff as usual, and here I was doing... nothing. As much as I hated to admit it, I missed the big lug already, and he had hardly been gone an hour!

Well, maybe I should take up knitting, or something. Right now, though, I wandered back through the house, looking for something to do. I got out my current paperback and read in the library for awhile, and then wandered aimlessly around the house some more; and then finally settled in the "great room" (which I personally thought was a fancy way of saying "den"), and looked for something to watch on TV. Eric had at satellite system installed, along with all the premium channels, in spite of the fact that neither one of us watched much television. After a lifetime of having terrible, limited reception from my old TV with the foil-tipped rabbit ears, this was a supreme luxury.

After flipping through the seemingly endless channels (half of which seemed to be hawking some crazy product. Really! Who buys all that stuff?), I finally came across a vampire movie. Unfortunately, it was the kind where all the vampires were mean, nasty, and vicious, without a single redeeming quality. It was clear that there would soon be a gruesome round of stakings coming up, as well. Ugh. That particular genre always made me highly uncomfortable, although my vampires all seemed to love them. Go figure. I found a re-run of House M.D., and watched that instead. Towards the end, Juanita came in and offered me a snack, but after the huge late afternoon meal, I wasn't a bit hungry. She looked at me disapprovingly, and said, "You really must try to eat more than once a day. Your husband will not be pleased if you lose any more weight. Now, if I can't get you anything else, it is time for me to go home. I will see you tomorrow."

I told her goodnight, and she left for the evening. Once she was gone, I began to think about what she had said. Now that everybody had been making such a big deal over my weight, I finally began to wonder what _was_ causing my lack of appetite. After giving it some thought, something occurred to me that probably should have been obvious. For the last few months, I had been having a very steady supply of vampire blood, both Eric's and also quite a lot of Bill's on the night I had been shot. In New Orleans, it had become obvious that I was developing more vampire-like traits. I glowed most of the time, now; my hearing and vision were better; I was stronger; I had the mostly unwanted ability to "hear" vampire thoughts more and more frequently; I could now feel the approach of sunrise and sunset; and apparently, I actually craved Eric's rich old blood. However, since vampires have no need for human food, maybe another side effect was that I had a diminished appetite because of it. Huh. Maybe _I_ needed to stop taking _his_ blood until this situation was resolved.

As much as I hated to admit it, the very thought that I wasn't going to be able to taste him for awhile made me extremely uneasy. In fact, that was putting it mildly. What in the world was wrong with me? Up until recently, I had resisted taking any blood at all unless practically forced. Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Oh... hell. I had known all along that people could become addicted to "V" or vampire blood, but I had never put myself in that category. I took it during lovemaking because it gave him pleasure, not because I wanted a high... but if just _thinking_ about giving it up made me that bent out of shape, I really _must_ be addicted. Now I felt really crummy! I hardly even drank liquor, never took drugs at all, and there I was, a "V" addict! I knew that Eric and Niall seemed to think taking Eric's blood would extend my lifespan, but perhaps I had just been overindulging. Maybe I just needed a sip now and then, and in the meantime my appetite would return. I vowed to myself that no matter how hard it was, I was just going to back off for awhile, and see.

That whole line of thought had made me very antsy, and I just couldn't sit still enough to watch any more TV. It was too late to call any of my friends. I was really, really missing my Viking but knew it would probably be a long time before he would get home. I wandered into the sun room, and looked out over the pool. It was now well into March, but it was still quite cool out at night. I noticed that there was mist rising from the water, and wondered how long it would be before the pool would be warm enough for swimming. I let myself out the door to see how cold it still was; and much to my surprise when I dipped my hand in, the water was very warm! Merely having my own swimming pool had been amazing enough; the incredible extravagance of it being heated in the winter had never even occurred to me!

I went down to our room, finished unpacking the items from our travels that still needed to be put away, and then rounded up a bikini and a wrap and changed into them. I grabbed a big towel from our bathroom, since we didn't have any beach towels, and made a mental note to ask Juanita to buy some to keep around the pool. My hair was so long and thick it took forever for it to dry, so I piled it on top of my head to keep it from getting too wet. Going back outside, I slid into the jewel-like water. Wow! It was the absolute perfect temperature, and I paddled around happily for awhile.

However, after a few minutes, I began to notice how quiet is was outside, and how still; so just to make it seem less lonely, I began humming to myself. I needed to remember to bring my little portable radio from Bon Temps, so I could listen to music while I was out here swimming or sunbathing in the summer. Maybe I could invite Amelia to come over once it warmed up a little, and have a day with my friend just laying around the pool. Even though I had not always appreciated having a roommate, now I missed seeing her on a regular basis, and was really looking forward to our visit the next day. Sam, too. I could hardly wait to lay my eyes on my old boss, and give him a big hug. As crazy as it sounded, I actually missed my old job very much.

I had been so involved in my own thoughts, I just about jumped out of my skin when I heard a deep voice say, "What a lovely sight you are...do you mind if I join you?"

Eric! I had been so pre-occupied that I hadn't even noticed that he was getting near. I was so excited that he was home! I turned around and gave him my most welcoming smile, and said, "Hi, sugar! I didn't expect you home for a long time! Come on in, the water is perfectly warm!"

Much to my surprise, instead of going inside and getting a swimsuit, he was stripping off his clothes right there on the patio. He stood completely naked on the side of the pool, and let me admire him for a minute (and I did!) and then he slid into the warm water. I said, "Um...you _do_ know that the guards are still roaming around, right?"

Shaking his head, he reminded me, "Lover, at night all the guards are vampires, and you know by now that we just don't think of nudity in the same way as humans. Speaking of that, why on earth are you wearing a swimsuit in your own pool?"

"Duh... guards! I don't care if they _are_ vampires!" I answered somewhat indignantly, "Do you _really_ want them all to see your wife naked? I thought I was yours, and yours only!"

Quite smugly, he said, "Exactly. You _are_ mine, there is no longer any question of it. No vampire in their right mind would attempt to take you from me. You are an extraordinarily beautiful woman and I do not mind showing you off... at least, to vampires. Admiring my beautiful Queen is acceptable. Touching, however, is strictly forbidden, and punishable by final death. Anyone _else_ seeing what is mine... no. No humans, Weres, or most especially shifters."

What a strange way of thinking about it! I sighed, and wondered if I would ever truly understand the completely arcane rules of vampires. It didn't matter, though, I still wasn't prepared to go around naked in front of a bunch of strange vampires. I had never even met the new guards! While I had been thinking this over, my vampire had been inching through the water in my direction, and now he was nearly close enough to touch me. He said seductively, "Come, my Queen, I want to see all of you. That bathing suit is offending me."

I backed away, laughing, and then said in mock severity, "No way, buddy!"

He glided forward, reached out a hand, and said, "Here, let me help you..."

With that, I scooted even further out of his reach, and replied playfully, "Sorry, don't think so!"

So we played a little game of chase all around the pool, laughing like maniacs, even though I knew he could catch me in an instant if he really wanted to. I could tell by the way his fangs had come down (and also by the fact that the Gracious Plenty was standing at attention) that he was enjoying the hunt as much as I was enjoying being the prey. I loved his sexy smile, his glowing blue eyes, and the way his muscular body moved so easily through the water....yum! In fact, my girl parts were making their presence known, and so I decided maybe it was time to be caught.

I slowed down just enough for him to grab me, and he pulled me to him and shouted gleefully, "Ah ha! Now I have you! Mine!"

Giggling, I said in a tiny little voice, "So what is the big, bad old vampire going to do with the poor helpless girl?"

Wiggling his eyebrows at me, he play-growled, "Eat her up, of course! But not before he peels her out of this completely worthless bathing suit."

Before I could object, he made good on his threat; and suddenly, there I was, as naked as the day I was born. I was blushing a little, but knew it was unlikely that any of the guards would choose this very minute to come by. He lifted me up, wrapped both of my legs around his waist, and began to give me some of his best Viking-style kisses. Pretty soon I forget to even think about who might stroll by, and just concentrated on kissing my vampire. He whispered in my ear, "Do you want me, my Queen?"

By then I was hotter than a firecracker, so I said eagerly, "Yes, baby. Let's go inside, and I'll show you how much!"

He chuckled low in his chest, and said, "I like it here just fine."

With that he shifted me up a little, and inserted himself inside me. Oh! OH! The sensation of the warm water surrounding me, and of half-way floating, was very erotic. He was whispering bad things in my ear, too, which made me blush; but I admit it made me even hotter than I already was. Also, a secret part of me found the idea that we could actually get caught a little... exciting, somehow. Bad, I know. My vampire was clearly also extremely aroused, and was almost wild in his passion. Of course, that just set off the cave woman in me, and I enjoyed every minute of his attentions.

Something about the passionate way he was making love to me set off an intense craving for him to bite me. The very anticipation of it was making my heart pound. I knew he had told me that he wouldn't be feeding from me, and I had vowed to myself that I would not beg; but maybe I could _entice_ him to take a nip. Putting my lips next to his ear, I whispered as sexily as I could, "Baby, you said I could ask you anything, right? I want you to bite me, because I love the way it makes me cum."

When my vampire heard that, he growled low in his throat, and then almost instantly complied. The very minute his fangs sank into my skin, a wave of sheer pleasure rolled through my body, and I climaxed with an intensity that made me cry out. I clung to him, shuddering. He moved inside me a few more times, and then followed with his own orgasm. We stayed in place like that for a few minutes, tightly holding each other, and still joined. When he had regained his senses, the first thing he said to me was, "You are a very bad girl, tempting me like that. It seems I cannot resist you when you are being naughty."

I was still clinging to him like a limpet, with his strong arms supporting me. Completely relaxed and nearly purring with satisfaction. I said dreamily, "You barely took any. It just feels so good, I miss it when you don't taste me."

He growled again, and said, "I miss it, too, more than you know. Still, it is necessary."

Briefly, I thought about arguing, but decided now was not the time. "Come, Lover, I am not done with you yet," he said in a sultry tone.

Eric walked us both up out of the water, and set me down. Once we left the warmth of the heated pool, though, I immediately began to shiver with cold. He quickly found my towel, and wrapped me in it. I said, "Brrrrr! It is c-c-c-cold out here!"

Turning, I dashed back inside, with my vampire chasing after me. I ran all the way through the house and down to our bathroom, where I turned on the shower, hot, hot, hot!. He joined me, and we rinsed off, even though there was no chlorine in the pool. I had been surprised to realize that it was a salt water swimming pool, since I had never even heard of such a thing. I asked him about it, and Eric explained that he wasn't crazy about the smell of chlorine; and it was also more environmentally friendly. The thought that he even considered the environment at all was a little funny, but it really made sense. If you were going to live forever, you probably wanted the Earth to stay in good shape right along with you!

He went on to explain that we even had solar panels mounted on the southern exposures of the roofs of the garages and out buildings, and also an array in a pasture to the west of the house, enough that on most days enough power was generated to be fed back into the grid! Furthermore, the house had been completely insulated (especially the attic), we had tankless hot-water heaters, all the air conditioners were the super-efficient kind, and many other energy saving ideas. I had no idea you could do all that to an old house, but he said anything was possible with enough thought and especially enough money. Valhalla still looked historic, but was as modern as all get out in her systems! He seemed so proud of all his innovations, that I hated to point out that we both drove gas-guzzler cars! However, he flew part of the time, so I guess he figured it all evened out in the long run.

After our shower, he pulled on a pair of dark blue sleep pants (since he went to rest nude, I had never actually seen him sleeping in them!), but no shirt, which was fine by me. With his long hair combed back, those low slung soft pants, and his muscular bare chest, he looked really hot! I slipped on a little white lace teddy. It was still pretty early for him, so we went back upstairs and I warmed him up a Blood; and just to show him I was trying I fixed myself some yogurt with berries. He seemed satisfied with that, and we sat in our den on one of our comfy new sofas. He pulled my legs up over his, and stroked them as I ate. Between spoonfuls, I asked, "So, why are you home so early? I know you had a ton of stuff to do."

"Quite honestly, I found myself missing you," he replied, "I decided to take the rest of the evening off. There should be some perks to being King, after all."

Awwww! That was so sweet! Suddenly, I had an idea. "You know, you could use the library or one of the other downstairs rooms as an office. We have Internet. Maybe you could just work from here sometimes."

He looked thoughtful, and said, "Actually, that is an excellent idea. There will be times now that I might prefer to have a bit more privacy than Fangtasia offers."

That would be fine with me, too. I had discovered that I was bored here all by myself. I finished my yogurt, and carried our dishes back to the kitchen. When I got back, my vampire at first appeared to be in downtime, but then I realized he was just thinking about something very intently. I went back and sat next to him quietly, so I didn't disturb his train of thought. He took my hand and stroked my palm rather absently with his long fingers. When he finally spoke, he said, "Lover, we will be leaving for Las Vegas in less than a week. We will be there for four nights. Let me see...you will need a cocktail dress, and two evening gowns."

I sighed. Shopping was still not one of my favorite things. "Three gowns? In less than a week?"

"Yes, and you will need some other nice outfits to wear when not attending the formal functions," he replied. "Beloved, we will be doing a lot of this type of thing from now on. You are going to need nice clothes. As soon as things settle down, I will take you back to New York to see Annette. For now, see what you can find locally, or on the Internet. Of course, there are many fine shops in Las Vegas, so perhaps we should just buy you a few things there."

I said doubtfully, "Okay, I'll see what I can find." _Three _evening gowns? He had no idea how hard that was going to be, all in less than a week!

He tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, and then caressed my face with his fingertips. Looking deeply into my eyes, he said, "Angel, you always make me proud that you are mine. You are my Queen, and my wife, and I adore you."

He was really on a roll tonight, with all the sweet things he was saying. It seemed he wasn't finished though, because then he continued, "Promise me that you will never doubt my love for you, no matter what."

Immediately, I exclaimed, "Of course not! I know you love me. I can feel it through our Bond."

"Yes. The Bond is quite special, is it not?" he said slowly. "It makes us quite different than other couples. You _know_ that no one could ever take your place. As a matter of fact, I suppose I should tell you something..."

Before he could finish his sentence, his cell phone rang. Sighing heavily, he pulled it out of the pocket of his sleep pants, and glanced at the screen. He snapped the phone shut without answering. I had rarely seen him do that, because not very many people had his cell phone number. Through our Bond, I had felt a flash of irritation, and another faint feeling of...guilt? Curiously, I asked, "Who was it?"

"Someone that I will speak to later. Now, Lover, let me see what you are wearing under that cute little teddy." He slid his had up between my legs, and discovered that I was wearing...nothing! Surprise! He laughed and said, "I approve! You know what pleases me! Now, I believe that I promised earlier that the big, bad vampire was going to eat up the pretty little girl..."

And so he did.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris is the creator and owner of these characters, which I am just borrowing. _

_**** Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I am sorry I am a little late in responding to some of them, but my husband and I went camping this weekend for the first time in year._

_**** Here is Eric's POV. The first half of this story is going to be told in this same format. Her view, and then his. A great deal of what this story is about is how differently they view the same event. (It makes the story progress a little slower, though, so some of you may want to wait a few days and read the dual chapters back to back. Hers, odd numbered chapters...his, even.) However, it also allows us to see what the heck he's up to even when she's not around....you will always get to find out some new info..._

**Chapter 4**

Eric's POV: Thursday First Dark

I wake to the wonderful feeling of my Bonded's love pouring through me. I know that she is quite close, but for some reason not in her usual place cuddled at my side. I open my eyes, and see her sitting on the side of our bed. She is dressed in jeans and a sexy little top, and seems to be holding a bottle of Blood. I greet her, and she just smiles and hands me the bottle. I am bit surprised, because I really expected her to give me more of a fight when I told her that I was not going to feed from her for a time.

I take it and drink it right down, because I am in fact hungry. The bottled stuff does satisfy one of my hungers, but not both. I have no idea why my beautiful little Lover is dressed, but I waste no time in remedying that situation. Once I have her silky skin free of clothing, I proceed to show her how much I desire her. Even though I just had the bottled blood, it is quite difficult to refrain from feeding from her during sex. I manage; but I fear as time goes on, it will become ever more of a challenge. Still, I am very strong-willed and know that I can do it. Sookie is disappointed, I can tell, but this is all for her own good.

After our lovemaking, I just lay still and enjoy the feel of my sweet wife settled snuggly in my arms. I must think of a way to get her to stay home this evening, because Sandy's emissary is coming to the club and I want to keep my Bonded as far away from him as possible. Sandy is obviously trying to shore up her rather shaky position by trying to form an alliance with me through a Royal marriage. Although I have already turned the idea down verbally, it seems she thinks she will have better luck through a formal negotiator. I will make it very clear to him that as far as I am concerned, I already have one true Queen, and I will not even consider a political marriage. After tonight, I will lay the whole issue to rest, and then we can get back to our normal schedule.

In fact, it annoys me greatly that I have to leave Sookie at home, just as we are returning from New Orleans. I find her presence to be quite useful in many ways, not the least because she is so lovely to look at. I do not wish for her to get out of the habit of coming with me to Fangtasia, since it took me so long for her to get used to it before our wedding. The nights will be getting shorter soon, and I want her to spend as much time with me now as is practical. Still, perhaps it _might_ be better for her to stay home for a couple of nights, and get rested from our travels. A little down time may help speed her recovery. We will be on the road again in a week's time, and I want her to be at her best in Las Vegas.

Since I have made such a point of her always being at my side, I know she will wonder why I have suddenly changed my mind. I try to decide on the approach that will raise the least amount of suspicion. Since it is mostly the truth, I start by saying, "My Love, I have been thinking... you have been traveling non-stop for weeks. Perhaps you would like to stay home for an evening."

Her first response is one of relief, but then I can tell she realizes that something is not quite right with my offer. Nevertheless, she agrees, and I think to myself that it was really much easier than I expected. However, the next words out of her mouth completely amaze me. She has just informed me of her intentions of staying home to do... laundry! Is she joking? No, clearly I can see that she is not. Even when I was just a Sheriff, it was not necessary for her to lift a finger as far as domestic chores were concerned... what is she thinking? Surely she realizes how vastly different our lives have become now! The difference between Sheriff and King is like...night and day. I must make her realize this, so I begin by stating the obvious, "Sookie, you are a Queen! You do _not _do laundry."

By the look on her face, I can tell that she is about to balk; although why this should be so is beyond me. We proceed to have a rather serious chat about the need for her to hire more domestic staff, which she rather reluctantly agrees to do. With that matter settled, she offers to come shower with me. Standing in the steamy enclosure, she takes extra care in scrubbing me, and I can tell she is trying to sooth my ruffled feathers. She even washes and dries my hair, which she knows I enjoy. There is something quite soothing about it. I especially love the way my angel hums to herself as she stands behind me, blowing my hair dry and pulling the brush gently through my long locks. While she works, I mull over the things I must accomplish this evening. Besides the meeting with the marriage negotiator, there are several other pressing matters that require my attention. Once Sookie is finished with my hair, instead of getting dressed formally for Sandy's emissary, I deliberately pull on my normal jeans and t-shirt. This is a sign of my disinterest in the entire matter which, if the negotiator has any experience at all in the political arena, he is sure to interpret correctly.

Somewhat reluctantly, Sookie follows me upstairs to see me off. Instead of walking me all the way outside, she goes no further than the door to the library; where she pulls my head down and kisses me goodbye. Walking by myself out to the car, I realize that it seems very odd and vaguely unpleasant to be leaving her behind. I jump in the Corvette, and take off for Fangtasia. The drive there is uneventful, and on the way I think of the items I need to address this evening. Upon arriving at the bar, I stride down the hall to my office, where I find Pam sitting on my sofa awaiting my arrival. When she sees that I am alone, she looks surprised. Curiously, she inquires, "Where is Sookie?"

I tell her that she is at home, resting. Pam looks skeptical, and says flatly, "Resting. That does not sound like our Sookie. Let me guess... you _still_ did not tell her about the Proposal."

"I told you I would handle it." Hmmm. That came out rather more sharply than I intended. In a more moderate tone, I ask, "When is Sandy's emissary supposed to be here?"

"Around 11:00. Until then, I want you to look at these reports from Area 2. Also, you are going to have to set a time to hold court."

There are always issues that come up in the course of vampire affairs that cannot automatically be handled by the Sheriffs. Most monarchs tend to hold a "court" several times a year, where disputes are settled and punishments are dispensed. If the dispute involves parties in different territories, then the matter is settled at summits such as the one in Rhodes. Only the most important cases, or those involving monarchs, are handled by the Ancient Pythoness. Felipe was notoriously lax when it came to holding court, because he was always too busy in Nevada to bother much with Louisiana matters. I have some serious catching up to do.

After thinking it over carefully, I decide to hold the first one the Friday after returning from Las Vegas. I tell Pam to inform the Sheriffs of the chosen time and date, and we spend some time discussing possible venues. This is definitely another night when Sookie is going to have to be absent, because I am certain she is not quite ready to hear about some of the punishments that may need to be administered. For once, Pam is in total agreement with the need to keep her away from such potentially unpleasant proceedings, at least until she becomes more accustomed to our ways. Eventually she will come to understand the need for what she may consider harsh penalties. Vampires can be quite a handful to discipline, and sometimes I will have to be quite creative to get their attention.

After discussing a few more matters, Pam goes out to the bar to make sure everything there is running smoothly. I take my seat behind my desk, and look at the new stack of documents requiring my signature. Since becoming King, I have been inundated with paperwork, which I absolutely loath. Fortunately, this phase of my new position should not last much longer, and eventually I will hire extra staff to take care of most of it anyway. Turning on my computer, I begin by checking my emails...

******

A couple of hours later, I go out into the bar and sit for awhile, just to clear my head. The usual boring run of Fangbangers and tourists are in attendance, and I wish mightily that my Bonded was here to keep me amused with her sharp wit and beautiful body. After discouraging several circling Fangbangers with a disdainful flick of my fingertips, I almost call my Lover; but decide that as soon as Sandy's negotiator has come and gone, I will just go home and see her in person. I know that she has been keeping vampire hours lately, so that we can spend more time together; but tonight she may have gone to bed earlier since I am not there to occupy her.

Closing my eyes, I think about what she looks like when she sleeps. Even at rest, she is just so alive and warm, I find her completely irresistible. One of my favorite things to do is wake her, and then make slow, sweet love to her. She is always so gentle then; so warm and soft, and... I suppose the word is "cuddly." I fantasize about how it will go: I will slide in beside her, and feel her silky warm skin against my cool body. Ever so gently, I will kiss her awake. Her little arms will slide around my neck, and as she almost always does, she will say softly, "Hi baby! I missed you!" Next, I will slide my hand....

A voice behind me says, "Do I have the honor of addressing Eric Northman?"

I growl. I was just getting to the good part of my fantasy, and this interruption had better be important or whoever this turns out to be will wish they were anywhere else but right here. I open my eyes, and see before me a rather short, unremarkable looking vampire of undetermined age. He is wearing a well-cut dark suit, and is carrying an expensive attaché case. Glancing at my watch, I realize that it is later than I thought. This must be Sandy's vampire with the Proposal.

"Yes, I am Eric Northman," I reply, stifling a sigh, "And you are...?"

He bows from the waist, and says, "My name is Thomas Reynolds, and I have been sent by my Queen, Sandy Secrest."

Rising from my chair, I stare down at him; and I can see him giving me an appraising look in return. I am quite anxious for this to be done, so I motion for him to follow and I stride to my office. Once inside, I sit behind my desk and gesture for him to take a seat opposite me. Before we have a chance to begin, Pam opens the door and glides in. After the introductions are made, she sits in the chair next to our visitor and stares at him with that famous bored look of hers. Clearing his throat, the negotiator begins by saying, "Queen Sandy sends her regards, and bids me to tell you she is looking forward to seeing you at her Coronation Ceremony."

I say nothing, but incline my head to acknowledge his statement. He continues, "As you know, the Queen feels that it would be quite advantageous for both of you if you entered into a Royal Marriage. It will serve to make both of your new positions more secure."

"My position is quite secure already," I reply quite coldly.

Immediately, he says, "Oh, of course. I never meant to imply otherwise. However, in these uncertain times, it never hurts to have an ally who will stand with you if ever you find yourself in need of additional support."

"Sandy is much more likely to require _our_ support than the other way around," Pam says with a snort.

I give her a warning look. Although I am not interested in pursuing a union, I do not wish to make an enemy, either. I say smoothly, "I am sure Sandy is very much in control of her territory, and I wish her well. However, I respectfully must decline her offer of marriage."

He looks rather surprised that I have refused so early in the negotiations. He shifts a bit in his seat, and says, "With all due respect, Sir, please hear me out. I understand that you have recently been Twice-Bonded and also married under human law to a girl named Sookie Stackhouse, is this correct?

"Her name is Sookie Northman," is my chilly reply.

He continues, "You are of course aware that as a King, under vampire custom you are still allowed to make a Royal Marriage. Sandy understands that, due to your Second Bonding, you are currently quite fond of this human; and therefore she would allow you to keep her here in Louisiana as your pet until her death. You will still be expected to perform your duties as a Royal Husband the required number of nights every year, unless of course you wish for more. Sandy is amiable to that as well."

Suddenly, this whole negotiation is starting to irritate me, in a major way. Fond of Sookie! Pet! She is my life! Sandy herself was present at our Second Bonding, and also when the Ancient Pythoness declared us to be Fated. Even if she thinks the human marriage ceremony is worthless, she knows full well that as my Twice-Bonded, Sookie deserves more respect! I can feel my temper rising, and begin to wonder what Sandy will say when I send back her emissary in pieces. However, I must remain cool. I lean my head back against my chair, and close my eyes. Very calmly, I say, "That is very generous of Sandy, but no."

By now he must surely understand that I am seriously _not_ interested in this union, but he presses on anyway. He offers, "Sandy understands that perhaps if you had an interest in some Nevada businesses, you would be more inclined to make this alliance. She is offering you a significant percentage in two of her casinos."

I smile faintly. The last thing I am worried about is money. Pam gets up, and comes around my desk to stand behind me. I am just about to open my mouth to reply, when my cell phone rings. I glance at the display, and it reads: Sabriel. As if I am not having enough difficulties getting rid of one vampiress, here is another one after me! Ignoring the call, I turn back to the negotiator and say, "Please tell your Queen that while I appreciate the offer, I am not interested; and that is final."

He blinks, and says, "Sir, are you certain? Do you not wish to make a counter-proposal? More business concessions, perhaps?"

"No." I say quite firmly. Does he not speak and understand English? I wonder how much clearer I can make it.

He thinks for a minute, clearly puzzled by my lack of negotiations. Finally he asks, "Why, then?"

I am not in the habit of explaining myself to underlings; however, unexpectedly I find that I want to tell him the truth. Sitting forward in my chair, I reply, "Quite honestly, I already have a Queen, and she is the only one I want or need. It is as simple as that. Here is my formal refusal, which I prepared earlier. Now, if you will excuse me, I have other matters which require my attention." I hand him a letter on my official stationary (which Sookie picked out and had printed in New Orleans). He takes it and bows, and in return hands me his calling card. He says, "If you should change your mind, please let me know immediately. Otherwise, I will probably see you in Las Vegas in a few days."

Without further ado, he bows again and takes his leave. As soon as he is out the door, Pam says dryly in my ear, "Master, that was well played. I thought when he offered to let you keep Sookie as a pet, you were going to rip off a limb or two."

It had been a near thing, indeed. I tell my child, "Now do you see why I did not want her to learn of this? Besides the obvious issue of sharing her husband, she might think that everyone is going to treat her with that much disrespect, and you know that is not the case. In any event, the situation is now resolved, and that should be an end to it."

Pam snorts again, a habit that I find most unbecoming."Whatever you say, my King," she says in a most unconvincing tone, "Now, was that not Sabriel calling? What do you intend to do on that front?"

Actually, it is an excellent question, and the answer is, "To tell the truth, I have no idea, other than to just ignore her until she gives up."

Shaking her head, Pam says, "Master, if memory serves, she does not give up easily. What if she shows up and Sookie is here? You know how Sabriel feels about humans. I doubt she cares a fig about your Second Bonding. She is liable to do or say anything."

A feeling of unease passes through me. Pam is right; Sabriel is persistent and also reckless. I suppose if she keeps trying to contact me, eventually I will have to speak to her. She is not going to like what I have to say, either.

Just as I am thinking about calling Sabriel back and putting a swift end to to that problem as well, my cell phone rings again. This time it is the Area 3 Sheriff, with some information that interests me mightily. After a lengthy conversation, we make plans for the following evening, and hang up. Afterwards, I try to get through some of the enormous pile of paperwork on my desk, but all I can think about is what my Bonded is doing at home without me. For another thirty minutes, I try to fight off the impulse to just go see for myself, and finally give up. I am not getting anything done, anyway. Poking my head into Pam's office, I tell her I am leaving. She grins, and says saucily, "You just cannot stand not knowing what she is up to, can you?"

Sometimes, I think my child knows me a little _too_ well.

****

After an enjoyable drive home, I arrive at Valhalla, and pull up in front of the house. I sit back for a moment and admire the gracious old structure, which looks quite lovely with its warm lights glowing from within. Sookie has had some comfortable looking furniture placed in groupings on the broad old front porch, and I get a vision of us sitting out here on fine evenings entertaining our friends. I have been very pleased with the way the interior is coming along, and as soon as everything is done, I want us to have a large party out here. Whether she knows it or not, it is clear that Sookie was born to be my Queen and she is well on her way to being the perfect one. My little Southern Belle is the ideal hostess; warm, gracious and beautiful.

I find myself wishing that I had known her grandmother. She must have been quite a woman to have captured the attention of a fairy male long enough for him to give her not one but two children. Sookie says that even with her telepathy she never had the slightest hint about it, and I feel that there is more to the story than what we already know. In any event, she raised Sookie to be the strong, loyal woman that she is, and for that I am grateful.

It is a pity that they were so poor, though, because I can see that my Bonded still struggles with the idea of having servants. Now that I am King, it is a necessity, and she is just going to have to overcome it. I was quite serious in our discussion earlier this evening... it _is_ beneath her to do manual labor, of any sort. A Queen doing something as menial as laundry... ridiculous! I doubt Sophie-Anne even knew what a washing machine looked like! However, after our discussion earlier this evening, I think Sookie finally understands my position on this topic.

I smile to myself. I cannot wait to see my little Lover's reaction when she realizes that I came home early just to see her. Through the Bond, I can tell that she is still awake, and in a good humor. I want to surprise her, if I can... sometimes it is hard to do, because of the Bond. Unlocking the front door, I let myself in the house and walk silently through it, until I locate her. Ah, she is in the pool, swimming. Without making a sound, I let myself out the sun room door, and just watch her for a moment.

With the underwater lights on, the pool is glowing like a blue gemstone. My Bonded is paddling around the deep end, humming to herself. Obviously she has not detected my presence just yet. She has her long blond hair piled on top of her head, and the moisture has made ringlets form from the tendrils that have escaped. She is wearing one of the bathing suits that I bought her for our honeymoon. She looks completely worthy of ravishing, and that is exactly what I intend to do. At this distance, I could move quickly enough to have her in my arms before she could even see me coming... old habits die hard, and I am somewhat tempted. However, I really do not wish to startle her _too_ much, so I say, "What a lovely sight you are...do you mind if I join you?"

She spins around, and gives me a brilliant smile; I can feel her excitement and gladness to see me come bounding through our Bond. In her lovely Southern lilt, she says, "Hi, sugar! I didn't expect you home for a long time! Come on in, the water is perfectly warm."

In response to her eager welcome, I begin to remove my clothes. Before entering the water, I stand still at the edge of the pool to give her a chance to get a good look at her Bonded... and by the way her eyes are glowing, I can tell that she appreciates the view. As I slide in, I realize that the water is the perfect temperature for her. I am glad now that I remembered to have the pool heated, because of course it does not matter to me whether it is cold or not...but I must admit, the warmth feels very nice. For some reason, I can tell by the look on her face that Sookie seems to think it odd that I am swimming nude, when in fact I can hardly believe that _she_ is bothering to wear a suit here in her own pool. I ask her why, but she rolls her eyes and informs me that it is because our guards are in the area.

Even after all this time, she _still_ does not understand that vampires do not view nudity the same way as humans. I patiently try to explain that while it is true that I really do not care for warm-blooded men to look upon her unclothed, vampires are a different matter. I am proud of her beauty, and if other vampires realize what a magnificent Queen I have, so much the better. In our world, it is understood that it is acceptable to admire the King's woman, but to touch her would be punishable by final death, and a slow and painful one at that.

Now that I have explained this to her, I am anxious to dispose of her bikini so I can see all of her. I move towards her so that I can have the pleasure of removing those tiny little scraps of fabric myself. Despite my previous explanations, apparently she still has other ideas, because she begins to back away from me. She is laughing, though, so I know it is just a game. I love games!

Although I could catch her instantly if I really wanted to, I let her tease me for a time. This game is really great fun, but slightly dangerous. The combination of her fairy smell and her attempts to elude my grasp sets off the hunter instinct deep within my nature, and I must keep a tight reign on it lest I catch her and be too rough. Luckily, just about the time I am about to give in to my instincts and move much faster, she slows down on her own. Victorious, I grab her and shout, "Ah ha! Now I have you! Mine!"

She feels so good in my arms, and smells completely edible... in more ways than one. She is driving me wild! We banter a little while I am getting rid of her bikini, and then I lift her up and she wraps both legs around my waist. I kiss her deeply to make sure she is aroused enough to receive me, but I can hardly wait to be inside her. I whisper in her ear, "Do you want me, my Queen?"

She replies, "Yes, baby. Let's go inside, and I'll show you how much!"

I have no intention of waiting one more second to have her. I lift her up slightly and then slide my length into her luscious warmth. Ahhhh. After that little chase, unbridled lust for this amazing creature pours through me; and having recently discovered that a few well-chosen spicy words never fail to arouse her, I whisper to her, "Ah, my sweet little fairy, I love the feel of your hot little pussy wrapped around my cock. Am I big enough for you? Do I fill you up?"

Immediately, she turns a delightful shade of pink, which make her look and smell more delectable that ever. She kisses me passionately in response. Soon, I am lost in a wave of sheer lust, and thrust into her hot center with abandon. The nearly overwhelming need to feed from her rolls over me, but I have vowed I would not... I am so very hungry for her, though, and after our game of keep-away, her sweet fairy blood is fairly singing out to me. Soon I can tell she is about to reach her climax, which makes holding back even harder. She puts her lips next to my ear, and whispers sexily, "Baby, you said I could ask you anything, right? I want you to bite me, because I love the way it makes me cum."

The very instant those words leave her normally proper lips, the last thread of restraint completely snaps, and with a growl I plunge my fangs into her waiting neck. The taste of her blood is sheer ecstasy on my tongue, and I hear her cry out in pleasure. With that, there is no holding back my own orgasm, and I thrust deeply into her as I fill her with my essence.

I hold her tightly as we ride out the aftershocks of that incredible joining, and even though my saliva has already caused her wounds to seal, I continue to lick and suck at the tiny punctures because it feels so good. I can tell she is sated by the way she is lying completely relaxed in my arms. When I can finally speak, I tell her, "You are a very bad girl, tempting me like that. I cannot resist you when you are being naughty."

Sookie smiles sweetly, and says in a soft voice, "You barely took any. It just feels so good... I miss it when you don't taste me."

She has absolutely no idea how much I miss it, and I tell her so. If only she knew the amount of will-power it takes for me to resist her... As a matter of fact, I am a little put out with myself for giving in so easily. One little whisper from my Bonded, and all my best intentions go flying out the window. Well, I will try harder next time. She is looking at me with such a sweet expression on her face, and I can feel the love and adoration flowing through our Bond, that I find that I want to continue our lovemaking. I am thinking about laying her on one of those lounge chairs and see if I can get her to call my name as she cums the next time. Keeping her in my arms, I carry her out of the pool; but the minute her skin hits the cool night air she begins to shiver violently. How stupid of me! I completely forgot she would be chilled!

I grab her towel, and wrap her up in it; but before I can get her dry she turns and dashes for the door. I give chase, and before I know it we are taking a hot shower in our bathroom. To my surprise, she asks me about the salt-water pool, and so I explain the reasons for it and also a little about the other environmentally-friendly aspects of our home. I put a great deal of thought and expense into this project, and I am rather proud of the results.

By the time our shower is finished, I realize that Sookie needs to be fed, so I delay our lovemaking for a bit to go upstairs while she eats. Even though I have just tasted her, I do not want to be tempted again later, so I drink some bottled blood. We sit in the room she calls a den, on a comfortable sofa. I can see that she has propped the painting that her tutor gave her over the fireplace, and it makes me smile to remember our nearly perfect honeymoon. My Lover asks me why I came home so early, and I tell her quite truthfully that it was because I missed her, and could not concentrate on my work. She asks me if I would like to have an office here at Valhalla, which is actually a very good idea. I need to start to round up my books and special items from my other houses and bring them here anyway.

Perhaps I will start on that project this week. Unexpectedly, the idea of having one home containing most of my treasures, including the one with her legs draped over my lap, is very appealing to me. I imagine that I will keep a couple of the other places as well; for example, Sookie's Shreveport house because it is so near to Fangtasia, and of course the warehouse for its utilitarian nature, but I may just dispose of the other ones. Valhalla makes the perfect Royal Residence, and I _do_ plan on spending most of my days here, unless we are in New Orleans or traveling.

The decision to keep the Residence in New Orleans has already been made, and I think Sookie was somewhat surprised at my choice, because it once belonged to Felipe. To her, it is a reminder of what might have been, and in fact she flatly refuses to stay in the King's quarters until they have been completely redecorated. This is yet another area where she does not quite understand the vampire mind. For me, ownership of that Residence affirms my ability to overcome anyone or anything by cunning and strength, and I would like nothing better than to make passionate love to my spectacular, lusty fairy-wife in Felipe's own bed. Unfortunately, very nearly the first order Sookie gave after becoming Queen was to have it hauled away and burned.

The thought of Felipe brings my mind back around to the problem of Sandy. Although I am fairly certain that the issue has been finally laid to rest (a little vampire humor), I am wondering if perhaps Pam is right, and I should tell Sookie of this incident. We are going to be in Las Vegas in less than a week; and as unlikely as it is, I would hate for her to hear of this Proposal from another source. I ponder how to best approach the subject. After a moment of thought, I lead in to it by saying, "Lover, we will be leaving for Las Vegas in less than a week. We will be there for four nights. You will need some clothes. Let me see... a cocktail dress and two evening gowns should be sufficient for the festivities."

For a female, she has a strange aversion to shopping. She sighs, and asks, "Three gowns? In less than a week?"

"Yes, and you will need some other nice outfits to wear when not attending the formal functions," I reply firmly, "Sookie, we will be doing a lot of this type of thing from now on. You are going to need nice clothes. As soon as things settle down, I will take you back to New York to see Annette. For now, see what you can find locally. Of course, there are many fine shops in Las Vegas, so perhaps we should just buy you a few things there."

She looks skeptical, but agrees to try. I make another attempt to lead up to the subject at hand by saying quite truthfully, "Angel, you always make me proud that you are mine. You are my Queen, and my wife, and I adore you."

That seemed to go over well, because she gives me her lovely smile. "Promise me that you will never doubt my love for you, no matter what," I continue.

Immediately, she responds, "Of course not! I know you love me! I can feel it through our Bond!"

She has managed to hit the nail square on the head. Because of the depth and intensity of our Bond, she knows exactly how much I adore her; and I know without question how much she loves me. If Bill had only completed their First Bond when he had the chance, he would have been able to tell her much sooner about why he had been sent to Bon Temps. She would been able to _feel_ his love for her, and know its truth. Of course, then I would have had to go to the trouble of killing him to get her, so it is just as lucky for him that things worked out the way they did. I say to her, "Yes. Our Bond is quite special, is it not? It makes us so different than other couples. You _know_ that no one could ever take your place. As a matter of fact, I suppose I should tell you something..."

Just as I am about to take the plunge and tell her about the Proposal, my cell phone rings. It might possibly be the Area 3 Sheriff again with more urgent news, so I check the display. It reads: Sabriel. Before Sookie can see it, I snap the phone shut and replace it carefully in my pocket. With a curious look, she asks me who it was. With a flash of irritation, it occurs to me that I am certainly going to have to deal with that situation quite soon, whether I want to or not; and then realize rather guiltily that it is yet another thing that I am concealing from my Bonded. However, the call has the curious effect of making me realize just how clean and pure my Bonded is compared to that she-devil Sabriel. My sweet wife looks like an angel sitting there in her cute little teddy, her golden hair flowing over her shoulders and her innocent blue eyes looking at me with nothing but love. At the moment, she seems completely happy and content relaxing with me in our new home. Uneasily, I remember how sad and insecure she sounded this morning, and somehow I find that I cannot bear to upset her in any way; and so I delay having the conversation about Sandy's Proposal for another time. Now that I have formally refused, that should be an end to it. It is highly unlikely it will ever come up again, but in any event, we can have this talk any time in the next week.

In answer to my Lover's question, I tell her it was someone that I will speak to later. No longer able to resist the delectable vision in front of me, I say, "Now, Lover, let me see what you are wearing under that cute little teddy," while sliding my hand up one long, graceful leg, and then under the edge of the nightie. Instead of encountering the little scrap of lace panties that I was expecting, I am delighted to find that she has decided to not wear any! My little Lover is definitely learning ways to arouse and please me. Playfully, I suggest that it is time for the big, bad vampire to make good on his promise to eat up the pretty little girl. A tiny bit of color rushes to her cheeks, but she further surprises me by lying back a little more on the sofa and parting her legs quite willingly. Giving me a shy little smile, she says, "Well, I suppose bad old vampires _do_ have a reputation to maintain. All right then, Mr. Vampire, do your worst."

Ah! A challenge! Remembering my earlier desire to have her calling my name in the heat of passion, I slide between her legs, and begin by kissing and nibbling on her inner thighs. My senses are flooded with her absolutely delectable fairy scent, and although I am not deliberately teasing her by scraping her with my fangs, I cannot help it. I am much too aroused to make them stay up. Each time they touch her skin, she gasps with pleasure; and as for myself, the feel of her firm young skin under the sensitive tips makes it harder than ever not to bite... so I move on to her center. Using my hands to gently part her folds, I expose the little pearl I desire most. I run just the tip of my tongue over that little treasure; and once again she gasps, and shivers. Ah, her taste is just beyond compare!

For the next few minutes, I alternate between gently sucking on her sweet little nub, and flicking it with the tip of my tongue, and I can feel the shivers of deep pleasure running through her. Before long, she winds her fingers through my long hair, and I can tell both through our Bond and by her short soft gasps, she is just on the edge of release; so to help her along I gently run two fingers up inside her center. With just a couple of slow thrusts into that slick, hot place, she begins to shudder and I can feel her muscles contracting on my fingers... unfortunately she only lets out a low moan, but says nothing. Hmmmm. I will just have to try harder!

It occurs to me that this is the first time that we have had sex anywhere in our new home except for our resting chamber; and I suddenly have a great desire to leave our mingled scents in each and every room, thoroughly claiming it as ours. I climb up and kiss my mate deeply on her mouth, and then say huskily, "My Lover, I want to make love to you in every room of this house."

She chuckles, and says saucily, "Mm-hm. Big talker. Do you have any idea how many rooms there _are_ in this big puppy?"

"Oh, not nearly enough to keep _me_ busy for long... Do you think I need to add some more?" I tease back.

She runs her arms around my neck, and says in a sultry tone, "I tell you what... let's just get started and see how far we get. We can start by christening this room right here."

I take that as permission to get started, so I insert myself inside her in one swift thrust. I am rewarded with a sharp gasp of pleasure, and she hooks her ankles around my calves and prepares to be taken. "I am not Christian... what now?" I growl.

She says, "Mmmm... what is it that vampires do?" With that, she places her hands firmly on my bottom, presses me in further, and wiggles a little. Ah...she is driving me wild! My response is "We mark our territory... like this." Sliding both hands under her ass, I lift it to just the right angle for me to drive myself right up to the very hilt. She throws her head back and gasps, which just intensifies my passion for her. I proceed to give her a good pounding, and another orgasm right here on our comfortable new sofa, in our cozy new den. That did it! Just as she reaches her peak, she throws her head back, and moans, "Ah..ah...Oh! Eric! My god!" Ha! Triumph!

She lies softly panting under me, but I am not nearly done with her. I sweep her up in my arms, and carry her down the hallway into the very formal front room. I want to see my beautiful temptress lying naked on the middle of that lovely antique Persian carpet in our living room. Very gently, I lay her down on the soft, plush rug. Grabbing a couple of the silk pillows off the sofa, I tuck them around her and then stand back to admire my handiwork. She is truly a vision with her golden hair spread out on the colorful pillows. Unfortunately, she shivers a little and says, "Baby, it's a little chilly in here. Can I go get a blanket?"

Ah... of course. In spite of the central heat, it will be somewhat colder on the hardwood floors. I remember seeing a soft throw on the back of one of the chairs in the den, so quick as a flash I retrieve it, and drape it over my shivering girl. I glance over, and see that the housekeeper has done her job well. Firewood is already laid in the large fireplace, just waiting for a match. There is a gas starter, so nothing could be easier than lighting a romantic fire. Once again, I think to myself how much easier it is in modern times to provide warmth for your mate. In no time at all, there is a roaring fire, and my Lover is snuggled comfortably in my arms. Kissing her hair, I murmur, "I love you, Sookie."

"I love you, too, Eric," she says quietly, "Do you remember the first time we were in front of a fire together?"

I hug her to me tightly, and reply, "Oh, yes. I believe that is where I first saw your love for me shining in your eyes, even though you would not admit it. I am unlikely to ever forget that moment."

She sighs, and says, "It was a long road from there to here, though, wasn't it?"

"It has only served to make our love stronger," I remind her. Then I ask, "Are you warm enough, Lover?"

She replies, "Yes, the fire is just right." She turns her face up to mine for a kiss, which starts out sweet; but then becomes increasingly passionate. Throwing the blanket off, she sits up on her knees, and begins running her hands over my body. In an almost reverent voice, she says, "You are just so beautiful. I love your body...every inch of it." She traces the outlines of my muscles with her fingertips, and I shiver with pleasure at her delicate touch. The flickering light of the fire makes her look so lovely and mysterious, it reminds me of the night of our Bonding ceremony. The combination of her warm touch, and the memory of the most erotic event of my long life, gives me an immediate erection. Giving me a sultry smile, she begins to stroke it with one hand. She bends down and kisses the tip, and I cannot suppress a moan of pleasure. Slipping my hardness into her mouth, she gives me oral pleasure for a time. When she senses that I am getting close to my climax, she stops, smiles rather wickedly, and says, "Mmmm. This room still needs marking, by both of us."

With that, she throws one long elegant leg across me, and then uses one hand to position my waiting erection under her. Slowly, she impales herself on me, while letting out one long sigh of sheer bliss. She begins to move slowly at first, and then faster as her passion rises. I just lie back, and let this incredible creature love me, marveling at the fact that she is undeniably, irrevocably mine... forever. The love and passion and physical pleasure bounces back and forth between us through our wonderful, mystical Bond; and as sometimes happens, we reach our peaks at the exact same moment. This time it is me who cries out, as I uncontrollably shudder into her. She collapses on top of me, and as I hold her tightly in my arms I can feel the wild beating of her heart.

Eventually, her breathing slows, and she rolls off and snuggles back to my side. In complete contentment, she says, "Two rooms down... that leaves about thirty more."

Chuckling, I remind her, "Do not forget the closets... most of them are quite large..."

For the next little while, we just stay cuddled together in front of the blazing fire, softly speaking words of love; but eventually my little Lover begins to yawn. My vampire instinct tells me that dawn is not far away, so this time I pick her up and carry her down to our chamber. I tuck her in next to me, and speak softly to her in my native tongue. "_Vila__med mig, Älskade. Ingen kommer någonsin ta din plats vid min sida. Du är mitt liv_..." and then in English, "Rest with me now, Beloved. No one will ever take your place by my side. You are my life." She snuggles in closer, sighs in contentment, and we fall into our daytime slumber together.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Notes: I am only borrowing these characters from Charlaine Harris, to whom they belong._

_*******Important note from BonTempsBaby 10/3/09: **One of my faithful reviewers sent me a message pointing out that there is a character in Morgaine's wonderful on-going fanfic "Late" named Sabrina, who shares some characteristics with mine... I did in fact start reading that story many months ago, but I found that I had to quit reading all fanfics soon after I started writing Pour Some Sugar On Me.( It was just too intimidating and confusing for a brand new writer.) So, as far as I know, any resemblance between the two characters is entirely coincidental.*** As a side note, PSSOM had a lot to do with Eric's jealousy; and I wanted one element of ATL to be Sookie's having to deal with some women of Eric's. Therefore, I needed a female character that was the exact opposite of Sookie. Some of you my age will be amused to know that I picked the name from the old Bewitched TV show (Samantha's crazy dark-haired cousin, Sabrina).*** In any event, I struggled with what to do. Instead of just axing the whole story (I already have about 30 chapters written), I finally decided that in deference to Morgaine, I am going to go back and change the name of my character from Sabrina to Sabriel. This is the best option I can think of, since I have only posted 5 chapters of ATL. I know this is going to be very confusing, and I apologize. You all can take turns beating me later. **So to sum it all up: Sabrina's new name is Sabriel.**_

**Chapter 5 **

**Sookie's POV: Friday**

Even though I groaned loudly when I heard it, I knew it was a good thing that I had set my alarm clock. In New Orleans, I had gotten into the habit of keeping vampire hours, so that I could be with Eric more; but today I had promised Amelia that I would meet her in Bon Temps for lunch. When that really irritating bleep-bleep-bleep went off, I hit the snooze bar at least three times. What I really wanted to do was just snuggle up to my vampire, and go back to our rest. However, I had vowed just last night to start hanging with humans more; and so I dragged myself out of bed and went to get dressed.

I was planning on going over to my old farmhouse after lunch, and bringing all of the rest of my clothes back to Valhalla; so I dressed casually in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. I thought maybe Amelia would like to move into my old room, since it was much bigger than the one she was in now. I was happy that someone was still living in the old house. It would just seem too sad for it to sit empty and unused. Sooner or later I was going to have to decide what to do with it. When we had first decided to get married, Eric had told me I could keep it if I wanted; but that we would need to add a light-tight bedroom before we could stay there. After the Second Bonding, he had made it abundantly clear that me sleeping in Bon Temps without him (or anywhere else, for that matter) was _not_ a possibility.

At the time, I had been all for it, and in the back of my mind thought that maybe we would actually end up living there most of the time. That was when Eric had still been a Sheriff, though. Somehow, now that he was King, I just couldn't see my old family farmhouse being known as the "Royal Residence." It would cost a lot of money to make the necessary modifications, and the way things were going I doubted that we would use it very much. Even though we had only been living there full-time a couple of days, I was going to try and focus on making Valhalla a real home for my vampire and me. In spite of it being so huge, Daniel had made sure that the home Eric had given me was really very comfortable; and it was becoming clear that we were going to be spending most of our time there. It seemed wasteful to have two houses so close together; but I just couldn't bear to sell the old homestead out of the family. Well, I would just have to worry about it later. I needed to get moving, or I would be late for my lunch with Amelia.

As I passed by our bed, I took the time to tuck the sheet around my sleeping vampire. Pushing several strands of his long hair out of his face, I bent and kissed him on the lips. Even though I knew it wouldn't wake him, I said softly, "I love you, baby. See you tonight."

I ran up the stairs and let myself out of our chamber. Before leaving for Bon Temps, I found my snapshots from our honeymoon, grabbed Amelia's gifts and my purse, and headed towards the side door. Just as I put my hand on the knob, though, it occurred to me that Eric and I had left a tell-tale mess in front of the fireplace before dawn this morning. I hurried back into the living room and cleaned up the tangle of pillows and blankets that we had left on the floor, smiling at the memory of our house christening the whole time. What a night! And to think, we still had about 30 more rooms to go...yum!

After I got everything put back in place, I went out to the carriage house and got in the Escalade. It felt a little funny to be driving my own car again after several weeks of being ferried around by others, but also very nice. Thinking back on how reluctant I had been to accept the Escalade in the first place, I had to laugh at how hard Eric had to work to get me to take it. My husband was one persistent vampire, that was for sure.

I rolled down the drive to the front gates, and Cooper came out of the little guard house immediately. My bodyguard had stayed with me in New Orleans for nearly the whole time we were there, but Eric had sent him home the day before we left. Cooper had taken the last couple of days off, so this was the first time I had seen him since I'd been home. "Good morning, Sookie!" the Were said pleasantly. "Where are we headed today?"

"What, do you have a mouse in your pocket?" I teased, "_I'm_ going to Bon Temps. _You_ get to stay here, for a change. Thank goodness you don't have to chase around after me anymore!"

He looked surprised, and said doubtfully, "Are you sure? Mr. Northman hasn't said anything to me about it."

"My deal with Eric was that I only had to have guards until after our little problem in New Orleans was resolved," I explained, "Thankfully, as you know, that has all been handled; so now all you have to worry about is guarding the house. Well, I need to get hopping, or I'll be late. See you later!"

I think he was about to argue with me, because he opened his mouth to say something else... but not before I had stepped on the gas, and shot through the open gates. Free! I was free at last! Honestly, I had pretty much gotten used to the constant company of guards for the last couple of months, and I didn't really mind _all_ that much, but it felt pretty nice to be all by myself for a change. I turned on the radio, which was still tuned to the oldies' station. An old Robert Palmer song came on that I hadn't heard in a really long time. As I listened to the lyrics of "Addicted to Love," I broke into a huge grin. Boy, that song had my name written all over it! I sang along with the radio, loud and probably off-key, all the way to Bon Temps.

About twenty five minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot at Merlotte's. Out of habit, I almost pulled around to the employee's side; but I stopped myself at the last minute. I grabbed my stuff and headed inside. The very first person I saw was Sam standing behind the bar, and the minute he saw me a huge grin split his handsome face. He came hurrying around to greet me, and I ran over and threw myself into his waiting embrace. Lifting me off my feet, he swung me around in a big circle, both of us laughing like crazy! When he finally put me down, he exclaimed, "You sure are a sight for sore eyes! Hey, Sookie, you look just great! We have really missed you around here. How was your honeymoon?"

"It was great, Sam! Eric took me to the British Virgin Islands, and they were just spectacular. We lived on a sailboat for a week! It was just too cool!"

Lowering his voice, he said, "Sookie, I heard about New Orleans. So Eric's the Big Kahuna, now, huh?"

"Yep, I guess so," I replied with a smile.

Sam shook his head, and said, "He always had a pretty high opinion of himself, and I bet he's really insufferable now."

"Hey! Watch it!" was my rather sharp reply.

Sheepishly, he just grinned and said, "Sorry, Sookie. I guess that's just jealousy talking. I know you love him, so I'll try to be nice. So, where's Cooper?"

"Oh, after New Orleans I don't need babysitting anymore," I said breezily.

Sam looked at me dubiously and said, "Really? I'm amazed that Eric agreed to that. He seems pretty protective, and considering his new position, I figured he would be more cautious than ever."

A tinge of uneasiness ran through my mind, because actually we _hadn't_ discussed it since getting home; at least, not in so many words... but that had been our agreement from the very beginning of the whole Victor Madden mess. To Sam, I replied, "Nah! I'm just the human wife, who would bother? Now that the Nevada bunch is gone, I should be safe."

Sam still looked doubtful, but said, "I'm just surprised, is all."

To change the subject, I broached a rather painful topic. I asked, "Sam, have you seen anything of Jason?"

"Not too much," he answered with a shake of his head, "I heard from Hoyt that he quit his job recently, but that's all I know."

Quit his job? I wondered how in the world he was paying his bills. I was still mad at him, though, so I wasn't about to worry about whether my brother had a job or not. He was a big boy, and would just have to worry about his own self. I said, "Okay. Well, I'm supposed to be meeting Amelia here for lunch."

Sam said, "Yeah, she's waiting for you over there. I thought you guys might want a little privacy." He pointed in the direction of the last booth in the back, well away from any other diners.

I asked, "Can you come join us? I really want to hear what's been going on with you."

"Give me a few minutes to get caught up, and I'll be over, okay?" he replied with a smile.

I could see that he was pretty busy, so I understood completely. In fact, it was all I could do to keep myself from grabbing an apron and pitching in. However, Amelia was waiting, so I gave him another hug, and went and sat down with my girlfriend and former roomie. Handing the Witch her two gift bags, I said, "These are for you, to thank you for being such a good friend!"

"Hey, thanks!" she said with a huge grin, "Can I open them now?"

I nodded my permission. From the first bag she pulled out a pair of beaded earrings, a new bikini and colorful matching wrap, and also some handmade soaps and lotions from a little shop on Tortolla. She smelled the soap, and said, "Mmmmm, heavenly!"

The second bag was a little more special. It held some herbs that were used in potions; they only grew in the Islands and were very hard to come by. Faeryn had shown me where to look on Sandy Cay and helped me gather them. Amelia's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Wow! Thanks, Sookie! This is just the best gift you could have given me! Now, I want to hear all about... everything!"

The waitress came to the table and took our order; and while we waited on our food, I told her all about the BVI's and showed her my snapshots. As I flipped through them, I realized that the photo of me on the beach in my bikini was missing; but I figured maybe Eric had gotten rid of it so we wouldn't be reminded of our fight. Oddly enough, though, he had left the one of Shaun. I showed the image of the handsome shifter to Amelia. She gave a slow whistle and said, "Wow, Sook! He kind of looks like a tanned...."

I finished for her, "... Eric, Yeah, I know. However, guess what he shifts into? A dolphin!" And so I told her about the wonderful experience I had "calling the big fish." She studied the photo of a grinning Shaun, raised one eyebrow, and said, "...and _this_ guy was your bodyguard? Wow, I can hardly believe that Mr. Possessive would let you within 100 yards of him."

A momentary twinge of discomfort flashed through me as I remembered Eric's first reaction to Shaun. I said, "Well, to tell you the truth, he wasn't too crazy about it... but we got it all worked out. That vampire has got a jealous streak a mile wide, but I think he's finally trying to control it a little better."

"Oh, honey, don't believe it for an instant," Amelia scoffed, "And frankly, _you_ are just as bad. Heaven help the female that tries to get between the two of you!"

Me, jealous? Not hardly... well, okay, maybe a little. I passed over that, and next I told her all about my tutor magic Faeryn, and what I had learned to do with my "gifts". Of course, Amelia wanted to know about that in great detail. She asked me, "So have you been practicing?"

"Well, just a little," I answered ruefully, "We were just so busy in New Orleans...."

The Witch looked at me like I had completely lost my mind. She exclaimed, "Girl, you are _nuts_! If it was me, I'd be working on that magic night and day. Given your choice of spouses, I'd say it might come in handy someday."

To be honest, I agreed with her on that point, and I vowed to myself I really would get more serious about it. Finally, our food had come, and while we ate Amelia caught me up on all the local gossip. I still didn't have much of an appetite, but forced myself to eat a few bites of my cheeseburger and some fries anyway. We were just about done, and I said, "Hey, I am going to go by the farmhouse and pack up my clothes to take to Eric's. Would you like to move into my old room? It's bigger than the one you are in."

"Well, actually that brings up something that I wanted to talk to you about. Trey has asked me to move in with him, and I can't seem to make up my mind," she said with a serious look on her face, "Sookie, I really love him and I'm already staying there most of the time, but formally "moving in" with him... it's a big step. My father has never even met Trey, and I have a feeling he's not going to like him much. Trey does well with his business, but I doubt he's ever going to be rich, and Daddy... well, you've met my dad and know what he's like. A mere mechanic will never be good enough for his little girl."

I wished I could tell her she was being silly, but in all honesty she was probably right. I knew first hand how bad it felt for a family member to hate your significant other. Jason had made it clear how much he disliked Eric, and my brother and I were still not on speaking terms because of it. I hesitated a minute and then said carefully, "Amelia, you might very well be right about your dad's reaction. He may eventually come around, but until then it will be very uncomfortable for you. I guess it just depends on how much you really _do_ love Trey. I loved Eric so much, it made the choice clear in spite of all the problems I knew we would face. I just _knew_ I had to be with him, no matter what."

She gave a thoughtful nod, and replied, "I know. In spite of all my teasing, I can tell that you two were meant to be together. I guess I just have some soul-searching to do. Now, speaking of Trey, I'm sorry I can't stay longer, but I'm supposed to follow him over to Monroe and give him a ride back after he drops off a repair. Let's get together soon at your house. I can't wait to see what you've done to it!"

"I want you to see it, too. It's really starting to shape up," I said with a proud smile, "Oh, by the way, we finally came up with a name for it... we 're calling it "Valhalla." We've got to go to Las Vegas in a few days, but I'll call you after that, okay?"

My old roommate stood, gave me a big hug and thanked me for her gifts, and then got on the road. It looked like Sam was still busy really filling drink orders; so just for old time's sake, I slipped behind the bar and helped him get caught up. With two of us working, it didn't take very long at all. When he had sent the last beer order on its way, he turned to me with a grin and said, "Well, thank you very much. I'm glad to see that you haven't lost your touch!"

"Well, my husband _does_ own a bar! Looks like you are busier than ever, Sam."

"Yes, the lunch trade has really picked up lately. Traci had to take the day off to go to the doctor, so I'm short-handed," he said.

Teasingly, I asked, "Ah...so are you and Traci still a hot item? Better be careful, Sam, or you'll be walking down the isle in no time."

At that, he turned about three shades of red, and stammered, "Uh... not me, Sook! I'm... I'm... not the marrying kind, I guess."

I just looked at him skeptically, and said, "Uh huh. Looks to me like you are protesting way too much."

In response, he gave me a sweet little half-smile, and said softly, "Nah. There was only one girl who I ever thought seriously about marrying, but it looks like she's off the market for good."

I raised my eyes and met his steady gaze. In that one moment, I remembered all the times that we had come so close to being lovers. Sam would have made a good husband, there was no doubt about it; and if he had just spoken up before the first vampire rolled into town... who knows? He might have been bouncing our first child on his knee by now. For some reason, that thought made me very sad for what might have been. I could see in his blue eyes that he was thinking exactly the same thing. He opened his arms, and I stepped into them, and we gave each other a very heartfelt hug. Just then, I heard a woman's voice saying, "Well, hello, Sookie. I didn't know that you were coming by to see Sam today."

Sam rather reluctantly let go of me, and I stepped back. Tracy had come up behind us as we were hugging, and I was pretty sure by the look on her face she was not too excited by finding us in an embrace. I said neutrally, "Hey, Traci. Actually, I met Amelia here for lunch; but of course I wanted to catch up with Sam, too. In fact, he was just telling me that you two are still dating. That's great! Maybe you guys could come to see my new house soon, and have dinner."

She stared at me flatly for just a beat, then broke into a smile and said, "That sounds nice. I have heard that your house is a fabulous restored Southern mansion, and I would love to see it. Just give us a call."

Since our visitors to the house had been extremely limited so far, I wondered just who it was that she had heard it from; but I decided it was just another instance of the Supe grapevine at work. Sam said, "Hey, Traci, we're still pretty busy. Could you go back to the storeroom and get me a couple of bottles of vodka? And one of Jim Beam, too. Thanks."

I could tell that she thought he was just making up busy work to get rid of her; and I could also tell by the look on her face he was going to be paying dearly for it later. As soon as she was out of earshot, he leaned in towards me, and said quietly, "Listen, Sookie, there _is_ one thing that I feel like I ought to mention before you go. Over the last couple of months, I have been hearing rumors of a huge increase in the amount of "V" being sold in Bon Temps. I don't know who it is that's selling it, but I'm keeping an ear to the ground. I've even caught a couple of people swapping little vials of it in the bathroom here. You might want to pass that along to Eric. I was going to tell Bill, but it looks like he's been out of town for awhile now."

Ugh. Sam was right, Eric would definitely want to know. Since the "King" now resided in Area 5, there was technically no Sheriff. Pam was handling most of that sort of thing now... I thought. I said, "Bill is still in New Orleans doing some stuff for Eric, and he may be gone for a little longer. I'll tell Eric what you said."

"Bill works for Eric now? Like, full time?" Sam said in surprise. "I thought they hated each other,"

"Believe it or not, they have learned to tolerate each other pretty well," I confided to my old friend, "It was the strangest thing, Sam... ever since the night Eric became King, Bill has changed his attitude completely. It's like he finally gave up competing with Eric as far as I was concerned."

"Well, duh, Sookie!" Sam said, "As King, Eric can do whatever he wants to _any_ of his subjects, no questions asked. Bill's probably just scared... and rightly so."

"Come on, Sam. Eric was _always_ older and stronger than Bill, even before he became King. After all, it's just a different title. No, that's not it... it's like Bill has learned to respect Eric, and what's even more strange is that Eric seems to trust Bill... and let me tell you, that's very rare for him."

Very seriously, Sam said, "Sookie, you make it sound like Eric just got a promotion from busboy to fry cook at the local Dairy Queen. It's _not_ just a change in title. I know that you are still pretty new to the Supernatural world, and I'm not quite sure if you understand how powerful a Vampire King really is. As his Queen..."

Sharply, I said, "Now, _you_ don't start all that "Queen" business with me, Sam Merlotte! I'm still just plain Sookie, from Bon Temps, Louisiana."

"_C__hère_, you are _way_ more than that now, and you might as well get used to it," Sam said seriously, "And with your great-grandfather being who_ he_ is..." His statement was interrupted by Traci yelling, "Sam, I think we're out of Beam. Can you come see?"

It looked like the perfect time to get out of there without another lecture on vampires from my former boss. I reached up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and a wink. "It looks like you better go help her, Sam. It was great to see you. I mean it, I want you to come out to the house soon. With her or without her; your choice."

He shook his head, smiled ruefully, and said, "Call me. We'll see. Goodbye for now."

With that, he turned and rushed down the hall towards the stockroom. I headed out the door, hopped in my car, and drove towards my old home. On the way over, I realized that I could not seem to get get my mind off my vampire. Practically ever since I had left the house, I had been missing him like crazy. I was sorely tempted just to go back to Valhalla and leave all the moving until later, but since I had come this far, I was determined to get some things done. I wondered if this serious longing was the Second Bond at work, or whether it was just a normal reaction for a newlywed. If I had to guess, it was probably a little of both.

Before long I turned off the road, drove up the long gravel driveway, and stopped to take a good look at my childhood home. In spite of all its flaws. it still looked familiar and comforting sitting there in the soft March sunshine. I felt a lump rise in my throat, and suddenly realized how much I had missed the old place in the many weeks I had been gone. I pulled up next to my customary parking spot, which was still taken up by my old car. Idly, I wondered if it would still start or if the battery was run down by now. I really needed to sell it or donate it to charity or something. Sliding out of the Escalade, I walked around the corner of the house to the back porch. There were flowers beginning to bloom from the bulbs that Gran had planted donkey's ages ago in the bed by the back door, and they seemed to welcome me home.

The blooms made me think about the fact that I hadn't been to Gran's grave in a long time. I unlocked the door, threw my purse on my old kitchen table, and then searched until I found a pair of scissors and a length of ribbon in a drawer. Going back outside, I snipped a few blooms, tied them into a bouquet with the ribbon, and headed out to the cemetery that lay between my house and Bill's. I went straight to Gran's grave, and knelt down. I removed the few little weeds that had sprouted up, and then lay my offering next to her headstone. "Hi, Gran!" I said softly. "I've really missed you. I still think about you every day. I wish you could have been at my wedding. I married the most wonderful vampire in the whole world. I wish you were here to meet him. He treats me like a queen, and you should see our house! It's beautiful, and you would just love it."

I spent the next few minutes telling her some of the things that I wished so much that she was still alive to hear. I finished by saying, "Well, I guess that's it for now. I just wanted to tell you that I'm happy and doing fine. Bye now. I'll be back soon."

Somehow, I felt better after talking to my grandmother, even if she couldn't hear me. With a much lighter heart, I went back to the house and started packing up my clothes. It took quite awhile to get everything loaded into the Escalde, but finally I stuffed the last box in and shut the door. There were many more things that I would eventually like to take, but this was a good start; and besides, I was out of boxes. It was now early-afternoon, and the sun was hitting the side of the house the car was parked on. As I looked up, I noticed that the gutters were completely full of leaves, pine needles, and twigs, and the heavy spring rains were just beginning. Last spring, one gutter had gotten so heavy that it pulled down, taking some of the old wooden fascia board with it. It had been a huge mess. In the past, Jason would come over and we would tackle the job together. Given our current non-speaking status, calling him wasn't a possibility. Suddenly it occurred to me... maybe I could use my magic for something practical! I could just stand right here, and call all that stuff down, and then I could just rake it all up once it hit the ground. What an excellent idea!

I stood back, concentrated hard, and... nothing happened. Huh. Well, Faeryn had said it might be harder to use my magic at home, so the next try I put a little extra umph to it. I guess that time I applied a bit too much juice, because in the blink of an eye, I found myself covered in dirt, and standing in a huge pile of leaves and twigs. Great! Just great! I wiped the dirt off my face, and sighed. I guessed I had better just do it the old-fashioned way until I had more magical practice here in Louisiana.

Determined to get this chore out of the way as quickly as possible, I went over to the old gardening shed, and unlatched the door. I went in and searched high and low for a pair of gardening gloves, before remembering that I had thrown the last pair away because every finger had a hole in the end. I rounded up a broom, and a ladder. Dragging them out into the yard, I set up the ladder next to the house, and began to work. It took me a couple of hours to work my way all the way around the house. My magic did come in handy once, because I got up the nerve to try and pop myself up on the roof of the second story. Fortunately, that was much more successful than my last attempt, and it saved me loads of time. I felt pretty good about my efforts. I had done some required maintenance on my house, which in a weird way was sort of comforting. Somehow, it made me feel still connected to it... and I had managed to get in some magic practice at the same time.

To reach the last bit of gutter, I had to move the ladder were right in the middle of some rose bushes. It was past time to trim these back for the year, since it should have been done right around Valentine's Day. I had been much too busy getting ready for my wedding to even think about it then. I had a sudden desire to take a couple of Gran's favorite bushes over to Valhalla. It would be like taking a piece of her with me, somehow. I returned the ladder and broom to the shed, and then grabbed a pair of pruning sheers, a pitchfork, and a shovel. I found a couple of old 5 gallon buckets, and since I didn't any gloves I found an old towel to help shield my hands from the thorns. I went back to the flower bed, and was just about to begin digging when the sun caught the huge diamond in my engagement ring and flashed.

Oh, crap. I still wasn't wearing any gloves, and I had already gotten some pretty big blisters on my hands from the earlier project. What was the matter with me? I really shouldn't be working in the garden with my rings on. Since I had been losing weight, they were a little loser now and could easily slide off if I wasn't extra careful. I started to take them off, but then I hesitated. I had not had my wedding rings off my finger since Eric put them there, but I really couldn't risk losing them in the dirt or scratching them; so reluctantly, I slid off both rings, got a tissue out of my purse, and wrapped them up. I very carefully placed them in the little zippered compartment in my handbag, so there was no possibility of me losing them.

Getting to work, I trimmed back the branches of the rose bushes to a manageable length. I then grabbed the pitchfork and loosened the soil around each plant. Finally, I shoveled up each root ball and plopped them into the containers. There! Even without gloves, I had managed to get the bushes ready to go, and I only had a minimal amount of thorn pricks and scratches. Not too bad, if I did say so myself! I hauled the containers to the back of the Escalade, and shoved them in.

By then, I knew it was getting pretty late in the afternoon, and I needed to get back home before Eric woke so I could get a shower. I was a royal mess. At that, I started laughing... I guessed now that I was a "Queen", I really _was_ a royal mess! I put everything back into the shed, and then ran to the back porch and locked the door to the house. I jumped into my car, and headed home. It was only after I was many miles down the road that I realized I had now begun to think of Valhalla as "home", and not the farmhouse. Huh.

Although I was normally a pretty law-abiding driver, I found myself going a little faster than the speed limit because I was so anxious to get to Valhalla before dark. I was making good time, too, until I rounded a bend; and just in front of me was a tractor, going about 15 miles an hour! Grrrrr! Unfortunately, there was too much oncoming traffic to go around it. By the time the tractor turned off onto a dirt road, I knew I was going to be late. Crap.

It was only a few more miles to Valhalla, and so I punched it. I was driving like a vampire! I screeched up to the gates, and impatiently patted the steering wheel while the gates slowly opened. I pulled up in front of the house just as the sun was setting; so I knew my vampire would already be awake, and wondering where the heck his Bonded had gotten off to. I ran up to the front door, and punched in the code to the lock; scooted through the house to the library; opened the secret door and punched in yet another code; got that door opened; and finally began to lope down the stairs towards our room. Whew! It sure was a lot of work getting down there!

I bolted through the door into our chamber, and sure enough, there was my vampire. He was his normal glorious self, propped up in bed with his arms crossed over his naked muscular chest, and his long blond hair slightly tousled from his rest.

He took one look at me, and said incredulously, "What have you been doing?"

Out of breath, I panted, "Digging. I went to Bon Temps today, and while I was there I decided to dig up some of Gran's roses to plant here. Oh! And I had to get some leaves out of the gutter before we get any more heavy rain. I'm sorry I'm late, but I got stuck behind a tractor going about 10 miles an hour, and I couldn't get around him for miles!"

He frowned, and said, "Sookie, I thought we had this talk. You should not be doing manual labor. You should have gardeners for that sort of thing."

Rather irritably, I said, "Listen, I get it...I do, and I am interviewing people soon. In the meantime, it is really past the time of year that is best for transplanting roses, and those gutters couldn't wait, and so I did it myself. Big deal!"

Eric's expressive eyebrows were still knit together in disapproval. I didn't want our evening to begin with an argument, so I gave him my best smile and said, "Come on! You are just grumpy because I wasn't here when you woke. I am here now! Why don't you come take a shower with me?"

Suddenly, he grinned and said, "Your offer is acceptable. You are quite filthy. You look worse than a vampire who had to go to ground for the day. I will enjoy scrubbing you."

I went straight to the bathroom and turned on the water, and he soon joined me. Even though I was so dirty, he could not resist kissing me, but the minute he got close his nostrils flared. With distaste, he said flatly, "Shifter."

"Sam." I said. "I met Amelia at Merlotte's for lunch, and spent a little time catching up with him, too. He asked me to pass on some information to you. He said that there has apparently been a huge increase of the amount of "V" being sold in Bon Temps, and that he thought you should be aware of it."

Eric said nothing for a moment. He seemed to absorb this news, and then he asked, "Does he have any idea who is selling it?"

"No, but he said he would keep his ears open," I answered.

My vampire just nodded, and then pulled me into the shower. He shampooed my hair, twice, and took a long time cleaning every square inch of me. I wasn't sure what he was trying to erase more, dirt or shifter. When he got to my hands, he turned them palm up, and the first thing he saw were my blisters. In a chilly tone, Eric asked "What are these?"

Patiently, I said, "Come on, honey, they are blisters. I'll bet you got them all the time when you were human."

"That was different, and beside the point. This is exactly why I do not want you doing this type of thing. Sookie, you are a Queen!"

It looked like he was getting pretty worked up all over again. He was still holding my hands, when suddenly something else seemed to occur to him. In a very strange tone, Eric asked, "Beloved, where are your rings?"

Uh oh. I answered, "I took them off so I wouldn't lose them or mess them up. They're in my purse."

"I would prefer that you do not remove them," he said shortly.

Quite truthfully I told him, "I really didn't want to either. As soon as we're done, I'll put them back on."

Boy! He was really out of sorts. I bet I knew what would fix that problem. I turned off the water, dried him off with a big towel, then myself; and led him back to our bed. For the next little while, I gave him something else to think about. Again, he didn't bite me during love-making, and it occurred to me maybe he was so grumpy because he was just plain hungry. Afterwards, I was stroking his arm, and he grabbed my hand again to look more closely at my blisters. "You need to feed from me," he stated firmly, "You have not had any of my blood for some time."

I would have liked nothing better. The minute he brought it up, my craving for his blood kicked into high gear, but I remembered my vow to back off for awhile and see if it was the cause of my appetite loss. Very politely, I said, "No, thank you."

"What? You are refusing me? Why?" He sounded really, really offended.

Very reasonably, I replied, "Well, you aren't taking any of mine, either. I think maybe the reason I don't have any appetite is that I have just had too much of your blood lately."

"Ridiculous!" Eric exclaimed. "You _need_ my blood. Come now, let me give you some."

He put his wrist to his mouth to bite it open for me, and I swear my heart was already pounding just thinking about it; but I said sharply, "No. I really don't want any."

Slowly he lowered his arm to his side. He said stiffly, "Very well."

Boy, that was _really_ frosty. He was actually upset with me! Well, this was a fine state of affairs! He got out of bed, and went in the bathroom. I could hear the water running in the shower again. His cell phone, which was laying on his nightstand, began to ring, and I picked it up to see if it was Pam or Bill. The display read "Sabriel," and since I didn't know her I just let it roll to voice mail. He could check his messages later.

I replaced his phone on the nightstand, rolled out of bed, and started into the bathroom to get ready to go to the club. Eric emerged from the closet and he was already dressed. He announced, "I am meeting the Area 3 Sheriff tonight, and will not be home until very late. You should stay home this evening and rest."

What? Two nights in a row? I admit, my feelings were a little hurt. I had thought that the reason he had me with him all the time was that he just wanted me there; but now I was beginning to realize that now all the danger from the Nevada vampires was past, he was not interested in having a wife underfoot constantly. Okay, fine. I could find _plenty_ of things to do. Uneasily, I thought of the previous night, and how bored and lonely I had been. I would never, ever admit that to him, though; so, as cheerfully as I could manage, I chirped, "Great! See you later!"

He gave me a piercing look, but said nothing further. He came over and kissed me, and ran one hand slowly down my still naked body; then turned and left. The minute he was out the door, a wave of loneliness swept through me; but then I realized he could probably feel it, so I got a quick grip on myself. I went in to the bathroom to clean up a bit, dry my hair, and get dressed again. The whole time, I tried my best not to be miserable.

After getting presentable, I went upstairs. As soon as I opened the door into the library, I could smell something wonderful coming from the kitchen. I hurried in that direction, and as I rounded the corner, Juanita saw me and smiled brightly. She said, "Hello, Miss Sookie. I have fixed you some chicken and dumplings for dinner... I hope you like them."

For some crazy reason, I felt tears spring to my eyes. I said shakily, "Wow! I absolutely love them! Gran would always make them for me when I was feeling down in the dumps..." With that, tears started to roll down my cheeks.

Juanita took one good look at me, and came straight over and wrapped both arms around me. She patted my back as I cried, and made comforting sounds. Pulling some clean folded tissues out of her apron pocket, she handed them to me. I finally got myself under control, and began blotting my eyes and blowing my nose. Embarrassed at my outburst, I said, "I'm so sorry! I don't know where that came from!"

She patted my arm and said, "I think I know. Now come sit down, and let me get you some dinner; and then we will have a little talk."

I took my place at the table, and she brought me a bowl full of the steaming stew, along with a small salad and bread to go with it. I said, "Please, will you join me?"

She nodded, and brought herself a small portion of the dumplings and sat across from me. While I ate, she said, "Miss Sookie, let me tell you a little story about myself. As I told you before, I was raised on a big ranch in Texas. When I say a big ranch, I mean huge... the kind that takes hours to drive across. It was very self-contained, and it was almost like living in our own village. I hardly ever left, except to go into town with my mother to go shopping occassionally.

When I was seventeen, a cousin of mine had moved here to Louisiana, and invited me to come visit for the summer. I was so excited! It was my first trip away from home. While I was here that summer, I met my husband Jaime at a dance at my cousin's church. For us, it was love at first sight. We were together as much as we could be; but all to soon, the summer was over and I had to return to the ranch. Back then, there were no cell phones, and long distance was very expensive, so we had to communicate by writing letters.

My mother thought it was just a summer romance and would fade with time, but it didn't. After I turned eighteen, he came to the ranch, and proposed. We had a small wedding and then he brought me back here to live. Now I was a new wife, in a new town, and with my own home! I had to get a job, which I liked, and I was really enjoying my new life... but sometimes I found myself very sad, and I cried a lot, especially that first year. I had always been a very cheerful girl, and could not imagine what was wrong with me. I had a wonderful new, exciting life, and a husband that thought I hung the moon, and yet... I was so sad! Then, it seemed that my husband and I were arguing over every tiny little thing, and that made everything seem even worse.

Eventually, my mother came for a visit, and saw that I was having a hard time. She said to me, 'Juanita, _of course_ you are having trouble adjusting. You have been suddenly thrust into a whole new culture, a new relationship, and are away from everyone and everything that you have ever known. You are homesick. As for your husband, you are going through exactly what every other married couple goes through in the first years of marriage. You are learning to live with the other; and no matter how much you love each other, those adjustments can be painful. I though I was going to kill your father and bury him out behind the big corral the first year we were married. Eventually, you will settle in to your new life, and things will be much better. Trust in your love for each other, never go to bed mad, and things will work out just fine'."

Juanita reached out a hand, and patted my arm. She said, "It turned out to be very good advice! After that first rough patch, my husband and I were happy together until the day he died. Now, if you don't mind me saying so, I would imagine that you and Mr. Northman have more differences to work out than most couples. I can see that you are crazy about each other. Be patient. You will adjust to your new life, and things will work out."

I sighed. It _was_ good advice. As much as we loved each other, it was a bit unrealistic to think we would see eye to eye on everything, especially given how stubborn he was. Considering everything we had been through, it was amazing that we had really only had a couple of arguments. I said gratefully, "Thanks for the pep talk, Juanita! I feel much better now. And thanks for the dinner, it was _so_ good!"

"_De nada_," she said, "I have set up some interviews for tomorrow, if that will be alright. Will 4:00 be convenient?"

I replied, "Yes, that sounds fine. I know Eric will be really glad if I hired some people. In fact, I brought some roses home from my house in Bon Temps, and need to get them planted tomorrow... and I had better not get caught doing it myself!"

"My cousin's son Hector is coming to interview for the gardener's position tomorrow. Shall I ask him to come earlier? Even if he doesn't get the job, he could plant them for you."

"Juanita, is he a hard worker?" I asked. "Does he mind working for a vampire? Is he trustworthy?"

"I have known him since he was a baby. He's a very nice man, but he is too wiggly for a desk job, she answered firmly, "He loves to be outdoors, and to work with plants. He is very trustworthy, and he knows very well who Mr. Northman is. I believe he would be a good head gardener for you."

We discussed his salary; and although I wasn't really sure what the going rate was, I thought it sounded reasonable. Finally, I said, "Juanita, just tell him to come on and get started. We'll give it a try for a couple of weeks, and see how it goes. Does that sound okay?"

She smiled broadly, and said, "Yes, ma'am! I will call him right away."

"Fine!" I said with relief. "Now, I have a bunch of stuff I need to haul in from my car. Would you mind giving me a hand?" I figured Eric would be proud of me for asking.

We spent the next hour hauling everything in and putting it all away. By the time we were finished, it was time for Juanita to go home. I thanked her, and said goodnight. She hadn't been gone very long when it occurred to me that I was now home alone, being guarded by vampires I hadn't even met. It seemed rude of me that I hadn't even taken the time to introduce myself to them after several days of being at home; so I grabbed two TrueBloods, heated them, and walked down the drive to the front gates. I could see no one as I first approached; but then, from different directions, two vampires silently slid out of the darkness and stopped a few paces from me.

I had seen both of them at the gates as Eric and I had come and gone, but only in passing. They were both fairly tall and obviously muscular, and both had dark hair and dark eyes. Even for vampires, they looked pretty menacing; but I knew that Eric would never have posted anyone at our home that I would have to worry about. The one that had let us through the gate bowed and said, "May I be of assistance, ma'am?"

I smiled and held out the bottles of warmed blood. I said, "I thought I'd come down here and meet you guys, and I figured you might be hungry. I'm Sookie."

A fleeting look of surprise glimmered over both faces, but the one who had spoken said seriously, "Thank you. That was... very thoughtful of you."

He reached out and took both bottles; and then handed one to the other guard, who nodded his appreciation. The first one continued, "My name is Joseph, and this is Ben. It is a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Nice to meet you, too," I responded politely. "You can call me Sookie. I just wanted to say that I appreciate y'all looking after us. Now, I don't want to take you away from your jobs, so I'll get on back to the house. Goodnight."

They both bowed, and I could feel their dark eyes watching me as I went back up the drive. They were neither one of them very smiley, but maybe that's what made them good guards. They had seemed polite enough, and at least now I knew their names. The minute I got inside, I headed straight down to our bedroom. Whew! What a day! I had been up until dawn with Eric, got up early to meet Amelia, cleaned gutters, dug roses bushes, had a fight with my husband, and packed and unpacked a car full of clothes. With none of Eric's blood in me, I was completely exhausted!

Still, I really wanted to wait up for my vampire; first, because I missed him, but also because what Juanita told me earlier sounded like good advice: _never go to bed mad_. I wanted to make darn sure Eric wasn't still mad at me. I stretched out across our bed and closed my eyes. After I rested for just a minute, I was going to get up and get my rings out of my purse. It was strange how naked my hand felt without them! Wedding rings were such a human custom, I had been completely shocked that my vampire had even noticed they were missing. At that thought, a wave of intense longing for my husband washed over me. As I lay there, I tried to feel him, and was surprised to find how muted our connection was. He really must be a long way from home, for it to be so faint. Even as weak as it was, it was comforting just to be able to feel his life force...mmmmm....zzzzzz.

*****

_I was dreaming about my vampire. We were laughing, holding hands and walking down a sandy beach. He turned to me, kissed me, and then started to remove my bikini_... and then I woke with a start. I must have fallen asleep earlier, and Eric had come home and found me on our bed. Apparently he had undressed me and pulled the covers over me, and was just getting into bed himself. He must have just had a couple of TrueBloods, because even in my half-asleep state I noticed how pink he looked. Stifling a yawn, I said, "Hi, baby! I'm so glad you're home! I was just dreaming of you..." He didn't answer, but instead pulled me close and kissed me gently. I could tell through our Bond that he was really happy to see me, and not upset with me anymore, which felt wonderful. He turned out the light, and then whispered something to me in his old language, which he repeated in English, "You are mine, and I love you." I snuggled in closer; and wrapped in each others arms, we fell asleep together.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters. I am just borrowing them for my own amusement. **** Thanks again for all the great reviews, they keep me going!*** Now, we get to see just what the Viking was busy doing..._

Chapter 6

Eric's POV Friday

The minute I open my eyes, I can tell that my Bonded is not here; but through our Bond, I can sense that she is somewhere nearby. I do not care for it when she is not here by my side as she should be. What can possibly be more important than our special time together? Only a moment later, I hear the code being entered into the electronic lock to our chamber, the door opening, and the sound of her rushing down the stairs. She bolts into the room, and I am totally unprepared for her appearance. She is completely covered in dirt and her hair is a shambles, with bits of leaves and twigs stuck in it. Has there been trouble? Immediately, I ask her, "What have you been doing?"

Without hesitation, Sookie freely admits that she has been out digging up rose bushes, and then goes on to explain why she is so late getting home. Unbelievable! I thought we had settled this issue last night! She has got to stop thinking like the poor little barmaid from Bon Temps, and accept her new status as my Queen. I do not mind her puttering around in the garden, cutting flowers and things, but digging up entire bushes is manual labor and completely beneath her. And the very idea of any woman of mine cleaning out gutters... totally unacceptable. I tell her so, in no uncertain terms. She claims that she will be interviewing potential servants this week, but I have an uneasy feeling that this is an topic that will come up again. She can be so... stubborn!

I find myself somewhat irritated. She must sense this, because she smiles charmingly, and then asks me to come share her shower. I agree to her offer, because I will enjoy making certain she is completely clean. I lean in the doorway and watch her as she starts the water for our shower, and even dirty she looks so adorable I cannot resist giving her a kiss. However, the minute I pull her into my arms, I am unpleasantly surprised to find her completely reeking of shifter!

Without batting an eye, she quite calmly tells me that she had been at Merlotte's this afternoon, a detail that she conveniently omitted earlier. Does "catching up" with a former employer require physical contact? I absolutely loath the idea of that lowly shifter touching her in any fashion. I am just about to discuss this with her, when she mentions that he has sent along some information that actually _does_ interest me. Apparently the sale and use of vampire blood has seen a large increase in the area around Bon Temps in the last few months, and he at least had enough sense to report this to me. I make a note to myself to call on the shifter quite soon, and get any details he might have about this growing problem. When I see him, I also intend to make it quite clear that touching my Bonded in any way is no longer permissible.

Once we are in the shower, I wash Sookie's hair very thoroughly, and make sure I remove all the little twigs and leaves. I am seeing to her nails, when I turn her hands over and notice several deep scratches and some nasty little swollen sores on her fingers and palms. I cannot recall the English word for these, but I used to get them all the time when I was first learning to swing a sword. A gentlewoman should never have wounds of this sort, and I cannot bear to see these on her lovely hands. In disapproval, I ask her,"What are these?"

"Come on, honey, they are blisters," she says patiently, as if to a fairly backward child, "I'll bet you got them all the time when you were human."

True; but I was a man, and expected to be tough. My father was a chieftain, and the women of our family had servants and slaves to do manual labor. Rough hands on a female would clearly mark her as being of lower social status. I tell Sookie firmly, "That was different, and beside the point. This is exactly why I do not want you doing this type of thing. Sookie, you are a Queen!"

I am just about to elaborate further, when I am startled to notice that for some unknown reason, she is not wearing her wedding rings. Curiously, I find myself quite disturbed that she has removed them. Mine has not left my finger since the day my bride placed it there, although Pam has teased me that it will be bad for business at the Fangtasia. Even though wedding rings are a human custom, I find that to me they actually _do_ symbolize our love and commitment for each other. When I ask her why she took them off, she explains that she was afraid she would lose them in the dirt... yet another reason for her not to be working like a common laborer! I suppose I understand her reasoning, but I still do not care for it; so I tell her pointedly that I would prefer her to not remove them again.

Somewhat ruefully, she promises me that she will put them back on as soon as possible, and then she turns off the water and dries us both off with a towel. She leads me back to our bed, and pulls me in with her. She says teasingly, "You are such a grumpy vampire tonight! I know just what you need to put a smile on your face!"

Without further ado, she starts at my mouth, and then kisses her way down my body. I find I am still somewhat tense from our earlier discussion, but soon the feel of her warm lips and tongue exploring my body makes me relax. By the time she reaches my cock, it is rigid and anxious for her attentions. I love the way she teases me by licking it and swirling her tongue just around the head, and I can hardly wait for her to put it completely in her hot little mouth. Ahhhh! I close my eyes for a moment, and just enjoy the sensation. I do not keep them closed for long, though, because I find the vision of this beautiful woman servicing me to be incredibly erotic, and not to be missed.

My Lover's body is lying casually beside me; and I reach over and nudge her legs apart, so that I can caress her nub. Of course, her fairy scent is strongest when she is aroused, and now it torments me. Each day that passes I find myself more and more hungry for her blood. The little sip she teased me into taking last night nearly drove me wild, and it was all I could do to keep from drinking deeply. Tonight I intend to keep my vow not feed from her, but I have a serious desire to at least taste her essence. I reach out and maneuver her body on top of mine so that she is straddling me, but still facing the opposite way. I center her sweet little honey pot directly over my face. Grabbing her hips with both hands, I lower her down so that I can reach her hot center with my eager tongue. She realizes that in this position she can continue to pleasure me, while I give her attention with my mouth. She moans low in her throat and I can feel the intense pleasure bouncing back and forth between us through our magical Bond.

This is the first time she has experienced mutual oral pleasure with me, and I am wondering why I have waited so long to do this with her. She clearly loves it, and I must confess so do I. After a time, I can feel her beginning to build to her orgasm, and have to keep a tight reign on my hunger. It would be so very easy just to turn my head ever so slightly to the left, and bite into her thigh! The very idea brings me close to my own climax, but by concentrating I manage to hold back just long enough for her to reach her peak. I lap eagerly at her juices, but the way she is gasping and writhing combined with her creamy taste is enough to send me over the edge. She practically purrs with pleasure as she receives my essence, and I can tell that she enjoys tasting me every bit as much as I do her.

Afterwards, she reverses her position so that she is facing me again; and I kiss her deeply, enjoying the mingling of our tastes. Her eyes are still glowing with passion, and she is obviously not sated. I am definitely up for the challenge! I roll her over on her back and pay some attention to her perfect breasts, and by the time I am recovered she is more than ready to take me. She eagerly parts her legs, and welcomes me to her. I pause for a moment, just to make sure she is watching, and then I slide myself inside her in one long stroke. She moans, and says in a low voice, "Oh...Eric. Oh! OH!" I smile to myself. I just _love_ making her call my name during sex. I proceed to give her what she obviously wants, a thorough fucking. Although I made sure earlier that the shifter's scent is completely gone, I cannot help but think of her in his embrace; which makes this the perfect time to claim what is mine. I watch as her lovely blue eyes get a full shade darker just before she cums for me. Instinctively, I can sense her wonderful fairy blood coursing through her veins. The temptation to feed is nearly overwhelming, and I let myself reach my own climax sooner than I intended just to distract myself.

After the last spasm, I collapse on top of her, and she holds me tightly in her arms. I can tell she is disappointed that I have not bitten her, but she does not bring it up. Once I roll on to my back, she cuddles up next to me. I love the way her silky warm skin feels when she does that, and I hug her to me tightly. She begins to stroke my arm, but I can see her wince slightly. I have a sudden desire to see her hand again, and so take it and look more closely at the ugly marks. What is wrong with me? Why did I not offer her my blood just now during our lovemaking? She needs it, and I would have enjoyed it immensely. In any event, I still want her to take some, so I tell her, "You need to feed from me. You have not had any of my blood for some time."

Immediately, she replies, "No, thank you."

Could I possibly be hearing her correctly? Did she just refuse my blood? I confess, a sharp stab of an unaccustomed emotion pierces me. Surely she cannot be serious. I could tell the minute I brought it up that she desired it just as much as I was looking forward to giving it to her. What game is she playing at?

I ask her why she has refused, and Sookie tells me she thinks that my blood is the cause of her lack of appetite. Of course, I know full well that is completely impossible. I know what is best for her, so I offer again. Unbelievably, she flatly refuses and she gets that stubborn look on her face; which means I will not get any down her without a struggle, and I will not force her. Does she have any idea the how far some people would go for just one drop of my ancient blood? She needs it to prolong her life, and she knows it. So, besides the patently absurd reason she has given me, why else would she refuse me... Ah! A power struggle! I am not feeding from her, so she refuses to feed from me. If she thinks this will change my mind, she is mistaken. I am her Bonded, and must do what I think best where her health is concerned. If anything, this makes me more determined than ever to stay the course I have set, or I will appear to be weak and easily manipulated.

Now I am completely out of sorts; and before it gets any worse, I haul myself into the bathroom again, and quickly get cleaned up and dressed. I am to meet with the Area 3 Sheriff tonight, and I should have already be on the road. He has managed to capture some humans that were attempting to drain one of the vampires in his area, and I want to question them myself. I plan on being a very "hands on" King. Why should the Sheriffs get to have all the fun? From experience, I know that this is likely to take some time, and get quite messy. I tell Sookie that she should stay at home for another evening. Pam really wanted her to come to Fangtasia tonight, and offered to watch over her in my absence; but I find I am disinclined for my Bonded to be there without me to keep an eye on her myself. Through our Bond, I can feel that this news upsets Sookie, but instead of arguing, she says rather cheerfully, "Great! See you later!"

That response is not what I was expecting, at all. However, we spent so much time in bed that now I am running late, so I kiss her goodbye, and head upstairs. The maid is in the kitchen cooking something that actually smells quite good. Juanita smiles and says, "Good evening, Mr. Northman."

I greet her, and ask her what she is preparing. She replies, "I think Miss Sookie is a little homesick, so I am making a very Southern dish to tempt her appetite. It is called chicken and dumplings... we call it comfort food."

I realize rather guiltily that I have given little thought to the fact that my Bonded may very well be homesick. I know she loves me, and is coming to love our home; but the last few months have represented huge changes for her. She always appears to take everything in stride, but perhaps all the changes in her life are catching up with her. As soon as things settle down, I resolve to have the renovations to her old farmhouse begun, so that we can stay there on occasion. During our conversation earlier, I realized how much I dislike her going back to Bon Temps without me. Somehow, in the back of my mind, I am always afraid that she will just decide to stay there... and then I remind myself of how ridiculous that notion is. Even if we were not Twice-Bonded, she loves me far too much to be away from me for long.

"Is Miss Sookie going with you this evening?" the housekeeper asks me.

I reply rather shortly, "No."

She gives me a sharp look, but then merely asks if she can get me anything before I go.

I ask her to heat two bottles of Blood for me, and then take them with me. I have a long drive ahead of me, and after making love to Sookie without feeding from her, I am especially hungry. I down the first one before I hit the end of the drive. The guards open the gates for me, and then I am on my way. I flip open my phone and check my voice mail. The very first one is from Sabriel. To quote a fangbanger I recently overheard in the bar, "Whatever brand of crazy she is selling, I am not buying any." With an irritated sigh, I press 7 to erase.

******

The drive to Alexandria is long enough to give me some time just to think, which is now a luxury I do not often have. The few brief weeks since becoming King have been a whirlwind of activity, and I will be glad when things settle down to a more sedate pace. I am looking forward to having some fun with my new bride, since we have had very little time for that thus far. My new status has naturally meant a huge change in my own way of life, and one for which I had little time to prepare myself. Although I was really quite content to be a Sheriff, I suppose in the back of my mind it was always a possibility that eventually I would become a King. My time came rather more abruptly than I had been anticipating; however, I find that being a monarch suits me, and now I am glad that I made the choice to go forward when I did.

Although I am quite pleased with the way things have been shaping up in my territory, I always like to stay ahead of the game by doing a little long range planning. After giving my future plans a great deal of thought, I spend some time contemplating the upcoming Coronation in Nevada... and realize that I must start planning my own event quite soon. Coronations in the vampire world are a relatively rare occurrence, and are expected to be rather spectacular events.

Until recently, I always considered the actual Coronation Ceremony as a mere formality; but as I learned from our Second Bonding, sometimes rituals are more than just words and gestures... they can and do produce unexpected results. I wonder exactly what changes, if any, might come from this one.

My musings are interrupted by a call from Cataliades. There are several financial matters he needs to discuss with me, and as always he ends the conversation by inquiring about Sookie. I do believe that she has managed to charm the old demon: he seems truly fond of her. I assure him that my Queen is quite well, and after that we disconnect. I am nearly to my destination in any event. The Area 3 Sheriff, Etienne Commeaux, is the only one of Felipe's group that I allowed to stay in position, because he supported my efforts and fought with me bravely in New Orleans. I have known him for many years, and he is just right for Area 3. He is the only Sheriff who is an actual native of Louisiana, and is quite knowledgeable about the culture and habits of the humans in his Area. Oddly enough, Sookie says she likes him because of his name... she says it sounds sexy and mysterious, like a vampire name should. I really have no idea what she is talking about. What is wrong with Northman?

I have actually been to this location before, and have no trouble finding the place. Turning down the long, uneven gravel drive, I heartily wish for about the fifth time that I had thought to drive the Escalade. Corvettes do not take well to this type of road. Eventually I pull up in front of the old house, and park. Getting out, I stretch my legs, and have a look around. Although not really all that far from the city, this place is deep in the middle of a pine forest and seems as remote as the moon. It is really quite the perfect spot for interrogations. The old wooden exterior reminds me of Sookie's farmhouse, although hers is actually in much better shape than this one. I approach the house, and almost instantly my Sheriff materializes on the old front porch.

He calls out, "Bienvenue, Votre Majesté. Je suis heureux que vous ayez choisi de venir._"_ _Welcome, Your Majesty. I am glad you chose to come._

"Bonjour, Etienne," I respond, "Avez-vous eu de chance avec nos invités?" _Hello, Etienne. Have you had any luck with our guests?_

He shakes his head, and in French, says, "No, sir. They keep saying things like, "We are Americans, and we know our rights!" No information, but at least they are amusing."

I step up onto the porch, and glance down at the Sheriff. He is a rather short vampire, with dark hair and coal black eyes; and some have made the serious mistake of underestimating him because of his stature. It is an error not often repeated. He may be small, but he is totally fierce, amazingly strong, perfectly devious, and quite loyal to me... in short, the perfect vampire Sheriff. Last night's call had been to inform me of his capture of these drainers, quite by accident. He had been on his way to have a serious chat with one of his Area vampires, who in spite of being warned, had been feeding from several underage girls from the local high school. Etienne's explanation in Cajun English sounded like, "He cuttin' a swat' tru' de drill-team, him; and de town's gettin' pretty riled up aboud it." I had to ask for an explanation of "drill-team," but other than that I gathered that the young vampire had a penchant for pretty young ladies not of legal age, and the townsfolk were angry about it. It is almost always easier conversing with Etienne in French, although I know for a fact he can speak perfectly good English when he wishes. He just got in the habit of blending in with the native population in the low country years ago.

In any event, the Sheriff had gone to the young vampire's place of employment, a local bar, just after closing time. He was waiting in the shadows in order to surprise the young rogue, and happened to notice a couple of humans who seemed to be waiting in a similar position just on the other side of the parking lot. Unfortunately for them, Etienne had also caught sight of the silver net one of them was carrying. When the young vampire had come out of the bar and headed for his car, the two humans had lunged at him; but not before Etienne had swooped in and caught them. They were so startled the first thing they did was drop the net. He had brought them here last night, and according to what he just said, has not been able to obtain any worthwhile information... yet. Of course, I _did_ tell him that I wanted to be present for the questioning, and so he could not apply any of the usual techniques until I arrived. Now that I am here, perhaps we can do better. Etienne holds the door for me, and I step inside.

Just before starting our discussion with our "guests," the advice that Bill Compton gave me the night of the battle in New Orleans floats back through my head. He warned me then that my emotions could be quite overwhelming to my Bonded in certain circumstances. Although I am a fair distance away from her, I am afraid she might still be able to feel some... unpleasantness, and be disturbed. I have not attempted to block our connection since before we became Twice-Bonded, and honestly I am not altogether certain that I will still be able to do it. In fact, it turns out to be much more difficult than it used to be. It takes a huge amount of will-power to enforce the block, and even then I am a bit surprised when the veil over the Bond began to descend. However, it seems that I can no longer shut it down entirely. I suppose it is the limitation of the Second Bond, most likely to prevent the Bonding Sickness. It really doesn't matter since I have no intention of ever shutting it down fully anyway; I just want to blunt the force of the emotions Sookie receives from me for a couple of hours, and then lift the veil as soon as possible. I have become so accustomed to her being a part of me, I find it quite unsettling not to have our Bond completely open so that I can feel her. Now that the Bond is veiled, it almost feels as if a part of me is missing.

Etienne shows me the way to one of the old bedrooms, where the prisoners are being kept. It is their misfortune that I am not in the best of moods. Also, I absolutely hate drainers. Both of the humans are tied securely to chairs, and upon seeing me their eyes widen in shock. I am quite aware that I can be rather intimidating, and of course right now that is exactly my intention. Etienne brings out another chair for me, and I sit down and silently contemplate these scruffy humans. I am no longer good at guessing human ages; but probably they are no more than 30, and typical examples of the lower class men in this area. I believe Sookie refers to them as "rednecks" or, if she particularly dislikes them, "crackers." A cold fury grips me at the thought of what they tried to do to one of my subjects.

After a moment, Etienne slides up behind them and leans in between them. He whispers to them, "I'm gone give you boys some advice, me. Whatever he ax you, you tell him de trut'. Dat vampire be your worst nightmare, him." _I'm going to give you boys some advice. Whatever he asks you, tell him the truth. That vampire is your worst nightmare._

The smaller human with the oily long hair says cockily, "What, did someone die and make you King? We don't have to tell you shit."

"Excellent guess," I reply coldly, "and oddly enough, quite accurate. However, I expect that you will, in fact, tell me exactly what I want to know."

The larger of the two looks me straight in the eye, and says belligerently, "Fuck you, vampire."

Ah. Let the games begin.

*****

Several hours later, I am nearly home. The interrogation had not gone as well as expected. Our little chat with the drainers was merely messy and fairly uninformative. Luckily, I was able to stop off at one of my old houses long enough to shower and change clothes. I have not been to that particular house since Sookie was in New York, and while I was there I took the time to pick up a few books and other things that I wanted to take home to Valhalla.

At the moment, I am pleasantly full. Although I promised Sookie I would not feed from anyone but her, I know she was really concerned with me drinking from females, and then having sex with them. Neither of the drainers was female, and sex was not even in the equation. I do not plan on making a habit of it, since I much prefer my Bonded's completely unique blood, but there was really no point in wasting all that blood, and besides... we were merely returning the favor, so to speak. After become so addicted to the taste of Sookie's fairy blood, it was only marginally better than the bottled stuff, anyway.

The minute I left the house in the woods, I released the veil on our Bond; and it was a great relief to be able to feel Sookie flooding back into me. From experience, I can tell that she is sleeping now, but I can hardly wait to get home and see her. I was quite irritated with her earlier tonight; but now that I have calmed down, I realize that she was not _trying_ to aggravate me... she just does not quite understand what my being King means. I must try to remember that she was thrust into this new position without much choice in the matter. I think when she agreed to marry me, she had prepared herself mentally to be the wife of a Sheriff, but this... this represents an even larger challenge for her; and I must try to be more patient with her while she adjusts. I am certain that eventually she will settle in to her role as my Queen, and come to enjoy her position.

By the time I reach Valhalla, it is not long before dawn; and I can see that the vampire guards are already gone and the Weres have taken their place. They open the gates for me, and I pull up to the house. I carry my box of items to the library and set it down. Opening the concealed safe, I retrieve a few things from the top of the box and place them inside. Closing the safe, I reset the lock, and then make sure the panel that hides it is completely shut. Upon opening the door to our sleeping chamber, I can see that Sookie has not bothered to set the lock since she is by herself, and I need to remind myself to speak to her about that tomorrow evening. Although the most immanent threats to her safety are now finally dead, it still doesn't mean that she is completely safe. As the human wife of a vampire King, I am afraid she will always be a tempting target for someone. In fact, it just now occurs to me... where were her guards while she was sweeping out gutters and digging up bushes? Surely she wasn't running around unprotected! If so, I really _will_ have to have a serious discussion with her, and one that she may not like a bit. However, almost immediately I realize what an absurd notion it is, and dismiss it. My Bonded is much too practical to take such a foolish risk.

Locking the door behind me, I move silently into our chamber. The lights are still blazing and she is laying face down across our bed. Strangely, she is still fully clothed, and is even wearing her tennis shoes! Ever so carefully, I slide her out of her clothes. As I remove her top, I have to pull her hands through the sleeves; and I am a little unsettled to find that her left ring finger is still bare. The last thing I do before I go to rest is locate her purse and find her wedding rings. Still taking care not to wake her, I place them back on her finger, where they should remain. I kiss them, just as I did the day I first put them on her. Using one fang, I pierce my own finger, rub some of my blood into the blisters and scratches on her hands, and then watch them as they gradually disappear.

Satisfied now, I undress myself and crawl into bed. As I slide in next to her, this time I accidentally wake her. She opens her eyes, gazes at me quite intently for a moment, and then smiles. She says sleepily, "Hi, baby! I'm so glad you're home. I was just dreaming of you..." She snuggles up next to me, and I hold her close and kiss her hair. I think again how much I have missed her company these last two nights, and resolve that tomorrow I will take her to the club with me, no matter what. I reach up and turn out the lamp. In my native tongue, I whisper to her, "Du är min, och jag älskar dig." and then again in English, for good measure. I close my eyes, and together we rest.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's notes: I do not own these characters. They are the sole property of Charlaine Harris. **** Here is a nice, juicy, long chapter... hope you like it!_

Chapter 7 

Sookie's POV Saturday 

Right up until the time I woke, I had been having vivid dreams. Most of them started out good, but then turned into nightmares. The last one had been really crazy, and I woke up with my heart pounding and tears on my cheeks. I dreamed that Eric and I were at Fangtasia in his office. We were having a wonderful time making love on his sofa, right up until it came time for him to bite me. He refused, and in my dream I remember literally begging him to do it. He just shook his head, and stood up.

The door opened, and a woman with dark hair came in. She said nothing, but came and took him by the hand and led him to his desk. She hopped up on it an spread her legs, and he proceeded to take her right in front of me. He bit into her neck, and she moaned in pleasure. Instead of being angry, I was just heartbroken; but remember thinking to myself _he is vampire, they live for sex and blood; it is his nature._ He paused and bit his wrist, and offered it to her. My dream self was shaking and crying, and I begged my vampire "Please! Not that! Don't let her have your blood!" He turned his head and looked at me. I could see how pink he was from feeding. For just a moment, he seemed to hesitate, but then she grabbed his wrist, put it to her mouth, and began sucking greedily. Thankfully, that was enough to catapult me out of sleep.

The dream had seemed so real that it took me a few minutes to convince myself that it was only a nightmare. My vampire was resting peacefully next to me, and I snuggled as close as I could get to his long cool body. Eventually, though, my human needs had to be seen to, so I reluctantly got out of bed and went into the bathroom. I glanced at the little crystal clock that I kept there, and realized with a start that it was already 3 o'clock. I supposed I had just worn myself out the previous day. One of the benefits of taking regular vampire blood was that I had lots of energy and didn't seem to need as much sleep as I once did. Without Eric's blood I guessed now I was going to be tired like a normal human.

Suddenly, I listened hard to what I had just told myself. Oh, poor me, having to act like a human. I couldn't believe I was whining about it, when only a few short months ago, I wouldn't take vampire blood without a huge argument. Now, I actively craved it and missed the side-benefits. My hands, for example... I looked down at my hands, expecting to see the blisters from yesterday. Instead, they were completely healed, and I saw that my wedding rings were even back on. That vampire! He must have done all that while I slept. I felt pretty guilty about the rings, because I really _had_ been intending to put them back on as soon as I got up from just resting my eyes... but I had obviously conked out. In any event, my heart did a little bump to know that he had taken the time to heal me, even after I had refused his blood.

All of this thinking about Eric's blood had just served to make my craving for it kick into high gear. I tried to tell myself that backing off for awhile was for my own good, but that didn't help much. To distract myself, I jumped in the shower, dressed in a hurry, and ran up stairs. As I came out into the library, I noticed a large box sitting on Eric's desk, and so I went over and looked inside. Mostly it seemed to contain books, but there was also a pair of daggers that looked really, really old; a little cloth bag tied up with a drawstring; a half of a rock whose crystals were purple, that I knew from high school science class was called a geode; an old rolled up document that looked like it might be a map; and a couple of smaller boxes whose contents I could only guess at. I thought about unloading it for him, but hesitated. It was his stuff, and I didn't want to just go pawing through it without his permission.

Leaving the box sitting just where he left it, I went on back to the kitchen, and was just putting on some coffee when Juanita came in. She said, "Buenas tardes, Señora. Do you remember that our interviews are set up for today? Also, my cousin Hector is waiting for you to tell him where to plant your roses."

"Yes, of course!" I said, "I hope I didn't keep him waiting."

Shaking her head, she said, "Oh, no, he found plenty to do in the meantime. He is looking forward to meeting you. Shall I call him inside?"

"No, let's just go outside and meet him there." I poured myself some coffee, and followed the housekeeper.

We went through the house and out the front door, and I saw a young man who looked to be about my age, who was busy trimming the shrubs in front of the house. He had dark hair, dark suntanned skin, and was about Bill's height. Atop his head was a straw cowboy hat, and his eyes were covered by some very dark mirrored sunglasses. When Juanita and I walked out onto the front porch, he took off his hat and glasses, and gave me a big grin. He came up on the porch, and gave me a friendly nod. He said, "Hello, Mrs. Northman. I'm Hector. Please excuse my not shaking your hand, but mine are pretty dirty."

Giving him a sympathetic smile, I said, "That's okay... I know what that's like. Thanks for coming out on a Saturday."

"No problem," he said, returning my smile, "Juanita said you needed to get those roses in right away, and I understand your schedule is a little unconventional. I am willing to work around that."

Even though Juanita had vouched for him, I decided to listen in on his thoughts anyway. Unfortunately, I had learned the hard way not to take anybody at face value. I slid down my shields, and what I heard was... _she is really pretty just like Aunt Juanita said... I think we can really do something with this place... it could be just spectacular with some time and money... I wonder if vampires really care about landscaping?..._

From that, I couldn't tell what he really thought of vampires, so I decided just to ask. I said, "Hector, you know my husband is a vampire, right? Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, ma'am," he replied sincerely, "Aunt Juanita said your husband is a good employer and I am glad to get the job."

What he was thinking was... _she also said he can look scary as hell, but he seems to be completely crazy about his human wife, so he can't be that bad... I will only be here during the daylight anyhow..._

At that, I had to grin. My vampire could, in fact, look scary as hell. I said, "Okay, then. My husband wants this place to look really nice, and so do I. If you have any ideas, I would be glad to hear them. For now, let's walk around to the back and let me show you where I'd like the roses to go."

Juanita interrupted us to ask, "Miss Sookie, what would you like for dinner? I probably need to get it started before the people start arriving for their interviews."

After thinking about it for a minute, I replied, "Could I just have some breakfast tacos? I know it seems weird at this time of day, but I just got up... anything else sounds too heavy."

"Sure! Whatever sounds good to you is good with me! I will call you when the first person gets here." With that, she turned and went back inside the house.

Hector and I headed around to the area out behind the pool, and I showed him about where I thought the rose bed should go. He said, "Mrs. Northman, I think a rose garden would look great here, but not just a couple of bushes. I mean a real one... with paths, and maybe a fountain or sculpture in the middle. If you plant enough, you will always have enough roses during most of the year to cut for the house. In fact, if you don't mind me asking... what exactly have you got in mind for your estate? Do you just want it to have a little color here and there, or what?"

Estate? Well, I guess in a way it was. I hadn't really discussed the landscaping with Eric, but I figured I knew the answer, anyhow. I answered, "My husband and I are going to be doing a lot of entertaining from now on, and I think he wants it to look really nice. I have always loved flowers, and my Grandmother was an avid gardener. Those roses are from her house. I really don't know too much about landscaping myself, but maybe you can come up with some ideas."

"You bet I can! I already have lots of ideas!" he said enthusiastically, "For example, since your husband is a vampire, we can plant some things that only bloom at night, like moon flowers. Lots of fragrant things... and maybe an herb garden, for Aunt Juanita's cooking."

Wow! The gardener sounded like he had some really good ideas! I laughed and said, "Great! Come up with some plans, and we'll go from there... but no garlic, okay? Eric is a little... sensitive to it."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Hector squinted up at the sky, and said, "Okay! There are a couple of things I have to know... for example, how much do you want to spend?"

Without giving it much thought, I said, "I want it to look really, really special, so... whatever it takes." Wait! Did I _really_ just say that? My goodness, how things had changed! Still, Eric had given me all that money to spend, and I wanted him to be proud of our home. He seemed to be really happy with the results so far; and in my opinion, the outside should look as good as the inside. Still, I couldn't stop myself from adding, "Within reason, of course."

"Wonderful! We can make this a showplace!" Hector exclaimed, "The only thing is, I will need some help. This is a pretty big estate for just one guy."

I had no idea how many gardeners would be required for a place this size. I swallowed, and asked cautiously, "Um...how many?"

Thoughtfully, he said, "Well, in the planting phase, probably two more men. Later, we might be able to cut back to just one."

"Okay. See if you can find two men to help you," I said, "When you do, though, I want to talk to them first. For obvious reasons, we have to be very careful who is around here during the day."

Nodding in agreement, he said, "Oh, I completely understand! I will let you know soon."

We spent the next few minutes talking over some of his ideas, which really sounded impressive. Almost before I knew it, Juanita had come outside to tell me that the first person was waiting for her interview. We went back inside, and used the living room to conduct them. Juanita helped me, and I "screened" the applicants. An hour and a half later, we had hired one additional full-time maid, and also a part-time one. After they had all gone, she asked, "Have you had a chance to ask Mr. Northman about the other houses?"

I said no, but I promised I would soon. While she fixed me some of her delicious tacos, I gave Claudine a call. I had only talked to her once since I had been back from my honeymoon, to tell her about Eric becoming King. She had just gotten home from work, and we chatted for a little while just catching up. Finally, I got around to the purpose of my call, which was to invite her to come by and see Valhalla, and then go shopping with me for evening gowns. She had to work the next day, so we agreed she would come the day after that. After I hung up the phone, it was time to for me to eat.

I sat in the kitchen with Juanita, and we talked enthusiastically about the gardens. I got out a pad and pen and made a list of all the things I might like to see planted, with Juanita chiming in with a few of her own suggestions. Time passed very quickly, and I glanced at the kitchen clock and realized with a start that it was nearly sunset! With an unpleasant thump, I realized that I hadn't felt it approaching, and knew immediately that it was because I hadn't had Eric's blood in so long. I had come to rely on that innate sense, and found its absence pretty unsettling.

Jumping up, I said hurriedly, "Thanks for the tacos. Juanita!" and dashed downstairs. Just in time! He was still resting. To make up for not being here on time the night before, I ran into our closet, stripped off my clothes, and slipped on a really sexy little nightie that I had found in New Orleans while walking around the Quarter one afternoon. Buying it had actually been pretty fun, too, because George and Cooper, my two bodyguards, had still been going everywhere with me then. I chuckled at the memory of those two huge guys hovering nervously in the lady's lingerie store. The sales clerk had enjoyed teasing them a little, too. She very seriously asked their opinions on different items, like whether they preferred panties or thongs...I swear, Cooper had been blushing like crazy!

I dabbed on a tiny hint of perfume, ran a brush through my hair, and rushed back into our room. I had just stretched out next to him and managed to catch my breath, when he woke. He gave me a once over with those fantastic blue eyes, broke into a grin, and said, " My Lover, you are a vision. I definitely approve! Now, come closer..."

It was a vast improvement to the prior evening. The loving was beyond fantastic, and we had no little arguments. I could tell through our Bond that he wasn't still mad, and that was a huge relief. Afterwards, my handsome vampire said, "Let us share a bath. I find myself tired of rushing around."

He rolled out of bed and went to get himself a TrueBlood from the tiny refrigerator in our room, and heated it in the microwave. He then went in the bathroom and started the water, pouring in some of the special bath salts we had bought on our honeymoon. I lit some candles, pinned up my hair, and slipped by inches into the hot water. Phew! Vampires like it hot, in more ways than one! I sat facing him, so that we could talk.

Once we were both immersed, Eric sipped his bottled blood and said, "So, Beloved, tell me about your day."

I smiled and said, "The first thing I noticed when I got up was that some vampire got into my room while I was sleeping, healed my blisters, and put my wedding rings back on me. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

He just chuckled, and said, "I cannot imagine who that could possibly be. I must remember to reset our codes, to keep unknown vampires from bothering my wife while she sleeps."

I leaned froward, and kissed him. I said, "Thank you for healing me. I'm sorry I forget my rings... I just got so sleepy..."

He raised my hand from the water, turned my palm up, and kissed the bands of my rings. "There now," Eric said, "I have put them back in their proper place. Try to keep them there, for me."

I leaned forward and kissed him, and said sincerely, "I promise. Now, guess what I did today? I hired two maids and a gardener... and I may need two more gardeners. I guess we need to talk about it." So I told him all about our new household help, and the ideas I had for our grounds. I finished by saying, "...this might get a little expensive, but I thought you would like it."

He sat back in the tub, and just smiled at me indulgently. "This is the new Royal Residence, and I want it to be magnificent," he said, "Spend whatever is necessary. It is worth every penny to see the light in your eyes when you talk about it."

"I guess now that the inside has turned out so well, I have more confidence in my choices," I told him, "I don't know why, but I am really excited about the landscaping. Maybe there is more of my Grandmother in me than I thought."

He chuckled, and said, "I imagine that is so. Now, as for these gardeners, I suppose I should ask... are they all ugly men?" His eyes twinkled when he said it, though.

"Well, so far I have only hired one, and he is a nice looking man... but only human," I teased.

He waved one hand dismissively, and said, "Oh, well, as long as he is only human... but no shifters, please!"

I promised, and then we moved on to another related topic. I said, "Juanita wanted me to ask... what are you going to do with your other houses? I am not trying to be nosy, she just needs to know what you want her to do."

He looked thoughtful for a minute and he replied, "I have already been gathering things up from the other houses. I know that we will keep your house in Shreveport, because it is so close to the club. The others... I will think about it, and let you know."

Momentarily, it made me feel sort of funny, because he still had houses that I knew nothing about. He could even have another wife stashed in one, for all I knew! I had to laugh a little at myself, though, because I was with him almost all the time! Well, except for the last two nights...

While we were talking, I had taken a sea-sponge and some special soap, and bathed him; and now he was now returning the favor. Soon, we were both squeaky clean, and it was time to get out and dry off. I stood in our closet with my towel wrapped around me, and hesitated. I didn't know what to put on. Was I supposed to stay home again tonight or....? As usual, Eric had gotten dressed in a flash. He looked yummy, too, in his black jeans, black boots, and black t-shirt. That vampire certainly could fill out a pair of jeans! He asked, "Dear One, why aren't you getting dressed? Here, let me pick your clothing for tonight."

My vampire went back into my closet, and pulled out the outfit that I had worn the first time I had tended bar at Fangtasia. "I am quite fond of this one," he said, "Perhaps I will be as lucky tonight as I was the last time you wore it."

Wow! I remembered that time, too. Whew! Pretty hot! I asked, "So, you want me to come with you?"

He looked surprised, and answered, "Yes, of course. I have missed you these last nights. Now, I think I will go upstairs and put away a few things while you finish getting dressed."

I finished dressing as rapidly as possible (which wasn't easy with that corset), threw on some makeup, and fixed my hair. By the time I made it up to the library, Eric had already unpacked his box. He was standing at the widow, staring out and sipping a bottled TrueBlood. When he saw me, he turned and tossed me the little pouch from his box, which turned out to be unexpectedly heavy. "Remember Lafitte's Blacksmith shop?" he asked, "Well, I got those from old Jean himself. They were from one of the first ships he captured."

I opened the pouch, and poured the contents into my hand. A mass of gold coins fell into my palm, and they looked very old. At my look of astonishment, Eric explained, "Spanish doubloons. Just a souvenir from my first time in Louisiana."

"I saw your box," I said, looking up at him, "I would have unpacked it for you, but I didn't want to pry."

He just smiled, and said, "Pry away. Most of these things are just reminders of the places I've been... someday I will tell you all about them. Now, if you are ready, let us depart."

****

As we pulled into Fangtasia, I could see immediately that the place was packed. The parking

lot was overflowing, and even the employee lot to the east side was full... including Eric's usual spot. Through our Bond came a jolt of irritation. Eric sighed, and pulled back around to the front. He parked near the front door of the club, and got out. He came around, opened my door, and helped me out. One of his new Area vampires was acting as bouncer, and admitting the people waiting in line as the bar's capacity allowed. As Eric had emerged from the car, it almost sounded like the entire crowd gasped, and then started murmuring. I guessed since the main attraction had been out of pocket so much for the last few weeks, his adoring public was happy to see him back. I stifled an urge to roll my eyes, and then realized what a hypocrite I was. I still did just about the same thing every time I saw him, too!

Eric tossed the Corvette's keys to the bouncer. His name was Atticus, and he was actually one of Eric's Royal Guards. He was a tall, very muscular black vampire who had moved to the area shortly before Eric had become King. He made a striking figure wearing a black muscle shirt and tight black leather pants. Around his neck hung multiple gold chains, and large diamond studs flashed in both his ears. Even though his skin was very dark (much to my surprise, I had found out that dark-skinned vampires get darker, not lighter, when they are turned), he still had the vampire glow to my eyes. I really didn't know much about him, except that Eric apparently knew Atticus' Maker quite well; and that he was considered both trustworthy and a fierce fighter. The guard bowed slightly to both of us, and stepped aside so we could enter.

Even for a Saturday, there was a bumper crop of Fangbangers inside. Eric and I passed by the bar as we headed for his office. I saw Felicia working hard filling drink orders, and she glanced up long enough to give me a toothy smile; so maybe my gift had helped, after all. We went on down the hall, and the minute we passed through the door, I could see Pam sitting at his desk. She took one long look at me and her fangs slid all the way out. Grinning, she exclaimed, "Mistress, you look good enough to eat!"

Normally, I would have given her sharp retort; but I was in such a mellow mood after making up with my vampire earlier, I just smiled and said, "Thanks! So, what's up?"

"If I had known about all the correspondence we would be getting now that my Master is King, I might have tried to talk him out of it," she replied rather sourly, "This is completely amazing!"

On Eric's desk were several stacks of mail, and a basket full of envelopes still unsorted. Poor Pam looked a bit frazzled. I had always just assumed that they had day humans to do most of this type thing. I asked curiously, "Don't you have someone to sort your mail?"

Pam replied, "Of course, but do you see this emblem here?" She pointed to a small symbol in the lower left hand corner of an envelope. She continued, "That mark means that it is vampire business, and only to be opened by the King or one of the Royal Staff... which right now unfortunately means me."

Eric frowned and said, "Obviously I need to hire more staff for Shreveport. I have no idea where we will put them, though." There really wasn't any extra space at Fangtasia for any more offices. It was a problem, all right. I asked, "In the meantime, can I help? I can open those for you, and if I don't know what to do with them, I'll put those in a special pile."

Pam looked relieved. She said, "Most of these are social invitations, anyway... and you should see all of the emails! Sookie, we can move all of this into my office. Master, this pile here requires signatures immediately. Be sure and check your emails! And Cataliades called..."

Pam was almost always calm, to the point of being lethargic. I had never seen her so... out of sorts. I grabbed the basket, took the stacks that still needed opening, kissed my vampire, and announced, "I'll be next door." I went right to Pam's office, and got to work. She was right, most of the mail turned out to be social invitations, and I was going to have to ask Eric which things he wanted to attend. I put the Area 5 business and Kingdom business in separate stacks. There was only a few items left that I didn't how to handle, so I made a separate stack of those. I pulled out a calendar and penciled all the potential invitations in, so he could easily see when everything was, and also the possible conflicts. Just as I was finishing up, my cell phone vibrated with an incoming text. This was fairly unusual, so I jumped about a foot when it went off. Pulling my phone out of my purse, I opened the message and it read:

_Come to me. I have a surprise for you. E._

I picked up the invitations and calendar, left the Area stuff on Pam's desk, and went back to Eric's office. He was sitting in his chair, gazing at his computer screen. He was smiling at something, and when he saw me, he said, "Ah, just the one I wanted to see. Come here, Beloved. Look at this!"

I went around the desk, set my paperwork down, and he pulled me on to his lap. "Look!" he said, "The photographer has sent us our wedding pictures online. We can choose which ones we want this way, and then he will have them printed."

I had never even heard of that before. Eric clicked his mouse, and... there we were! I gasped! We looked so... good! He laughed in delight, and said, "Quite the couple, are we not?"

Wow! That was one good photographer! We viewed each shot, and most of the posed photographs were really awesome. My favorites, though, turned out to be the candid shots, and most particularly one that the photographer had taken of Eric bending me backwards, kissing the fire out of me... it was so romantic! My second favorite was one that he had taken of us on the dance floor. I was staring up at my new husband, and he was gazing down at me. His arms were wrapped around my waist protectively, and mine were resting on his chest. It was the look on my vampire's handsome face that made my heart go thump, because the photographer had somehow captured the look of adoration in his magnificent blue eyes. Tears sprang into my own eyes, it was just so beautiful. There were many others, but Eric claimed _his_ favorite was a candid picture of me by myself. I admit, it was a pretty good shot of the dress, and the flowers, but I liked the formal one of us together much better. In that pose, my tall vampire was standing slightly behind me, his hand around my waist. Eric looked gorgeous and completely regal, and for once, I managed to look... really beautiful. He was right, we actually did make a good-looking pair!

While we were going through the proofs, Pam poked her head in the door, and saw us sitting there grinning like fools. Eric motioned her in, and she came around and watched as we went through them all again. There was an especially good one of Pam and Robert, and she said she would definitely want a copy. My absolute favorite shot of Pam was one where she had just taken a drink from Eric's special glass of my blood. Her fangs were completely down and the look of shock on her face was just priceless! Eric and I had a good laugh at that one, while Pam just shook her head at the memory. We agreed that we needed to choose one to have printed in a large size, for Valhalla. "My goodness, they are all so good, I don't know which one to pick!" I exclaimed.

Grinning, Eric suggested, "Why not let me chose? This one is the best..."

Immediately, Pam chimed in and said, "Oh, no, Master! This one here is definitely better..."

The three of us were having a good time arguing over which one was "the picture," when Eric's cell phone rang. He glanced at the display, but then laid it back on his desk without answering it. Pam gave him a questioning look, but he said carelessly, "I will speak to them later. This is much more important. Now, Beloved, what do you want to do?"

"If it's all right with you, I'd like to think about which picture I really want, and decide for sure tomorrow," I answered, "For now, we really need to go over these invitations. Pam is right, there are tons of them!"

I could see right now he really _was_ going to need some additional help. Now I could see why all the other monarchs had a staff. The paperwork was mind-boggling! He sat back in his chair, and we went over all the invitations. He seemed really impressed with my calendar, and said, "Very clever, my Love. I suppose I need to decide when I intend to hold my own Coronation, before I know what to accept. I think.. perhaps the first of May. I suppose we should really have it in New Orleans."

"The sooner, the better," Pam said firmly, "Since we are still trying to get vampires to move back to New Orleans, I think it _should_ be there. Let's face it, Shreveport can be a bit...dull."

That would give us more than a month to prepare. Well, we had organized a wedding and huge reception in less time than that, so I supposed it was possible. I said, "Whatever you two think is fine with me. I have no idea what to expect, since I have never been to one."

"It is somewhat similar to the Sheriff's Ball you attended in Shreveport," Eric informed me, "All my subjects will come and swear an oath of fealty. It will of course be very formal. You will need another very elaborate gown.... why don't we call your friend Anthony, and see what he can do for you? The Bonding gown he made was spectacular."

Of course, a trip to New York right now was out of the question. "Honey, I can't go to New York without you, and you certainly don't have time right now," I reminded him.

He looked thoughtful and said, "All right. Anthony has your measurements. He can send us designs over the Internet for approval. He can make the gown in New York, and then bring it to you in New Orleans and fit it a day or two before the Coronation."

"How do you know he will be willing to come all that way just for me?" I knew how busy Anthony always was, and it seemed unlikely he could get away at the drop of a hat.

My vampire just chuckled and said smugly, "I will make him an offer he cannot refuse."

I sighed. Every male of my acquaintance could quote from "The Godfather" almost verbatim, so I didn't know why I should be surprised that Eric could, too. Come to think about it, I'd bet that particular movie was right up his alley. Violence, secrecy, blood oaths, killing... yep, I bet that it was just behind "Dracula" and "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" on the "Vampire's Top Ten Movies" list.

Eric continued, "He is a companion to a vampire. No vampire in their right mind would turn down a chance to attend a Coronation, and even stay in the Royal Residence... or at least next door. A free trip to New Orleans is not too bad, either."

"I will bet Robert will even give them a ride on his airplane," Pam agreed, "The Knight will be coming down for the event, of course. Now, I hate to bring up a sore subject, but who are we going to get to make the arrangements? E(E)E?

Oh, crap. Eric and I had carefully avoided the topic of Quinn since the night Eric had become King. All too casually, Eric replied, "Oh, certainly. Who else? Pamela, will you call them, and see if they can do it?"

Through our Bond, I could feel all sorts of things rolling around, not much of it pleasant. I gave him a sharp look, but he just smiled back, his blue eyes as guileless as a baby's. From Victor Madden's words the night of the battle, it was clear that Quinn must have been at least partially in on the plot to overthrow Felipe. The question was, just how deeply was my former boyfriend involved? Had he known that Victor had intended to kill Eric? I was furious at Quinn, myself, but what I had in mind for him was probably a lot milder than anything my vampire was likely to dish out. Surely Quinn wasn't stupid enough to show his face in New Orleans... in fact, anywhere in Louisiana or Arkansas, either!

We spent the next hour hashing out most of the details. I mainly sat back and listened to the pair of them with a smile on my face. They were like two kids in a candy store, planning this event. Eric seemed (as usual) to know exactly what he wanted, with Pam chiming in frequently with suggestions. Eventually, they got most of it hammered out. I was pretty thirsty, so I offered to go out into the bar and get us drinks. Eric said, "No, let us all go. I need to sit out front for a while anyway."

Putting a firm hand around both of our waists, Eric guided Pam and I out into the crowded bar. With the usual little murmur, the crowd parted for us. Eric took his special seat, and Pam and I sat on either side of him like a pair of bookends. Little Julie rushed right over to take our orders, and in no time had returned with our drinks. Uncharacteristically, Eric was actually polite to her, and even remembered her name! I had barely taken the first sip of my gin and tonic, when Felicia came out from behind the bar, and approached Eric. "Master, there is a call for you," she announced, "It is a woman named Sabriel."

This time, I could feel a serious flash of irritation from him. He said tersely, "Tell her I will call her later."

A momentary look of surprise passed across Pam's face. It was so quick that I barely caught it before her face became completely expressionless. Sabriel, huh? That was the same name I had seen on Eric's phone the other night, too. Before I could get a grip myself, a tiny feeling of jealousy popped into my chest; then I realized how immature that was. Eric undoubtedly knew lots of women, and not all of them were potential rivals... Sandy, for example. Still, I would like to know just who the heck this particular woman was. A month ago I might have let it pass; but we were married now, so I just asked outright, "Who is Sabriel?"

Pam opened her mouth to say something, but Eric gave her a warning look. "She is a vampire who has given me some trouble in the past," he said smoothly, "Nothing for you to worry about."

I could tell through our Bond that he really _was _irritated by her call, so I decided to let it go. Soon, Pam and Eric had moved on to discussing Area 5 issues; and although I was partially paying attention, I was also idly looking around the room at the crowd. Even though they were doing nothing out of the ordinary, one group in particular caught my eye. Three guys were sitting at a table very near the bar. Usually by this late on a Saturday night, most of the tourists had already called it a night, leaving mostly hard-core Fangbangers and other regulars. These three looked more like the rednecks that used to hang out at Merlotte's. Even though they weren't dressed like Fangbangers, they seemed completely fascinated by the real vampires in the bar. When I first noticed them, they were just about staring a hole in Felicia; and by the smirks on their faces I could well imagine what they were thinking. I sighed. I guess boys will be boys, no matter what bar they frequent.

Just as I was about to look away, one of them turned his head in our direction. Of the three, he was by far the best looking; in fact, if you liked that type, he was down-right handsome. I tried not to let on, but I knew that my vampires were getting the once over. One leaned in conspiratorially and said something to the other two, who stared at us intently; and then all three began to smirk. I wondered what raunchy things the rednecks were thinking about the three of us. As usual, my vampires were completely oblivious to all the attention they were receiving. After the last several months, I was finally getting much more accustomed to people staring at us, but was not yet to the point of not noticing at all.

Sighing, I returned my attention to the conversation at hand. I listened and every so often offered my two cents. Eventually, Eric said he had to go finish signing all the things that Pam had left for him; and Pam asked me if we could go over some of the items on her desk. I followed her back to her office, and by putting our heads together, we were able to dispose of a lot of the paperwork; but she pretty much bitched and moaned the whole time. Eric really_ was_ going to have to staff up soon, or all any of us would ever do would be paperwork! At one point, I got up and went back out into the bar to get myself a coke. By then it was last call and people were finally beginning to clear out. I went up to the end of the bar that Felicia was working, and she came over and gave me a friendly smile. I said, "Wow, busy night, huh?"

"Yes, Mistress, very," she agreed, "Can I get you something?"

I ordered my coke, and as I was waiting for her to get it, I scanned the room again. I noticed that only one of the rednecks I had noticed earlier was still at the nearby table, and he was rather blankly staring at his beer bottle. When Felicia came back with my drink, I asked, "See the cowboy at that first table? He's been giving you the eye all evening."

She smirked and said, "Oh, him. To tell you the truth, he just asked me out after work. This is my week to close, but I told him I'd meet him afterwards, and we'd go grab a bite..." At that, she gave me a rather shark-like grin.

I just smiled. He wasn't my type, but if he was offering her a "free meal", who was I to interfere? I took my drink, and nearly turned to head back to Pam's office... but there was just something about that guy. I decided to just take a quick peak in his head. After the whole deal with Clancy and the phony Fangbanger, I figured it was much better to be safe than sorry. I slid down my shields and heard..._let's see_..._ six quarts...32 ounces to the quart... Jeez, I hate math...okay, thats 192 ounces times 250, divided by 6... "_

Well, I wasn't going to stand around listening in on some guy just doing a bunch of boring math in his head. In any event, Felicia was a vampire and could most certainly take care of herself. In fact, given her smile, maybe I should be more worried about the redneck. Deciding to mind my own business for once, I took my coke and went back to Pam's office to help her with the very last of the paperwork.

Sometime later, I realized that I needed to go to the restroom, so I excused myself and went down the hall to the employee's locker room. The bar was now closed, and apparently everyone but us was gone home. Just as I standing at the sink and washing my hands, however, Felicia startled me by coming in and grabbing her purse out of her locker. She must have just finished with her closing chores and the last to leave for the night. We told each other goodnight, and I could hear her walking out the back door, and it swinging shut with a clang.

A moment later, I dried my hands and then went to open the locker room door to leave. A poster had been taped to the back of the door, and I could see that one of the employees had a warped sense of humor. It was a poster from the American Red Cross that read : **Be a Donor: Give Blood!** In red crayon, the comic had written, _Yeah, all 6 Quarts of it! _There were also other witty sayings penciled around the edges, but that first one struck a cord. Six quarts... the amount of blood in a typical human body... that was weird, that was the same amount the redneck from earlier was calculating in his head, breaking it down into ounces, and then multiplying it by... Oh, holy crap!

Instantly, I knew what was going on! $250 was the going street price for an ounce of regular vampire blood on the black market. That redneck had been calculating how much money he could make from draining a vampire... and Felicia had just left to go meet him. There was no time to waste! If I hurried I still might be able to catch her!

I ran out of the locker room and jerked open the door to the employee's parking lot. I could see Felicia's Tahoe parked at the far end. It was the last car in the lot, and had been parked so that the driver's door was on the side opposite me. I knew she couldn't see me if she was just getting in. Vampires have really good hearing, though, so I called out, "Felicia! Wait!" I desperately wanted to catch her before she took off to meet this guy, and I knew I probably only had a minute before she left. Making a quick decision, I only hesitated a split second before "popping" from my end of the lot to her car. As soon as I was there, I gasped at the terrible sight before me. All three of the men from the bar were lying on top of a writhing Felicia, who was covered in a silver net! I could smell her skin burning and hear the horrible sizzle as the silver melted into her flesh. Her eyes rolled in my direction, and she screamed, "Sookie! Get Eric! Ahhh!"

Immediately, I "called" Eric to me, and for good measure, I thought ..._Help!_ _Parking lot! Come __quick! _In the meantime, I summoned my energy, held out my hands straight out in front of me, and let loose! Instantly, I heard a sound like "thwack!" and the redneck nearest me went flying off of Felicia, and hit the pavement... hard. The other two looked up at me with identical expressions of stunned amazement. The handsome one that was Felicia's "date" cried out, "Oh shit!" and then jumped up and began to run away.

The last one had opened his mouth to say something, but I never did find out what it was. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blur move past me; and the remaining redneck was suddenly dangling from the upraised hand of an extremely irate Viking. Pam was right behind him, and in a flash had caught the attacker that was attempting to escape. The one that I had knocked over was trying to crawl away, but Eric went over and jerked him up as well.

While my two vampires were busy with all that, Felicia was still laying on the ground, thrashing around in great pain. I ran over, grabbed the silver net, managed to tug it away from where it was adhering to her burning skin, and then flung it off onto the pavement. The normally pretty bartender looked just horrible! Her skin was charred and flaking in a criss-cross pattern, and some open wounds were really deep. I knew by the way she was still writhing on the ground that she was hurting, but there was nothing I could do for her except offer her my hand to hold while she healed. Putting both of her hands between mine, I looked at her and said, "Shhhh. Try to lay still. You'll be fine in a little while."

I felt so sorry for her, I wished like crazy that I could make her pain go away. Suddenly, I felt my magical energy swirling around inside me, and then it passed from me into her. Almost instantly she stopped moaning and twitching, and lay very still on the ground. I could see that she still looked awful, and her wounds were just beginning to heal a little; but she seemed to be calmer and not hurting nearly as much. She said weakly, "Sookie? I feel... better. The pain is gone!"

"That's good," I said, "Can you sit up?"

She nodded, and I helped her to sit. Eric was still holding his two wriggling captives, and Pam had hauled hers up to where the Viking was standing. I was a bit afraid of what the vampires were planning on doing to these men. I knew how much all vampires hated drainers (understandable so) and what usually became of the ones that were caught. These three had tried to kill my friend, and probably deserved something pretty bad... but still, I didn't want them killed. We needed to call the police and let them handle it. I took a good look at my vampire, and in all the time I had known him had never seen him as obviously dangerous as he was right then. His fangs were down, his eyes were blazing, and he was obviously flat out furious. Through our Bond, I could feel the anger rolling off of him in waves, and the intensity of his emotions nearly took my breath away. During the battle in New Orleans, he had been cold, and calculating, and almost... the only word to describe it was... elated. Now, he was just the opposite. I could clearly see that whatever control he had was slipping away, and I knew that the results were going to be extreme. Uh-oh, time to intercede.

Getting to my feet, I walked rapidly over to where he was standing. Much more calmly than I felt, I asked, "Okay, now what?"

His eyes flashing, Eric growled, "I need to have a word with these two "gentlemen." Perhaps it would be better if you go wait in my office."

Without flinching, I shook my head, and said firmly, "Um...no. I can find out whatever you want to know, and then we can call the police. Remember our deal?"

He frowned. "Yes, but that was a long time ago, before we were Bonded," he said heatedly, "Things are different now."

I stood up straight and looked him square in the eye. I said, "In some ways, yes. In others... not so much."

Right that minute, I didn't care if he _was_ my Bonded, it was still pretty scary staring down a huge, totally enraged vampire King. He glared at me, but I stood my ground. Finally, he said gruffly, "All right. Let us go back inside. After we learn what they have to say, I will make my decision."

I nodded, and went over to help Felicia back to her feet. The two of us followed Eric, Pam, and the captives back into Fangtasia. We all trooped down the long hallway back to the bar. Eric threw one man roughly to the ground, and ordered him, "Stay!" The man was trembling all over, and I knew he wasn't about to go anywhere. The Viking pulled up a chair, and thrust the other captive into it. He leaned down close to the man's face, flashed his fangs, and said in a deadly voice, "If you want to live, you will answer this woman's questions truthfully." He looked at me and commanded, "Ask him who he works for."

Eventually, I got every bit of information I possibly could out of those three jokers. We knew more about them than their parish priests ever would. Afterwards, I "glamored" them into forgetting that I had questioned them, and also my part in their capture. Finally, I said to Eric, "Okay, honey, time to call the cops."

He hesitated for a moment, and then nodded to Pam, who flipped open her cell phone and called 911. By now, my vampire had finally calmed down. He looked at me thoughtfully, and asked, "Would you care to explain what happened before I arrived?"

So, I told him all about how I had finally put two and two together; and that I had arrived Felicia's car just as they were about to carry her off. Before I could get into the rest of it, the bartender exclaimed, "Master, she saved me! She suddenly appeared out of thin air and somehow threw one of those humans off of me before you even arrived. Even though she never even said your name, you knew to come to her, and then she... she made my pain go away!" She turned and looked at me in gratitude, her large eyes glowing.

Oops! Talk about letting the cat out of the bag! Eric looked down at her and said sternly, "Felicia, as you have seen, there is more to your Mistress than meets the eye. It is very important that you keep that knowledge to yourself. Do you understand?"

In answer, she knelt at my feet, took one of my hands, and bared her neck in the vampire gesture of submission. She said solemnly, "You saved me. For this, my Queen, I honor you. I pledge my loyalty to you. No one shall ever hear about your magics from my lips."

Well, that was plenty good enough for me. All I could think to say was, "Um... thank you."

By then, we could all hear the sirens wailing up the street; and before long Pam had let the police into the club. Apparently this was not the first time the authorities had been to Fangtasia, because the officers seemed to know Eric and Pam pretty well. Although they seemed a bit cautious around the vampires (especially the Viking) they were courteous and professional. They took the silver net as evidence, and questioned both Felicia and me. My story was that I had happened on the scene, had run back to the club and fetched my husband and Pam, who then captured the men; and I was sticking to it. After a brief search, the policemen also located the men's truck, which had been parked around the corner; and of course it contained all the paraphernalia necessary to drain a vampire.

The police hauled all three men off, who seemed quite grateful to go. I supposed that given a choice between a batch of angry vampires and a nice safe jail, I would also have picked the jail. By the time they cleared out, it was getting really late... or early, depending on how you looked at it. In any event, Eric turned off the lights, closed and locked the bar, and we all headed off in our different directions. It turned out that Pam and Eric's cars were both parked behind Fangtasia, in a sort of no-mans land between the back of the bar and the building that faced out onto the opposite street. I had never even been back there, as we almost always parked in the employee's lot that was located on the east end of the building. Eric explained that this was where they parked when both of the other lots were full; but didn't like to because it was behind a tall chain link fence and was a pain to get in and out. The Viking and I jumped in the Corvette, waved goodbye to Pam, and took off. As we pulled out onto the street, Eric announced, "Sookie, let us go to our Shreveport house, since it is closer."

In no time at all it seemed, we were pulling through the electronic gates. Once inside the house, it took me a minute to orient myself again. Eric silently led me down to our resting chamber, and without a word took me into the bathroom and removed both of our clothes. He turned on the shower and we had a quick wash before bed. I could feel that he was still pretty upset, and I figured it was because those drainers had the gall to try to take one of his vampires right out from under his nose. After drying off, we both slipped into bed. To tell the truth, I was never so glad to see a bed in my life! Using all that magic in such a short amount of time had completely exhausted me. Frankly, I was amazed it all had worked so well, since my practice attempts these last few days had not been so hot. It must have been the adrenaline rush from fear that made the difference.

I was half-way expecting Eric to tuck me into my usual place next to him, so I was a bit surprised when he laid on his side, and rolled me on mine to face him. His blue eyes were blazing, and I could feel several strong emotions rolling off him. "You saved Felicia tonight," he said sternly, "What were you thinking?"

I sure hadn't seen that one coming. In disbelief, I said. "What?"

Very seriously, he said, "You could have been hurt, or even killed before I arrived. I could have replaced Felicia. You are unique, and irreplaceable. You are... my life!"

With that, he pulled me into a nearly crushing embrace. Into my hair, he whispered, "I have never been so proud of you, and yet so terrified to think of the possible outcome."

Against his chest, I mumbled "Come on, honey, I could have just popped away if I had to... and if I had known they were out there, I would have called you first, I swear."

"Your magic is amazing, but you are still very young, and unskilled with its use," he said, "Please, you must promise me that you will be more careful."

I could tell that he was really bent out of shape, so I said, "All right, I _do_ promise to be more careful." Honestly, though, given the same set of circumstances, I couldn't see myself acting much differently. I couldn't have just let them take her away and drain her, could I?

My reply seemed to satisfy him, and so he finally eased up on the hug. He kissed me several times, and stroked my skin, as if to reassure himself that it was all in one piece. It was much too close to dawn for any lovemaking, so I finally just settled into my spot next to him. I laid my head on his broad chest, he wrapped his strong arms around me, and in five more seconds I was sound asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters. **** Thanks once again to all those who left reviews. You all keep me inspired to keep writing.**** I apologize that you really don't learn all that much new information in this chapter. Mainly you just get to see Eric's take on what happened to Felicia... oh, and a little ESN, so isn't __completely boring...._

**Chapter 8**

**Eric's POV Saturday Night**

I awaken to the delectable scent of aroused part-fairy. I keep my eyes closed for just a moment, and just breathe it in. My Bonded is lying next to me, and I can feel her excitement in anticipation of my waking... which I admit that I find very gratifying. I came home too close to dawn for any love-making last night, and I fully intend to make up for it now. Last night's little disagreement has left me feeling unsettled, which is actually quite humorous when I think about it. Certainly any one of my acquaintances would be astonished to learn that a few cross words with my little human could leave a hardened vampire such as myself in such a state. Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself! To be vulnerable to such unaccustomed emotions at my advanced age is both irritating and exhilarating. Nevertheless, I find myself anxious to make love to my woman, and be in complete harmony with her once again.

Opening my eyes, I am treated to the view of Sookie in a very sexy red teddy that I have never seen before. It emphasizes her luscious full breasts, and it makes me long to feel their weight in my hands. I tell her how beautiful she is, and then pull her in closer. Her warm lips open softly under mine, and I spend some very pleasurable time kissing my Lover. Leaning my head in to her neck, I inhale her lovely scent. She is wearing a new perfume, too, and I do not know what it is... but I find it quite enchanting. I can tell that she has gone out of her way to please me this evening, and the fact that she is trying so hard makes me love her even more. I want to take my time with her tonight, and make certain that she knows how much I treasure her. The last few weeks have been rather hectic, and I find myself wishing that we were back on our sailboat in the islands, where we had nothing to do but love each other.

As alluring as she looks in this new little gown, I want to feel her warm silky skin next to mine, so I slip it over her head and toss it aside. Once she is completely bare, I kiss every square inch of her body, lingering in strategic areas that I know she loves. Next, I satisfy my earlier desire by paying homage to those glorious breasts of hers. Holding them in my palms, I feel their weight and firmness, and I marvel at how perfectly they fit into my rather large hands. It is if they were made just for me... and if the Ancient Pythoness is correct, they actually _were_. It is a great pity that I can never give my Bonded children; these breasts would be perfect for suckling a strong son.

I long to run my fangs over them now, but I fear the temptation to bite would be too strong. I am hungry, and the smell of her blood is calling to me already. I need to remind myself to drink some bottled blood before love-making, so that the urge to feed is not so overwhelming. I am somewhat surprised at myself. At my age I should be much more in control of my urges... I do not really require all that much blood anymore, but I cannot seem to stop thinking about hers. My plan was to abstain for at least two weeks, more if necessary; but I find that the strong craving I am experiencing may make it much more difficult than I anticipated. Even feeding on the real blood of the drainers has not quieted it in the slightest. Truly, it seems that I am addicted to my lovely fairy's sweet blood, and no other.

I content myself by sucking one of her little pink nipples into my hungry mouth; and running my tongue over it, I feel it harden instantly. Sookie draws in her breath and then gives a prolonged, "Ahhh!" in pleasure. She loves for me to pay attention to her breasts, almost as much as I do. After giving both equal time, I want to give my Lover her first orgasm by pleasuring her with my tongue, but it seems that she has other ideas. She tugs gently on a lock of my hair, and says, "Please, baby. Don't make me wait. I want you right now!"

She doesn't have to ask me twice! I slide in between her legs, and slowly give her what she wants, an inch at a time. Because she knows I like it, she leaves her eyes open. Ah! She is is so tight and slick that I long to just impale her, but take my time to tease us both. I slide my hands under her bottom and position her so that I can give her as much of me as she can take... and I am rewarded for my efforts by her gasping, "Ah, sugar! I just _love_ that!"

I love it, too. In this area, as well, she is absolutely my perfect counterpart. For such a tiny little thing, she manages to take my full length and in fact seems to relish it, where so many others have found me much too big. Truly, this is proof that she was made just for me. Plunging into her as deeply as I can go, I whisper, "Is that what you wanted, my Lover?"

She closes her eyes, and moans, "Oh, yes... yes! Ah!" In almost no time, I feel her building to her climax, and I order her, "Look at me, Lover, I want to watch you cum." Obediently, she opens her eyes, and they are so dilated in her passion that the blue is as dark as the deepest part of the ocean. Her cheeks are flush; her nipples are as hard as rocks against my chest. Once again, the urge to plunge my fangs into her delectable skin in nearly overwhelming, but I resist... barely. Through our Bond, I can feel everything that she is feeling, and I know exactly when she reaches her peak... and physically I can feel the contractions of her muscles as she cums on me. At that intensely erotic moment, I nearly lose control, but mange just in time to hold back. I want to go longer and give her at least one more orgasm before my own.

When she is finished, I go slowly for a few minutes to give her time to recover. It never takes my lusty little fairy long, either. I had been afraid that once we left the BVI's after our honeymoon, the island's effect on her libido would wane. Much to my surprise and delight, she has remained as passionate as ever... one more area in which we are perfectly suited. I have always been highly-sexed, and in fact was so even in my human existence. Since the night of the original Second Bonding, I have been nearly insatiable... but so far, she has kept up with my demands willingly.

Before long, I can tell by the way she is moving under me that she is ready for more. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me down so that she can kiss me, and then she whispers, "I want to please you, baby. Tell me what you want."

I have a sudden desire to see her delectable bottom, so I say, "Roll over for me, Lover."

I pull out, and she obediently rolls over, and then raises up on her knees. I run my hands from her small trim waist and follow the swell of her hips to the firm roundness of her beautiful bottom. I much prefer my Bonded's more womanly curves than the anorexic look which is currently the fashion, which is one reason I am so anxious for her to regain her weight. Inserting myself back inside her, I begin to thrust in earnest. She looks so beautiful from this angle, so vulnerable, so... mine! Seeing her this way brings to mind one of my favorite fantasies. Lightly, I run my finger down to her rear entrance, and brush it lightly. I had been delighted on our sailboat, when she had allowed me to introduce her to some new ways of physical pleasure. As soon as she is better, I have every intention of resuming her eduction... but right now, she surprises me by looking back over her shoulder, almost expectantly.

In spite of our lessons, I know that she is still a bit shy about telling me just what she wants; however, one of the most useful aspects of our Bond is that I can better understand what her true desires are. I think I know what she has on her mind... I brush her lightly again and this time I can feel her quiver... and so, I pull out just long enough to retrieve some lubricant from my bedside table. I can see her blushing, but I can also feel her excitement. She buries her head in the pillow, but then charmingly peaks out to see just what I am doing. I slide back into her wetness, and I think she has gotten even more hot and slick than she was before. I put some of the lubricant on my finger, and very gently insert the tip into that most intimate of areas, all the while moving in and out of her center.

She moans, low in her throat, and I can tell that she finds my attentions very pleasurable. This is all completely unexpected and beyond erotic, and it drives me nearly wild. Passionately, I give her just what she wants... and soon we are completely lost in a sensual haze. We both try to make it last, but the sensations are just overwhelming; and almost without warning she begins to shudder, grinding her hips back against me. I can feel every contraction intimately, and I manage to hold back just long enough... then I slam into her, spilling my essence as I cry out with my own pleasure.

Afterwards, I collapse on the bed and roll onto my back. I drag her on top of me, her silky golden hair spilling in a cascade across my chest. She is panting, and I can feel her heart still thumping wildly as she lays across me. I stroke her smooth back to soothe her, as if she is a frightened doe who will bound away at any second. Kissing the top of her head, I smile to myself. My angel is learning, that is for sure... I find I am not yet ready to be done with our special time, so I say, "Let us share a bath. I find myself tired of rushing around."

The first thing I do upon rising is heat myself up a bottle of TrueBlood. It will at least calm down my hunger, so I take it with me to the bath. I must have run the water a little hot for Sookie, because I watch in amusement as she slides herself into the water very gingerly. I can see moisture popping out on her face, and it makes her deliciously pink... I take another sip of blood, and sigh. I ask her about her day, and she replies, "The first thing I noticed when I got up was that some vampire got into my room while I was sleeping, healed my blisters, and put my wedding rings back on me. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Grinning, I reply, "I cannot imagine who that could possibly be. I must remember to reset our codes, to keep unknown vampires from bothering my wife while she sleeps."

Very charmingly, she thanks me for healing her, and for replacing her wedding rings... but of course, I did it as much for myself as I did for it her. It displeases me for her to have injuries of any sort, however minor, and I very much want my rings to stay on her finger where they belong. I kiss her hand, and tell her as much. Next, she tells me that she finally hired more domestic help, including gardeners. which I am certainly relieved to hear. Enthusiastically, she tells me all about some plans she has for the gardens, and I can see that she is looking forward to this project. She is so adorable when her eyes light up like this! She seems a bit unsure about the cost, but since this house is now the Royal Residence, it should look every bit as good as the one in New Orleans. The money she will spend is really insignificant. Even though the state is still in recovery from the storm, the revenue has started to roll back in at a very satisfying rate. I have already begun to look for ways to invest it in a suitable manner. As fond as I was of Sophie-Ann, she did not have the gift of making money; she was _much_ better at spending it.

After questioning her about them, I tease Sookie a little about her choice of gardeners...but she reassures me that they are all entirely human. As long as they are not shifters... thinking of the two-natured leads me to Weres... which then brings the unpleasant thought of the treacherous Were-Tiger floating through my head. I shove it aside, since I am determined not to let anything interrupt the tranquility of our special time together. Sookie gets out a sponge and some soap and begins to bathe me, and it is very soothing. While running the sponge across my chest, she asks me what I intend to do with my other houses. I still haven't decided exactly which ones to keep, and I tell her so. Unexpectedly, I can feel that my answer somehow makes her uncomfortable. Now it seems to be my turn to soothe her, so I take the sponge away from her and return the favor.

Once we are both clean and dry, I dress; but then realize that Sookie is hovering indecisively, still wrapped in her towel. I ask her, "Dear One, why aren't you getting dressed? Here, let me pick your clothing for tonight."

I look through her clothes, and select the outfit she wore the first night she tended bar at Fangtasia. I remember quite well coming into the bar with some of my new vampires, and seeing her from across the room. I had never seen Sookie wearing anything remotely like it, and instantly I had a raging hard-on; but was also extremely irritated to find my Bonded working in a menial position in my own bar! Not only that, but I could see the looks she was getting from several of the males in the place, human _and_ vampire. I had reluctantly allowed her to continue bartending, since she seemed so set on it, but that was the longest meeting of my existence! Although several critical issues were being discussed about the Madden situation, I confess I was seriously distracted by the thought of her flitting around in that fantastically sexy outfit without my watchful eye on her.

As I recall, I had finally sent Compton out to watch her, but after a few minutes realized that was even worse... Sookie would say that was like sending the fox to guard the hen house. I had dismissed the other vampires and gone straight out to the bar. Even then she refused to abandon her job for the evening, and so I sat where I could see her every move, and fantasized about what I was going to do to her later. Some idiot human had the temerity to try and pick her up... as if such a worthless example of a human could even stand a chance with my Bonded! I took great pleasure in bodily ejecting him from my bar, thus beginning the fangbanger's little betting pool. That was the final straw, as far as I was concerned. Without giving my little barmaid another chance to make up excuses, I had swept her in to my office, and proceeded to fuck her thoroughly.

In fact, that night marked the first occasion of our mutual blood exchanges... for a vampire as old as myself, I thought I had experienced everything there was as far as physical pleasure, but that... that was as mind-blowing as it gets. I am getting yet another hard-on, just thinking about it. I hold out the clothing and tell her "I am quite fond of this one. Perhaps I will be as lucky tonight as I was the last time you wore it."

She seems rather surprised that I want her to come with me to the club, but I hasten to reassure that is the case. Why would she think otherwise? She is my Bonded, and belongs at my side. I leave her to finish dressing, and go upstairs to unpack the things I brought home last night. I had already put the valuables in the concealed safe, and so only need to place the other items around the room. I try to decide exactly how I want to arrange my books... by subject matter, or by language? Hmmmm, I suppose subject matter is best, so I line the books up in that fashion. Since Sookie had seemed so fascinated by the Blacksmith's Shop in New Orleans, I keep out the pouch of doubloons. I go ask Juanita to heat me up another blood, and I return to the library to wait on Sookie. Crossing over to the large window, I look out over the grounds and try to imagine some of the landscaping that she was talking about earlier. I am touched by the idea of a night-blooming garden... but actually, my favorite flowers are roses. I am particularly fond of the old-fashioned varieties, because of their exquisite scent.

Most humans would be amazed to learn that vampires care anything about flowers, or landscaping, or homes, or anything but blood and sex... but vampires, especially older ones, are attracted to beautiful things just as much as humans. I am really quite anxious for the grounds to take shape, and intend to have a party here as soon as possible. I want to show off my beautiful Bonded and our lovely home. Speaking of Sookie, I can hear her coming up the stairs, and then she steps through the door. As anticipated, she looks phenomenal in that sexy outfit... I will definitely have to keep a close eye on her tonight.

I toss her the little sack full of doubloons, which she catches and then pours them into her open palm to examine. I can see her astonishment as I relay to her just where and when I obtained them. In fact, I must remember to send old Jean an invitation to the Coronation. Sookie will find him fascinating, and I wouldn't mind seeing the old scoundrel myself. Now that we are Twice-Bonded, I am less reluctant to introduce Sookie to some of the other vampires of my acquaintance. Even if not present at the Bonding ceremony, it would violate vampire tradition for anyone to attempt to take her from me now... not to mention stupid.

Sookie tells me that she would have been happy to have unpacked my things for me, but did not want to pry... I appreciate the sentiment, although in this case it was unnecessary. Vampires are quite secretive by nature, and of course there will be many, many things that are better concealed from my Bonded for her own peace of mind; but really, as far as material possessions are concerned, she is welcome to do with them what she wishes. I like my trinkets, but I have given up being really attached to anything or anyone centuries ago... except for Sookie herself. Perhaps that is why I am so possessive of her. To me, she is unique and completely irreplaceable.

Now that she is ready, we leave for the club. Upon arriving at Fangtasia, I can see right away that it is once again over-capacity. Someone has even had the audacity to park in my spot... again! I pull around to the front, and help Sookie from the car. Atticus is acting as bouncer tonight, so I toss the keys to the 'Vette so that he can take care of parking it. He makes an admirable bouncer, but of course his real function is as a Royal Guard, and in fact, he will be accompanying us to Las Vegas in that capacity. Sookie and I go straight to my office, where the first thing I see is Pam sitting at my desk, sorting an enormous pile of mail. My child looks quite disgruntled, and I have no doubt she is heartily wishing that I had never thought about becoming King. Most of the Royal Staff went back to Nevada with Sandy, and the ones that are left are still in New Orleans. I know full well that I need to "staff up," as the humans say, but there have been so many more pressing issues that I have put that task off.

Honestly, I have always tried to operate with a minimum number of people, because the less people who are privy to my business, the better. I am not all that fond of day humans, and I equally dislike other vampires having too much knowledge about me. Pam told me just the other day that Dear Abby would say I have trust issues. I suppose some sort of a compromise much be reached, or Pam will mutiny. As King, I will need to do a good deal of traveling, and there must be people left in place to see to things in my absence. I would much prefer to have the entire staff here under one roof, but we are already bursting at the seams. I suppose I should get Cataliades to start searching for some suitable real estate nearby.

Sookie takes one look at Pam, and offers her assistance. They pack everything up and move next door to Pam's office. I begin by returning my calls, starting with Cataliades, and then each Sheriff in turn. Things have been remarkably quiet since I regained the territory, with the exception of the growing "V" problem; and of course, the run-of-the-mill issues... theft of human companions, "making" a new vampire without properly registering them, and so forth. I boot up my computer, enter the multiple passwords, and check my e-mail. After replying to a few, I delete the rest and then I see one from the photographer I hired for our wedding. Eagerly, I open the e-mail, and am delighted to see that we can view our photos on-line. I text Sookie immediately _Come to me. I have a surprise for you. E._

I simply cannot wait, so I start to flip through them, but do not get much further than one of Sookie by herself. It is a candid shot, but still shows her beautiful gown and flowers. She has a lovely half-smile on her face, and she seems to be looking at something rather wistfully, just out of the frame of the picture. No matter which pictures she chooses, I know that I will have one of these made, to keep here in my desk. I will add it to my only other picture of my Beloved. It is the snapshot that her shifter guard took of her on the beach in the sunlight. I slipped it out of the stack she brought home, and keep it here. Each time I see it, it never fails to arouse several emotions in me. Lust, love, happiness... and a sense of longing that I can never quite understand.

My sweet wife comes through the door, and I say, "Ah, just the one I wanted to see. Come here, Beloved. Look at this!"

I pull her on to my lap, and we look through the photos together. We really _do_ make a handsome couple, and I am very pleased with the photographer. He captured the event very well. Pam sticks her head in the door, and I invite her to join us. Before long, a friendly debate ensues over which is the "perfect" picture, during which my cell phone rings. Rather absently, I flip open the phone and see that it is Sabriel... again. In utter annoyance, I snap the phone shut. What a pest! I return my attention to the much more enjoyable matter at hand, until Sookie finally tables the issue until tomorrow.

My Bonded has brought with her an enormous stack of invitations, and a calendar, which she has labeled with the potential events. I compliment her, and say, "Very clever, my Love. I suppose I need to decide when I intend to hold my own Coronation, before I know what to accept. I think.. the first of May. I suppose we should really have it in New Orleans."

I think that the New Orleans Jazz fest will be going on around that time, and perhaps we can tie it in to some of our Festivities. Sookie asks me what the Coronation entails, and I explain it to her. Suddenly, I realize that she will need another very elaborate gown, and I was so pleased with the Bonding gown that I think she should use the same designer. I suggest this to her, but she says, "Honey, I can't go to New York without you, and you don't have time right now."

Even a few hours away from her seems to make me uneasy, so a trip to New York without me is indeed out of the question. Perhaps it is merely the consequences of the Second Bond, but I literally cannot stand to have her out of my sight for long. Even last night, I found myself rushing to get back to her. I wonder if this effect will wear off eventually, or not. For now, I think for a moment, and then tell her, "All right. He has your measurements. He can send us designs over the Internet for approval. He can make it in New York, and then bring it to you in New Orleans and fit it a day or two before the Coronation."

She seems to be skeptical that this is a possibility, but it has been my experience that anything can be accomplished if enough incentive is involved, usually money, prestige, or sometimes... pain. Pam raises a very important question by saying, "Now, I hate to bring up a sore subject, but who are we going to get to make the arrangements? E(E)E?"

For the second time this evening, the Were-Tiger has been brought to mind. I am hoping that he will surface long before my Corontion, and I can settle our score in a suitable way. If he thinks his treachery will pass unavenged, he is sadly mistaken. I am a patient vampire, and am willing to wait until just the right opportunity. After all, the warehouse is just sitting there, collecting dust... barring that, I can imagine a variety of other fitting scenarios, all of them involving a great deal of pain. I wonder exactly what Tiger blood tastes like.... Suddenly, I snap out of my reverie, when I realize that Sookie is giving me a piercing look. It is a good thing she can only read my mind on very limited occasions!

My child knows me very well, and does _not_ need to be able to read my mind to know exactly what I was thinking about, so she smoothly moves the conversation on to the next detail. We spend the next hour planning my Coronation. At this point, it is more a formality than anything, and a chance to have an elaborate party. Sookie says that vampires like parties more than anybody she has ever seen... even by Louisiana standards, where the people party at the drop of a hat. I suppose vampires do it because it tends to relieve the dreadful boredom of immortality. I wager that a century or two from now, my Bonded will be planning parties right and left.

Eventually, Sookie announces that she is going out into the bar to get us all refreshments. I say, "No, let us all go. I need to sit out front for a while anyway." We all go out and sit in our accustomed places, and I take a moment to survey my bar and my bar patrons. It is the usual motley crowd... fangbangers, tourists, and other dregs of society, interspersed by Area vampires. Judging the crowd, I have a feeling we are seriously over-capacity, and hope that we do not get a visit by the local Fire Marshall this evening. I am afraid that if Pam glamours him one more time, he is libel not to recover... and he really is not a bad sort, for a human. The ugly little waitress with the cute smile brings our drinks. Sookie says I really should remember their names, but I cannot for the death of me fathom why. This one is... Jody... Judy... Julie! _That_ is right. To impress Sookie, I say politely, "Thank you, Julie."

The waitress gives me a mega-watt smile, which lights up her face and makes her quite attractive, in a strange way. She says, "You are so welcome, Master!," bows, and backs away, just as she should. Sookie rolls her eyes at that, and shakes her head. Sometimes, there is just no pleasing the woman. Just then, Felicia comes over and announces rather loudly, "Master, there is a call for you. It is someone named Sabriel."

Immediately, I feel my temper flare. I should have known better than to imagine that the little bitch would give up! However, if I refuse the call, Sookie will wonder why. It is becoming clear that Sabriel will not quit calling until I actually speak to her, so I instruct Felicia, "Tell her I will call her later."

I can see that Pam is quite surprised by my response, but recovers almost instantly... but not before Sookie has seen her reaction. Rather suspiciously, she asks, "Who is Sabriel?"

It appears that Pam may be about to tell her Mistress, but I manage to stop her with a look. I refuse to lie to my Bonded, and yet this really is not the time to go into this. After last night's disagreement, I want there to be nothing but good feelings between us tonight. Quite truthfully, I tell Sookie, "She is a vampire who has given me some trouble in the past. Nothing for you to worry about."

I can tell she is not entirely satisfied by that answer, but fortunately does not pursue it further. I change the subject immediately by bringing up some Area 5 business with Pam. We all sit chatting for a time, but I know that I really need to see to the paperwork that Pam has left for me. I return to my office, and both my women go to Pam's to finish up in there. By focusing, I am able to get through nearly the entire stack by the time the bar closes. I am looking forward to taking Sookie home, and taking her for a walk. It is a lovely evening, and we have not had any chance to explore the grounds of our estate together. She can show me where she intends to put the new landscaping features. Perhaps I will even take her flying before dawn. Of course, I must leave sufficient time for a little sex before settling in for the night. Seeing her flit around in that outfit has given me an erection off and on all night. Hmmm... perhaps I need to re-think the order... fucking first, then flying...

Completely without warning, I can feel Sookie calling me to her. She is in trouble! Moving as quickly as I am able, I dash to the parking lot, calling Pam to me on the way. I can feel where Sookie is, and fly to her. Instantly, I take in the situation. Felicia has been brought down by a silver net, and is lying on the ground, screaming in agony. Her flesh is burning and flaking from contact with the silver mesh. One of her attackers is running away as fast as his legs can carry him, but I can see Pam flash past me in pursuit. Another of the men is still rather foolishly laying on top of Felicia, and I grab him immediately and haul him up. The last one is clearly injured, but trying to crawl away.

Instantly, my anger surges out of control. Drainers! I HATE drainers! Attempting to take one of the King's own vampires! How DARE they! Regardless of the information that might be obtained, I have an overwhelming urge to rip all three of these humans into tiny bits right now! I begin to squeeze the two in my grasp, to stun them a bit before following through with my plans. Pam is shaking her captive like a rag doll, and I can see his head roll back in his head.

Before the two I am holding lose consciousness, Sookie comes and stands before me. Without batting an eye, she asks calmly, "Okay, now what?"

Barely able to answer her civilly, I growl out, "I need to have a word with these two "gentlemen". Perhaps it would be better if you go wait in my office."

Unbelievably, she argues with me. Quite coolly, she says, "Um...no. I can find out whatever you want to know, and then we can call the police. Remember our deal?"

Deal? Deal! Is she serious? Does she really expect me to honor a deal I made with her before we were even lovers? She is MINE now, the Twice-Bonded of a King, and still she chooses to protect these worthless humans who have tried to kill one of our own vampires? Rather angrily, I say, "Yes, but that was a long time ago, before we were Bonded. Things are different now."

In reply, she just stands straighter, looks me in the eye, and says, "In some ways, yes. In others...not so much."

The look I give her has made centuries-old vampires quiver, but she does not back down a bit. Even in my rage, I have to admire her courage. It surely cannot be easy to face _me_ down... and Sookie is such a fragile, tiny little thing. Of course, I would never harm her and I suppose she knows it. Reluctantly, I finally relent, and agree to let her question them. I haul my two inside, closely followed by Pam and her now struggling captive. One I throw on the ground, and order him in no uncertain terms to stay put. The other, I thrust into a chair, and warn him that he had best answer Sookie's question or else. I make it clear that she is the only thing between him and a very painful death.

I stand back, arms crossed across my chest, watching in fascination as my little telepath gets every kernel of information from these three vermin. Once she is finished, I am about to send Pam to glamour them, but it seems that Sookie has already done it herself. She turns to me, and announces that it is time to summon the police. _I_ am now the ultimate authority in this territory, and I wish she knew how it galls me to have to call in the human police. Quickly, I consider my alternatives, and then come to a decision. I nod to Pam, who opens her phone and calls 911.

While we are waiting on the "authorities," I calm down enough to begin to think more clearly. I realize that I have no idea what actually transpired before I arrived on the scene. I ask my Bonded, and she explains how she "overheard" the drainer earlier in the club without realizing the significance of his thoughts; how she had finally come to understood what his intentions were; and how she had rushed outside, just to be in time to find them about to carry Felicia off to drain her. The young vampire, still sporting some rather nasty burns from the silver net, pipes up and states, "Master, she saved me! She suddenly appeared out of thin air and somehow threw one of those humans off of me before you even arrived. Even though she never even said your name, you knew to come to her, and then, she... she made my pain go away!"

Immediately, I realize that this is yet another situation that must be handled. No one must know about Sookie's fairy magic. Am I going to have to send this vampire to her final death to protect my Bonded? I will do it if necessary, but first... I will give the girl a chance. To gauge her reaction, I say, "Felicia, as you have seen, there is more to your Mistress than meets the eye. It is very important that you keep that knowledge to yourself. Do you understand?"

In answer, she falls to her knees and shows her total submission to Sookie. She says very solemnly, "You saved me. For this, my Queen, I honor you. I pledge my loyalty to you. No one shall ever hear about your magics from my lips."

Do I believe her? Looking into her eyes, I can clearly see the devotion that is now there. It looks like my Queen has added yet another loyal vampire to her many admirers. I decide to allow the girl to live, and it is probably a good thing. If I _had_ killed her, Pam would be furious at having to replace yet another bartender. In the distance, I can hear the approach of the police siren, and soon they arrive and cart the three drainers off to jail.

The courts have been very erratic in dealing with drainers, because their lawyers inevitably argue that it is not really murder to kill vampires; technically speaking, we are already dead. Sometimes, of course, there is no body because the sun has come up beforehand and eliminated most of the physical evidence. In this case, they had only managed to capture Felicia... which is assault and battery, and attempted kidnapping. Oddly enough, they might ultimately get in more trouble for that offense than if they had actually managed to drain her. Well... in more trouble with the _human_ authorities, anyway. We vampires usually have a very different idea of justice. Just because I am letting them go now, does not mean they have heard the last of this.

Once the police have gone, I notice it is getting quite late. We send Felicia home, and Pam gives her the next couple of nights off work to fully recover from her ordeal. Pam, Sookie and I walk around the outside of the building, to the area behind Fangtasia. This is where Pam and I sometimes park our cars when both lots are full. Sookie looks around with interest, and I realize that she has probably never seen this area before. I very rarely have occasion to park here, since until recently, not many people are brave enough to risk parking in the employee lot. I noticed that in my absence, Pam posted a sign on the fence that reads, "For employees only. Violators will be EATEN", but apparently it does not do any good. Sookie and I bid my child goodnight, get in our car, and leave. I decide that we will go to our Shreveport house, since it is so much closer. On the short drive there, I replay the incident with the drainers in my mind from start to finish.

Once we reach the house and are safely inside, I take Sookie straight to down the shower. We both reek of burning vampire, which is quite unpleasant. While scrubbing us both throughly, I cannot seem to get the prior incident off of my mind. The more I think it over, the angrier I get. It is now not just a matter of them trying to steal one of my vampires... they could have harmed my Bonded! I had been so enraged at the time, that possibility had not really sunk in completely. If I had not been nearby, I know without a doubt that Sookie could not have dealt with all three of them on her own. She could have been seriously injured, or even killed! For that alone, I vow that these men will pay... and the ones who sent them. I vow to myself that I _will_ get to the bottom of this network, and soon.

Sookie has been completely silent ever since leaving the club, and once she is clean and dry she merely crawls into bed without speaking. She looks completely exhausted. I imagine that she used a tremendous amount of energy using that much magic... and then what should have been obvious from the start occurs to me. The fingers of an unaccustomed and unwelcome emotion creeps into my chest... it is fear. She is so tired because she has not had any of my blood in many days. By now the superior strength and agility it gives her is probably almost completely gone. That means that she faced down three men with nothing but her rather uncertain magic! Ye gods! I simply cannot believe it! Has she no sense at all?

I roll her over to face me. I chastise her by saying, "You saved Felicia tonight. What were you thinking?"

She blinks, and then says in total surprise, "What?"

This is very important! I _must_ make her understand, so I continue, "You could have been hurt, or even killed before I arrived. I could have replaced Felicia. You are unique, and irreplaceable. You are... my life!"

She looks at me with those innocent blue eyes, and I cannot help but pull her to me and hold her tightly. I whisper to her, "I have never been so proud of you, and yet so terrified to think of the possible outcome."

In answer, I can hear her mumble, "Come on, honey, I could have just popped away if I had to... and if I had known they were out there, I would have called you first, I swear."

Very seriously, I tell her, "Your magic is amazing, but you are still very young, and unskilled with its use. Please promise me you will be more careful."

Somewhat reluctantly, she does promise, and I can only hope that she keeps it. I kiss her, and stroke her warm soft skin, just to reassure myself that she is all right. She yawns, and I know she needs to rest, so I tuck her in to her place next to me. She snuggles close, lays her head on my chest, and falls asleep almost instantly.

As I hold her in my arms, I can feel just how delicate she really is. How can such a small, female body contain such a fierce and loyal spirit? I do not know, but I am glad she is mine. I remember a time when she thought _I_ was her enemy... the mean, untrustworthy vampire Sheriff who manipulated her into doing things she did not want to do. I smile to myself and kiss her sleeping head. Someday, I think she will be a force to be reckoned with... and it is just as well we are now on the same side. For now though, she is much too brave for her own good. She is indeed a warrior... but a fragile one. Not only must I watch her more closely than ever, I _must_ get her to take more of my blood, and soon.


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters.**** Thanks to all the many reviewers that keep me inspired. You guys are awesome! I think you will find this a fun chapter..._

Chapter 9

Sookie's POV Sunday

Since I had stayed up until dawn with Eric, and also because I had used up so much energy the night before, I slept late into the afternoon. I still had plenty of clothes at our Shreveport house, and there were still plenty of frozen dinners in the freezer, so I was all set. For once, I had absolutely no desire to do anything other than just putter around. In fact, most of the afternoon was spent reading a book in bed while watching my vampire rest. I had not even bothered to dress, opting instead for one of Eric's t-shirts.

Thinking back on the night before, I was still amazed that my magic had worked so well. Of course, it always seemed to work better better when I was scared or threatened, so I guess that explained it. Just out of curiosity, I sat in bed and tried to call a few (unbreakable) objects to me, with mixed results. I sighed. Maybe I was just tired from the prior night. Even though I knew that she would heal on her own, I was worried about Felicia. I wondered if the trauma of the event would effect her long-term. I was really glad that Pam had given her some time off.

One very important thing I had learned last night was just how much my vampire hated drainers. I had been somewhat surprised when Eric had actually turned the batch we caught over to the police. I could tell that Pam had been pretty miffed at me for insisting on it, and I sincerely hoped she'd get over it soon. She was definitely not a vampire I wanted mad at me, and not just because she was scary. Pam had become my good friend, too, and I didn't have enough of those that I could afford to lose any.

Since I could no longer tell on my own, I checked the clock on my nightstand and saw that it was almost first dark. As I lay next to my vampire and waited for him to rise, I stroked his long, cool body. I knew the instant that he came awake, even though I was not looking at his face. His first words that evening were, "Mmmmm. That feels good, my Lover. Come kiss me."

He proceeded to give me some of his extra-special Eric-style kisses, and then we worked our way around to making up for lost time. By the time we were done, we were laying in a tangle, and I was panting like I had just run a marathon. My vampire just chuckled, and stroked my back until I was recovered. Kissing the top of my head, he said, "Let us get dressed, and I will take you out for dinner before we go to the club."

That sounded really good to me, and so we got up and showered; and then I began to rummage around in the closet for something to wear. Always much more decisive that me, Eric came in and picked out the dark red silk pant suit that Pam had bought me right after the Sheriff's Ball. For once, he actually put on slacks and a dress shirt instead of his customary jeans, and pulled his long hair back in a ponytail. I fixed my hair and makeup, and soon we were ready to go. He eyed me in approval, and said, "That outfit makes you look quite elegant. I approve."

After going upstairs, we left the door to our chamber open so that the maids would know to clean it. Eric locked up the house, helped me in the Corvette, and before long we were driving through the streets of Shreveport. It was a misty evening, and very cool. As we drove, he asked me about my day, and I told him that I had spent most of it with him, whether he knew it or not. I could tell by the way his eyes were glowing that my answer had pleased him... of course! As crazy as it sounded, sometimes it seemed like he would be happiest if I never left his side at all.

We were driving through a section of Shreveport that was completely unfamiliar to me, and before long Eric pulled up in front of a large old craftsman style house that was now apparently home to a restaurant. He parked, then came around to let me out. Through the light mist, he led me up the path to the restaurant's entrance. As soon as we were inside, a lovely young woman in a long dark dress came into the foyer and said, "Welcome! Oh, Mr. Northman! How nice to see you again."

Eric nodded to the girl in a friendly fashion, and then introduced us. "Jenna, this is my wife, Sookie. Sookie, Jenna belongs to one of the vampires that you know, Julius."

I had met Julius on several occasions, but hadn't had the opportunity to get to know much about him. For example, I had no idea that he was in the restaurant business. However, he had been one of the vampires with us in New Orleans, and had also been at our wedding; so I wondered why this was the first time I was meeting his girlfriend. I gave Jenna a friendly smile and shook her hand. "Please let me seat you," she said, "Now, if you will please follow me, I'll take you to your table." She picked up a couple of menus, and led us through several rooms of the old house. Each of the rooms had been converted into intimate dining areas of maybe four or five tables per room, and they were all decorated in period style furniture, stained glass Tiffany lamps and soft area rugs. It created a very warm and cozy atmosphere, and it appeared that it was a popular place because most of the tables were occupied. Jenna sat us in the third room we came to, which contained three tables; but there were no other diners in this area so we were alone. The pretty young woman handed us menus, and then smiled and said, "I will go tell Julius that you are here."

As soon as she was out of earshot, I asked, "Honey, why haven't I ever met Jenna before, if she is Julius's human?"

"Many vampires prefer to keep their humans completely in the dark about our ways, and I believe Julius is one of them," Eric explained, "I think Bill would have done that with you, if he possibly could have."

Since he had been the one to bring the subject up, I couldn't resist teasing him a little; and so I said, "Just think, if he _had_ done that, I might very well be still living in Bon Temps and happily married to _him_ by now."

Instead of becoming all puffed up like I expected, the Viking just looked smug and said, "Not possible. We are Fated, remember?"

Nothing like a confident, self-satisfied vampire! I just made a face, and he laughed. I looked up just as Julius came gliding into the room. He was a handsome vampire who stood about six feet tall, with medium brown hair and brown eyes. In fact, he was one of those rare vampires who actually looked very, very human, even to me. The last time I had seen him he was in a torn and bloody parade costume, but tonight he was dressed in business casual. As soon as he entered the room, he bowed deeply to Eric, and then also to me. "Welcome, sir," Julius said, "This is quite an honor."

In acknowledgement, Eric inclined his head, and then said, "We had an unfortunate incident at Fangtasia last night. I thought I might speak to you about it while the Queen has her dinner."

After giving me a moment to glance at the menu, Julius took our order for drinks and also my dinner, and then excused himself. While he was gone, Eric explained, "We began having problems with drainers early last year, even before the storms. After the hurricanes, it was even worse. The Sheriffs had just begun to get it under control, when de Castro staged his takeover. In the confusion that resulted, the problem grew exponentially worse. Now that I am King, it is one of my first priorities to try and get this stopped. Last night was the last straw! Attempting to take a vampire from my own bar, and endangering you... now it is very, very personal."

From Eric's tone of voice, I could tell that he was deadly serious; and I knew that those men from last night had been really, really lucky that I had been on hand to make sure the police were called. Reaching across the table, my vampire stroked my hand, and said, "Thanks to you, we now know for a fact there is an organization at work here. I had already begun to suspect that this was the case. At least now we have some leads to follow."

Felicia's attackers had all told us exactly the same thing. They were well-known in their communities as vampire-haters, and also as the kind of men who were perpetually on the lookout to make a buck. An anonymous caller had contacted each one and offered them a chance to make a little money and get rid of a vampire at the same time. Once they accepted the proposition, they were later called and told what target to hit, how to go about it, and when. The morning before the draining was supposed to occur, one man would always find the needed supplies waiting on the front stoop of his trailer.

Once the vampire had been captured and drained, the drainers packed the resulting bags of blood in ice. One man would drive the ice chest to a pre-arranged site, where he would then be paid a percentage of the estimated value of the blood. That man was never told the name of the contact, only a description and the location where they were supposed to make the exchange. As it turned out, Felicia was only the second target that this particular group had been assigned; but they did provide Eric with the description and location of their first victim. When that bit of information came out, Pam had nearly gone ballistic, and only a very sharp command from Eric had stopped her from tearing them all to shreds. From the awful emotions coming from the Viking, I had known what a supreme act of willpower it took for _him_ to resist killing them right then and there. I could tell by the way the men had described the grim details of the actual draining that they had no more sympathy for their victim than they did when killing and gutting a deer; and to be honest, at that point I had strongly considered just letting the vampire King handle it his way. However, as an American, I had been raised to believe in law and order, and as a Methodist, to respect the sanctity of human life; so I eventually, I did the right thing, and made my vampire call the cops. Before the authorities had arrived, Eric had confiscated their cell phones, and we had written down all the numbers in each call log. I think he was going to get Bill to see what he could dig up that way.

Before long, Julius soon returned with our "cocktails," which consisted of one gin-and-tonic, and one TrueBlood. He slid the pocket doors between the dining areas shut, so he and Eric could talk in private while we sipped our drinks. Eric told him about the attempt to take Felicia (leaving out a few details) and what we had learned from my questioning of the drainers. Curiously, Julius looked at me and asked, "I had heard rumors of your telepathic abilities. You were able to get all of this information just by hearing their thoughts? No torture was required?"

Immediately, Eric gave him a warning look, but I answered calmly, "Yes, amazing as it may seem to you, it is entirely possible... in fact, that's how Eric and I got to know each other. I helped him question some humans, and he found out that it was much less messy all around, and often produced better results."

Julius looked pretty impressed. He was obviously going to question me further, when our conversation was interrupted by a waiter who came in to serve my dinner. Once the man had departed, I ate my delicious meal while Eric gave Julius his instructions. As soon as I was finished, Julius turned to me and asked, "How was your dinner?"

"It was very good!" I replied truthfully, "I would love to come here again sometime."

Eric beamed, because I had eaten so well. Before leaving, I excused myself to visit the ladies' room. Just as I was coming out, I saw that Jenna was coming down the hall towards me. She gave me a lovely smile, and asked, "So, did you enjoy your dinner?"

"Yes, I did," I replied, "This is my first time here, and the food was excellent."

Her smile broadened, and she said, "Good! Did I understand Mr. Northman correctly? You are his wife?"

"Yes, we got married about a month ago." I knew that she had no clue what a Second Bond was, so I left that part out.

"How is it actually being married to a vampire?" she asked curiously, "I have been dating Julius for nearly six months and I feel like I hardly know the first thing about him. Does your husband tell _you_ things?"

Thinking about our Bond, I said honestly, "We have a very special relationship, so yes, he does. But believe me, he doesn't tell me everything! It is just a vampire's nature to be secretive. If you can't handle it, find a nice human boyfriend and move on."

She shook her head and said, "Someday, but not yet. I'm having too good a time right now, if you know what I mean."

Her eyes were twinkling at that last statement; and I figured she was enjoying all the great sex, and just the general excitement of dating someone so different and dangerous. I knew _all_ about that. "Good luck!" I said quite sincerely, "My advice to you is, if you want any kind of a normal life later, don't ask too many questions! Once you get sucked in, it's pretty hard to get out. Trust me... I know this from my own experience."

With that, we wished each other well, and said goodbye. I continued down the hallway, where I found Eric waiting for me. After saying goodbye to Julius, we got in the Corvette and headed to Fangtasia. The light mist had finally cleared up, and it was a good thing, too. As we pulled up, I could see that even though it was a Sunday, there was already a long line waiting to get in. It really was a shame we had no room to expand a bit, since obviously we had more customers than space. Fortunately, though, no one had parked in Eric's spot tonight. It made me think of how funny it was that I had never seen the space behind Fangtasia until last night, or even wondered what was back there. Suddenly, the ghost of an idea floated through my brain. I didn't say anything to Eric about it, because I wanted to do a little more thinking about it first.

My Viking and I went in through the back door; and as we passed Pam's office, I glanced in and saw her shuffling through a bunch of files on her desk. She looked a little frazzled already; so I went straight in and offered my help, which she gratefully accepted. Apparently, she was not still mad at me from the night before, so I was happy. Eric continued on to his office to check his emails. It turned out that one of the things that Pam needed to do was order the liquor for the upcoming week. Since I really didn't know much about it, I couldn't really help out all that much with Kingdom business; but after working at Merlotte's for years I knew all about how to order liquor. Immediately I offered to take on that task. Pam said, "I usually go and check the stockroom, just to make sure the bartenders reports are accurate. I would have Felicia help out, but of course now she's off for the next couple of nights." She handed me a form that showed how many cases were supposed to be on hand, and how to figure out how many more should be ordered. I smiled and said, "No problem! I can do all this with my eyes shut!"

I took the form and a pen, and went back to the storeroom. It was a long narrow room that ran along the back wall of the club on the north end. There were shelves lining the walls, and I was able to find everything that I needed to count easily. Much to my surprise, I discovered a door that I had never even noticed before, tucked in between two of the shelves. It looked completely unused, since there were boxes stacked in front of it. It dawned on me that it probably led out into the space in between the two buildings that I had seen the night before. Perfect! I had wanted to check out that space, and had not really wanted to walk all the way around the outside of the building in the dark. Being careful not to get my clothes dirty, I slid the boxes out of the way, and then struggled a bit with the deadbolts on the door. Obviously it had not been opened in a long time, and was stuck shut. Finally, after throwing my body against it a couple of times, it sprang open, and I stepped outside.

The space in between the buildings was pretty much exactly the way I remembered it. It was probably once a rather broad alleyway between the two buildings, but was no longer in use. The building on the opposite side had no lights on, but I went over and tried to see through the windows anyway. They were filthy, but there was enough light cast from the security lights at Fangtasia to see that the building appeared to be empty. Ah ha! I thought about walking around to see the front, but I knew Eric would have an absolute kitten fit if he found out about it.

Thoughtfully, I looked back at Fangtasia, mentally picturing the layout of the club on the inside. What if we could buy this old building, put up walls at either end of the alley enclosing this space, and put a couple of doors from the bar area leading out here? This could be a really cool outdoor space, and we could fix it up so that it would go with the rest of the club's theme. It could be partially covered, so it could be used even on misty evenings like this. The old building itself could be used for office space and more storage. It would increase the bar's capacity limit, and provide office space for Eric's new staff. Cool!

I knew I would have to have a lot more information, and I wanted to at least sketch out my ideas before giving showing them to Pam and Eric. Since I wanted it to be a surprise, I figured that I had better scoot back inside before I got caught out here. I went back into the storeroom, manged to get the door shut and relocked, and then went on with my assigned task. There were so many ideas swirling around in my mind that it was hard to pay attention to the job at hand, and I found myself having to re-count several items more than once. Eventually, though, I had finished counting, and went back to Pam's office. As soon as I went through the door, I asked casually, "Hey, Pam? You know that building behind Fangtasia that I saw last night? Who owns it?"

"I have no idea," she answered, "It has been empty now for a long time. Why?"

Smoothly, I said, "Oh, I was just wondering. I never even knew that it was back there. Now, here's what we've got on hand..."

I showed her my figures, and she agreed with them. When we were done, she said, "Sookie, it is my turn at the front door. You can sit here at my desk and fax in these orders."

After showing me what to do, she left to go out front. It took me awhile to get it all done, but finally that task was completed. As soon as I was finished, I grabbed a pencil and paper, and began to sketch out my ideas and make lists of things to I needed to find out. I really had my head in it, when my cell phone began to vibrate with an incoming text. Naturally, it was from my vampire, and it read, "_Where R U? I want U!_"

Grinning to myself, I quickly texted back, "_Ha! 2 bad! I am busy!_"

Almost immediately, the phone vibrated again. This time it read, "_2 busy 4 luv_?"

I shot back, "_U already had luv!_" Giggling to myself, I could tell where this was headed; so I folded up my plans, stuck them in my pocket, and waited for his reply.

This time, the answer took a little longer to come back, When it did, it read, "_So many Fangbangers, so little time..._"

That did it! I was out the door like a shot, and went careening down the hall into his office. The Viking was sitting back in his chair, feet propped up on his desk, casually tossing his cell phone up in the air and then catching it with one hand. On his desk sat an empty bottle of TrueBlood. I leaned in the doorway and said, "Hey! I understand some vampire is looking for some action. You wouldn't know where I might find him, would you?"

Eric gave me a huge grin, and answered, "That was fast. My wife no longer seems interested in me, so I had to resort to a call girl... er... text girl."

Walking into his office, I closed the door carefully, then sashayed over and stood in front of his desk. Putting my hand on one cocked hip, I smiled sexily, and said, "Oh, really? Maybe you are just not satisfying her urges. Some men just don't have enough of what it takes to keep a woman pleased..." I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.

In a flash, he was around that desk and bending me over backwards, kissing me passionately. "Would you like for me to show you just how much I have?" he murmured sexily, "I promise you, it is _more_ than adequate. In fact, my wife claims that it is a "gracious plenty"."

I just laughed, and said, "Brag, brag, brag. Do you know why women have no depth perception? Because all their lives, men have told them that four inches is really six!"

My vampire nuzzled my neck, and then whispered in my ear, "Oh, trust me, it is considerably more than six inches. Here, let me show you..."

He placed my hand over the hard bulge in his slacks. I rubbed it a bit, and he moaned. I murmured, "Well, it certainly _feels_ adequate. However, I am more of the "seeing is believing" type of gal..."

With that, the Viking growled, picked me up, and deposited me on his sofa. He started to try and wrangle my out of my pants, which turned out to be considerably harder than the dresses he was used to. He growled again in frustration and exclaimed, "Why are you wearing these? They are so much trouble!"

Quite cheerfully, I said, "Oh, my husband picked these out. He said he thought they made me look elegant. I guess he doesn't care about easy access."

He had finally managed to get them off of me, and started on my top. "Your husband must have had a momentary lapse in judgment," he stated firmly, "After tonight, no more pantsuits for you!"

With that, Eric hastily stood and removed his own clothes. He stretched out on the sofa next to me, and began kissing me passionately. Before long, he was running one big hand down my body, and then between my legs. He found my special spot, and began rubbing it in a way that had me wriggling with pleasure in no time. He was whispering to me in his old language, and I didn't know what he was saying, but it sounded really erotic! It made me want him inside me, that very instant, and so I said, "Come on, baby, let me feel you..."

The love and lust was positively careening back and forth between us through our Bond. Without any more prompting, my magnificently aroused vampire rolled on top, kneed my legs open, and then gave me exactly what I had just asked for... and in a big way. Almost instantly, we were both caught up in a sensual haze, and he was doing his best to keep us both on the edge for as long as possible... Every stroke was pure bliss, and neither of us wanted it to be over too soon. In spite of myself, all too soon I could feel myself crying out as I reached my peak, and almost immediately so did he. Afterwards, he collapsed on top of me, and then just lay there as I stroked his back. Eventually Eric chuckled and said, "So, Mrs. Northman, did I prove to be adequate?"

I kissed his nose, and said, "Oh, yes. Yes, indeed. Like your wife said, a gracious plenty."

He just laughed, and nuzzled my neck a little more. My sweet vampire was whispering words of love in my ear, when the door burst open and Pam came rushing into the room. She came skittering to a halt, as I exclaimed, "Pam! Don't you ever knock!"

Eric never even moved an inch, which was probably good since he was mostly still covering me with his big body. However, I could tell that I was definitely the only one in the room embarrassed. Completely ignoring my discomfort, Pam said urgently, "Master, I need to talk to you. There is some business you need to take care of out in the bar... immediately."

Without giving him any time to ask questions, she turned around and left as rapidly as she had entered. At least she had the decency to pull the door shut firmly behind her! Eric kissed me one last time, and then said, "Sorry, Beloved! Duty calls!"

He jumped up, dressed in a flash, and headed to the door. As my vampire opened the door, he looked back and gave me a mischievous little grin. He said, "You look perfect just like that, my Lover. Don't move!" With that, he was out the door.

I snorted. I couldn't imagine what was so all-fired important that Pam couldn't even knock! That Pam! Grimly, I reminded myself to call a locksmith and have a deadbolt installed on that door as soon as possible. In the meantime, no telling who else might take it into their head to come waltzing through here, so I got up and dressed rapidly. Just as I was slipping on my top, I felt a jolt of pure anger coming from Eric. Oh, wow! Maybe I didn't want to know what was going on out there! I was hurriedly putting my shoes back on, when the door opened and my vampire came back inside.

Outwardly, he appeared calm, but I could feel his agitation. Instead of fussing at me for disobeying him and already being dressed, he merely said, "Come, Dear One, I have an errand to run and I would like for you to come with me."

I stood up from the sofa, and Eric took my arm and led me rapidly out of his office and down the hall; and although he was not actually dragging me, I felt rushed all the same. What on earth was so important? We went out the back door, jumped in the Corvette, and with a screech of tires took off like a bat out of hell... or in this case, a vampire out of a parking lot. Immediately, I grabbed the dash, closed my eyes, and prayed. How he managed to keep from getting about a hundred tickets a year was beyond me! After I had caught my breath from our rather hasty departure, I asked somewhat irritably, "What in the heck was that all about?"

Eric glanced over at me, and gave me his very best "innocent vampire" look. "What?" he asked casually, "Oh... just a troublemaker that needed to be thrown out. Pam is handling it. Now, Beloved, do you realize that we still have not decided which wedding photo to have enlarged?"

I knew when a subject was being changed, but I also knew that I was unlikely to get anything else out of him if he was determined to clam up. He reached over, began stroking my arm, and said, "I loved the one of us dancing...."

For the next few minutes we debated the merits of the various pictures, and finally we agreed on one. After that was settled, we talked about our upcoming trip to Las Vegas. Eric was still telling me about some of the planned activities, when I looked around and noticed we were driving through a unfamiliar residential neighborhood. The lots were quite large, and completely fenced. Eric slowed the car as we pulled up in front of a gate, where he let down his window and punched a code into the electronic keypad. The gates swung slowly open, and the car rolled down the short drive. The house that came into view looked very much like "Sookie's Safehouse," in that it was so ordinary. It was a single story red brick house, with very pedestrian landscaping. As the car came to a stop in front of the place, several security lights had automatically popped on, bathing the area in bright light.

"Come, my Lover," Eric said, patting my arm, "I want to pick up a few things."

So, this must be one of his other houses. Huh. For about the hundredth time, I wondered just how many he had scattered around Shreveport. I followed him to the front door, and then inside. He flipped on some lights, illuminating a living room furnished in very much the same way as our other in-town house. He said, "Wait here. I'll be right back."

Eric went through the kitchen and out through another door. When he returned, he was carrying a few cardboard boxes. "I have decided to sell this place," he said by way of explanation, "I thought we might go ahead and take some of my things now. Also, one of the tuxedos that I want to take to Las Vegas is here."

It occurred to me that it really was sort of nice to see him moving all of his things to Valhalla. It made it seem more like our home, somehow. Immediately, I offered to help, and he said, "If you could pack up those books on the shelves there, I will go see about my clothes."

Eric disappeared down the hall. I took some of the boxes, and started sliding books from the built-in bookcase into them. As I packed, I noticed that almost none of these books were in English. Idly, I wondered just how many languages my ancient vampire could actually speak and read. After knowing him for awhile, I had finally figured out that languages were kind of his hobby, and he collected them like some men collected guns or fishing lures. I wished that I could speak to him in another language, but I wasn't even all that hot at English. I just loved it hen he spoke to me in his original language, and someday maybe he would be willing to teach me a few words.

Just as I was slipping the last book into the carton, Eric came back down the hallway carrying his tuxedo, and a few other items. Setting them down on the coffee table, he then went over to the fireplace and lifted down the huge sword that was hanging on the wall above it. Even from this distance, I could see that this sword looked almost as old as the one at the other Shreveport house. He laid it gently on the coffee table next to his other things. "The trunk of the Corvette is small, and will only hold a few boxes," he said thoughtfully, "I think I will have Bobby come pack of the rest of it later."

Much to my surprise, he crossed the room and knelt down next to me. Reaching into the now empty bookcase, he pressed a hidden switch. Instantly, a panel sprung open, and behind it was a safe! Eric glanced over at me, and seemed amused by my look of pure amazement. He punched a code into the electronic keypad, pulled down on the handle, and swung open the door. Inside the safe were stacks and stacks of currency, and some other items neatly stored in little bags and boxes. "It is always good to have a little cash on hand, in case of emergencies," he explained with a grin on his handsome face.

Good heavens! A little cash! It looked like a big, fat, honking lot of cash, to me! Haven't vampires ever heard of banks? Jeez-Louise! He calmly tossed the banded stacks of money on top of the open box of books, and then pulled out one of the little bags. His blue eyes were twinkling mischievously, and he told me, "Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

The last time a boy had asked me to do that was in the second grade, and he had put a bunch of nasty, slimy slugs in my hand. Still, I figured that my vampire had better things than slugs in his safe, so I did as he asked. A shower of what felt like pebbles tumbled onto my open palm. I opened my eyes, and found that my hand was full of gemstones! There were rubies, emeralds, and diamonds of all shapes and sizes. I looked at my vampire in total astonishment. He laughed and explained, "Lots of value in a small space, easily concealed and transported. Also, inflation-proof."

I sat back on my heals and just stared at the brilliant stones in my hand. "Why keep all this at home?" I asked him, "Why not in a bank?"

Suddenly serious, the Viking replied, "Sookie, one lesson I have learned the hard way is to always be prepared. You never know when you might need to disappear into the night... and believe me, it is much better to have some assets with you when you do."

Uneasily, I wondered how many times in his long life he had escaped trouble by the skin of his... fangs. Nervously, I asked, "You aren't expecting any trouble, are you?"

Using his long fingers, he brushed back my hair away from my face. "No," he said, "We are as secure right now as we can be. However, my Love, the time to teach your mate survival techniques is _before_ they are needed."

Leaning forward, he kissed my forehead tenderly. He gazed into my eyes and said, "You are so young. I have much I want to teach you, about so many things."

His words both worried me and thrilled me. I knew that he was trying to prepare me for whatever might lie ahead of us, both good and bad. Slowly but surely, my vampire was sharing his life with me. Not just the one on the surface, either; but the hidden one, the one that maybe no one but Robert had ever truly seen. I felt humbled that he trusted and loved me enough. "I love you, Eric." I said, and then leaned in and softly touched my lips to his.

He smiled and replied, "And I love you. Now, it is getting late, and it is a long drive back to Valhalla."

He handed me the little bag, and I carefully poured the shimmering stones back into it and pulled the string tight. He said, "Get your purse."

I did, and he pulled the rest of the small bags and things out of the safe and placed them in my purse. He shut the safe, replaced the panel, and got to his feet. He loaded the boxes, sword, and clothing into the trunk of the Corvette, and then locked up the house. We got in his car, and headed home.

*****

It was fairly late by the time we got to Valhalla. I had struggled to stay awake, but Eric had turned on some soft music and I had been lulled by that and the motion of the car. As soon as the Corvette rolled to a stop, though, I woke. Yawning, I dragged myself out of the car and stood watching as the Viking opened the trunk and pulled out the box with the money in it; and then I followed him inside our home. Going straight to the library, he set the overflowing box on his desk. Apparently, he felt this was the perfect night to disclose secrets, because he walked over to the wall directly behind his desk, pushed on a panel, and then swung it open, revealing another safe. I gasped in surprise. As many times as I had been in this room, I had never had the slightest clue that it was there! Eric glanced over at me to see if I was paying attention, and told me, "I set the combination for this safe to be the date of our Second Bonding. The real one... not the one in New Orleans. Do you remember the date?"

As if I was likely to forget! I nodded, and he said, "Good. It is something only the two of us know."

Eric neatly stacked the cash inside the safe; and then I handed him the stuff out of my purse, which he also tucked away. This safe was much larger than the last one, and I could see that he had already put another huge batch of cash and a number of other items inside. He shut the safe, and the panel that concealed it. Taking my hand, he pulled me to him and kissed me gently; but in the middle of the kiss I had an overwhelming urge to yawn. Instead of being insulted, he just laughed, encircled my shoulders with his big arms, and cradled me to him. I rested my cheek against his chest, and relaxed against his marble-hard body. We just stood together like that for awhile, savoring our closeness. After a moment, though, I simply could not hold back another yawn. He kissed the top of my head, and said, "My sleepy little fairy, you wore yourself out last night with your magic. No wonder you are yawning. I must get you to bed."

Taking me by the hand, Eric led me across the room. Just as he was opening the door to our chamber, suddenly he stopped moving and stood very still. I could tell that he must be listening to someone approaching the house, and sure enough, a minute later I heard a light rapping on the front door. In spite of the fact that this had never happened before, Eric didn't seem too surprised, and in fact he said, "Go on to bed, angel. It is just one of our guards, wishing to speak to me. I will be down later."

Sleepily, I nodded, and headed downstairs. I was so tired that I just pulled off my clothes, threw them on a nearby chair, and crawled straight into bed. Although I really tried to stay awake and wait for Eric, I just couldn't keep my eyes open and fell asleep almost instantly; so I had no idea how much later it was when he finally came to bed. I felt him slide quietly in next to me. He spooned up behind me, draped one arm over my body and pulled me closer. He whispered something to me in his old language, and then said in English, "You are mine, and I love you." By now, it was starting to sound familiar and comforting, almost like he had been saying it to me every night of my life. Content and safe in the loving arms of my vampire, I fell back asleep almost instantly.


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters. **** I am sorry it took me so long to get this chapter posted, but a man ran through a red light on Wednesday morning and t-boned me in the intersection. Fortunately, I was mostly uninjured, but my Suburban was toast. The wreck must have shaken my poor brain, though, because I have not been able to put two words together until today...so finally, here is the Viking's viewpoint of Sunday._

Chapter 10

_Eric's POV Sunday night_

When I wake, somehow I know that my Bonded has not left my side at all today. I cannot explain just how I know; but nevertheless, I do. The minute my mind shakes off the lethargy of slumber, I feel my Bonded's warm hands stroking my skin. It feels very nice, and the minute I open my eyes, I bring her to me for some serious kissing. When we got home last night, it had been too close to dawn for loving; and also, my poor little Fairy was just completely exhausted. It is obvious that Sookie's magic requires much more energy here than it did in the islands, and especially since she has taken so little of my blood recently.

Once again, the thought of her confronting those drainers at Fangtasia by herself sends a chill through me, and I hug her to me even more tightly than before. However, I must admit that some good _did_ come of the whole event. With that amazing telepathic ability of hers, she was able to get more information out of the captured drainers in a relatively short amount of time than the Area 3 Sheriff and I gleaned from the last batch in hours. If anything, she is even better at it now that she has had some magical training. Until last night, I was not aware that she could glamour humans, apparently in a similar way to what we vampires do. Because she is both fairy and telepath, I suppose it really should not comes as such a surprise.

Just thinking of the events of last evening serve to set off my strong protective instincts. I want nothing more than to keep her close to me tonight and make perfectly certain that she is safe. I have to laugh at myself a little, though, because until I met Sookie, I never realized that I _had_ any such instincts. Pam teases me unmercifully about how protective of my Bonded I have become, even though I have recently noticed the same tendencies in my child; and I know for a fact it is not merely because I have ordered it. Sometimes I wonder just what it is within Sookie that seems to arouse such strange feelings in otherwise unemotional vampires.

For now, my little vampire-charmer is lying contentedly in my arms, winding locks of my hair around her slender fingers. She is wearing nothing but one of my old t-shirts, which completely swamps her, but also make her look completely adorable. Wanting to feel nothing but her skin next to mine, I peel her out of it and toss it aside, saying, "My Lover, you are so beautiful... I want to kiss every tiny bit of you." Starting with her soft lips. I begin to kiss and lick my way down her body. Over the years, I have learned all the very tender, often overlooked spots on a woman's body that are actually very sensitive places. For example, I run my tongue very delicately across the crook of her arm, and at her wrist. The skin in very thin there, and I can smell her blood pulsing through her veins. It serves to make me quite hungry; but my lover shivers with pleasure at my touch, so it is worth it. My journey ends when I kiss the bottom of her feet, and then I part her legs and crawl between them. I look up at her, and ask, "Did you like that, my Lover? Do you want more?"

I can see the heat flare in her eyes, and she nods. "Say it, then. Ask me for what you want," I order her. She blushes a little, but says, "Baby, will you taste me? I love it when you do that."

Chuckling, I oblige her request... and am rewarded for my efforts a few minutes later with a flood of her delectable fairy-juices on my tongue. Indeed, I am so intent on licking her that I do not realize that it has become a little _too_ intense. Sookie starts to laugh and wriggle, and tugs at my hair, crying out, "Stop, baby, stop! Oh! Oh!" She starts crawfishing back on the bed, giggling. Laughing myself, I playfully crawl after her. Before either one of us realize it, she gets just a bit too close to the edge... and slips off. The astonished look as she goes over is priceless. It is too short a drop to the floor for her to really be hurt; but moving quickly, I dive over the bed and am able to break her fall. We roll, and come to a stop with her lying on top of me. On her sweet face is a look of total astonishment, which quickly turns to admiration. Her lovely eyes begin to glow, and she says, "My hero! You are completely amazing. Now, what can I do to repay you for rescuing me, Mr. Vampire?"

I think for a minute. "Well, my minimum fee for rescuing a damsel in distress is a kiss from a Queen," I answer her, "There wouldn't be one anywhere in the area, would there?"

Chuckling, she replies, "Why, as a matter of fact, I just happen to _be_ a Queen. I will be _happy_ to repay you." She gives me a big smack on the lips, and then says playfully, "Let me say, you sure work cheap. The _last_ vampire that rescued me insisted on carnal favors."

At that, I play-growl, "Oh, he did, did he? Perhaps I should rethink my rates. What would you suggest?"

By now, she had pulled herself up, and was straddling me. Very sensually she begins to rub her wet, warm center back and forth along my erection. Ah... it feels very, very good.

"Hmm. How about... this?" she asks. Raising up just a bit, she takes her hand and positions me under her entrance, and then slowly lowers herself onto me. We both give out sighs of sheer bliss; and then she smiles down at me sexily, and says, "Is this adequate?"

"Mmm. Very nearly. Keep going..."

Obediently, she starts to rock back and forth, and as she moves I reach up and play with those beautiful breasts of hers. Sookie closes her eyes, throws her head back and groans. Almost as if she cannot stop herself, she moans, "Oh, honey... that feels... so... good."

Oh, yes... it _does_ feel good, but after a few minutes I can sense that my little lover is tiring. I say softly, "Here, Lover, let me do some of the work." I stop her from moving by holding her hips in place with my hands. Once she is still, I reach up and begin to tease her nub with my thumb, and then begin to thrust up into her at the same time. I know full well that the combination of the two will give her an extremely intense orgasm in no time. The minute I feel her contractions begin, I grab her hips, set her down on me fully, and hold her tightly in place. I let myself go, cuming deeply inside her, and we both cry out with the intensity of it.

By the time we are through, I can tell that my Bonded is sated by the way she is sprawled across me, completely slack, with a sweet smile on her face. I myself am quite content to just lay here on the floor of our chamber, covered by a warm little fairy, and plan out our evening. While I stroke her back, I think over everything I want to get done. I need to share the information we obtained from the drainers with one of my Area vampires who has been involved with this situation, so I decide to kill two birds with one stone. I want to see my Bonded eating a decent dinner with my own eyes, and have a meeting with Julius at the same time. After that, I still have a stack of paperwork on my desk to get through, and perhaps later I want to go collect a few more things from one of my other houses.

I tell Sookie of my plans to take her out for dinner, and by the way her eyes light up I know she approves. After we shower, I help her choose an outfit, and once she is dressed I compliment her on how very elegant she looks. She has not worn this pantsuit since just after the Sheriff's Ball. That evening seems so very long ago, and yet it really was not. A great deal has happened in a very short timespan. It seems incredible to me that when Pam bought these clothes for her, Sookie was still living in Bon Temps and working for that worthless shifter. She is just so much a part of my life now, it seems incredible to me that it has been for such a brief time. At least she has finally given up the very annoying habit of not accepting gifts without an argument!

Once she is finished with her hair and makeup, I escort her out to the car. Soon, we are on the way to a restaurant owned by one of my Area vampires, Julius. He has been a loyal supporter of mine for many years and fought with me in New Orleans. Some might think it strange that a vampire is in the restaurant business, but Julius was a very successful chef before being turned. He now has other chefs doing the cooking at his establishments, although he claims that he can still himself do it by smell alone and not taste. His restaurants cater to supernaturals in the area, as well as human clientèle, and by all accounts are very successful.

On the way, I ask Sookie what she has done with her day, and she confesses that she hardly left me at all; this merely confirms what I already felt earlier. I find the fact that she was content to stay at my side during my rest to be quite satisfying... but unusual. Sookie is generally much too energetic to sit still for very long. The magic she used last night really _must_ have required a tremendous amount of energy. I am glad that I can see to it that she eats properly this evening. Really, I _must_ figure out a way to give her some of my blood soon, for many reasons; not the least of which is that I know it will help her recover her energy much more quickly.

Before much longer, we arrive at the restaurant, and are greeted at the door by Julius' human, Jenna. She is an attractive girl, and Sookie seems a bit surprised to have never met her. After seating us, Jenna goes off to find Julius, and so I explain to my Bonded that Julius is one of those vampires that believes in keeping his human completely ignorant of our ways, and away from other vampires as much as possible. I remind her that Compton was one of those types, as well. Much to my surprise, she saucily retorts that if he had only managed to do so, she may well have been married to _him_ by now. Ha! I know quite well that she is just teasing me, because she knows how absurd that notion is. Quite cheerfully, I remind her, "Not possible. We are Fated, remember?"

She just screws up her face into an awful grimace, and I have to laugh. I can hear Julius approaching, and he comes into the room and greets us warmly. I explain the purpose of our visit; and after giving Sookie a little time to look over the menu, Julius takes our order himself and then goes off to fetch our drinks. While he is gone, I give Sookie a brief description of the problem with drainers that we have encountered in the last year. The very idea that they were bold enough to take one of my own vampires from under my nose is enough to make my temper rise, but the inescapable fact that they could have harmed my Bonded is... totally unacceptable. Someone, or perhaps many someones, will pay dearly for that transgression... and there will be no police called to protect them. I do not mention that part to Sookie, but I suppose she can feel my anger, because she looks a bit alarmed nonetheless.

Every bit of information that we can glean puts us one step closer to getting this problem under control, and Sookie's telepathy has proved invaluable once again. It was clear from last night's interrogation that these attacks are not random, but the handiwork of an organized group. I suppose I should have taken my Telepath with me to Alexandria the other evening, since she could have no doubt gotten more information from those two. However, as far as vampires are concerned, there is really only one way to deal with such worthless, dangerous scum; and I knew quite well that she would not allow me to dispose of them properly. I was quite put out that she made me turn the last three over to the police. It is a known fact that almost always, once drainers get out of jail, they continue to kill vampires. I wonder how she would feel if one of her vampire friends got drained by someone she had a hand in turning loose? We are simply going to have to come to an understanding on this topic.

After only a few minutes, Julius returns with our drinks, and he sits and listens carefully as I recount the events of the prior evening. I have to edit the story somewhat, to protect Sookie's secret. He seems a little dismayed by the fact that I allowed the drainers to be taken away by the police. I knew when I did it that it would be viewed by others vampires as an act of weakness, if not insanity. I can tell he is wondering exactly why I chose to do so, but loyally (and wisely) does not challenge my decision. As soon as I am done with my narrative, Julius turns to Sookie and asks, "I had heard rumors of your telepathic abilities. You were able to get all of this information just by hearing their thoughts? No torture was required?"

At the word "torture," Sookie looks rather grim, but answers him calmly enough by saying,"Yes, amazing as it may seem to you, it _is_ possible... in fact, that's how Eric and I got to know each other. I helped him questions some humans, and he found out that it was much less messy all around, and often produced better results."

I can tell that Julius is suitably impressed by this, and seems to have more questions.

Fortunately, we are interrupted by the waiter bringing Sookie's dinner. Even though I have no doubt that this vampire is loyal to me, I prefer that Sookie's abilities remain shrouded in as much mystery as possible. As soon as the waiter leaves and we are once again alone, I deftly change the subject by saying to Julius, "All right, here are your orders..." I proceed to explain exactly what I want him to do. I have chosen this particular vampire for his talent of appearing human. I am hoping he can catch the contact of the group we captured last night, and we will be able to work our way back up the chain of command until we find the leaders of this organization.

By the time I am done, Sookie has finished eating her meal, and I am happy to see that she finished at least half of it. She excuses herself for a few minutes; and as soon as she is safely out of the room, I lean in and tell Julius, "The three that went to jail last night will be no doubt be released soon. Find out when and then send someone to take care of the problem."

I can tell this order has restored his complete faith in my leadership. His dark eyes gleam, and he says with satisfaction, "Yes, sir. It will be my pleasure."

*****

A little while later, Sookie and I arrive at the club. We go in through the back, and immediately Sookie goes into Pam's office to offer her some assistance. Honestly, I would much rather my Bonded come to my office with me, so I can keep my eye on her; but at once I realize that my fear that something will happen to her unless she is with me is completely irrational. As long as she stays inside Fangtasia, she should be perfectly safe... and Pam really _does_ need the help. Shaking my head at my own foolishness, I go to check my e-mail, and see what other items require my attention. I settle in to my chair, turn on my computer and type in the proper passwords. I am just going down the rather long list of emails, when my phone rings, and Compton is on the line. He is still in New Orleans, and gives me a concise report of how the remaining tasks of the transition are going. In turn, I tell him all about the events of the prior evening, and with him at least I do not have to edit the story. Showing more emotion in his voice that his normal cool tone, he asks urgently, "Is Sookie all right? Was she injured at all?"

"No, she was completely unscathed, and in fact was able to interrogate the drainers with a great deal of success," I answer him proudly, "She is really quite remarkable in that area."

"Yes, of course she is... but what was she thinking?" he asks vehemently, "She could have been seriously injured! Did you speak to her about it?"

Normally I would tell him to mind his own business. I hardly need to be told how to handle my own Bonded! However, he is merely mimicking my very thoughts on the subject. "Yes, of course I did," is my reply; but then I cannot help but add, "She is just so impetuous..."

Bill snorts, and says, "Yes, but that is just Sookie... I seriously doubt that anything even _you_ say or do will change that."

As her Bonded, naturally she should listen to me, but I have an uneasy feeling that he is probably right. I pass on the information that we had garnered, and the tasks that I had assigned to Julius. I also tell him I will email him the list of phone numbers we obtained from their cell phones, several of which had New Orleans area codes. Bill says, "So it sounds like there may possibly be a New Orleans connection."

"Yes. Rasul needs to be aware of this information, but use discretion in how much you tell him of Sookie's role in the capture. Of course, you know what avenues to pursue."

He agrees, and then says, "You wanted me in Shreveport by Tuesday night, to accompany you to Las Vegas. Have those plans changed?"

Honestly, I have been counting on him to help me keep an eye on Sookie at Sandy's Coronation. Although we will be taking our own Royal guards, they will not be allowed inside the social functions. Sookie will have her customary day guards, but Pam or Bill can watch over her at night if I have to be elsewhere. Many side issues between Kingdoms are brokered at these type of affairs, and I may not always be at her side. Truly, I am not anticipating any trouble at this particular event, but one thing I have learned about my Bonded... as Pam says, she can be a danger magnet. After thinking over Bill's question, I answer, "It is important that you follow up these leads while they are fresh. However, be in Vegas by Saturday dawn at the latest. I definitely want you there for the Coronation ceremony."

We have a few more items of importance to discuss before disconnecting. In the short time I have been gone, several more vampires have requested permission to move into New Orleans, and the city is now back to the same population we had prior to the storm. If this trend continues, New Orleans will be positively overflowing with vampires... Rasul has had his hands full, and I know that I will need to make another appearance there before long. I bid Bill good evening, and disconnect. However, I have no sooner snapped my phone shut than it rings again, and this time it is Robert. "Greetings, my Brother!" he says cheerfully, "How are you and the new Queen faring now that you are back in Shreveport?"

"As well as can be expected," I reply, "I am seriously short-staffed in Shreveport, but other that that, all is going according to plan. I have even made some headway on the drainer problem."

After discussing that topic for a few minutes, he finally gets around to the purpose of his call. He says, "I have found the perfect canary diamond for Sookie's sunrise necklace. It will be completed by tomorrow."

At last! I cannot wait to give it to her, and tell her how much that very special event meant to me. I must begin to plan an outing, so that I can present it to her properly. Delighted that it is nearly completed, I ask him, "Will you bring it with you to Sandy's Coronation?"

"Regretfully, no," Robert answers, "I have to transport some items for the King of Ireland, and you know how _he_ is... however, Roland will be attending, and has offered to deliver it to you, if you are agreeable."

As a personal friend of Robert's, the King of the New York territories will make a most suitable courier. I say, "That is acceptable. We will be staying at the hotel Eternity."

"Why not the Royal Residence?" The Knight asks curiously, "Oh ho, let me guess... an attempt to avoid the clutches of Sandy?"

"Technically, my excuse is that Sookie has never been to Las Vegas, and I want her to experience staying on the strip," I explain, "However, I think the danger from that quarter has come and gone. Sandy already sent a negotiator, and I sent back a formal rejection. End of problem."

"I take it that you still have not mentioned this to Sookie," my old friend says, "Even though you have rejected the Proposal, I council you to tell her, Brother... just in case. Trust me, human women are very sensitive to this type of thing."

Robert has always been a bit of a worry-wort. I reply, "Thank you for your concern, but really... I think the issue is settled. You know that it would violate protocol for it to be brought up again. As a matter of fact, Sandy has actually been the least of my worries. You will never believe who has been phoning me."

With complete distaste, Robert says, "Oh, let me guess... Sabriel. I wondered how long it would take her to come prowling around. What did you do to get rid of her this time?"

"So far, nothing. I hope that by ignoring her calls, she will get the message and just go away."

From the other end of the line, I hear a snort. The Knight says, "Are you insane? Sabriel does not give up easily, as you have learned the hard way. Confront her and get it over with... and whatever you do, keep her away from Sookie."

I fear he might be right about the necessity of a personal confrontation to get rid of her, but I will deal with that particular problem later. In response, I tell him that I will think it over. Next, I inform him of the planned date for my own Coronation, and he promises to attend. On the subject of my Coronation, he asks, "Do not forget to send me the gold for your ring, and the design that you wish for it as soon as possible. I take it that Sandy has not turned over your half of Felipe's ring yet?"

It is vampire custom for the incoming monarch's ring of office to be forged with the gold from his predecessor's. Stan had recovered Felipe's ring on the night of the battle, and had given it to me afterwards. Sandy had asked for it, and said that she would have it split in two. I reply, "I expect to retrieve my half in Vegas. I will send it back with Roland if I can."

"By the way, I will be bringing the Queen's jewels to New Orleans myself," the Knight informs me, "They have already been cleaned, and checked over. It was very clever of Cataliades to have saved them for you."

I said, "Yes, it was quite a nice bonus. He is a crafty old demon, and so far has been an excellent counselor. When I asked him if he would be attending Sandy's Coronation, he snorted and said he's had quite enough of the Nevada group to last him the rest of his life... and you know how long demons live."

My old friend laughs, and then we say our goodbyes. After hanging up, I think back to the night in New Orleans soon after I had become King, when Cataliades had requested an audience alone with me. Sookie had been off with Fabrizzio, measuring a space for the new kitchen she was having installed as part of her mission to make the residence more human friendly. The lawyer had come into my office bearing a leather-bound box. He had approached my desk, set the box on it, and bowed. In his jovial voice, he said, "As you know, when Sophie-Ann met her unfortunate death, Felipe seized most of her possessions. Fortunately, she had this box with her in Rhodes, and she entrusted it into my care while she was trying to recover from her injuries. In all the confusion of the takeover, its existence must have completely slipped my mind. Now, as the late Queen's rightful heir, I am passing it along to you."

His eyes had twinkled with mischief. I would wager that it had been at least a hundred years since the old demon has forgotten _anything_. I had leaned forward, and pulled the box to me. Opening the lid. I peered inside, and was completely surprised by the contents. Sharply, I looked up at the lawyer, who gave me a rather shark-like smile, and said, "Sophie-Ann never went anywhere without her jewels. Even as the hotel was exploding around us, she grabbed this box and held on." I could well believe it. My old friend the Queen had been somewhat obsessed with beautiful jewelry, and spent an absolute fortune on it. After inspecting the veritable treasure trove, I had sent the whole lot back to New York with Robert, to be cleaned and checked over for any needed repairs.

After my conversation with the Knight, I receive my nightly calls from my Sheriffs, and then I am finally able to check my emails. There is nothing of any great importance, and so I check the stock reports and do a few trades online. One of the waitresses brings in a warmed bottle of Blood for me. The slightly metallic taste makes me crave my Bonded's sweet fairy blood, and it makes me realize that I have seen nothing of her for at least a couple of hours. I am willing to let Pam borrow her for awhile, but not all night! I have a serious desire to see her, so I flip open my phone once again, and type out a text, "_Where R U? I want U!_" and hit send. Expectantly, I wait for my office door to come flying open and Sookie to come through it with a smile; but instead, my phone vibrates with a return message. It reads, "_Ha! 2 bad! I am busy!_"

The saucy little minx! I want her! I fire back, "_2 busy 4 luv_?"

A moment later, her reply is, "_U already had luv!_"

I lean back in my chair, and laugh out loud. I love games! I think for a moment, and then send a message sure to have the desired effect. It reads, "_So many Fangbangers, so little time..._"

This time, almost immediately Sookie is standing in my door, ready and willing to continue our little verbal game in person. She has such a sharp wit, it just delights me. We spend a little time teasing each other, but soon, one thing leads to another; and before long I have picked her up, laid her on my sofa, and am doing my best to peel her out of her clothes. I want her, and now! After a rather frustrating struggle, I free both of us from our garments, and waste no time in joining her on my sofa. We have another very satisfying round of hot sex, and I am quite certain that I managed to prove to my lover just how "adequate" I am.

Afterwards, I remain on top of her, just savoring the feel of her small body beneath me. I am whispering in my Bonded's ear how much I love her, and listening to her delighted sighs, when my child Pam bursts into the room. Immediately, through our Bond I can feel Sookie's complete embarrassment at being caught in what she considers a compromising position; and although I really don't care myself, it annoys me because it disturbs her. Pam tells me that there is some crisis out in the bar that requires my attention, and I can tell my child is quite agitated; and so reluctantly, I get up and rapidly dress. I apologize to Sookie for abandoning her, but tell her to stay just like she is, because I have every intention of picking up where we left off upon my return. She looks absolutely wonderful draped across my sofa naked, and I hope whatever it is will not take long so that I can get back to her quickly. I am not done with her yet... not even close.

The minute I emerge from my office, instead of heading towards the bar as expected, Pam grabs my arm and drags me back towards her office. She carefully closes the door, and then crosses her arms across her chest and drawls, "I thought you might like to know that Sabriel is here, demanding to see you."

My child is looking at me with an "I told you so" expression on her face. Immediately, my temper flares. Considering that I have not returned even one of Sabriel's phone calls, one would think that she would have gotten the idea by now that I want nothing to do with her. I am just about to storm up front, and have it out with the persistent little bitch right here and now, but Pam grabs my arm and holds on. She asks, "What are you _doing_, Eric?"

"I am going out front to tell the little bitch that I have no interest in her, to quit calling me, and to get the hell out of my bar!" I snarl.

Pam gives me a serious glare, and says sternly, "Since you have been too stubborn to tell Sookie anything about her, do you really think that's wise? If you confront Sabriel now, she is sure to make a scene, which the entire bar will hear... including your Bonded. Do you really want to subject Sookie to that?"

Immediately, I realize that Pam is right... Sabriel is just the type to make a huge scene, and love every minute of it. Sookie would hear (and feel) the whole thing... and come out to see what was going on; probably the worst scenario I could possibly imagine. My Queen certainly does not deserve to be subjected to such nastiness, and in fact, I refuse to allow it. As Robert had advised, I need to keep her as far away from Sabriel as I possibly can. Thinking quickly, I realize that there is only one thing to be done, and it goes totally against my nature... I am going to take Sookie, and leave before Sabriel knows I am gone. Sometimes, even in battle, it is better to retreat to a position of safety, and then engage the enemy from a position of strength later. On this occasion, that is exactly what I am going to do. I tell Pam to keep Sabriel occupied, and I go back to my office. I am wondering just how I am going to go about hustling my Bonded out of here without arousing any suspicions on her part.

Luckily, Sookie has ignored my request to stay put. She has gotten dressed, and is sitting calmly on the sofa. Earlier, I actually _had_ been thinking about going by one of the houses and picking up some more of my things, and this will do admirably as an excuse to leave. I tell Sookie my plans, and she looks a bit surprised, but comes along willingly enough. Wasting no time, I take my Bonded by the arm and propel her down the hall and out the back door. I am half-way expecting Sabriel to come popping out of every doorway we pass, but we make it to my car unmolested. I am afraid that in my haste to leave, I startle Sookie a bit; but at last, we are away and for once I am quite relieved to see the lights from Fangtasia disappearing in my rear view mirror.

Giving me a slightly disgruntled look, Sookie asks me rather suspiciously, "What the heck was all that about?"

Briefly, I consider telling her the truth of the situation, but... no. Last night was traumatic enough, and she has seemed so insecure lately... Really, why would I want to cause her any further distress by bringing up an old girlfriend who means nothing to me anyway? I need to come up with a truthful but vague answer, and then change the subject. I say,"What? Oh... just a troublemaker that needed to be thrown out. Pam is handling it. Now, Beloved, do you realize that we still have not decided which wedding photo to have enlarged?"

I can tell by the completely skeptical look on my Lover's face that she really is not buying it, but for once she lets it pass. We discuss our wedding photographs, and then I move on to our plans for Las Vegas. We are actually leaving Wednesday, which is a day earlier that the planned events begin. I want us to have one night of fun without the distraction of other vampires and politics. To make the trip a bit more palatable, I have a few treats in mind for Sookie, and have already made arrangements online for some of them. The festivities for the Coronation actually begin on Thursday, with a reception at the Royal Residence. Friday night there will be a Casino party, and Saturday evening is the actual Coronation. We will leave Sunday night after first dark to return to Shreveport. Even though she does not complain, I can tell that Sookie is less than enthusiastic about leaving home again so soon, but it must be done.

I have managed to keep up a constant stream of conversation since leaving Fangtasia, and am relieved to see that we have finally reached our destination. As soon as the car rolls to a stop, I say, "Come, my Lover. I want to pick up a few things."

Sookie obediently follows me inside, and looks the interior of this house with curiosity. Seeing it through her eyes, I realize that it is expensively furnished and quite functional, but has no real warmth. Until this very minute, I have never given it any thought. It has served its purpose in giving me a secure location to rest, but I have absolutely no attachment to this place or any of the others. In contrast, Sookie has managed to make Valhalla very comfortable and it feels like... well, as unaccustomed as I am to the concept, I think it feels like what a a real home should. Perhaps that is one of the reasons I was always somewhat attracted to her old farmhouse. As old and in need of updating as it was, it exuded an aura of love, family, and security... strange notions for any vampire, and especially one such as myself.

I ask Sookie to wait while I go retrieve some boxes from the garage. My travel coffin is also kept here, and I take the time to text Bobby to remind him to have it delivered to Valhalla on Tuesday. Returning to the living room, I tell my Bonded, "I have decided to sell this place. I thought we might go ahead and take some of my things now. Also, one of the tuxedos that I want to take to Las Vegas is here."

She offers to help, so I set her to packing up some of my books, while I go to the bedroom to get my Armani tuxedo, and a few other things that I want to take to Valhalla. Taking them all back to the living room, I can see that Sookie has efficiently packed the books. I glance up at the fireplace, and decide to go ahead and take this sword with me now. I think I will swap it out for the one at Sookie's Shreveport house. This one, although quite old and still very functional, is not the one I want hanging in my library. The other one is actually much, much older... and if I could be said to be sentimental about anything, it would be that very sword.

I pull it down from its place, and put it on the coffee table. I know that we cannot fit much more into the trunk of my car, and so I tell Sookie that I will send Bobby to pick up anything else that I might want to keep. Now, comes the real reason for this visit. Going over and kneeling next to her, I press an inconspicuous catch which causes a panel to spring open, revealing the safe concealed behind it. I look at my Bonded, and she looks completely astonished! Has the woman never seen a safe before? Where do humans keep their valuables? Once I get the door opened, I see that her blue eyes are now as big as saucers. Ah! Being rather poor all of her life, I suppose it must look like a great deal of money to her. My Lover never ceases to amuse me....now that we are legally married, she is an extremely wealthy woman, and this is a mere pittance to the sums she can access. Smiling, I tell her, "It is always good to have a little cash on hand, in case of emergencies."

Throwing the banded money into the box, I see a particular sack whose contents I know will amaze her even more. I cannot resist teasing her a little, so I tell her to close her eyes and hold out her hand. Almost reluctantly, she holds out her hand, and I pour the jewels from the bag into her waiting palm. She slowly opens her eyes, and she realizes what she is holding. The look on her sweet face is priceless, and I cannot resist laughing out loud. I have to explain, "Lots of value in a small space, easily concealed and transported. Also, inflation-proof."

She shakes her head, and asks, "Why keep all this at home? Why not in a bank?"

I can see that she truly does not understand the kind of existence that would require such precautions. I try to explain it to her by saying, "Sookie, one lesson I have learned the hard way is to always be prepared. You never know when you might need to disappear into the night... and believe me, it is much better to have some assets with you when you do."

I can feel the small jolt of fear that runs through her as she asks, "You aren't expecting any trouble, are you?"

The truth is that I am _always_ expecting trouble, it is my nature... and maybe why I have survived so long. Actually, something _is_ worrying me, just a tiny bit. I have been hearing increasing grumblings among the vampires about problems with Fairies, and the last time it got like this, it eventually turned into an all-out war. Nothing concrete has been said, exactly; it is just a feeling of mine... and one that I sincerely hope is baseless. Although primarily I am rounding up my treasures and moving them to Valhalla because I want to make a home with Sookie, in the very back corner of my mind, I feel the need to start stock-piling my liquid assets, just in case... Nonetheless, the whole thing is much too nebulous to mention at this point, especially given my Bonded's rather unique family situation. There is absolutely no call to worry her, just yet.

In fact, I try to reassure her that we are, by vampire standards, as secure as we possibly can be. This is nothing less than the complete truth... which is of course one of the main reasons I chose to risk everything to become King. However, just because we are in a position of relative safety right now does not mean that I am going to be remiss in my duties as her Bonded. She is so young, and ill prepared for this life into which I have dragged her. I am determined to teach her everything she needs to know to survive under any circumstances, and I tell her as much. She is so much a part of me now that I could not bear it if anything happened to her; and also, in the unlikely event of my own final death, I want her to be able to take care of herself without me. For both of our sakes, I realize that it is time to teach her more than just physical pleasures, and I vow to begin as soon as we return from Las Vegas. She looks so innocent sitting here next to me, gazing at me so seriously with her beautiful blue eyes. A wave of pure love for this unique, wonderful creature pours through me. I kiss her, and say sincerely, "You are so young. I have much I want to teach you, about so many things."

She looks a little worried, and says quite seriously, "I love you, Eric."

I know she must be able to feel how very much I love her through our magical Bond, but I tell her anyway, "And I love you. Now, it is getting late, and it is a long drive back to Valhalla."

We put the rest of the contents of the safe in her handbag, load up my things, and head to our home in the country.

*****

The drive is uneventful, and Sookie falls asleep not long after leaving the last house. I have noticed that she seems to be sleeping more lately, which is probably good for her. I was hoping that she would not wake when we got home, and I could just carry her to bed, but as soon as the car comes to a stop, her eyes pop open. She heads to the door, and I unload the box with the money in it, leaving the rest for later. I head to the library, and open up the safe there. I sense that it is high time to show her this little feature of our home, so I demonstrate how the panel works, and then tell her the combination. I have set it to be something that neither of us is likely to ever forget, the date of of our real Second Bonding. There are a few other special features of this house that I have yet to show her, but we have plenty of time for that later.

As soon as I finish transferring my items into it, I close the safe and make sure it is properly concealed. I am just about to take my Lover off to bed, when I hear a vampire approaching the house. I listen very carefully, to see if I should be concerned. I doubt it, because whoever it might be is making way too much noise. Anyone wishing us harm would be much more stealthy. When I hear the light knocking on the front door, I realize that it must be one of our guards. It must be important, or the guard would never risk disturbing me. Just as a precaution, I send Sookie down to our nearly impenetrable chamber. As soon as my Bonded is safely down the stairway, I set the electronic lock and then shut the concealing panel. I go to the front door, where I can see one of our guards waiting patiently on the front porch. His name is Joseph, and like all of my Royal Guards, has been chosen for his fierce fighting ability and loyalty to me. He bows, and I nod back; and then I ask, "Yes? What is it?"

"I thought you would want to know, sir," he answers, "About an hour ago, you had a visitor."

What? A visitor, here? Until now, the locations of my houses have been completely unknown; therefore, I am totally unaccustomed to uninvited guests. The location of Valhalla, while not yet common knowledge, is not exactly secret. Still, no vampire in their right mind would come to the Royal Residence uninvited. Curiously, I ask the guard, "...and who would that be?"

In spite of the events earlier in the evening, I am still unprepared for his answer. He answers, "A female vampire who gave her name as Sabriel. She said she was a friend of yours, and asked to be let in. I told her that you were not in, and then she asked to..." He hesitated a moment, and then continued. "...she _demanded_ to speak to "that human barmaid of his." Sir, I told her that she should show our Queen more respect!" His eyes glowed in anger when he said it, and I could tell that this was one vampire not subject to Sabriel's charms.

Instantly, a cold wave of anger rolls over me. I growl, "... and then what?"

"She said she would just wait, but I told her that you and the Queen do not always stay here, and you were not expected here this evening," he said, "I am sorry if I did wrong."

Struggling to maintain a calm exterior, I say, "You did exactly right. She is _never_ to be admitted here, under any circumstances. Are we clear?"

"Yes, my King. I understand perfectly," he said with a sharp nod of his head.

I dismiss him by saying, "You did well to bring this to my attention. Now, I believe I will take a walk around the grounds before dawn."

He bows and returns to his post by the front gates. I take off in the direction of the lake, to work off some steam. As soon as I am through the iron gate in the fence, I phone Pam. She answers on the second ring, and says, "Yes, Master?"

Getting directly to the point, I ask her, "What happened?"

In that calm voice of hers, she drawls, "Oh, it was loads of fun! I delayed Sabriel with excuses as long as I could, but once she realized you were gone, she threw an absolute fit. I thought Atticus and I were going to have to physically throw her out, but fortunately it did not come to that. As you well know, the last time we had to throw a vampire out, several humans were injured trying to get out of the way, and we had to close the bar down for repairs for nearly a week."

Barely controlling my rage, I tell my child, "She came by Valhalla, about an hour before we got here. Can you believe it?"

"Of course I can." Pam says coolly, "Eric, you really need to tell Sookie. There is no telling what Sabriel will do next."

I am _not_ going to be pushed into a corner by the likes of Sabriel. Robert is right. The best thing I can do is confront her and get this whole thing settled; and the sooner, the better. Icily, I tell Pam, "No, absolutely not. My Bonded has been through quite enough lately, and I refuse to upset her with something like this. I am going to call Sabriel, and get this settled, in no uncertain terms."

Pam is quiet for a minute, and I know she wants to argue, but knows better. Finally she says, "Very well. Anything else?"

In a more civil tone, I answer, "No. I will speak to you tomorrow."

I hang up, and then dial a number I thought I would never use again. Almost immediately, Sabriel answers. Her very proper British accent comes over the line as she says, "Well, well, well. The disappearing vampire. It is about time you returned my calls."

Coldly, I say, "Sabriel, what exactly do you want?"

"What do I want?" she purrs, "I just want to see you, my darling, that's all."

As rudely as I possibly can, I retort, "Have I not made it clear that I do not have any interest in seeing you?"

Now she tries to sound as if I have hurt her feelings. It doesn't work, because I know full well that she has none. She says, "Now, Eric, my love, don't be that way. Give me a chance. You can't avoid me forever... you and your little human. I bet that you haven't even bothered to tell her about us. Poor creature."

Hearing the veiled threat in Sabriel's words, it becomes obvious that I am going to have to either meet with her or kill her, to get her to stop. Right now, the second choice is quite appealing. However, even a King cannot kill another vampire with impunity... that is, if they are caught doing it. Roughly, I say, "There is no "us." Is there nothing I can say to make you go away?"

From the receiver comes a peel of musical laughter. "No!" she says merrily, "You know me better than that! I _always_ get what I want, and right now that is to see you. I am _not_ going away until I do. Let me meet you at Fangtasia tomorrow night. Better leave your pet at home, though. By the way, that is a beautiful house you have. I can't wait to see the inside."

The very idea of Sabriel setting one foot inside Valhalla revolts me. She will _never_ see the inside, not even if I have to burn it to the ground first! Equally revolting is the thought of her running into Sookie at Fangtasia, and I refuse to allow the threat of confrontation to keep my Bonded from her rightful place at my side. This meeting needs to be in a much less public forum that Fangtasia, and I can think of only one way to keep Sabriel from going back there. Reluctantly, I say, "Very well, I will meet with you, but not at the club. Meet me at the house in the country."

"Perfect! Just the place," she coos, "How clever of you, darling! How about 2 hours after sunset? That should give both of us plenty of time to get there."

I can tell by the tone in her voice that she thinks she has won, by my choice of locations. I have chosen it for a different reason than she imagines, however. If I cannot convince her to go away and leave me and mine in peace, I will just kill her and be done with it. As I well know, that particular house is perfect for that sort of thing... it was specifically picked because of its isolation. I say, "No. It will have to be much later."

We set a time for our meeting, and finally Sabriel says, "I promise you, I will make it worth your while. Until tomorrow night, my beautiful King."

I snap my phone shut without bothering to say goodbye. Ye gods! What a complete and total bitch! What on earth did I ever see in her in the first place? Pam had hated her on sight, which should have told me something. Ah well, there is no going back... however, this matter _will_ be settled tomorrow, one way or another. At this point, I am almost hoping that Sabriel _doesn't_ give up....

After spending a bit more time roaming around the lake, I return to our home and go quietly into our chamber. I slip into bed with my Beloved, spoon up behind her sleeping body, and pull her tightly to me. "Du är min, och jag älskar dig," I whisper gently in her ear, hoping that someday soon she will understand me; and then I repeat it in English, for good measure. Dawn approaches, and as on so many nights before, I am soothed my my angel's heartbeat fluttering gently against my chest, and her slow, even breaths. Before long, I fall into my own slumber.


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of all of these wonderful characters._

Chapter 11

Sookie's POV Monday 

The next day, I managed to wake fairly early. I had made plans to go shopping with Claudine today to find some dresses for the upcoming trip to Las Vegas. According to what Eric had told me last night, Sandy was sending her private jet to pick us up on Wednesday afternoon. Eric was supposed to be a sort of guest of honor, I supposed because they had split Felipe's old Kingdom between the two of them. This Coronation was apparently a big deal, since they didn't happen all that often; and this one was slated to be a several day event. Formal activities were planned for both Thursday and Fridays nights, leading up to the big Coronation Ceremony on Saturday evening. Unfortunately, even though I had never been to Las Vegas, I just couldn't seem to get excited about this trip. It wasn't just because I was tired of traveling, either. Something about going to see the place that I had very nearly ended up being forced to live as a part of Felipe's Royal Nest creeped me out. Also, although Sandy had never been anything but polite to me, I didn't trust her as far as I could throw her. I had discovered long ago that vampire females were every bit as devious and twisty as the males, and I planned to be on my guard at all times.

As I lay in bed, I took stock of my body and realized that even though I had gotten plenty of sleep I still felt a little tired, and not really all that great. Not bad, exactly, just not great. Reluctantly, I hauled my ashes out of bed and went to dress. After a quick shower, I picked out a cute flowered sun dress that I had not worn in a while, because it would look really good with the jewelry that Faeryn had made for me. Because this time of year was so screwy temperature-wise, I threw a sweater over my shoulders just in case. As I fastened on my jewelry, I looked at the beautiful stones in complete fascination as the delicate pink and gold bands of color swirled around under the glossy surface. Before I left the room, I went over and sat on the side of the bed next to my sleeping vampire. He was still on his side, facing away from me. He was uncovered, and I could not resist running my hand down his firm muscular flank. Honestly, I had the odd, almost overwhelming desire to pull off my clothes and slide right back up next to his cool body. I hesitated a moment. Claudine was not supposed to be here for over an hour, so after a lengthy internal debate, I finally gave up. Slipping the sweater and dress off, I draped them at the end of the bed; and then crawled in, cuddled up behind him, and pulled the covers over both of us.

For a few minutes I just lay there and realized ho much better I felt now that I was actually touching Eric's body. How weird was that? Brushing my Viking's long hair away from his neck, I nuzzled it and breathed in his special scent. Strangely, I found that I absolutely couldn't resist the urge to lick him right in the curve of his neck. Immediately, the feel and taste of his skin set off an intense longing to taste his blood. It had now been nearly two weeks since I had taken any, and I really, really missed it. I thought about how the thick, sweet blood tasted when it hit my tongue; and how good it made me feel when its magic began to spread through my body. Idly, I wondered if the pain of my dull bite would wake my vampire from his rest...

Suddenly, I snapped myself out of it. What was I thinking? Was I _really_ that addicted to Eric's blood, that getting some was all I could think about? For one thing, I still wasn't sure if drinking too much was causing my weight loss. On top of that, he still was not taking any from me, and I would be darned if I would take any from him until he did. Besides, there were probably laws against molesting unsuspecting vampires in their sleep!

Totally disgusted with myself, I got up and rapidly re-dressed. I made sure Eric was covered, and then gave him one last quick pat. Grabbing my purse, I went upstairs and to the kitchen to make myself some coffee and a bowl of fruit and yogurt. It was still too early for Juanita to be around; but as I was gazing absently out of the bank of windows facing the back yard, I saw the grounds keeper Hector, who appeared to be laying out a shape for my rose garden. It was a brilliant, sunny day, so I wandered out and talked to him while I caught a few rays on my face. I told him how happy I was with his efforts so far. He pulled out some new sketches to show me some of his other ideas, and it looked like he had some great plans. I told him that after the rose garden was done, I wanted him to start on the night-blooming garden for Eric next; and also asked if he could put some blooming pot plants around the pool area.

Not long after that, it was time for Claudine show up, so I went back inside and waited. At exactly the appointed time, I heard the doorbell ring, so I went to open the front door. There stood my cousin on the front porch, as beautiful as ever, and with a huge smile on her face. I was so happy to see her! We gave each other a big hug. "Welcome to Valhalla!" I exclaimed. "You are my first official visitor! Come on in!"

She stepped into the entry hall, and took a good look around. Seemingly impressed, she said, "Sookie, this is really lovely! This is a beautiful house."

I gave her the grand tour, and eventually ended up in the sun room. As we stood staring out of the big windows overlooking the pool, she hugged me again, and stroked my arm. She looked me over carefully, and gave me one of her extra special Fairy smiles. She said, "I see that Faeryn has given you some of her special jewelry. It suits you."

"Yes, it was really sweet of her," I replied, "She is very talented."

Claudine gave me a sly look and asked, "So, what do you think of the stones she used?"

Enthusiastically, I answered, "Amazing! Of course, I had never seen anything like that before! Do all the stones in the Portal swirl like that?"

"I wasn't sure if you could see it or not," Claudine said, obviously pleased. "I should have known better. You are _definitely_ a Brigant!"

Unsure of what the big deal was, I said, "Why? Even Eric could see it."

In disbelief, she said, "Your vampire... can see the true colors in the stones? And that they move?"

"Yes, I guess so. You know, Claudine, I told you before that he was getting immune to Fairy smell. Faeryn even had dinner with us on our honeymoon, and he didn't try to catch her once."

My godmother looked thoughtful, and then said, "Sookie, this is really unheard of... I don't know another vampire that has _ever_ been able to see the stones from the Portal properly. And immunity to our smell... completely unknown, as far as I know."

"Faeryn seems to think it is because of our frequent blood exchanges, and also the Second Bond," I explained.

At the mention of the blood exchange, I unexpectedly felt a wave of pure loss roll through me; and out of the blue, I could feel myself beginning to tear up. Giving me a piercing look, Claudine said gently, "Sookie, I can see that you are sad. You are looking thinner, too. Is your vampire making you unhappy? Should I speak to the Prince?"

The _last_ person I wanted to hear about any of this was Niall, but Claudine was my fairy godmother; so I guess if I could talk my troubles over with anybody, it would be her. I said, "Please don't mention it to Niall. It is really nothing to worry about! I _have_ been losing weight, and Eric seems to think he has been taking too much of my blood, so he has stopped feeding from me for awhile. _I _think it might be that I have taken too much of _his_ blood, and so I am not taking any from him. It just makes me... a little out of sorts. Other than that, he's a great husband. I'm really very happy with Eric!"

She looked at me doubtfully, but said, "Well, obviously I don't really know all that much about blood exchanges, but if you are _sure_ you are doing the right thing... However, if things get any worse, you have to promise to tell me right away. I'm still responsible for you, you know. Now, I guess we had better get on the road, if we are to get any shopping done before sunset. I know how antsy the Viking gets when you are out of pocket after dark."

To save time, she had "popped" here from Monroe. My car was in the old carriage house that had been converted into a garage, so we walked out to it and got in. I drove down and pulled up to the gates as they slowly swung open, and Cooper stepped out of the guard shack. He came up to my window, and peered in. Of course, he had already met Claudine once before. Since he was a Were, I knew perfectly well that he could tell she was a Fairy, so it was probably no surprise to him that he hadn't exactly let her _in_ the gates that he was now letting her _out _of_. _He gave her that glazed-over look that all men gave my cousin, and said, "Hello, ladies! Do you need an escort today?"

"No thanks!" I said cheerfully, "We're just going into Shreveport to do some shopping."

Instead of arguing, he just grinned, and said mildly, "You ladies have a nice time shopping."

With that, I rolled up the window, and punched it! Apparently Eric's driving habits were rubbing off on me, because we got to Shreveport in a record amount of time. Our first stop was once again the printers. This time, we went in and picked out some samples for the invitations for Eric's Coronation. Next, we hit some of the nicer dress shops that Claudine knew, and we both tried on dresses and outfits until we were completely exhausted. Now I knew where the phrase, "Shop 'til you drop" came from! From past experience, I had known before I ever left the house that I would be missing my vampire like crazy because of being away from him, but I was determined to grin and bear it; and every time it got a little overwhelming I would just tell myself sternly that it was just the Bond at work, and I could stand it a little longer. By the end of the day, I had managed to buy one cocktail dress, one evening gown, and a couple of more casual outfits. I figured I could wear the dress I had worn to the Sheriff's ball again, so I would be covered. Claudine had come up with some really nice things, too, so I felt our trip had been a huge success. As the salesclerk was ringing up our last purchase, I glanced at my watch and realized how late it was. I knew Eric would be rising soon, and that when he saw that I wasn't home, he would check his phone for messages; so I texted him, "_Call me when U wake. Luv, S._"

Sure enough, the sun was not quite down when my vampire called me. Without preamble, he said, "Where are you? Are you all right?"

He sounded a little wigged out. I supposed I _had_ forgotten to tell him I would be out shopping with Claudine, since I had planned on being home long before he rose. "Of course!" I said. "Claudine and I are out shopping in Shreveport, and time just got away from me. I found some dresses, though, and picked up some samples for your invitations."

In a calmer tone, Eric said, "Very well. Since you are already in town, just meet me at the club."

My tummy was rumbling a bit, and I realized I hadn't eaten a thing since the fruit and yogurt that morning. "Okay, but I think Claudine and I might stop and get something to eat first," I said, "Will you let Juanita know that I won't be eating at home tonight?"

"Yes. Perhaps it will do you good to have dinner with Claudine. Enjoy yourself, and I will see you later."

We said our goodbyes, and then my cousin and I went and ate a nice dinner at a nearby restaurant. As much as I was enjoying Claudine's company, though, I was starting to get antsy to see my vampire, and I was glad when we were both done with our food. I think Claudine could tell that I was anxious, because she kept looking at me and smirking just a little. As soon as I paid the bill, we got into the Escalade and drove the short distance to Fangtasia. Even though it was still fairly early on a Monday evening, the front lot was already full. Because of our Bond I could tell that Eric was already here, and sure enough, I could see the Corvette parked in his customary spot. Luckily the space next to it was empty, so I pulled in and parked the Escalade. Of course, Claudine was not going inside with me, so we gave each other big hugs, and she grabbed all her shopping bags. Before she poofed herself back to Monroe, she said, "Take better care of yourself, please! And if that vampire gets out of hand, you call me!"

"I will be just fine!" I declared, laughing, "I feel better already!" It was true. Just being around her all day had lifted my spirits considerably, and now that I was about to see my vampire I was as chipper as a lark. My cousin wiggled her fingers in one last goodbye, and popped on home. As soon as she was gone, I locked my car, went in through the club's back door, and hurried down the hallway towards Eric's office. The door was partially opened, so I tapped lightly and went in. Much to my surprise, my vampire was standing in the middle of his office, wearing what appeared to be a new suit, and a small oriental man was kneeling at his feet pinning the hem of the pants. Startled, I said, "Oh... excuse me!"

Eric gave me one of his best mega-watt Viking smiles, and said, "Come in, my Love. Sookie, this is my tailor, Mr. Hsu. Hsu, this is my wife, Sookie."

Mr. Hsu, whose mouth was full of pins, smiled, nodded, and mumbled something around the pins which sounded like, "Preased to meet you, Madam."

"Hsu here is just finishing up a suit and a new tuxedo for me to take to Las Vegas," explained my vampire, "He relocated here from Hong Kong to be with his daughter, and can make a wonderful suit in an astonishingly short amount of time."

By now, the little man had removed the pins from his mouth, and said, "Yes, Mista Elic neva change size, you see. Vely easy to fit. Same same, alla time."

I hid a smile behind my hand. I guessed that was one big benefit of being a vampire; unlike most humans, you never changed sizes! Maybe that was why Eric was making such a big deal over me losing a little weight; it just seemed so _weird_ to him! In any event, apparently Mr. Hsu was done, because he stood up, and said, "Hokay, Mista Elic, you done."

"Thank you, Hsu.," Eric said, "Three shirts for each, I think."

The little tailor said, "Yes, yes. You have tomollow night."

"Splendid!" exclaimed the Viking. Even though his office door was still partially open and absolutely anyone could be walking by, he unconcernedly stripped off the suit and slid back on his slacks and shoes. He was wearing a silky, dark red shirt, which I absolutely adored him in... it made him good enough to eat! Yum! Mr. Hsu waited patiently until the vampire handed him the coat and pants of the dark blue suit, and then he picked up what looked to be a white tuxedo which had been laid across a nearby chair. Without saying another word, he bowed once to Eric, then to me, and slipped by me out the door.

"Why three shirts?" I asked curiously.

Eric grinned and said, "My Bonded has a tendency to be rough on my shirts. I believe in being prepared."

I made a face at him. I had not ruined one of his shirts in a long time! He said, "Come here, Lover, I missed you earlier."

I started across the room, but as soon as I got about three-quarters of the way across, immediately my vampire's fangs slid out and his eyes began to dilate. Oh crap! I had been expecting just about _anything_ but that reaction! I knew I had been with Claudine all day, but it had been months since my cousin's smell had bothered him a bit. I started backing away immediately, and had to control my serious urge to poof away to safety. The minute Eric saw the fear on my face, though, he seemed to get a grip on himself. With a stricken look, he said uncertainly, "Beloved, wait! I do not know what has happened, but... come no closer. I do not think our Bond would allow me to seriously hurt you, but let us not take a chance."

We were standing completely still, staring at each other, when Pam came rushing through the door in her usual fashion. She came to a halt, and immediately took one big sniff of the air. Instantly, her fangs shot out, her eyes dilated, and she began sidling closer to me, a dreamy smile on her face. I felt like a mouse caught between two competing cats. Quite crossly, I ordered loudly, "Hey! You guys need to snap out of it! Pam, go back to the bar. I'm going to take a shower. Give me a few minutes, and then bring me something to wear, please."

Pam hesitated just a minute, until Eric said sharply, "Pamela, obey your Mistress."

Obediently, Pam turned and left the room. Sighing, I left my overly-stimulated husband in his office and walked down the hall to the locker room, peeled myself out of my fairy-scented clothes, and took a quick shower. Just as I was steeping out, Pam came in with a towel, a shirt, and a rather sheepish look on her face. Apologetically, she said, "Sorry, Sookie." She even had the grace not to leer at my naked body, a first for her.

"Not your fault," I said kindly, "I should have known better. I'll be more careful from now on."

After giving me the towel and watching me dry off, she handed me one of Eric's long-sleeved shirts. I slipped it on, and rolled up the long, long sleeves. The petite blond vampire smiled charmingly, her dimples flashing. "My Master keeps those here mainly in the hopes of occasions such as this," she stated confidentially, "He will be pleased. You look quite fetching."

Fetching? That made me sound like my name should be "Rover" or "Spot," but I could tell she was trying to be complimentary. Shoving my fairy-scented clothes and shoes into a trash bag, I tied the sack up tightly... just in case. I dashed barefoot back down the hall back to Eric's office, before any wandering bar patrons could see me running around in nothing but my vampire's shirt. Eric was sitting on the edge of his desk, waiting for me. He stood as I entered the room, and said immediately, "My angel, I'm sorry if I frightened you."

"It's all right, we had no way of knowing," I said with a sigh, "I guess I had better not have any of my relatives over for dinner for awhile, since I don't want them to _be_ the dinner."

He smiled ruefully, and said, "I suppose that answers the question of whether the immunity is permanent. It must disappear rapidly when I do not take your blood on a regular basis."

I had removed my jewelry for my shower, and was holding it in one hand. Suddenly, I had an idea. I told him, "Eric, take a look at the stones, and tell me what you see."

He came over and took the necklace, and looked at it closely. He said, "It is no longer moving. It is now just a pale pink, with no streaks of gold."

"Good," I said with satisfaction, "When things are back to normal, we can use this like a... Fairy barometer. If you can see it swirling, my Fairy friends should be okay."

Eric laughed, and said, "Trust you to think of something so clever. Now, my sweet fairy, let your vampire kiss you. I promise to behave... for awhile."

I slid into his arms, and he did his level best to set my hair on fire with his kisses. His big hands were roaming all over, too. He whispered, "You wanted to know what the other four fantasies were. This is one of them. You look adorable in my shirt."

The Viking was quickly getting both of us aroused, but the memory of the embarrassing interruption from the night before was still fresh in my mind. I broke away, and said firmly, "No way, Buddy. No more sex in this office until we get a lock on that door."

My amorous vampire growled deep in his chest, and pulled me back in for one last kiss. "All right," he sighed heavily, "We _do_ have some things to attend to. Come with me."

Walking back around his desk, he sat in his chair, and then pulled me into his lap. He said, "We need to get started on your gown for my Coronation. Let's call Anthony now."

Eric put in a call to the costume maker, and when he had gotten him on the line, he said, "Anthony? Eric Northman here... yes, I am, thank you... As a matter of fact, that is why I am calling. The Bonding gown that you made for Sookie was quite spectacular, and I would like for you to design a gown for her for my Coronation Ceremony... it will be held in New Orleans in about a month. Yes, I agree, she will make the perfect Queen!"

While he was talking, my vampire was absently playing with my hair with his free hand. After listening for a minute, he continued, "It should be very elaborate, in the traditional colors of gold and white. I want it to be elegant, but also alluring..."

He was very specific in his ideas of the perfect dress. I was completely amused. My last dress had been designed by a Knight, this one by a Viking. Unbelievable! Anthony agreed to come up with some designs, and email them to us as soon as possible. They went on to make arrangements for Anthony and his vampire to come down a few days before the ceremony and do the fittings. While they were talking it occurred to me that I knew absolutely nothing about this ceremony, and if the Second Bonding Ceremony had taught me anything, it was... ask plenty of questions beforehand. Once he was off the phone, I asked fearfully, "Uh... Eric? There aren't any parts of this ceremony that I would object to, are there? No consummations, or...?"

Chuckling, he said, "What is the matter? I seem to recall you rather enjoyed our last public ceremony. In fact, I think your exact words were, "Eric! Oh, god!"

Ack! Trust him to remember something like that! Immediately, I turned red as a beet and buried my face in his chest in embarrassment. He hugged me to him and laughed out loud. With absolutely no real remorse whatsoever, he said, "I'm sorry, my Lover. I am a bad vampire to tease you. To answer your question, no, there is nothing in this ceremony that you will object to... as far as I know."

Spoken like a true vampire, always leaving themselves an out. I was just opening my mouth to make a snappy comeback, when a knock came at the door. It opened, and Pam appeared. I couldn't believe that she had actually knocked! She must be on her best behavior to make up for our earlier "close encounter." She came in, plopped herself down in the chair in front of Eric's desk, and sighed in frustration. "We are already over capacity for tonight. I told Atticus to keep a strict count," she announced.

Eric nodded, and I figured now was the perfect time to bring up my plan."I have an idea," I said, "Let me show you."

I got up and pulled my sketches out of my purse, along with the invitation samples, which I set aside. I laid the papers out on Eric's desk and began, "Fangtasia needs to expand its capacity, and we also need more space for additional staff for Kingdom business. This is what I think might be the solution..."

I explained my plan to buy the building behind us, enclose the space in between as a partially covered patio area, and use most of the other building for offices and extra storage, and maybe even another bar area. Both of my vampires listened intently, but said nothing at first. They looked at the plans, and then each other. I said uncertainly, "Well, it was just an idea..."

Pam was the first to speak. She said, "Sookie, you never cease to amaze me. Master, why did we not think of this? It should work!"

Eric broke into a huge smile, and exclaimed, "My Queen is as brilliant as she is beautiful! Let us go and look at the site."

I was just about to go trouping out of the office with them, when I remembered what I was wearing. I said, "Sorry, guys. I am a bit under-dressed, here. I can't exactly go traipsing out through the front. Follow me."

Sticking my head out and making sure no one was coming down the hall, I dashed for the storeroom door. Once inside, I asked Eric to open the door into the alleyway. We walked out into the area in question, and my two vampires walked around and looked at everything as I showed them where I thought things might go. Because I was still barefoot, having tied even my shoes up in the trash bag, I had to walk gingerly, watching every step; so mainly I just stood in on place and pointed. They peered into the windows of the back of the other building. Finally, Eric said, "I will call Cataliades, and have him check into zoning ordinances, and inquire about the building. I think this might work quite nicely."

Pam nodded in agreement. The night was a little chilly for me to be out in nothing but a shirt, and especially barefoot, and before I knew it Eric had swooped me up and carried me back inside. We went straight back to Eric's office, and on the way, Pam said, "We can start on this as soon as we get back from Las Vegas. Speaking of Las Vegas, Sookie, did you buy any dresses yet?"

"Yes, they are in my car," I replied, "I got a dark green one, and a really pretty black one, and a couple of casual things, too."

Pam asked, "What about the white gown? For the Coronation."

Confused, I said, "Eric just talked to Anthony..."

"That was for _our_ ceremony, not this weekend," Eric said patiently, "Did I not mention that you needed one of the gowns to be white?"

Somewhat frustrated, I said, "No, you didn't."

"I must have forgotten to tell you," he said, and then explained, "At the Coronation, only monarchs are allowed to wear white and gold, the traditional color of vampire Royalty. As my Queen, that would included you, and that is exactly what I want you to wear."

"Not black?" I asked in surprise, "I would have thought vampire Royalty would have been swathed in black, just like at the parade."

Eric shook his head, and said, "That was for the tourists."

"I'm sorry, honey," I said, apologetically, "I guess I can go back out shopping tomorrow, but honestly I can't promise I can find one."

Pam piped up and said, "Master, they have wonderful shops in Vegas. Let us take Sookie shopping after we get there."

"That is exactly what we will do," Eric said with a smile, "I will enjoy getting to choose."

By now we were back in his office, so he set me down, and I picked up the sample invitations and handed them to Eric. After looking them over, he picked his favorite, handed it to Pam, and she nodded her approval. "I will go place the order online right now, she stated, "I will have them sent directly to the calligrapher, and email her the intended guest list."

I had always wondered how they managed to have invitations sent out so quickly, and now I knew. She went out the door with a wave, and shut the door firmly behind her. The minute she was gone, my vampire said, "Now, I have one more important piece of business to take handle this evening. Lover, will you hand me that file folder there?"

Eric was sitting in his chair behind his desk, and I was standing next to him. He could very well reach it himself, but I obligingly bent across the desk to grab it. The minute I did, I could feel his big cool hand start to run lightly up the interior of one of my legs, and then down the other. Just that light touch sent chills all over me. He said softly, "You are driving me wild in that shirt. The least you can do is let me play a little."

Despite my earlier rule about no sex in his office, it _was _just a little playing, after all... and besides, I did still have some clothes on. The way he was touching me felt so good, I leaned onto my forearms, and willingly parted my legs a little more. For once, my amorous vampire had no barriers to mess with, since my panties had gone in the trash bag along with everything else. It worked in my favor, too: it was one less pair that would be ripped into shreds. Eric continued to explore my legs just using his fingertips, coming ever closer to my mound, but not quite touching it. My little hootchie was absolutely aching for his touch. After teasing me unmercifully for awhile, he lifted the tail of the shirt, and began to lightly stroke my bottom.

Still seated in his chair, Eric rolled it around so that he placed himself directly behind me. He leaned forward, and began to lick and nip at my butt. Just the feel of his fangs sent me into overdrive, and I moaned. Reaching between my legs, my vampire finally began to stroke my nub and run his fingers up into my wet center. In practically no time at all, I was bucking back against his hand and shuddering with pleasure as I climaxed; but as soon as I caught my breath, I realized that I wanted more... immediately! I turned around and unbuttoned Eric's sexy red shirt shirt, and then leaned down and freed his rock-hard erection from his trousers.

Wantonly climbing up on his lap, I knelt over his waiting hardness and positioned him under me; and then lowered myself onto him slowly, the way I knew he liked best. I caught and held his gaze with my own, and gave him the sexiest smile I owned. I could tell by the expression on his face that he was totally enjoying the fact that for once, _I_ was taking charge. He reached up and unbuttoned the shirt I was wearing, and said huskily, "I want to see your breasts. They are too perfect to be covered." He held them in his hands, and rolled my nipples between his fingers. His touch felt so good, I rolled my head back and moaned, "Ah, kiss them, honey..." Obligingly, he took his time sucking each nipple into his mouth, and I could feel the sharp points of his fangs just grazing the skin; which of course just heated me up even further. Once he was done kissing my breasts, he cupped my bottom in his big hands, to steady and guide me. I found I just couldn't stay still any longer, so I proceeded to give him just what he had been after all evening... So much for no sex in his office!

By the way the Viking was growling deep in his chest, I could tell he was really enjoying the whole experience. His beautiful eyes were blazing and I could feel his intense passion through our Bond. In a low voice, he said, "Go slow, Lover, make it last."

For a few minutes, I tried; but he just felt so good inside me that I began to move faster. Eric's eyes began to glaze over and I knew we were both ready... so I rode him even harder. Just as I felt the waves of my orgasm begin, he threw he head back and groaned loudly, "Ahhh! Sookie! Ahhh!" I could feel him release inside me, and he held my hips down tightly against him as he filled me. As soon as the shock waves subsided, I collapsed on him, panting. He wrapped both arms around me, and hugged me to him tightly. After a moment, he regained his senses, and whispered in my ear, "Two fantasies down, three to go."

"I think you enjoyed this one just fine," I said, chuckling, "In fact, I believe your exact words were, "Ahhh! Sookie! Ahhh!"

Eric laughed, and said, "Touché, my love."

After giving him one last kiss, I climbed down off his lap, and buttoned my shirt. I sneaked back down the hall to the locker room once more, and got cleaned up for the second time that evening. When I returned to Eric's office, he was just shutting down his computer. He stood and said, "Unfortunately, I have a meeting to attend. I will meet you at Valhalla later."

Since I really hadn't wanted to hang around the bar all night clad in nothing but a shirt, that suited me just fine. Agreeably, I said, "Okay, I have my own car anyway."

He grabbed his leather jacket and began to put in on. "Would you like for me to summon your guards?" he asked, "Are they in the front?"

I laughed and said, "Guards? What guards?"

Uh oh. Instantly, those Viking eyebrows had come together in a serious frown. Sharply, he asked, "What do you mean, what guards? Sookie, please tell me you have not been running around unprotected! Since when?"

Clearly, he was upset. Completely surprised at his reaction, I replied, "Uh... since we got back from New Orleans?"

Boy, he looked... mad! Eric said heatedly, "Have I taught you nothing? Sookie, you are my Queen! You _must_ be protected!"

Now I was getting a little hot, myself... and not in a good way. "Our deal from the very beginning was that after we got rid of Madden, I would be safe, and things would go back to normal," I retorted, "He's gone, you're King... who could _possibly_ be after me now?"

In exasperation, the Viking said, "That agreement was made before I decided to take back the Kingdom. As the human wife of a vampire King, you are a huge target! You should know that!"

I spit out, "Well, I don't see _you_ going around with any guards! Just because you are the almighty Viking, doesn't mean _you_ are not a target! And if you haven't forgotten, I can take care of myself, now!"

He had crossed his arms firmly across that broad chest of his, and his blue eyes were blazing in anger. "I am over a thousand years old, and know perfectly well when I need guards, and when I don't.," he growled, "You, on the other hand, are an infant. Your ability to protect yourself is still quite unreliable. Let there be an end to this! I am your Bonded, and I know best when it comes to your safety. You _will_ have guards."

Infant! I was a full-grown woman, thank you very much! Just because he was my Bonded, didn't mean he was the boss of me! And my magic was coming along just fine! I was just opening my mouth with an angry reply, when the door opened and Pam came hurrying in. She slid in between the two of us, held up her hands like a referee, and said, "All right, you two. Every vampire in the bar is enjoying this argument immensely. Unless you want to share more information about Sookie than is prudent, I suggest you both calm down." She gave us both a warning look.

Suddenly, I realized we _were_ close to shouting at each other; and with vampire hearing, I'm sure they really _could_ hear every word... oh, dear. Pam said soothingly, "Sookie, let me take you home. I have not had a chance to see Valhalla. My Master tells me it is beautiful."

Briefly, I thought about popping myself back home, just to make a point; but two things stopped me. One, I wanted to be mature about this; and two, it was a long way and I wasn't completely sure I could make it that far. Uneasily, I envisioned myself out in the middle of someone's cow pasture, clad in nothing but Eric's shirt.

With as much dignity as I could muster, I said stiffly, "Fine. But I'm driving."

I grabbed my purse and my garbage bag full of clothes, and turned to go without another word to my vampire. Just before I made it out the door, I felt Eric's arms wrap themselves around me from behind, and he whispered in my ear, "Beloved, let us not part in anger. I love you, and I only want to keep you safe."

I stood completely still in his arms, and let our feelings sort themselves out through our Bond. I could tell he was still miffed, as was I; but underlying that was love, and concern. Gradually, I relaxed. I turned to face him, and said, "I love you, too. We can settle this later, when we have both had time to calm down. I'll see you at home, later." He nodded his agreement, and then kissed me goodbye.

Pam followed me out to my car. She slid in the passenger side, and almost instantly her fangs ran down. Sighing, I rolled the windows down, and hoped the residual fairy smell would be blown out of the car in a hurry. We drove in silence for awhile; the only sound was the wind whipping through the open windows. After a bit, she toggled the switch and her window slid shut. I followed suit, and it was suddenly quiet in the car. She said, "Sookie, I know you think that Eric is being overprotective. While it is true that the immediate threat to your safety has been removed, surely you must understand what you now represent. By marrying you and Twice-Bonding you, Eric has made it plain to everyone that he, in fact, loves you. Anyone wishing to harm him has only to take you, and they have an enormous weapon against him."

I had never thought of it that way. Uncertainly, I asked, "But Pam, what vampire in their right mind would go against _him_?"

"You are smart enough to realize that there are others besides vampires who might wish him harm," she said very seriously, "The Fellowship of the Sun, for one example. Sometimes, it is impossible to predict from which direction the next threat will be coming. It is much better to take suitable precautions, than to be sorry later."

I said grudgingly, "Well... I suppose so. But what frosts my pumpkin is the way that he gets all "Lord of the Manor" on me. He can't control everything about me!"

Sighing, she said, "Exactly! He _cannot_ control everything about you. Can you imagine how hard it must be for one such as he to be unable to protect you himself during the daylight hours? I can tell you... it drives him absolutely crazy."

Wow! I really had never considered how much it would get under his skin, knowing that for many hours of every day he was helpless to protect me. For a control freak like my Viking, it would be a constant source of irritation. "Pam, I guess I can see that... but guards are so... confining!" I said grumpily.

"Sookie, it looks like you are well on your way to _really_ being able to take care of yourself," she reminded me, "Even if it takes a few years, so what? You are going to live a very long time. For the rest of your life, you will then be free to do what you please. Until then, if you really love your Bonded, set his mind at ease."

Somewhat reluctantly, I said, "Maybe we can work something out. I really _don't_ want him to worry."

Our talk had lasted until we reached the gates of Valhalla. The vampire guards on duty let us in, and I pulled up in front of the house so Pam could get the full effect. I could see that Hector had already gotten around to planting some blooming annuals around the front porch steps, and they looked very pretty. Juanita had left some soft lamps burning, and the front porch lights were on, so the house had a warm and welcoming appearance. We went inside, and Pam took an appraising glance around. In surprise, she said, "This is amazing. I have not been here since before it was finished. You should have seen the place before the work was begun."

"Really?" I asked curiously, "What was it like?"

She replied, "The structure was sound, because it had been well built in the first place. Other than that, awful. The roof was about gone, it had serious water damage in places, and the rats! Ugh." She shuddered delicately. I smiled. I had thought nothing bothered Pam, but apparently she was not too fond of rodents. I said, "Come on, let me show you around!"

For the second time that day, I gave a grand tour of the house. When we got to the upstairs, which was still a work in progress, we went into one of the bedrooms. It was one of my favorites, because of the lovely woodwork and ornate fireplace it contained. Some of the antique bedroom furniture I had bought with Robert was in this room. Pam's eyes lit up, and she stroked one of the bedposts lovingly. She said, "Sookie, can you believe it? I had a bed almost exactly like this when... I was a girl."

"Wow! Really?"

Reflectively, she said, "Oh, yes. My sister was quite jealous, because hers was not as elegant. I wonder if she got it after I disappeared?" She sighed. As much as Pam loved being vampire, I could tell that sometimes she still thought about her human life. I resolved right then that I was going to fix up this room especially for her. This would be always be Pam's room, for whenever she wanted to come stay with us.

We continued our tour, and eventually wound our way back to the downstairs. As we stood staring out at the beautiful jewel-like water of the pool, she said, "You know, when Eric first bought this place, I thought he was completely crazy. I never would have imagined that it would turn out this nicely."

"All it takes is plenty of money," I said, "I can't imagine how much Eric has spent on it so far, and we aren't even done yet."

Pam laughed, and said, "Fortunately, that is really not a problem. You are aware that he was not exactly poor before, and now that he is King... well, even though Louisiana was set back by the storm, the revenue has begun flowing back in astonishingly well."

"Pam, I have to tell you, I have been poor my whole life," I admitted, "Strangely enough, having lots of money takes a little getting used to."

She caught my eye and held it. Giving me a serious look, she said, "Let me tell _you_ something. It pleases my Master greatly to give you things that you have never had before. Also, do you realize that this is the first real home he has had in over a thousand years? I do not mean just a place to rest, either, he has plenty of those... I mean, a real home. I have never seen him stay in a place for more than a few nights in a row, since he made me. Think what a gift that is to him."

Her words settled deep into my head, and my heart. As poor as we were, Gran's place had always been my sanctuary. I hoped that I could eventually make Valhalla into that sort of place for Eric, and give my wandering vampire a peaceful place to rest, at last.

Suddenly, Pam seemed to shake off her serious mood. She looked out at the pool again, and said enthusiastically, "Come on, Mistress. Let's go for a swim!"

She opened the French door, and stepped outside. I could see that Juanita had purchased the beach towels I requested and placed them in a large basket under the covered portion of the patio. Not waiting for my answer, Pam was shedding her Fangtasia-wear rapidly. Soon she stood by the poolside, completely naked. I was a little embarrassed, but she certainly wasn't. This was the first time I had seen her completely unclothed, and now I could see that her body was small, and absolutely perfect. She slid into the heated water, and said delightedly, "Oh, it is warm! How lovely! Sookie, join me!"

"Uh...I better go put on a suit," I stammered.

She laughed, flashing her dimples again. She said, "Come on, Mistress, it is just us girls. Have you never gone skinny-dipping with your friends? Even _I_ did that as a girl!"

I hesitated, and she said coaxingly, "Come on. I promise not to bite!"

She had seen me nude, on several occasions; in fact, earlier that very evening after my shower at Fangtasia. I guessed I _was _being overly modest. Slowly, I unbuttoned Eric's shirt, threw it on a nearby chair, and stepped into the warm water. It really _did_ feel good. This time, Pam's fangs had come fully down in appreciation; but she made it a point to stay well away from me, so I wouldn't get the wrong idea. After a few minutes, I forgot to be shy anymore. We proceeded to have a good time just puttering around in the warm water of the glowing pool.

It was a full moon, and a lovely evening, even though it was still just a tad cool. Suddenly, from not too far away, I could hear some howling. Instantly, Pam moved into a defensive posture in front of me. "Werewolves!" she hissed.

Calmly, I said, "Relax, Pam. They are friends of mine. I told them they can roam here, as long as they stay out of the fenced area. Besides, I am a Friend of the Pack, remember?"

She slowly relaxed, and said, "You _do_ seem to have the oddest assortment of friends. You are just a... Supe magnet! However, they should provide an extra level of protection around here, so I suppose it is just as well."

She floated on her back for awhile, and then said, "Well, it is getting late, and I suppose I should go. It is a lovely night for a run."

We both got out of the pool, and dried off. We went inside and got dressed, and then I saw her to the front porch. Much to my surprise, she leaned in and gave me a quick soft kiss on my mouth. Flashing those dimples again, she said quickly, "Goodnight, Mistress. Thank you for the swim." She turned, and ran down the front steps. By the time she hit the grass, she was moving so fast she was just a blur. I smiled, and shook my head. I really _did _seem to have the oddest assortment of friends, just like the vampire lady said.

As soon as I went back into the house, I went to the kitchen and got myself a glass of milk. I took it with me downstairs and set it on my nightstand. Going straight to the bathroom, I took a shower to rinse off the salt water from our swim, pulled a nightie over my head, and then crawled into bed. I pulled out a paperback, and tried to read a little as I sipped my milk. After I had read the same paragraph over for the third time and it still didn't sink in, I finally gave up and shut the book. There was no denying that I missed my vampire, and so I reached out through our Bond to feel him. Oddly enough, I could, but faintly. That was very, very strange, and most unsettling. I wondered what exactly he was doing, and where.

Leaning back into my pillows, I thought over our earlier fight; and then went back over the conversation with Pam. She was right. Even though it was a pain, I owed it to Eric to take precautions so that he wouldn't worry. I now felt guilty about our earlier argument, and resolved to stay awake and apologize for being... an infant, just like he said. I closed my eyes, and thought of my vampire, and how much I loved him... and I fell asleep thinking about my handsome Viking.


	12. Chapter 12

_Author's Notes:Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of all of these characters._

_**** I really wanted to get this chapter posted tonight, because today is my birthday! I would like to dedicate this chapter to my beloved mother, Carol, who died five years ago today. I was an only child, and we were very close. She was my mom, my business partner, and my best friend, and I miss her everyday. She showed me unconditional love and support my whole life. She taught me that the most important thing you can have in this life is a sense of humor! I always try to honor her memory on my birthday, so: Thanks for everything, Mom. I miss you._

_**** Now, we get to see what the Viking was up to...._

**Chapter 12 **

**Eric Monday night**

I wake, and even before I open my eyes I can tell my Bonded is not here. This time, she is not even near. I really do not care for it when she is not here where she should be. When I complain, she usually tells me I am just being a grumpy vampire, and I suppose that is true. However, besides the fact that the first thing I want to do when I rise is have our special time together, there is actually another reason as well. I have never quite gotten it out of my mind that she was missing from my side the night she was shot and nearly died. The memory of that night continues to haunt me, and even now I feel a sense of unease... I look around for any misplaced notes, and do not see any, so I decide to check my messages. Sure enough, there is a text from her that reads "_Call me when U wake. Luv, S._"

Wasting no time, I call her and ask, "Where are you? Are you all right?"

The minute I hear Sookie's cheerful voice, I relax a bit. I am relieved to find out that she is merely out shopping with her fairy cousin. Since she is already so close to the club, I tell her to just meet me there. I can tell that she is relaxed and having a good time; and I am quite happy when she tells me she wants to go to dinner with Claudine. It is really too soon to see any results of my abstinence, but I see it as a positive sign that my Bonded is apparently hungry. As soon as we say goodbye, I shower and dress, at the last minute remembering to slip on slacks. My tailor is coming to Fangtasia later, and I need the right type of shoes for him to pin the hems of my new suits.

Going upstairs, I find the housekeeper, and tell her that Sookie will not be eating here tonight. In Spanish, she says, "Sí, patrón. ¿Puedo conseguir cualquier cosa por ti?" _Yes, sir. Can I get anything for you?_

In the same language, I ask her to prepare a couple of TrueBloods for me to drink on the way to the club. While she is heating them, I remember the boxes that are still in the trunk of my car, so I retrieve them and stack them in the library. I want to swap this sword out with the one at Sookie's Shreveport house, so I leave it where it is. Somewhat absently, I begin to slip the books into their proper locations on the shelves, but while I work I cannot seem to get Sookie off my mind. I find that I am longing for her quite fiercely, and rationally I know that is probably just our Bond at work... but for some reason, although I can still feel her, it seems that our connection is slightly less intense than normal. I find this most unsettling. In fact, I have to resist the serious impulse to call her back, just to hear her voice.

Although I know quite well that my Bonded is well-guarded, as well as being with her very powerful Fairy cousin, it makes me uneasy for her to be so far away from me at night... particularly with Sabriel on the loose. However, I am quite certain that even Sabriel would not be crazy enough to try to hurt Sookie. She would know that to harm my Queen in any way would be an automatic final death sentence, and she would never make it out of Louisiana without being staked. In any event, after tonight's meeting Sabriel should cease to be a concern.

Just thinking about my Bonded makes me hungry, which of course leads me back around to the reason for my abstinence from feeding from her. What if I am wrong about the cause of her weight loss? What if it is something more serious? Fretting, I consider what I know about human ailments. Unfortunately, it is remarkably little. I always thought that vampire blood would heal anything; but perhaps because Sookie is part-fairy, it may not work exactly the same way on her... and of course, now she is refusing to take my blood anyway. Once she has made up her mind, she is very stubborn, and I know arguing about it is a waste of time. Idly, I wonder if she could taste it if I slipped some in a beverage. Of course, the color might give it away... Hmm. Last year, one of the waitresses brought a cake in the shape of a heart to Fangtasia for the staff on Valentine's Day. I remember it quite well, because both cake and icing were blood red, and someone had rather amusingly added a set of plastic fangs biting in to one corner of the heart. I believe she called it a "red velvet" cake. I wonder if Juanita knows how to bake one?

Speaking of the little housekeeper, I hear her footsteps approaching my library. Looking up, I see Juanita standing in the doorway, holding two warmed bottles of blood in her small brown hands. She hands them to me, and says gently, "Try not to worry too much about the Señora. She will be fine. She is just young."

How did she know that I was just worrying about Sookie? Do I have another telepath on my hands? I give her a sharp look, but I can tell she is merely being trying to be kind. It startles me a bit, to think that she is unafraid enough to give _me_ words of comfort. I nod, and thank her for the blood. Until just now, I think that Juanita is the only human besides Sookie that has ever spoken that gently to me. Biding the housekeeper goodbye, I go out to my car and head for the club.

It is a beautiful evening, and I enjoy the drive to Fangtasia. My cell phone rings a few times, and I field a few calls, but mainly the drive is uneventful. I arrive at the club, and fortunately my parking spot is still open. We desperately need more parking spaces, and could use more interior space as well. Pam is already threatening to go back to Wyoming if I do not hire some additional staff, and soon. I am agreeable, but I hate to run a split operation, and I have no idea where we will put any more people at Fangtasia. It really would have been simpler and much more practical to just stay in New Orleans, where everything was already in place, and I very nearly did. However, I know that Sookie is much happier here, at least for the foreseeable future... and besides, I had given her my word.

I go in through the employee entrance, and check to see if Pam is in her office. It is empty, so I suppose she is not here just yet. She has been working steadily ever since the takeover, and she will need a break soon. I am glad she will be going with me to Las Vegas, since she always enjoys it so much. My child has a particular fondness for showgirls, as I recall. It has been awhile since I have been there, and honestly it has never been one of my favorite places. Although I do enjoy an occasional round of gambling, I am just not all that fond of the desert. As expected, I have not heard any more from Sandy on the topic of a Royal marriage, so it is clear that she has given up on the idea. I am quite glad now that I never mentioned it to Sookie, since it would surely have upset her unnecessarily. As for my other little secret, I fully intend to get rid of Sabriel tonight, one way or another.

I go to my office, and check my emails and respond to some of them. I find myself somewhat distracted because Sookie is not here yet. Oddly enough, even though I am much closer to my Bonded in distance, the sense of longing is just as intense as it was at Valhalla, and I heartily wish that she would hurry up and get here. Just as I am about to give into my strong desire to call her and tell her to hurry, a knock comes on the door, and my tailor pokes his head inside. Hsu smiles broadly and bobs his head, and I bid him to enter. I find that I am quite glad for the distraction. Over the last couple of years, he has been teaching me Cantonese, and so we greet each other in that language. Hsu proudly displays the new suit he has made me, and also the white tuxedo that I will need for Sandy's Coronation. Seeing the white tuxedo reminds me that I must remember to call and get the design work started for Sookie's dress. I missed out on the pleasure of being in on the design phase of her Bonding gown. I have some very definite ideas on how I want this dress to look. This is one of the most important events in my existence, and I want everything to be perfect.

I try on the tuxedo first, and of course it fits perfectly. Hsu marks the hem, and then I change into the suit, and the little tailor begins his work. Suddenly, with a sense of relief, I can feel that my Bonded has finally arrived. A few minutes later, a light rapping comes on the office door, and she slips inside. She seems quite startled to see Hsu kneeling at my feet. Has the woman never seen a tailor before? I introduce them, and I can tell by the twinkle in her eyes that Sookie finds him amusing. She stands and watches in fascination as Hsu finishes up. As soon as he is done, he gathers up the tuxedo and suit, asks me how many shirts I want, and then takes his leave.

Then minute he is out the door, Sookie asks me curiously why I ordered so many shirts, and I teasingly tell her that it is because she is so hard on them. In response she screws her face up into one of those awful grimaces of hers, which of course makes me laugh. Now that she is finally here, I drink in the vision of my lovely Bonded. I am very, very happy to see her. My Lover looks completely charming in the little flowered sun dress she has on, and I can see that she is also wearing the jewelry that her magic tutor gave her as a parting gift. I can tell through our Bond that she is equally glad to see me, and I can hardly wait to feel her in my arms. Wondering why she has not come to me yet, I say, "Come here, Lover, I missed you earlier."

Eagerly, she starts across the room, and she is nearly to me when I am suddenly hit with the intoxicating scent of pure fairy! Instantly, I am overcome with a wave of pure lust. My mind becomes fogged and vampire instinct takes over. In a haze, I can feel that my fangs have come out, and my body is poised to catch the fairy in front of me, and have my way with it... and then my head partially clears. Coming back to my senses, I realize that what is standing in front of me is _my_ fairy, and I have just managed to scare the holy hell out of her. Sookie is backing away from me, with a look that I had hoped never to see on her beautiful face again.

Through sheer force of will, I get myself under control. I can see that she is about to either take flight or poof away. To keep her from leaving, I say, "Beloved, wait! I do not know what has happened, but... come no closer. I do not think our Bond would allow me to seriously hurt you, but let us not take a chance."

She is staring at me like she has never seen me before, and not in a good way. I am about to try and sooth her, when Pam comes bolting into the room. Knowing that my child is sensitive to the smell of pure Fairy, I immediately realize that for Sookie's safety I must get this situation under control. I am about to open my mouth to issue a command to Pam, which as her Maker she cannot refuse; but much to my surprise Sookie takes control by saying quite sharply, "Hey! You guys both need to snap out of it! Pam, go back to the bar. I'm going to take a shower. Give me a few minutes, and then bring me something to wear, please."

Pam hesitates; but I reinforce Sookie's command, and reluctantly she obeys. Oddly enough, I know that Pam is really quite attached to her Mistress, but the pure fairy scent is completely overwhelming to a vampire so young as she. Suddenly, the deeper implications of this incident hit me. I myself am no longer immune to the fairy smell, no doubt because I have stopped taking my own fairy's blood. Uneasily, I realize that I built up a tolerance to Sookie's blood gradually, as it became stronger. If I wait much longer, I wonder what effects her blood might have on me when I resume feeding from her; but then I realize that our Bond would never allow me to drain her. At least, that is the theory...

While I am mulling this over, Pam comes in to get something to take to her Mistress to wear. I keep a few shirts here, and gladly donate one. I sit on my desk and wait in delighted anticipation. One of my fondest memories is Sookie in my office, dressed only in one of my shirts. She does not disappoint, either. When she finally returns, I stand as she enters the room. She looks absolutely adorable in my shirt! Her golden hair is tumbling about her shoulders, and she is barefoot. Immediately, I apologize for my earlier behavior. Sookie surprises me by being very pragmatic about the whole event. She merely says, "It's all right, we had no way of knowing. I guess I had better not have any of my relatives over for dinner for awhile, since I don't want them to _be_ the dinner."

A discussion follows about the fact that I am no longer immune to fairy scent. She very cleverly points out that we can use the stones from the Portal to ascertain when and if the immunity returns. As I watch her move about the room, I cannot help but wonder just what she is wearing under that shirt. Just before this unfortunate incident occurred, I was about to see if I could talk her into having sex with me, and now I am more determined to persuade her than ever. I fear that Pam's unfortunate intrusion last night, while necessary, might have given my Lover second thoughts about the wisdom of having sex in my office. She is still curiously sensitive about that issue, as many times as I have explained it to her...

Fortunately, Sookie comes to me quite willingly, and I am glad that I sense no fear from her. I give her other things to think about by kissing her quite passionately. I know it arouses her when I whisper into her ear, so I remind her about our conversation from just the other night by murmuring, "You wanted to know what the other four fantasies were. This is one of them. You look adorable in my shirt."

At first my campaign to seduce her seems to be going well, but for some reason she suddenly changes her mind. Rather abruptly, she stops kissing me, and says, "No way, Buddy. Not going to happen until we get a lock on that door!"

So I was right on that score! I am not discouraged; although I have lost this skirmish, I have not yet lost the war. I will just have to approach this again in another direction, later. I still have plenty of time before my meeting with that bitch Sabriel. Actually, I _do_ have some items that need our joint attention, so I take my Lover back to my chair, and pull her on to my lap. After settling her comfortably against me, I make the call to her gown designer in New York, Anthony. He knows immediately who I am, and has obviously heard about my becoming King. He seems rather excited to be invited to design a dress for a vampire Coronation. Oddly enough, these ceremonies are quite uncommon, so it is quite a feather in his cap to be able to say he has designed a Queen's gown. I tell him my ideas, and he says that he will send me some sketches by email. We hash out some of the details of delivery, and so on.

I can feel my Bonded is becoming uncomfortable about something, and so after I say goodbye to the designer, I find out what it is. It seems that she is quite worried that there will be something in the ceremony that she will find objectionable. I find I cannot resist teasing her a bit about our Second Bonding, by saying, "What is the matter? I seem to recall you rather enjoyed our last public ceremony. In fact, I think your exact words were, "Eric! Oh, god!"

She turns a delicious shade of pink, and hides her face in my chest. One thing I love about my mate is that she amuses me to no end. I apologize, but of course I do not mean it... it is too much fun to tease her! I do reassure her that there is nothing to embarrass her in the Coronation ceremony, though. She is just about to answer me with some no doubt witty reply, when a knock comes at the door. Pam comes in, slumps in the chair in front of my desk, and states dramatically, "We are already over capacity for tonight. I told Atticus to keep a strict count."

Much to my surprise, my Bonded immediately announces that she has a plan to help with this situation. She digs around in that cavernous handbag she carries, and triumphantly locates a few sheets of paper with some sketches and lists. She spreads them out on my desk, and proceeds to show us her ideas. After a few moments of serious thought, I think that Pam and I both realize that this could very well be the solution to our space problem. I have always known that Sookie is very intelligent, but this plan is actually very creative. I feel myself beaming with pride, and I exclaim, "My Queen is as brilliant as she is beautiful! Let us go and look at the site."

Sookie seems reluctant to go out in what she is wearing. I find this somewhat amusing, considering that my shirt actually covers more of her than some of the outfits that she has worn here on purpose. After poking her head out my door, and checking both directions for wandering bar patrons, she streaks down the hallway to the storeroom with us in tow. Once inside, she points out a door that I had forgotten was even in here. I open it, and we step out into the area between the buildings. We walk around as Sookie explains her ideas, and I do believe it might be just the solution to all of our space issues.

I tell her so, and she looks almost shocked that Pam and I see the merit in her plan. My Bonded really needs to learn to have more confidence in her ideas. I am just about to tell her so, when I take a closer look at her. She is hugging herself tightly and shivering, shifting from foot to foot; and I belatedly realize that it is much too cool for her to be outside dressed in nothing but my shirt, and barefoot as well. Immediately, I carry her back inside where it is warm. We are walking back to my office, when Pam casually asks Sookie if she has bought any evening gowns for the weekend.

Sookie says yes, but it turns out that none of them are white. I cannot believe that I forget to tell her that she needs to wear white! I can tell that she is a bit put out with me for not mentioning the proper color in advance; but as my Queen she is entitled to wear it, and wear it she shall. My Bonded seems rather surprised when I explain that white and gold are the traditional colors for a vampire Coronation, and not black... although that is what the guests are expected to wear. Pam reminds me that we can take Sookie shopping once we reach Las Vegas. There are many fine shops there which are certain to have what we need. In fact, now that my child has mentioned it, I am actually looking forward to that part of the trip, and as much as Pam loves to shop, I know she will enjoy it as well.

Once we have returned to my office, I pick an invitation from the samples that Sookie has brought me. Pam seems to like it, too, so she takes it back to her office to get the process started. Sookie is now standing next to my chair, behind my desk. Even though I have been paying attention to everything she has been saying, I still cannot keep from watching her as she moves around, and sometimes brushes up against me. Quickly, I mentally work out the next step in my "Seduce Sookie" campaign, and determine that now is the perfect time to strike! I innocently ask my Lover to pick up a file on the far side of my desk, knowing that she will have to lean forward to reach it. The minutes she does, I make my move. I ever so lightly run my fingers up the inside of her legs. I find that with Sookie, foreplay is a complete delight. I just love to watch her as she becomes aroused, and of course I love her special scent which gets so much stronger when she is. Quite truthfully, I tell her, "You are driving me wild in that shirt. The least you can do is let me play a little."

Without saying a word, she obediently parts her legs to allow me better access. This is definitely one of my all time favorite fantasies, about to be played out in the flesh. I feel myself stiffen almost instantly. Knowing that anticipation is a powerful aphrodisiac, I take my time and explore every nook and cranny of her lovely legs... purposefully ignoring the one place I know she is just dying for me to touch. After teasing her in that fashion for a time, I finally get to satisfy my curiosity by running my hands up under that shirt, and find that she is completely bare!

Now I really am as hard as a rock. I lift up the tail of the shirt, and expose her now bare bottom. This is one of my Lover's best features, and one that plays a role in one of my other favorite fantasies... but one that may have to remain unfulfilled. Now I tease myself by licking and nipping at the firm ripe flesh, and thinking very wicked thoughts indeed. I am pleased by her reaction, and when she begins to moan it is my signal that she is ready for more. I finally give her what she has been waiting for... as I lightly run one finger down her folds, I hear her sharp intake of breath. Slipping my finger into her wetness, I find her clit, which I begin to rub in the way I have learned she likes best.

Never having been in a truly long-term relationship, I am just now coming to realize some of the benefits. In our last few months together, I have begun to learn exactly which things give my Lover the most intense physical pleasures, and she is learning my preferences as well. Our physical relationship has already surpassed anything I have ever experienced in my many years on this earth, because of our Bond; and with every passing day, it becomes better. It is like reading a great work of literature; you can enjoy it the first time you read it, but to really understand its true depth and complexity requires many readings and intense study. Only then can it be appreciated on a profound level. Of course, I have never actually been in love, either, and perhaps that is the key to it all. There is nothing more deeply satisfying to me than to give my Bonded pleasure.

It does not take my lusty little fairy long to achieve an orgasm, and the way she writhes against my hand and moans is enough to make me want to sweep everything off the top of my desk, and fuck her right there. Although she has allowed me to do this much, though, I am afraid that she will protest at having all-out sex, because of the possibility of interruption. Much to my surprise and delight, however, as soon as her contractions have faded away, she turns to me and unbuttons my shirt and then releases my engorged cock from my pants on her own! By now, I am so ready for her it is nearly painful. She unashamedly climbs up in my lap and lowers herself onto me slowly, and I find her willingness to be a serious turn-on.

My shirt is covering much more of her than I like, so I unbutton it; and am rewarded by a view of her splendid breasts. I fondle them a bit, and I can feel a rush a pleasure through our Bond. My sensual little Lover begs me to kiss them, and just the fact that she is finally getting bold enough to ask for what she wants makes me more aroused than ever. I more than willingly oblige her, and as I suck and nip I can feel her intense pleasure. Before long, we are both more than ready for our main event to get underway; so I slide my hands under her luscious bottom to give her guidance. At first she goes slowly, but in her passion she begins to ride me with abandon; and I fear by now she has me so inflamed I will not be able to hold back very long. I caution her, by saying, "Go slow, Lover, make it last."

Sookie tries to do as I ask, but I can tell it feels as good to her as it does to me. Moaning, she begins to move faster. The pleasure she is creating is so intense, that I feel my control begin to slip away. The minute I feel the spasms of her orgasm begin, I am lost. She has worked me up into such a state with her uncharacteristically bold behavior that my climax is almost violent. I find myself calling her name, and shuddering almost uncontrollably as I fill her.

My Lover falls against me and slips her arms around me, resting against my chest. I hold her to me tightly, savoring this fragile creature that pleases me and delights me like no other. How strange it seems to me that we can still achieve such intense pleasure even without me feeding from her! Once I can speak, I whisper to her, "Two fantasies down, three to go."

Without missing a beat, she retorts, "I think you enjoyed this one just fine. I believe your exact words were, "Ahhh!Sookie! Ahhh!"

Ouch! Laughing, I acknowledge that she has gotten me there. Reluctantly, I let her go, and she scurries away to get cleaned up. While she is gone, I notice that it is nearly time for me to meet with Sabriel. Almost instantly, my wonderful sense of relaxation and contentment is replaced with dread and irritability. Reluctantly, I prepare to leave, and wait for Sookie to return.

Once she is back, I tell her that I am going to a meeting, which is nothing less than the truth. Fortunately, she does not seem too surprised, and merely states that she is going to go home. I ask her if she wishes me to summon her guards. She looks a little confused at first, then laughs and says, "Guards? What guards?"

What! No guards? Instantly I remember the incident a few days prior, when I fleetingly wondered why her guards had not helped her at her old farmhouse... and then I had dismissed it as a foolish notion. I had told myself at the time that she definitely knew better. Even though I have a dreadful feeling that I already know the answer, I ask incredulously, "What do you mean, what guards? Sookie, please tell me you have not been running around unprotected! Since when?"

Sure enough, she admits that she has been without them the entire time we have been back from New Orleans! Unbelievable! I feel my temper rising. Just when I am thinking that she is so brilliant, and now this! Angrily, I say, "Have I taught you nothing? Sookie, you are my Queen! You must be protected!"

Instead of being apologetic, now she has the audacity to look provoked! "Our deal from the very beginning was that after we got rid of Madden, I would be safe, and things would go back to normal," she states without a hint of remorse, "He's gone, you're King... who would possibly be after me now?"

Surely she cannot possibly be that naïve! Heatedly, I reply, "That was before I decided to take back the Kingdom. As the wife of a vampire King, you are a huge target! You should know that!"

Now she is fairly shouting at me, "Well, I don't see _you_ going around with any guards! Just because you are the almighty Viking, doesn't mean _you_ are not a target! And if you haven't forgotten, I can take care of myself, now!"

I cannot believe she just said that to me! For her own good, I am going to have to show her just who is in charge in our relationship. In no uncertain terms, I tell her, "I am over a thousand years old, and know perfectly well when I need guards, and when I don't. You, on the other hand, are an infant. Your ability to protect yourself is still quite unreliable. Let there be an end to this! I am your Bonded, and I know best when it comes to your safety. You _will_ have guards."

The anger is bouncing back and forth between us. Sookie has narrowed her eyes, is just about to say something else, when Pam comes barreling through the door; and this time she does not bother to knock. She gets in between us, and says, "All right, you two. Every vampire in the bar is enjoying this argument immensely. Unless you want to share more information about Sookie than is prudent, I suggest you both calm down."

Of course, my child is right. It is still best if no one learns of Sookie's heritage, just yet. I can tell by the color that has risen to her cheeks that my Bonded is mortified that anyone could hear us having an argument. I am still quite angry that she has been so careless, but I can see that we need to continue this discussion in more private quarters. I have _got_ to make her understand that she is now my life, and that I cannot stand the thought that anything might happen to her. I must do everything in my power to keep her safe, whether she likes it or not.

Pam tries to smooth things over by saying, "Sookie, let me take you home. I have not had a chance to see Valhalla. My Master tells me it is beautiful."

I can see Sookie hesitate, but surprisingly she gives in and agrees. Angrily, she snatches up her things, marches towards the door, and is just about to leave with as much as a backwards glance at me, when I relent. I really cannot bear for us to part in anger, so I catch her just before she is out the door. I whisper in her ear how much I love her, and that I only want to keep her safe.

Much to my relief, she allows me to hold her long enough for our emotions to settle down to a more reasonable level. My Bonded turns to me and I can see that she has decided to try and work this out in a calmer fashion. I kiss her goodbye, and then watch her as she goes out the door. I give her enough time to hit the parking lot, and then I flip open my phone. Still fuming, I scroll until I find the number of her daytime guard, Cooper. It rings a few times before going to voice mail. Suddenly I realize that the man is a full-blooded Werewolf, and it is the night after a full moon. He is most certainly out chasing bunnies, or whatever it is that they do on these occasions. I leave him a voice mail telling him in no uncertain terms that Sookie is never, ever to leave the safety of Valhalla unguarded, no exceptions. I further tell him that I expect to see him in person, tomorrow night at Fangtasia. There _will_ be no more misunderstandings where my Bonded's safety is concerned.

I have already arranged for our Royal Guards to accompany us to Las Vegas. Cooper was supposed to be Sookie's daytime guard, but now I am reconsidering his value. Surely he knew better than to let her out of his sight, no matter what she said to him. She seems quite comfortable with the Were, but that is secondary. I _must_ be able to rely on her guards. I find it completely maddening that there are so many hours of each day that I cannot be there to watch over her myself.

I glance at my watch, and realize that I need to hurry. I want to be at the house well ahead of Sabriel. I could fly to save time; but I want to gather up the very few items from that house that I intend to take to Valhalla, so I grab a couple of boxes from the storeroom and put them in the trunk of my car. Just as I am opening the driver's side door, I notice a small object sitting on the hood of my car, propped up next to my windshield. I am not particularly surprised. Finding little items on my car is not all that uncommon. Besides the obvious notes with phone numbers and offers of sexual favors, Fangbangers leave all manner of tokens for me.

I well remember the very first of these gifts, found the week after Fangtasia's opening. It was a small square foil packet, taped to my window along with photo of a naked girl, phone number penciled in the border. At that time, I wasn't quite sure exactly what it was, so I had shown it to Pam. Curiously, we had torn the foil open to reveal a rolled up bit of latex... while we were puzzling over the contents, one of the new waitresses had come along, and rather patiently explained its intended use (and then offered to demonstrate the mechanics, if I would be willing to provide the equipment). Clearly, the girl in the photo was too stupid to realize that I had absolutely no need of such an item... but as Pam pointed out, at least she had paid me the compliment of buying the extra large size. Since then, I have collected panties, photos, money, handcuffs, and various sex toys, among other things. Reaching out, I pick up this particular offering and examine it. In my hand sits a small burlap bundle, tied with a piece of jute. Curiously, I sniff it, and find that it has a sharp, rather pungent odor to it. Something about it seems familiar, and I think I have seen something similar to this before. It is just on the edge of my memory... but I cannot quite grasp the elusive thought. Briefly, I think about opening it, but decide that I really don't care what it is; so I toss it on the ground, and get in my car to leave.

The trip out to the isolated house in the country takes some time, and I alternate between thinking about the upcoming meeting, and replaying the argument with my Bonded in my mind. Not very long after leaving the club, however, the most curious feeling sweeps through me. I begin to have the strangest sensation that dawn is approaching, and that it is time for me to rest; and in fact, cannot quite resist glancing at my watch, to see what time it is. Of course, by vampire standards it is still quite early, and eventually I manage to shake off the irrational feeling. By force of will, I focus on the encounter with Sabriel. Realizing that this whole situation is liable to become extremely messy, one way or another, I decide that it is best for Sookie if I veil our Bond for a time. I find it just as difficult as the last time I did it, but I manage. Upon reaching my destination, I pull up to the gate, and unlock it. I leave the gates open, proceed down the long driveway and park in front of the house. Unlocking the door, I step in and take a look around. I have not been to this house in months. Originally, I had bought this place for a good place to hold interrogations, but then I found the much more convenient warehouse downtown. Although two of the bedrooms are light-tight, I never quite got around to having a secure sleeping chamber for myself added here, and was just about to sell it when I started the affair with Sabriel. I made the mistake of bringing her here to fuck her once, and she deemed it perfect for our "special activities"... and indeed, for a brief time it was.

I go back out to the car and retrieve the boxes. I spent so little time here, there are very few items that hold any interest, and just one box holds everything. While I am working, I think back on just how I became entangled with Sabriel in the first place. Even though I was enjoying being able to live openly as a vampire for the first time in over a thousand years, and Fangtasia was a great success, still I was bored... bored, and desperately lonely; and when I met her at that party in New York, she seemed charming, sophisticated, and well-educated; and she pretended to share my interest in languages. Later, she admitted to me that it was no accident that she met me there. She had heard about my reputation, and sought me out. I realized from the start that I had no "feelings" for her, but she was at least entertaining. We spent a couple of days together in New York, and when I returned to Shreveport alone I thought that would be an end to it. I was quite surprised when she turned up a couple of weeks later at the club. She said she was visiting one of my Area vampires, and was just checking in with the Sheriff... which turned out to be another lie. Before long, I was fucking her again. In the beginning, sex with her was quite exciting, but then...

Suddenly, my memories are interrupted by someone attempting to punch in the code for the front door lock, but of course it does not work. All of my codes are changed frequently, as a safety precaution. Crossing the room, I disengage the lock and open the door. Sabriel is standing on the small porch. She smiles, and I realize that I have forgotten just how beautiful she is. I stand aside, and she glides past me into the living room. She is wearing a tight leather skirt and a silk top, both in her signature black. Her clothes fit every curve of her svelte body to perfection. In her 4 inch stiletto heals, she is very nearly as tall as I am. Her straight black hair reaches to her slender waist, and tonight she has left it loose. She turns abruptly, slides her arms around my neck and kisses me full on the mouth. Immediately, I grab both her arms, remove them from my neck, and take a step away from her.

"What's the matter, Viking?" she asks teasingly in her well-bred British accent, "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Not especially, no," I reply quite crossly, "Now what exactly do you want?"

She comes closer, and runs one perfectly manicured long red fingernail from the top of my throat down to the first button of my shirt. I just stare at her, giving her no reaction. Sighing dramatically, she takes her hand and places it on one cocked hip. Pouting, she says, "I can see that you are determined to be a party pooper. Have you lost your sense of humor, now that you're King?"

Refusing to be caught up in her games, I say firmly, "Look, Sabriel, let's cut to the chase, shall we? I need to get back."

She walks over to the sofa and drapes herself across it. "Come on, you can't possibly be in that big of a hurry," she says, patting the cushions next to her, "Come sit by me."

Instead of sitting, I merely cross my arms across my chest, and say, "You have two minutes before I throw you out of here. If you have something to say, say it."

"All right. Enrique and I have split up," she tells me with a toss of her elegant head, "He is just impossible! I was on my way to New York when I heard all about your little dust-up in New Orleans. Congratulations, by the way... I always knew it was just a matter of time before you made your move."

"Thank you. Is that all?"

Sabriel makes a little pouty face, and says, "Now, don't be that way! I thought that I would help you celebrate... to have some fun like we used to do. Don't forget... I know _exactly_ how to please you."

Uneasily, I _do_ think about it. "Ah, I can see you remember quite well," she says in her most sultry tone, "Now, my little King, why don't you come closer, and let's play a little."

The beautiful vampiress casually moves her leg to one side, and I can see that she is wearing no underwear. She puts one hand under her short skirt, strokes herself deeply and moans, and then licks her finger. Giving me a wicked grin, she says, "Do you still like licking pussy? I have one right here that can use your special attentions."

Frowning, I stare at her for another minute; and then say with complete distaste, "Stop it. Let me be clear. I am not interested in having sex with you, tonight or any other. I am happily Twice-Bonded as well as legally married, and as unconventional as it may seem to you, I intend to be faithful to my wife."

Momentarily, she narrows her eyes, and then says, "Oh, yes, I've heard all about your little human. Sweet little Southern Belle, is that right? I've also heard she used to be a barmaid in some backwater town. Good God, Eric! A barmaid! What could you possibly see in someone like that?"

How could I possibly explain Sookie to the likes of this... she-devil? Proudly, I say, "My Bonded is a gifted telepath. She saved many of our kind from the bombing in Rhodes, at great personal risk. In fact, she saved _me_."

At that, Sabriel looks a bit surprised. She had been out of the country when that devastating event occurred, and obviously has not heard many of the details. After thinking that bit of information over, she says slowly, "Oh, _now_ I think I understand. She is a political asset, correct? You had to Bond her to keep her?"

Straining to keep cool, I reply, "You know very well that Second Bonds are only made for love."

She looks at me like I have lost my mind. "You don't really believe all that old-fashioned nonsense, do you?" she exclaims, "You... the great Eric Northman... love a human? Impossible. You are just grateful that she saved your life. You will tire of her soon. Unless... is she very talented in bed, Eric, my love? Is that it? Does she know about all of the special things that you like? Maybe she would like to join us here? As you well know, I like a little variety. Does she know what we do here? We could introduce your little Bonded to the pleasures we enjoy most... together."

Almost before the words leave her lips, I have my hand wrapped around her throat, and raise her off the ground. She is vampire, but quite young, and nowhere near as strong and ruthless as I am. Squeezing hard, I whisper coldly to her, "Do not come near my Bonded. If you do, I will take great pleasure in sending you to your final death.

In response, she just grins. Sabriel has always enjoyed pain, and has deliberately goaded me into giving her some twisted satisfaction. Disgusted with her and with myself for playing in to her hands, I release her. It takes a minute for her throat to repair itself, and then she says huskily, "You see... you still have that darkness that I love within you. Admit it, you _do_ want to play!" At vampire speed, she rips her silk shirt open, exposing her perfectly shaped small breasts. Leaning into me, she begins to writhe up and down my body, rubbing my cock through the fabric of my trousers with one elegant hand. She says, "Come on, Viking, I'll even let you fuck me in your favorite spot... " Much to my own dismay, I can feel myself beginning to stiffen in response to the friction of her hand, and it makes me furious that I have so little control over my unruly member.

Utterly enraged at the entire situation, I shout, "No!" With one hand, I shove my would-be temptress away from me, and she goes flying across the room. She crashes against the wall, and lays at an obviously painful angle. Unfortunately, I left my sword in the trunk of my car, and I am trying to decide on the most expedient method of killing her; when unbelievably, she begins to laugh. One of Sabriel's talents is being able to heal quite rapidly, and she immediately begins to straighten out her limbs. Still chuckling, she says, "All right, Viking, it is obvious that you still have some crazy fantasy about being the good, faithful vampire to this little human. I can see that your mind is made up for now. You are so stubborn!"

After pulling herself to her feet, Sabriel dusts off her skirt. Twisting the ends of her open blouse, she ties them across her chest to keep her shirt closed. She looks at me with a little smirk on her face, and says, "I promise you, Eric, I will do nothing to interfere with you and your sweet little Bonded. When you get tired of her, call me. Unlike your short-lived barmaid, _I_ have all the time in the world to wait for you. In the meantime, you know that I _never_ have trouble finding suitable playmates."

As she tries to flounce past me, I grab her by her wrist and hold her tightly. I give her my very best glare, and command, "Sabriel, it is clear that you _still_ do not understand. I will _never_ be interested in you. I heartily wish that I had never laid eyes on you. As you rightly pointed out earlier, I am now King. From this night forward, you are not welcome in this territory. Stay out of Louisiana. Now that I have warned you, I am well within my rights to kill you if I catch you here again."

Sabriel tosses back her long black hair, and meets my eyes unflinchingly. No longer able to bear the touch of her skin, I release her wrist and step back. "Good heavens, Eric, you don't have to be so dramatic!" she says, a bit testily, "Like I said, I'll stay away, but someday soon the novelty will wear off, and you'll find out how bored you are with her. Then, you'll see how much you miss me! Until then, my angry little King... ta ta!"

Sabriel wiggles her fingers at me and blows me a kiss. She carefully slides past me and back out the front door. A moment later, I can hear the sound of her car starting up and the crunch of the gravel as she leaves. Once my former lover is gone, I run the entire conversation back through my mind. I can hardly believe that she gave up so easily, but it was quite lucky for her that she did... and just in time, too. Another minute, and she would have been in pieces that would _not_ grow back together. I wander back into the bedroom, and take a long, cold look around. I remember everything that was done between these four walls, and shake my head. In my long life, boredom has truly been my worst enemy. It has sometimes led me down paths that even _I_ shudder to think about. Perhaps that is why I treasure my Bonded so much, she has completely filled up the emptiness inside me, and given me a sense of peace and contentment for once. I wonder exactly what she would think if she ever discovered this place, or learn what went on here. Although I am sure that she understands that I am not exactly a choir boy, I have a feeling she would never look at me quite the same. Suddenly, I know exactly what needs to be done with this particular house. Once I have made my decision, I find that I am quite cheerful.

Looking again at the box of possessions I have packed, I realize that anything from this house is tainted, and has no place at Valhalla. Leaving the box where it sits, I go into the kitchen, remove a bottle of Blood from the refrigerator, and then heat it in the microwave. Returning to the living room, I retrieve the lighter stick from the mantle, go around the house lighting every candle I see. When I am done, I throw the lighter on the bed. Going back into the living room, I bend down and turn the little metal key that operates the gas starter in the fireplace until it is fully on.

Walking calmly through the front door, I pull it firmly shut behind me. I get in the car, fire up the engine, and back down the long drive to the gates; and there I wait, sitting on the hood of the Corvette and sipping my bottle of Blood. When the explosion comes, it is quite satisfying. It completely lights up the night sky. Smiling to myself, I enjoy the resulting fire. After a few minutes, I close the gates, and make certain they are locked. I do not want the fire department arriving in time to save even the smallest particle. I jump back in the car, and start the long drive home to Valhalla.

******

On the way back home, I make a few calls, informing my Sheriffs that Sabriel is now banned from the territories. When I was trying to get rid of her the first time around, as Sheriff, I could have thrown her out of my Area; but considered it just too embarrassing to have to admit to Sophie-Ann exactly why I did it. My old Queen would have never quit teasing me about the fact that I had to use my position of authority to get rid of a female. Tonight, I was happy to use whatever means necessary to get rid of the persistent little bitch... and since I am now no longer a mere Sheriff, I doubt anybody will be foolish enough to tease me about it this time.

Now that I have resolved the Sabriel situation to my satisfaction, I turn my attentions back to Sookie, and at once lift the veil on our Bond. As before, the minute the veil is lifted, I experience a sharp sense of relief at the restoration of our connection. I can tell that she is sleeping, which is somewhat disappointing. After our earlier disagreement, I was rather hoping she would be waiting up for me. I find myself drifting off into a little fantasy: _Sookie greets me at the front door in a see-through baby doll nightgown, profusely apologizing for having been foolish enough to dismiss her guards. She begs me to forgive her, and then leads me to the living room, where she leans over the arm of the tall wingback chair. She looks back over her shoulder, and lifts the back of her gown, revealing her luscious bare bottom. Wiggling it in my direction, she says in a very sultry voice,"Oh, baby, I know I've been a very bad girl... I __suppose I deserve a spanking..." _Unfortunately, before I get any further with that particular fantasy, I am snapped back to reality by the wailing of a police siren. I see the flashing lights in my rear view mirror, but fortunately for both me and the state trooper, the car pulls up beside me and then passes me by.

Thinking about Sookie parading all over northern Louisiana with no guards gets me irritated all over again. Still, I am a bit remorseful for having spoken to her so sharply. So much for my earlier resolution to show her more patience as she adjusts to her new way of life! On this particular issue, however, there really will be no compromise; but I suppose I could have been more calm about the whole thing. I have really have no idea how we are going to settle this. Because I love her, I cannot control her with any of my accustomed methods. I have never been one to wheedle or cajole, and I certainly do not intend to start now... so my best hope is just to get her to see reason. Even though we will definitely have to get this straightened out, I realize that I really do not want to do it tonight. What I really want to do is to hold my stubborn, willful, maddening Sookie in my arms, and feel how much she adores me through our Bond. However, I know that she is already asleep, and I resolve not to wake her.

When I finally arrive home, I check with the guards at the front gates, and fortunately there have been no more unwanted visitors. Once inside the house, I take a few minutes to use my laptop to email Bobby a list of items that he needs to pack, and then check on some arrangements I have made for our upcoming trip. Once that task is done, I write out a morning note for Sookie, which I take with me. Silently, I glide down to our chamber, where she is already sound asleep in our bed. I leave the note in our now customary spot, so that she will not miss it. I start to strip off my clothes, and as I remove my shirt I realize that it reeks of Sabriel's perfume. She has it made up especially for her by a little shop in Paris. I used to think it intriguing, but now can hardly bear to smell it. Turning on the water as hot as it will go, I shower, taking great care to scrub off every smidgen of her scent.

Padding back into our darkened room, I slide into bed very carefully, so as not to wake my Bonded. Just the sight of her makes me instantly forget all of my earlier irritation. I stretch out next to her and watch her sleep, as I used to so long ago at her old farmhouse. Someday I will confess to her how just many nights I went to her room in Bon Temps without her knowing, both irritated and perplexed by my own inability to stay away from her. Now, her golden hair cascades across her pillow, her chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. My beautiful wife looks just like an angel in her rest. The contrast between this woman and the vampiress I just left has never been more apparent. How could I ever explain to someone as dark and twisted as Sabriel the light within my Beloved that draws me like a moth to a flame? That because of Sookie's great magic, she has allowed me to see things considered impossible? That because of our Bond, she is part of my very soul? It is truly fortunate for Sabriel that she has finally given up. I wonder if she realizes how close she came to being sent to her final death tonight? In fact, I most heartily wish now that I had done it when I had the chance. Perhaps it is Sookie's influence that is making me more merciful. Unfortunately, for a vampire King, mercy is not exactly considered a desirable quality.

My Lover is lying on her side, facing me. Reaching out, I ever so lightly run my fingers down her smooth arm. She is so soft and warm from sleep, that I find that I just cannot resist kissing her sweet mouth. As softly as I can, I brush my lips to hers, but I can feel it as she comes awake. She sleepily wraps her little arms around my neck, and begins to return my kisses. She whispers, "Hi, baby. I missed you."

I really had no intention of disturbing her rest; but she seems to have other ideas. My lovely little fairy-wife whispers in my ear, "I'm sorry about our fight. Make love to me please?"

Silently, I kiss her soft mouth and run my hands down her wonderful skin. She throws her leg over my hip, then reaches down and guides me to her entrance. I slide myself into her warmth, and she sighs with pleasure. Slowly and sensuously, I begin to move inside her as she clings to me. She is so very sweet, and yet so very erotic at the same time; a mixture that I find simply irresistible. Her breath catches in her throat as I hit just the right spot inside her, and the sound of her pleasure is like music to my ears. Tonight, I find that for once I do not really care that I am not going to feed from her; I just want to make love to her like any man would his woman. We go slowly, to make it last, but finally I can feel her building to her climax, and I am ready, too. With one last thrust, we reach our peaks together. Afterward, we lay together, still joined for a time; and then she rolls over and scoots her bottom back against me, so that I am spooned up behind her. I drape my arm protectively over her, and hold her to me. I tell her softly, "Du är min, min ängel. Jag älskar dig." _You are mine, my angel. I love you._

Even though I know she does not really understand what I said, she replies softly, "Goodnight, Eric. I love you."


	13. Chapter 13

_Author's notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters._

_***** This is a very long chapter, nearly three times the length of an average one, so I may only post one chapter this week instead of my normal two. I own and operate a retail store, and this is getting into my busy season, so please bear with me. _

_***** I am so excited to see that this story is almost half-way to making the 1,000-year-old-Viking list! I appreciate each and every review. The only thanks fanfic writers get is reviews, and I must say you guys ROCK! You keep me inspired._

**Chapter 13**

**Sookie's POV Tuesday **

Tuesday morning, I looked at my clock and was surprised to see that it was only 10:00. I guess for once I had gone to bed at a "decent" hour, although I _had_ been awakened shortly before dawn by an amorous vampire... well, to be perfectly honest, I guess I had started it! Make-up sex with a vampire is always pretty great, at any time of night. Glancing over my shoulder, I could see that the vampire in question was lying on his stomach, face complete buried in his pillow. The first time I had ever seen him sleeping that way, I was temporarily alarmed, until I remembered that he didn't have to breathe. That position did have its advantages, though, because I could admire his fantastic butt all I wanted, without danger of feeding that massive ego of his.

Giving the world's greatest rump one last pat, I slid out of bed and went into the bathroom. After taking care of the necessities, I spied a morning note, and picked it up to read:

_**My Angel, **_

_**We will have our talk about your guards later. Until then, please do not leave Valhalla without at least one. Just know that I adore you, and could not bear it if anything happened to you. **_

_**~E**_

_**P.S. Two travel coffins will be delivered this afternoon. Pam is coming home from the club with us tonight, so that we can all leave together tomorrow. **_

I found myself smiling like an idiot over the note. Even though he could be high-handed, he could also be really sweet. He "adored me"... in writing! I very carefully added this note to the growing pile in the back of my lingerie drawer. I still wasn't too thrilled with the idea of full-time guards draped over me every time I wanted to leave the house, but I had taken everything that Pam had said last night to heart. I had known when I agreed to marry Eric that we would run in to many issues, but I just hadn't expected this to be one of them. Of course, I had not expected him to become King, either. As much as I hated to admit it, Eric was right; even though I'd like to think I could take care of myself, my magic was still pretty unreliable. After thinking it through, I knew that the practical thing to do was just grin and bear it for now.

I went ahead and took a shower, washed and dried my hair, and slipped into a pair of jeans and a Fangtasia t-shirt. Luckily, I had bought these pants just before leaving New Orleans. They still fit tightly enough to look good, even if I did say so myself. I had lost enough weight that my old ones were pretty baggy, and the last thing I wanted was to remind my vampire about that issue. While I was getting my shoes, I glanced over and saw that the clothes that Eric had been wearing last night had been tossed in the general direction of the dirty clothes hamper but had not quite made it... as usual. Sighing, I went over and picked up the jeans off the floor, and tossed them in. He had done a little better with his shirt, which had made it two-thirds of the way in. I glanced in the basket, saw that there was enough stuff in the hamper for a load of wash, and bent to gather it up... but then stopped. After our argument last night, the last thing I wanted to do was irritate him again, so I just left everything for Juanita to handle.

Covering the vampire on the way out, I kissed the back of his head and whispered, "I love you, baby. See you later." I went upstairs to make some coffee, and when it was ready I went outside and walked around the yard a little. Hector and his helpers had made huge progress on my rose garden yesterday. He had gotten the bushes I had brought from Gran's house all planted, and several more new ones as well. There was lots of space left for more. Hector had left a catalog for me to look through, so I could pick out my favorites for him to purchase. As much as I hated to admit it, having someone else do all the hard manual labor was really nice, for once. It would have taken me days to accomplish what three men had been able to do in just a few hours.

I wandered around to the front of the house, where the gardener and two other men were digging another bed on the west side of the house. I went over and introduced myself to the new guys, and complimented Hector on the job he had done so far. He pulled some sketches out of his pocket, and showed them to me. Wow! He had some really great ideas, and I could see that if I just let him have his head, these grounds would be just amazing. I told him to keep right on going. After that conversation, I drifted back in the house, and was just thinking about making myself some breakfast when my cell phone rang. I dug it out of my pocket, and saw that it was Daniel calling. I answered and said, "Hey! How are you guys? What's up?"

"Hi, Sookie," came the calm, friendly voice of the decorator, "I thought I'd give y'all a few days before I barged in with more stuff. I have a whole van full of things to bring over to Valhalla... is today convenient?"

I said, "Absolutely. In fact... hold on just a sec." I went over and looked in the fridge, and in the pantry. Juanita had enough food stocked for an army. "Why don't you guys come for a late lunch? It won't be fancy, but I sure could use the company."

"Super!" he replied, "We can be there in about an hour, if that's okay."

Suddenly, I was really looking forward to seeing them both. I said, "It sounds really good. I'll see you then!"

I was actually having friends over for lunch. How cool was that? And they were human to boot! Smiling to myself, I went back to the refrigerator and started pulling stuff out. I had to fumble around a little to find everything. It was kind of weird to realize that I hadn't cooked enough in my own kitchen to even remember where everything was! However, I managed to pull together some tomatoes cored and stuffed with tuna salad, slice up some fruit, and I even had enough time to bake some little orange muffins that Gran used to make for me all the time for dessert. I brewed some iced tea, but decided to skip the lemons. In fact, I needed to tell Juanita to leave off putting fresh lemon juice on anything... no sense asking for trouble.

Just about the time I had finished setting the table, the doorbell rang. I went to the door, and let in Daniel and his life-partner Kenneth. Kenneth gave me a big hug, and then held me at arms length. He exclaimed enthusiastically, "My dear! It is _so_ wonderful to see you! You have been gone simply _forever_! Now, what do you think of the place? Isn't it to _die_ for?"

I couldn't help but smile. Kenneth never failed to put me in a good mood. "Yes, it looks great!" I replied, "I think Daniel here is a genius, and Eric loves it all, too."

Daniel, always the more reserved of the two, merely smiled and said, "Thanks, Sookie. I think it's turning out pretty well. We have a long way to go, though. Oh, by the way, I can see you've got some gardeners now."

"Uh huh. They just got started, though," I said, "Now, let's go eat, and we can catch up."

I led them into the sun room where I had set the table next to the big windows, so that we could look out at the pool. Up until then, it had been a pretty morning, but I could see some clouds beginning to roll in. I said, "I never get a chance to see a weather report. Are we expecting rain?"

"Yes, I believe a front is moving in, and will be here either tonight or early tomorrow," Daniel replied, "That's why I wanted to get all this stuff unloaded today."

We sat down and ate a leisurely lunch. As usual, Kenneth was very entertaining, telling jokes and funny stories. He was particularly fond of lawyer jokes (since he was semi-retired from that profession) and today's sampling was, "Sookie, do you know how to tell if a lawyer is lying?"

I shook my head "no." Very seriously, he said, "You look to see if his lips are moving." He then cracked up laughing at his own joke. Daniel just rolled his eyes, but I had to laugh along with Kenneth. Next, I told them all about my wonderful honeymoon, and after that they caught me up on all the latest gossip around Bon Temps. Kenneth, who never seemed too shy about asking me about _anything_, said, "It is _so _none of my business, but what made you stay so long in New Orleans? I thought you were only supposed to be there for three or four days."

Although I had talked to Daniel many times over the last few weeks, I had been very vague about why Eric and I were staying so long. Most humans knew absolutely nothing about the vampire hierarchy, and in fact were probably better off not knowing. However, over the last couple of months, these guys had become my friends. Furthermore, I wanted Daniel to be the one to redecorate the "Royal Suite" in New Orleans... and it was inevitable that they would figure the whole deal out sooner or later.

"Okay, you guys are my friends, right?" I asked, "...and you can keep a secret?"

Kenneth said, "I'm a lawyer, Sookie. It's what I do best... well, second best. My best thing is making a really mean martini."

Daniel said, "Kenneth, shut up. Can't you see she's serious? I can keep a secret just fine, Sookie."

Kenneth rolled his eyes, but then pantomimed locking his lips and throwing away the key.

Taking a deep breath, I began, "Well... it's like this. Vampires have sort of their own deal going when it comes to rules and things, and in fact they even have their own form of government. It's pretty old fashioned, more like the old feudal system in Europe."

Now I had their undivided attention. Ever since my wedding, Kenneth was completely and totally enamored by anything vampire; and now I could tell that he was hanging on every word. Truth be told, I think Daniel was every bit as fascinated, he just hid it better. They looked at each other, then back at me. Kenneth prompted me, "...and?"

I cleared my throat and continued, "The territories pretty much follow the boundaries of the states. I'm not really sure how they divide it up in other countries, though. Each state is broken up into Areas, which are overseen by Sheriffs. The Sheriffs maintain the rules, such as they are, and dispense any punishments that are required. These are usually older vampires, who are very strong and..."

Daniel piped up and finished for me, "...mean?...scary? They would almost have to be, to keep all the other vampires in line, right?"

"Uh huh. That's about right," I agreed, "Vampires can be a handful. Anyway, Eric used to be the Sheriff here in this Area."

Kenneth said almost reverently, "He was? Well, of course he was! I can't imagine a bigger, scarier vampire than him! ...Oh, sorry, Sookie, I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

Chuckling, I said, "That's okay. Honestly, I used to think the same thing. Anyhow, all the Sheriffs have to answer to someone even further up the ladder... the King or Queen of the territory."

Both of their eyes were as big as dinner plates. "Kings and Queens!" Kenneth exclaimed, "For real? Like Queen Elizabeth?"

At that, I had to laugh. I said, "Not hardly. More like Henry the Eighth, on steroids. These guys are really, really powerful, and not to be messed with. Some of them look fairly ordinary (I was thinking of Stan and his pocket protector) but they are the true bad-asses of the vampire world."

Daniel asked, "So, what? Were you guys in New Orleans visiting the King or Queen?"

I shook my head, and said seriously, "No... Eric was in New Orleans _becoming_ the King."

You could have heard a pin drop, it was so quiet in that sun room.

Finally, Kenneth said in a hushed voice, "Does that make you a Queen?"

"Sort of," I answered him, "It _is_ my title, but only because I'm Bonded... uh... married to the King. In other words, I have no real authority... of course. Most vampires don't really think all that much of humans."

In awe, Daniel said, "So Eric Northman is now the vampire King of Louisiana, and you are his Queen?"

Matter-of-factly, I said, "Yep... oh, and Arkansas, too."

They looked at each other again, and this time they both broke into hysterical laughter. I couldn't help it, I had to join them. It did sound crazy, the first time you heard it. I was laughing so hard, I got tears in my eyes. A former barmaid from Bon Temps, who served tuna salad for lunch while wearing jeans and a t-shirt, was the vampire Queen of Louisiana... and Arkansas, of course.

Eventually we got ourselves under control. Still chuckling, Kenneth said, "No offense, sugar. I always laugh like that when I'm a little nervous. Here we've been thinking how cool we are, getting to know a vampire... and then it turns out that it's not just _any_ old vampire, it's _the_ vampire! Daniel, honey! You are decorating a vampire King's personal house! Unbelievable!"

"Technically, it's now known as the Royal Residence, "I explained, "We kept the one in New Orleans, too, which is why I'm telling you all of this. You see, we sort of inherited it from the last King, and I didn't like him much. I really want you to help me redecorate the Royal Suite. The rest of the place is okay, except we need to see about making a few more of the bedrooms light-tight. It needs to be real soon, though, because we need to be able to use it towards the end of April. Eric is having his Coronation celebration the first of May."

I could tell by the way Daniel's eyes lit up that he was pretty excited by the idea. He said, "Sookie, I would be honored. We still have lots of friends in the city we can stay with while I'm working on it. What exactly do you want done?"

"Let's put it this way. If I could burn just that one suite and start over, I would. Everything needs to go. Repaint everything, even the ceiling! New furniture, the whole nine yards. And you can stay at the Residence while you work on it, if you want. The place is huge, and practically empty right now."

Somewhat nervously, Kenneth asked, "Are you sure it would be safe for us to stay there?"

Smiling, I said, "Oh, yes. There are plenty of day humans that work there, and besides... you work directly for the King himself. Believe me, no vampire would even _think_ about touching you."

"So, is he _really_ that much of a bad-ass, Sookie?" Daniel asked, "Not all bark and no bite... so to speak?"

No sense in sugar-coating the truth. I said, "Guys, I gotta tell you. My husband is big on loyalty, and rewards people well when they've done a good job. He's really very fair, by vampire standards. But make no mistake... he got the job for a reason."

They both had to take a minute and think that over. Kenneth said, "Well, he may _be_ a real bad-ass, but I can tell by the way he looked at you at your wedding that he's absolutely crazy about you; so he can't be _all_ bad."

At that, I had to laugh."Yes, I guess I _am_ his one weakness," I admitted, "at least that's the way vampires would probably see it."

By now, we had finished lunch, and they helped me carry the dishes to the kitchen. Daniel announced that they would start unloading stuff, and I offered to help. He said, "Oh, no. It would never do for the vampire Queen of Louisiana to be toting things in from the car!"

Somewhat sourly, I said, "Cut it out! You sound just like Eric! Let me tell you what the vampire Queen is going to do while you are unloading. I'm going to stand here and wash the dishes!"

"Don't you have any maids or anything?" Kenneth asked incredulously, "Honey, this place is huge! How do you do it, all by yourself?"

"Oh, there actually _are _maids, but they don't come in until the afternoon," was my response. "I'll tell you the truth, though, I'm just not used to having them yet."

At that, Kenneth looked at me like I had three heads, and exclaimed, "Ha! Are you crazy, woman? Me, I'd get used to it in three seconds, flat! Even _we_ have a maid that comes in to clean, and we're not royalty."

After that, they went to unload the car, and I did indeed wash the dishes. Every now and then one or the other would come past, toting different decorative items. We were all done about the same time. Daniel wanted me to go upstairs and look at some swatches for a couple of the bedrooms, and get my ideas on the ones he hadn't started on yet. Eric had already looked over all the light-tight improvements, and approved them. Daniel told me, "Since this was my first vampire's house, I found the whole process fascinating."

"What he _really_ found fascinating were the workers who were doing it," Kenneth said playfully, "My goodness, even for workmen, they certainly were buff... and the big boss, Alcide, kept coming by to check on the progress. What a hottie he is!"

I had to smile to myself, since I knew for a fact that every member of Alcide's crew was a Were; but since Weres of all kinds were still "in the closet," I didn't say anything. I did agree with their assessment of Alcide, though. Daniel and Kenneth followed me into the room that I wanted to be Pam's, and I said, "This room is sort of special. You remember Pam, don't you?"

At the mere mention of Pam, Kenneth began to look nervous, but he nodded. "This is going to be her room," I said, "She likes pastel colors best. I want it to look like you've stepped back in time to the 1820's. Can you do that?

Daniel nodded, and said, "Oh, yes, I am very familiar with that period. It will be lovely, I promise! "

We continued to make our way down the broad hallway, to each room in turn. When we reached the largest room at the very end of the hall, Daniel said, "Sookie... forgive me for asking... but in all this time you've never mentioned a master bedroom. Up until today I thought that you must still be sleeping at your other house in Shreveport, but it looks like you are actually already living here..." His voice trailed off.

Suddenly, it dawned on me... very few people even knew of the existence of Eric's hidden daytime chamber. It had never occurred to me that my decorator would wonder where in the heck I was sleeping every night. I trusted these guys, up to a point; but I was not about to reveal the location of my sleeping vampire to _anyone_. As far as I knew, only Juanita and Bobby knew where the concealed doorway was. Juanita always cleaned our room when Eric was gone, and no one else was around. Hesitantly, I said, "Yes, we _are_ living here, but the location of Eric's chamber is still pretty much a secret.... I guess you understand why."

Kenneth looked a little startled, and asked, "You mean he's... here?"

"Uh huh. That's what all the extra security is for... anyhow, we already have a room, and before you ask... he sleeps in a bed like everyone else, unless we're traveling," I replied. "However, maybe I _should_ have this room done for me... just in case. It might be nice to stay up here sometimes, for a change. I love the windows, and when the light-shields are up, the views from here are wonderful. Besides, even if I never use it, my human friends can stay in here. I want you to make it really cozy, and warm, like my Gran's house. Put a little seating area at that end, and maybe even a desk, if you can..."

Just as the words were leaving my mouth, I could hear a vehicle pulling up in front of the house. Looking out the window, I could see that it was the transport van, delivering the travel coffins. I said, "Listen, I've got to go let some people in. Are you guys done with me?"

Daniel said they were done, period, so we all went back downstairs together. I opened the front door just as the driver of the van went to ring the bell, and said, "Hi! You can just put them there in the living room."

The man nodded, and went back to unload the trestles. Once they were in place, he and his assistant got out a gurney, set some ramps in place up the front steps, and wheeled in Pam's rose colored coffin and then Eric's black one. Daniel and Kenneth stood watching the whole process in complete fascination. I could tell they were just "dying" to ask, so I said by way of explanation, "Travel coffins, so they can travel by day, and have more time at the destination once they arrive."

Kenneth said in wonder, "Sookie, how in the world did you ever get used to all this?"

I answered truthfully, "I don't know... one thing leads to another, and before you know it, it really doesn't seem all that weird anymore."

Before they headed back to Bon Temps, I gave them Fabrizzio's cell phone number, and told Daniel to give him a call when they were ready to go take a look at the Residence in New Orleans. They both gave me a hug, jumped in their van, and then waved as they started back down the drive. The transport truck followed them out, and soon I was standing on my front porch alone. It was a nice afternoon, and Juanita was due any time, so I decided to sit out on the broad old porch for awhile and get some fresh air.

I picked a comfortable looking chair, plopped down, and propped my feet up on the matching ottoman. It really was peaceful out here, and the view was nice, too. I admired the flowerbeds that Hector had been working on. Something about sitting on the porch reminded me of my old farmhouse. The two houses were about as different as daylight and dark, but the feeling that I got sitting out here relaxing on the porch was much the same. I just knew Gran would have loved Valhalla, and I wished again that she was alive to see it. For the first time, sitting out here, I began to feel like I actually belonged to this house, and it to me; and the thought made me smile. I lay back in my chair and enjoyed that feeling of contentment. Soon enough, my tranquility was interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone, This time it was Mr. Cataliades. In his jovial voice, he said, "Good afternoon, Sookie. (I had already read him the riot act about addressing me as "Your Majesty.") I trust you are well?"

We got the pleasantries out of the way, and then he got down to business by saying, "I have done the research on the property behind Fangtasia, and I can see no reason that it will not be suitable for the purpose of expansion. I have finally been able to contact the owner, and he is willing to show you the property. It must be as early as possible this evening, however, as he is leaving the country tomorrow and will be gone at least two weeks. The King seemed especially anxious to acquire this property. Would you like for me to set up this appointment?"

Eric wouldn't be up for hours yet, and I knew he really wanted to see the building; so I told the lawyer to go ahead and tell the man to meet us at Fangtasia about an hour after dark. I thought briefly about going down and "asking" my vampire first, but decided it wasn't worth disturbing his rest with something this trivial. wished me a good afternoon, and disconnected.

I had just leaned back in my chair and gotten comfortable again, when two things happened at once. Juanita's rather beat-up old car drove up the drive and around the side of the house to the side entrance, and my phone rang again. Dang! What a busy day! I answered it, and it was Amelia. We greeted each other, and then Amelia said, "I need to tell you a couple of things. First, Jason came by yesterday, and hung around for awhile. He never did say exactly what he wanted, but I think he was trying to pump me for information about you. You know, he wanted to know where you were living, and all about Eric being King... like that. I think maybe he's going to try and make up with you, Sook."

It had been over two months since that awful encounter at Merlottes's, where Jason had basically called me a Fangbanging whore. I wondered how serious he was about making up. He was going to have to do some pretty serious apologizing, before I would even consider it. My brother had made it abundantly clear how he felt about vampires, and I wasn't about to let him 'dis my husband, ever. It was a good thing for him that Eric had never found out what he had said to me the day of our fight. To Amelia, I said, "He has my cell phone number. He can call me if he wants to apologize. So, what did you tell him?"

"Like I said, he had already heard all about the big wedding and reception, and sounded pretty pissed that you hadn't invited him. Of course, he had also heard about Eric becoming King, and wanted to know if that meant you were now a Queen. He seemed to think that was pretty funny. He also wanted to know where you were living. I almost didn't tell him, but realized it's already becoming pretty common knowledge anyway... you know how the Supe grapevine is. Besides, even if he shows up uninvited, he can't get past the guards unless you give the okay. I hope you don't mind."

Even though I was still mad at him, he _was_ my brother. I guessed sooner or later we were going to have to bury the hatchet. I said, "I don't care that you told him, but he is going to have to apologize first, otherwise he is just not welcome. Listen, Sam told me that Jason had quit his job. Did he say what he's doing now?"

"No, he never brought it up," the witch replied, "He was driving a new truck, though, so he must be doing something making pretty good money. The odd thing is, he was here during the middle of the day on a Monday, so he must work at night now."

I agreed that was pretty odd, and we spent a few more minutes discussing my wayward brother; and then Amelia said, "Sookie, remember the other day I told you that Trey had asked me to move in with him? Well, it looks like I'm going to just take the plunge, and do it. I just thought I'd let you know. He's going to help me move all my stuff on Friday, so after that I guess the house is going to be empty."

Somehow, the thought that my old family farmhouse would be completely empty for the first time since it had been built made me very sad, and suddenly I could feel tears spring into my eyes. As long as Amelia was still living there, I knew I could just go by anytime and it would be just like I left it. Now, it was going to feel like I had just abandoned my family home altogether. I guess my friend could tell by my silence that something was wrong, and so she asked softly, "Sookie? Are you okay?"

What in the world was wrong with me? It wasn't like me to cry at the drop of a hat. Sniffing, I replied, "I'm okay... you go on and do what you need to do. Eric says we can fix up the farmhouse so that we can stay there sometimes, but it seems kind of wasteful to let the place just sit empty."

"Sookie, face it," Amelia said, "That vampire of yours is loaded, and if he wants to let twenty houses sit empty, it's no big deal. On the other hand, if you would feel better with someone living in it, maybe you could rent it out for awhile. Either way, you don't have to rush into anything."

That sounded like good advice. I knew for a fact that even if we didn't make it more vampire-friendly, the old house was going to need a lot of repairs done on it, and soon. The roof had seen better days, and it desperately needed a paint job. There were several boards on the front porch that needed replacing, and some of the screens needed fixing. Before Eric had swept back into my life like a whirlwind, I had actually been planning on buying the paint, and doing the work myself, a little at a time over the summer. Sighing, I could just imagine what the Viking would have to say about that! Luckily, ever since Gran died, I had been saving up for some of this stuff, and most of the money that Niall had given me for the wedding was still in the account. For the first time in my life, I could afford to have all the repairs done, and pay for it all myself without having to struggle. I didn't care if Eric _was_ rich, it just didn't seem right that he should have to pay for my family home's upkeep. I guessed I was going to have to rent it out, sooner or later.

My friend was right about one thing, though. I didn't have to make up my mind about it right then. I said, "I think I'll just leave all the utilities on right now. I'll go over there as soon as we get back from Las Vegas, and decide what to do. In the meantime, you'll have a place to bolt back to if it turns out that living with Trey isn't all wine and roses."

"More like pizza and beer... but I appreciate the sentiment," she replied, "The same to you. I've heard the first year of marriage is a real bitch. You never know when you might need to take a break from all the vampire stuff, especially now that Eric is Mr. Big... well, honestly I guess he has _always_ been Mr. Big, in some ways..."

Sternly, I said, "Amelia, you are too much!"

Laughing, she said, "Not really, but I bet _he_ is. That thing should have to be registered with the state as a lethal weapon."

Rolling my eyes even though I knew she couldn't see me, I said, "Enough, all ready. The chances of me "taking a break" are slim to none. He practically won't let me out of his sight... although he did actually let me stay home by myself a couple of nights this week."

I could hear my friend chuckling over the phone. "He "let" you? That doesn't sound like the independent Sookie I know. Is there a pod in your basement?... oh, no, I guess that's where all the coffins are kept."

In return, I teased, "Actually, that _is_ where we keep the sleeping vampire, but in a bed. We seem to keep the coffins in the living room."

Laughing, she said, "Oh, sure you do. I'll bet the maid just _loves_ dusting them, too."

With a start, I wondered if Juanita had found the travel coffins set up in the living room yet. I hoped they hadn't scared the bee-jeebers out of her. I said hastily, "Uh, I just thought of something I need to see to... good luck this weekend, and I'll call you when I get back from Vegas."

We said our goodbyes quickly, and I snapped my phone shut. Rather hurriedly, I went in through the front door, and was just about to go in search of Juanita to warn her about the coffins. I was just rounding the corner into the living room, when I saw her come walking in through the other door. Following closely behind her was the new maid we had recently hired, who must have caught a ride with Juanita. Her name was Viola; she was a very pretty Mexican-American girl and was some sort of a distant relation to the older woman. She was carrying a broom in one hand and a rag and a can of polish in the other. I must have been worried for nothing, because Juanita hadn't batted an eye at the coffins. The little housekeeper saw me hovering in the doorway, smiled broadly and started to say, "Buenas tardes..."

Just then, Viola spied the coffins and let out a surprised yelp. She dropped everything she had been holding, and crossed herself several times. I had been totally unprepared to shield myself, so her thoughts jumped straight into my head. She was thinking..._ Holy Mary, Mother of God, protect me! Coffins in the living room! Aunt Juanita said the vampire slept in a bed, like everyone else. What if I make too much noise, and wake him up? Will he bite me? Will he fire me? I need this job!...Dios Mio!_

I had to hide a smile behind a cough. I had to admit, keeping two coffins in the middle of the living room was a little unusual. On the other hand, it had been made clear to everyone that we hired that this was, in fact, a vampire's home. Viola had sworn that she was okay with that, but I guess the reality of what that meant had just set in. Just wait until she got a good look at the vampire himself! The first time she met up with the Viking, I hoped he behaved himself, or I might be looking for another maid before long.

Apparently, Juanita was not going to put up with any foolishness, because she said sharply, "Viola, you silly girl! _El Patr__ó__n_ is not inside, or we would not be allowed in here! The coffins are empty, right, _Se__ñ__ora_?"

I nodded and she continued in a no-nonsense voice, "We will not come tomorrow, until they are gone. Now, look at those nasty fingerprints on e_l Patr__ó__n's _coffin... that will never do. Get that polish, and make sure you make it shine... I want it to look nice for him. Miss Pam's, too. After that, dust the rest of the room, and then sweep. I will be back to check your work in a little while. Now, _Se__ñ__ora_, what would you like for dinner?"

I wasn't really hungry, so I said, "I will leave it up to you. I ate a late lunch, so I'm not all that hungry. I think right now, I'm going to go to back outside and read a little."

After finding the book I had been reading, I went back outside and got settled back onto the porch. Opening the book, I tried to get my head into the story, but instead I found myself wondering what the building we were going to see tonight looked like inside. I hoped it would be suitable, and that the owner didn't want too much for it. In my mind's eye, I could see the outdoor area, and just where the new serving bar should go... I just couldn't get it out of my head.

What I needed was some paper and a pencil. I went downstairs to our room, and pulled my spiral notebook out of my nightstand, along with the pen that I kept clipped to it. There was still plenty of pages in it, so I rummaged in my purse until I found a pencil. Luckily it still had a point on it, because I doubted we had a sharpener here. That made me think of the fact that I had promised Eric earlier in the week that I would set him up an office here at Valhalla.

I glanced over at my sleeping vampire, and then gave in to my strong desire to crawl across the bed and give him a kiss. When I had left him this morning, he had been face down in his pillow, and now he was lying on his side. He had appropriated my pillow, and had it wedged under his cheek. On the few occasions that Bill and I had actually slept in the same bed (the hotel in Dallas being the most memorable), I had quickly realized that once the sun came up, he almost never changed positions... he was literally dead to the world. The very first time I had slept during the day with Eric (at his hotel suite in Shreveport), I had been surprised to find that he actually moved around some in his rest. On our honeymoon, I had finally gotten around to asking him several questions that I had always wondered about, and that was one of them. He had explained that because he was so old, he had very brief periods of wakefulness during the daylight hours.

Brushing my beautiful vampire's long hair away from his face, I kissed him softly on his lips and then his forehead. The problem with coming down to our room during the day was that it always set off an urge to just crawl back into bed with him and sleep. I thought at first the strong desire to rest with him during the daylight was another consequence of me having too much vampire blood, but now that I had not had any for so long, I was realizing that it had much more to do with our Bond. He needed to be asleep, and so part of me thought I did, too. Also, I was always just so much more comfortable when I was actually with him. I had always been so independent, the desire to be with him all the time seemed totally weird to me. On the other hand, except for Gran and Jason, I had been extremely lonely most of my life, and Eric had totally and completely filled up that void. Still, I was human, and I needed to be awake during the day to feel productive. I gave my Bonded one last pat; and then climbed out of bed, grabbed my notebook, and headed back up stairs.

Even though it was still overcast, I wandered out and sat by the pool. Laying my spiral notebook on the table, I was just about to open the front cover, when I noticed something on it that made a smile cross my face. Just after I had first brought it home from Walmart, I had followed a habit deeply ingrained in me from my school days, by writing _Sookie Stackhouse_ neatly in the upper right hand corner in my best schoolgirl script. This notebook had been purchased just before my wedding, to make lists and keep track of all the details. After that, I had taken it on my honeymoon to jot down all the places we went, so I would never forget anything about it. There were a few lists of things that I had needed to do in New Orleans, and some doodles for ideas for a Mardi Gras costume for next year. There were even very tentative ideas for some stories jotted down, which I had rolling around in the back of my mind ever since I had thought about maybe trying my hand at writing. As crazy as my life had been lately, there had really been no time to pursue that option, but the thought had never entirely left my mind.

That little notebook had certainly seen me through some big changes in my life! Of course, the biggest change was my marriage... so I took my pen, removed the cap, and very carefully added _Northman_ to my name. That looked much, much better! As soon as that very important task had been taken care of, I turned back to the next blank page, and started making a list of all the things I wanted to know about the building. I started some sketches of details I would like to see in the patio area, and some other ideas about how everything would mesh with the existing space.

Before I knew it, Juanita had come out to get me for dinner. I moved inside and sat down to the wonderful dinner she had prepared. It was roasted chicken, with tiny potatoes and carrots, and some fresh asparagus. It was delicious, and I actually managed to eat a decent amount of it. I was really, really doing my best to eat more, so that my vampire and I could get back to our normal habits as soon as possible.

Since it wasn't too much longer until sunset, I thanked the housekeeper for my dinner, grabbed my notebook, and headed downstairs to wait for the Viking to wake. As much as I knew he would want to see the building, I figured he was going to be pretty grumpy that I was not draped across him, naked and waiting. Truth be told, I was going to miss it, too... even though we had "made up" this morning just before dawn, I still felt bad about the fight over the guards. I wanted to make sure that everything was okay between us... and what better way to do that, than by making love?

This time when I got downstairs, Eric was still lying in the same position as when I had last seen him. Turning on the lamp beside my bed, I propped myself up with a spare pillow, since mine was still crammed under his cheek. His handsome face was just calling out for kisses, but for once I showed some restraint. I knew that once I got started, I would never be able to stop. A kiss on his cheek would lead to one his lips, which would lead to his rock-hard chest, then maybe his stomach, and then... there would be no going back. Instead of giving in to my strong desire to just forget that Mr. Cataliades had ever called, run and slip on my sexiest nightie, and ravage my magnificent vampire the very minute his eyes opened for the evening, I forced myself to get back to work on my plans.

For a few minutes, I actually managed to get my head off of sex long enough to concentrate on the sketch I had started earlier. I was busily drawing where some of the seating should go, when I felt my vampire come awake. I looked over, and sure enough, he was watching me intently, with a slight smile on his face. He was just so... gorgeous! A feeling of love for him swept through me, and I couldn't help crawling into his waiting arms for a kiss. I had to make it a pretty chaste one, though, because I didn't want to get either one of us too stirred up. Without further ado, I announced, " called this afternoon. He found the owner of the building behind Fangtasia, and he's willing to sell... but he's leaving the country in the morning and will be gone for at least two weeks. Tonight is the only time he can show it to us, and it can't be too late. I told him we'd be there as soon after dark as possible. I hope that's okay."

Immediately, from deep in his chest came a loud "grrrrrr!" which I had sort of been expecting. He looked so adorable doing it though, I had to laugh. Taking charge of the situation, I told him we'd just have to make up for it later. By the way Eric hesitated, I could tell he was on the verge of telling me to forget the building, and then peeling me out of my clothes in three seconds flat; but then, he surprised me by sighing heavily and agreeing to go on our appointment. He asked me to call Pam and tell her to meet us at the club; and then suddenly he seemed to take in what I was wearing. Eying my jeans with disfavor, he finished his sentence by saying,"...and by the way, what are you doing wearing pants?"

Oh, brother! Surely he had not been serious the other night in his office! I had no intension of giving up wearing jeans, just to make his job easier... a little frustration was good for him! In fact, wasn't _he_ the one that was always telling me that anticipation was such a powerful aphrodisiac? This might be the perfect opportunity to put that theory to the test, so I decided a little teasing was in order. Giving my vampire a quick kiss, I rolled away from him and stood up. I turned my back to him, and wiggled my butt in his direction. Trying to sound sexy, I said, "Now come on, that's not so bad to look at, is it? Before we were dating, you used to _like_ looking at me in jeans... I could always tell. If we are going to be crawling around in a dirty old building, jeans are pretty much required."

Gazing down, I could see that he had gotten a serious erection. Just the sight of it made me a little weak in the knees, and I admit my hootchie was instantly wet and throbbing in response; but I was not going to give in so easily! I gave him the most sultry smile I could muster, and said, "See? You still like me in jeans just fine!"

I was gratified to feel a huge wave of lust rolling through our Bond. Those fantastic blue eyes began to glow with an inner fire, and his fangs slid all the way down. He was propped up in bed, and he had kicked the covers completely off, so that every glorious, muscular inch of him was exposed. His long blond hair was slightly tousled from sleep... in short, he looked about as good as I'd ever seen him. Eric reached down, took his erection into his own hand, and began to stroke himself slowly. Oh... my... god! That was just about the sexiest thing I had ever seen! Mesmerized, I watched, my heart pounding away in my chest. My temperature zoomed up several notches; I wanted him so badly, I could hardly stand it! He tilted his head to one side, and whispered seductively, "Lover... come taste me."

Oh, ho! Now _he_ was playing dirty! He knew that was just about guaranteed to make me begin ripping my clothes off in no time. Although I would really like nothing better than to give him what he wanted. I was determined to play out this little game of sexual tension. He might be the Master at it, but I was learning! As coolly as I possibly could, I replied, "Mmmm. As much as I want to, better not. I know you. One thing would lead to another, and we'd miss that appointment for sure. Be a good vampire and get dressed."

Eric almost looked shocked that I had managed to resist his charms; but finally he gave a huge sigh, and got out of bed. One look at that fabulous backside of his headed toward the shower was enough to make me reconsider... but really, we _did_ need that space, and Pam would be plenty pissed if we didn't turn up. Oh! Pam! I had almost forgotten to call her! I grabbed my phone and performed that little task; and then I got a bottle of TrueBlood out of the little fridge in our room and heated it up in the microwave. Taking it into the bath, I could see that he was almost done with his shower, so I set it down and grabbed a towel to dry him.

Once dry, he went into the closet, and came back a moment later clad in jeans and a tight-fitting t-shirt. I offered to dry his hair for him, and so he sat down and watched me in the mirror as I worked. As I ran my fingers through the silky strands of his beautiful long hair, my vampire let out a sigh of contentment. I pulled it back into a ponytail, since we were going to be crawling around in an old building in just a little while. Placing my hands lightly on his shoulders, I smiled at Eric's reflection in the mirror, and then kissed the top of his head.

We headed upstairs, and I gave a shout to Juanita to let her that we were leaving, so she could go on down and clean our room first thing. As we stepped outside and got in the car, I realized how unseasonably warm and humid it had become. The air has so thick, you could cut it with a knife, and I bet by morning we were in for some rain. We took the Corvette to the club, and as usual, Eric scared the crap out of me by driving much too fast, and simultaneously checking his voice mail. After listening to the messages, he snapped the phone shut, and then said, "Beloved, Bobby will be at Valhalla shortly to pack our things for Las Vegas. I forgot to ask you for your list yesterday."

Having absolutely no earthly idea what list he was talking about, I asked, "What list?"

Eric was silent for a moment, and then he explained that Bobby was headed to our house to pack all "our" stuff for our upcoming trip! Very patiently, he told me the procedure... he would email Bobby a list of the things he wanted to take on a trip, and then Bobby would go pack it the night before his departure .He seemed to think that this was just par for the course, and that I should just give old Bobby a call and tell him what I wanted him to pack for me. Now, Bobby seemed like a decent enough guy, but I had a sudden mental image of him sniffing my panties as he pulled them out of their drawer. EEEWWWW! Not gonna happen... and even if it turned out he wasn't a panty-sniffer, I really did NOT want him to find all of the notes from Eric that I had been saving in the back of that same drawer. To me, those were even more personal than my panties!

Also, Eric didn't need someone else to pack his stuff anymore, he had a wife now. Packing a husband's clothes was mostly considered a wife's job, but maybe being a vampire he just didn't know it; so I tried to explain it, and told him I would just as soon pack our stuff myself.

By the slight frown on his face, I knew that we were just about to get back around to the old "we have servants for that sort of thing" speech, and he did not disappoint. The very next thing out of his mouth was, "Sookie, that is what Bobby is for... it is part of his job. Do you think Robert packs _his_ own clothes? Of course not. I suppose I can understand that you would not care for a male packing your things. I think what you need is a lady's maid. Most Queens have at least one."

Okay, he had me there. I bet Sir Robert hadn't packed his own bag in a couple of centuries. He just wasn't that kind of guy. From the very first, it was obvious that Sheriff Eric had expected other people to do things for him (not his most endearing quality), and now that he was King it was clearly only going to get worse. The question was, how far was I willing to change to please him? He had a certain way of doing things, but I did, too. I _wasn't_ used to people doing every little thing for me. All I needed was another maid that I didn't know what to do with underfoot. I wasn't even really sure what a lady's maid did (except for pack clothes) but I was fairly certain that since I had managed without one my entire life, I would be able to muddle through without one now. I really didn't want to get into another argument, so I told him as calmly as I could that I was would just prefer to do it myself, but I would think about allowing someone to help me in the future. He seemed to accept that answer, but I had a feeling this was not the last I was going to hear about this issue.

Luckily, we had just reached the club, and soon we were going in the back entrance. We were headed down the hall, and were just about to pass Pam's office, when he apparently decided to stop and speak to her. The door was firmly shut, but true to vampire form he just put his hand on the knob and barged right in. I couldn't stop myself from blurting out, "Eric, honey! You should knock first!"

His answer was, of course, "What for?" as he continued on inside. Just past him, I could that we had apparently caught Pam right in the middle of dinner. She was firmly attached to the throat of the little waitress, Julie, and sucking for all she was worth. Shocked and embarrassed at catching her in such a private moment, I stammered, "Oh, excuse us! Sorry!", began to back out of the office. I grabbed the back of Eric's shirt, and tried to pull him along with me, but trying to get him to budge an inch was a complete waste of energy. In fact, he ended up grabbing my hand and pulling me with him into the room.

Completely mortified, I tried to look away. For me, feeding was an intensely private thing, and almost always done during sex. In theory, I knew that people were willing donors, but this was the first time I had ever witnessed it happening. To let yourself be a snack like that, when you had no emotional attachment to the vampire, seemed just awful... But then, slowly my eyes returned to the scene in front of me. Upon closer inspection, I could see that Pam had her hand resting gently on the girl's cheek, not holding her tightly in place at all. The look on Julie's face was one of intense pleasure, not pain; so apparently she was enjoying it. Pam must have been nearly finished before we so rudely interrupted her, because before long she raised her head, patted the Julie on her bottom and dismissed her. Pam handed her some cash, which instantly disappeared into the waitress' pocket before she said goodbye and nearly floated out the door.

Without warning, the longing for my own vampire to feed from me was almost unbearable. Looking over at Eric, I could not help but think about the sheer ecstasy he produced in me when those sharp fangs penetrated my skin, and the complete rush I felt when my blood began to flow into his hungry mouth... Just the memory of it had my panties drenched instantly. He must have felt it, because he turned to me with those blue eyes of his blazing, and he gave me his most devastatingly sexy smile. All I wanted to do was take him back to his office right that very instant, and have my way with him... and plead with him to please, please, please bite me.... but then I snapped out of the trance I had been in.

Ack! Oh no! Did I really just get aroused watching my friend Pam feeding on some poor innocent girl? Is sex all I could ever think about? What in the world was wrong with me? Now I was embarrassed, all over again, and I said "Sorry, Pam. I guess you aren't the only one around here that never learned to knock."

However, it seemed that I was the only one in the room that felt the slightest bit embarrassed, because Pam just laughed and said calmly, "Nonsense, Mistress. You are always welcome. I was nearly finished anyway. That one tastes _much _better than she looks, to be sure."

Casually, she pulled out a compact, and started to repair her lipstick. I glanced at Eric, and he was staring at me just like I undoubtedly had been staring at him just a few seconds ago. I could feel his strong lust, but I knew it was probably just a rebound of what I had been sending him. Since I knew we had an appointment to keep, I tried my best to ignore it; and instead attempted to come to grips with what I had just witnessed. I had always suspected that the staff around here was expected to be a source of nutrition as well as labor, but this was the first time I had seen it in the flesh. Somehow, it just didn't seem right... even though it looked like Julie had been willing, and in fact seemed to enjoy it. Fangtasia ran through waitresses like crazy, and maybe this was one reason why. I was just about to bring up this point, when I clapped my mouth shut again. Maybe I should re-think the wisdom of lecturing Pam about staying away from the employees. I must have given away some of what I had been thinking, because Pam gave me a grin, and said, "Let me guess. You think I should leave the staff alone."

My reply was that most companies don't much care for management having relationships with their employees because of the discipline problems it creates. In response, Pam just laughed and told me that discipline hadn't exactly been a problem at Fangtasia, and that the vampires feeding from the staff was more or less a win-win situation for all concerned. At that, I had to shake my head, because I could tell she would never "get" it. I was just about to change the subject, when she got a wicked gleam in her eye, and said, "...and besides, didn't you have a relationship with the Shifter you used to work for in Bon Temps?"

Oh crap, I couldn't believe she just said that! Why would she bring that up in front of Eric, who she knew didn't care much for Sam in the first place? Anyway, I never did actually sleep with Sam, even though we had come pretty close a couple of times. I had always cared a great deal about him, though, and even now, I missed him like crazy. Honestly, more than once I had thought that eventually we might end up together. In fact, right before the Viking had reappeared in my life and literally swept me off my feet, I had almost given in to my loneliness and had very seriously considered seducing Sam. I had even dreamed about it in one of those vivid dreams where everything seemed so real...

_In my dream, Sam and I had been out on a date, and when we had returned to the farmhouse, he sat in my front porch swing with me. Holding my hand, Sam told me how much he had always loved me. I had felt so relieved that someone could actually love me for myself... not my fairy blood, or my telepathy, but just for me. I had led him to my room, and we had undressed each other very slowly. He was not much taller than me, and we almost stood eye to eye. I ran my hands down his muscular chest, which was thickly covered in reddish-gold curls... and then down lower. He had drawn his breath in sharply as I touched his erection... which was just normal sized, but entirely adequate. As I held that most intimate part of him in my hand, I remember thinking how warm he was... and that he would give me babies, if I wanted them. I had lain on my old bed, and he had rolled on top of me, his warm body covering mine. The strange thing about that dream was that just as he was about to enter me, I had realized at the last minute that it was wrong for me to go any further... that this was my best friend, not my lover... that there was someone else I belonged to.... I had to wait.... I had to! _I had started awake, my heart pounding away in my chest, so I would never know if I would have let Sam continue, or if I would have stopped him.

All of this flashed through my mind at the speed of light. Just remembering all of those old feelings made me feel very strange. As much for my benefit as theirs, I stated very firmly to Pam and Eric, "I did _not_ have a relationship with Sam. He was and is just a good friend."

As expected, I felt a jolt of possessiveness coming from the Viking. He gave me a rather probing look, but said nothing. I could see that Pam was thoroughly enjoying my discomfort, and before she could say anything else to stir the pot, I decided that maybe right then would be a good time to make myself scarce. I told my vampires that I was going up front to wait on the man we were expecting, and made my escape, leaving in my wake one highly amused vampire and one extremely irritated one.

As I passed through the bar area, I could see Felicia hard at work behind the bar. Obviously, she was completely healed from the burns the silver nets had caused. I gave her a little wave, and in return she gave me a brilliant smile, and a half-bow. I could see that she was wearing the earrings I had given her, which made me smile. I continued on to the front door, where Atticus stood in attendance. Tonight, the tall black vampire was wearing a dark red shirt, unbuttoned almost to the waist, and his signature black leather pants. Heavy gold chains dripped from his neck, and instead of the diamond studs he was sporting two gold hoops in his earlobes. He looked so intimidating, he made the perfect bouncer. He, too, gave me a half-bow, and said, "Good evening, ma'am."

In return, I smiled and said, "Good evening, Atticus. How's it going?"

He glanced at the line of people waiting to get inside, and said seriously, "About average, ma'am."

I wasn't sure if I had ever once seen ol' Atticus smile. He was very serious, even for a vampire. Of course, I had thought Eric was the meanest, scariest thing I had ever seen when I first met _him_, so for all I knew underneath this stoic exterior lay a very fun-loving guy. I knew he was going to be coming to Las Vegas with us, and I hoped maybe he would loosen up a little when he got to know me. I said, "Eric and I are expecting a visitor shortly. If you don't mind, I'll just keep you company until he gets here."

He said calmly, "Of course, ma'am."

Well, I guess Eric hadn't hired him for his conversational skills. While I waited, I looked over the people waiting to get it, and it seemed to be the usual assortment of tourists and

fangbangers. Some of them were eying me curiously, obviously wondering who in the heck I was, and why this perfectly enormous vampire was treating an ordinary human girl dressed in nothing more interesting than blue jeans and a t-shirt so politely. I was racking my brain to think of something entertaining to talk to him about, when I saw a bright red Cadillac pull into the parking lot, and pull into a recently vacated spot. A man climbed out and came walking straight towards the front door, ignoring the line which was running down the sidewalk. It had to be the man I was waiting on, because even your average tourist wouldn't dare come to Fangtasia looking like that on a bet.

He was short, paunchy, and had the most unfortunate comb-over hair-do I had ever seen. It looked exactly like two bacon strips plastered across an otherwise shiny bald spot on the top of his head. His appearance wasn't helped much by the tacky plaid sports coat he was wearing, either. He must have thought he was a real player, though, because his shirt was unbuttoned enough to show a seriously hairy chest (I immediately thought of _Austin Powers_); and I could see several gold chains hanging around his neck. He also wore a heavy gold bracelet around one wrist, and a diamond ring winked from his pinky finger.

He had been walking with a little swagger, until he got a little closer to the front door... and then he got a good look at Atticus. He slowed, and then almost came to a halt. Atticus gave him his best vampire stare, and I thought for a minute the little man was going to bolt back the other way. Uh oh, time for the ordinary human girl to be friendly. Walking out onto the sidewalk to meet him, I held out my hand and said, "Hi! I'm Sookie Northman. Are you the man that owns the building behind here?"

He gave me a once-over, and then shook my hand and said, "Morris Townsend. Pleased to meet you. Uh... Sorry we had to do this tonight, but I've got a really early flight tomorrow."

"Well, of course my husband needs to see it at night, so this worked out just fine," I told him mildly.

At that, Mr. Townsend said nervously, "Ah... the lawyer that called just said the owner of the adjoining property wanted to see my property... this is a vampire bar. Does that mean that he's...?" His voice trailed off.

I finished for him, "...a vampire? Well, yes, he is." I was a little surprised that Mr. Cataliades hadn't mentioned it to him, but then realized that maybe he hadn't for a reason. People in this part of the country were still very, very leery of vampires, and he might have refused to come...especially at night. In fact, Mr. Townsend looked past me at Atticus, swallowed hard, and asked, "Is that him?"

Had the man never seen a bouncer before? I laughed and said, "No, he just works here. Would you like to come inside?"

Mr. Townsend hesitated a minute, then said, "Well... maybe just a peak inside. I've always kind of wondered what went on in places like this. A little weird for my tastes... oh, no offense."

Soothingly, I said, "I understand. Let me text Eric, and tell him you are here."

Pulling out my cell phone, I typed in _The man is here. Can U come?_ and hit send. I said, "Come on, we'll wait inside."

I led him in through the front entry, and we stood looking out over the crowded bar. Mr. Townsend looked around with his mouth practically hanging open, staring openly at the fangbangers in their rather bizarre garb. He said incredulously, "My God! Weird doesn't even begin to describe it!"

I probably should have been offended, since it _was_ my husband's bar... but it was, in fact, fairly weird. Just then, one of the real Area vampires walked by, saw me standing there, and nodded politely to me. He was escorting a pretty fangbanger back from the dance floor, and I could tell by the way his fangs were down she was going to get her heart's desire tonight... bedded and bitten by a vampire. After getting one good look at those sharp, shiny fangs, Mr. Townsend had suddenly become extremely nervous; so I reached out and patted him on the arm, to settle him down a bit. Giving him my best smile, I said, "Most of these folks are really pretty normal. It's just kind of a hobby, like anything else."

Giving me a sickly half-smile in return, he said, "I play golf, myself. Also, I sing in the choir, for my church. _Those_ are hobbies."

Suddenly, I could feel Eric coming, so I turned to watch him stride towards us. As usual, the crowd parted in front of him, to let him through. Even though I had just seen him a few minutes ago, for some reason it struck me again how wonderful he looked tonight. Even though he was only wearing his customary jeans and a tight t-shirt, he was handsome, regal, and radiated power... in short, every bit the vampire King that he really was. I was so proud that he was mine! Wait! Did I _really_ just think that? Hmmm, I guess he was beginning to rub off on me more than I thought. With a hint of pride in my voice, I announced, "_That_ is my husband."

The minute the little man laid eyes on Eric, his eyes widened, the blood drained right out of his face, and I could even see a few beads of sweat pop out on his forehead. If Atticus had alarmed him, I could see that the Viking flat-out scared the pants off him. Hurriedly, I performed the introductions, and Mr. Townsend rather tentatively reached out to shake hands... and of course, Eric just looked at the outstretched hand and then back at its owner. I really should have warned Mr. Townsend in advance, but I just hadn't thought about it. As mildly as I could, I told him, "Vampires really don't shake hands. No offense."

You would have thought he had just touched a hot stove, he pulled his hand back so quickly. Idly I wondered why it was that vampires _didn't _shake hands, and then realized it must have been developed as a survival technique. In the days before the Great Revelation, if they shook hands with a human, their cool touch would have been a dead giveaway... uh, no pun intended.

I didn't need to use my telepathy to tell that poor Mr. Townsend was reconsidering the wisdom of being alone in an empty building with Eric, who was doing nothing at all to help the situation. The Viking was just standing there, towering over him and giving him that flat vampire stare of his.

I was trying to figure out what to say to calm ol' Morris down, when Pam came gliding up out of the crowd. She was dressed in her usual Fangtasia work attire, and tonight she had on a black bustier, a tight leather mini skirt, and a pair of black stiletto shoes that she had recently bought while we were in New York visiting Robert. Honestly, I had been shocked to my core to see how much she paid for those shoes! Around her ankle was fastened a slender golden bracelet, which I had always thought very sexy-looking with heels like that. Immediately, I glanced over to see if Pam's arrival had scared Mr. Townsend even further, and was surprised to find that instead of being afraid, he was clearly fascinated. He looked her over from head to foot, letting his gaze linger on those fantastic shoes. Unsurprisingly, Pam looked complete bored with his obvious admiration, and I could tell that she was just about to say something inappropriate. I said hurriedly, "Okay then... why don't we get going? We can just walk from here."

Somewhat reluctantly, the paunchy little man nodded, and then lead us outside and around the building. I could tell he was very, very nervous about going towards an empty building with a pair of vampires, and so I tried my best to keep his mind of his fear by talking about very mundane issues. Sure enough, by the time we reached his building, he had calmed down some. Unlocking the door, he apologized that the electricity was off. He pulled a couple of flashlights from his pocket, and offered them to us. I said, "Thanks. I'll take one, but vampires can see very well in the dark."

By the way his eyes widened, I could see that he hadn't known that interesting little fact; and immediately he said that he would just wait outside while we looked. I figured he wasn't to anxious to be alone in a dark building with a pair of vampires, even if they had a human escort. I could tell that suited Eric and Pam just fine, so we all trooped inside and began our inspection. The building had obviously not been used in a very long time, and I wasn't even sure what its original purpose had been. I had brought along my trusty notebook, and I began to make notes and a few sketches as we went along. Eric was very knowledgeable when it came to real estate and construction, since this was apparently one of the ways he had gotten so rich over the years. I supposed that if you held onto property long enough... say a century or two... it would appreciate quite nicely.

In any event, we went over the place pretty thoroughly. The whole time we were scouting it out, Pam seemed a little nervous, and it finally occurred to me that she was on the look-out for rodents. Since I had grown up in the country, that sort of thing didn't bother me much. Rather meanly, I was kind of hoping a mouse _would_ show up. The chance to see Pam dancing around in fright would be... well, priceless.

Finally, we came to the room that had the big windows overlooking the back of Fangtasia. We had a little discussion about the chances of taking out some walls and things, and Eric seemed to think that it would be no problem... if he threw enough money at it. Nevertheless, we all agreed that the building was just what we needed for our expansion plans. Pam and I followed Eric back outside, where Mr. Townsend was rather nervously smoking a cigarette on the front sidewalk.

Without further ado, Eric asked him what he wanted for the place. The man was silent for a minute, and then a gleam seem to come into his eye. He said smoothly, "Oh... I think $450,000 would be just about right."

I had absolutely know idea what property was worth, but that sounded extremely high to me. I could feel a serious sense of annoyance coming from the Viking, and so I figured he thought so, too. The look he gave the man would have peeled the paint off a sidewalk, but as soon as money had been mentioned, a whole other side of the paunchy little man had emerged. He stood up straight, and stubbornly stuck to his price. Something about the way his eyes had gleamed a little at the first was bugging me. I got the feeling that maybe this guy wasn't very honest, so immediately I dropped my shields and listened in.

What I got from his head was... _I heard vampires are all rich,but how smart can they be? They're dead!.... I know the real estate guy said this building isn't worth more than $175,000, but I bet his dead ass don't know that..._

He paused in his thinking for a minute while he threw out another figure to Eric, and then... _I hope Aunt Maudie is rolling in her grave, since I'm selling off all her damned old real estate. Good thing for me I was the last of her relatives living... I've turned a pretty penny on every last one of her stupid old buildings... the old bat couldn't stand me and I sure as hell hated her... always said I was one twisted sister. Nothing wrong with admiring a woman's foot in a pretty pair of shoes, no sir... I don't care if we stay here all night, I won't take a penny less than $175,000, no matter what..._

The fact that this... this... redneck cracker with his bacon-strip hair thought that he was _so_ much smarter than my 1000 year-old husband just because he was dead, really pissed me off. I was sorry now that I had been so nice to the little weasel earlier. Meanwhile, Eric had made another counter-offer, and was now citing a some comparable sales in the area to back up his figures. Old Morris had only come down to $350, 000, and it was beginning to look like we _would_ be here all night. I suddenly just wanted this to be over, so we could get away from this slimeball; and so very pointedly, I said to Eric, "Offer him $175,000."

My vampire never changed expression, but glanced over at me. I let him know with a nod of my head that I hadn't exactly picked that figure out of thin air... unless you wanted to count the thin air between Mr. Morris Townsend's ignorant ears. The greedy jerk hemmed and hawed a little; but then Eric gave him his very best scary-vampire glare, and said, "$175,000 cash, and not a penny more. It is a fair offer."

The little man looked up at the sky, calmly took one last puff on his cigarette, and finally agreed. I couldn't believe that a man who had been so scared earlier could have done such a complete turn-around. I guess any time money is involved, it brings out a different side of people... and judging from some of old Morris' earlier thoughts, he had plenty of other sides he kept hidden, as well. Now that the price had been agreed on, Mr. Townsend locked up the building, and followed us back to the Fangtasia parking lot.

While my vampire was going over the last few details, Morris was openly staring at Pam's feet. I had not really manged to get my mental shield back up, and so an image of what was in his head came floating through my mind. He was picturing himself naked, jerking off while Pam ground her dagger-like heels into his chest. Oh,ewww... another one of those freaks. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't even then first time I had "seen" or "overheard" that particular fantasy. Our old mailman in Bon Temps had thought about something similar all the time, although he had apparently been more attracted to platform shoes and red toenails. He used to come into the bar after his rounds and have a beer, and I got to "hear" all about it. I let out a heavy sigh. I wondered if the choir director at his church knew about Mr. Morris Townsend's Sunday afternoon activities. Heck, as far as I knew, the director was the one wearing the shoes. And to think the nasty little jerk had the nerve to say how weird our fangbangers were!

Eventually, all the details were hammered out, and Mr. "I Sing in the Church Choir" Townsend had stuffed his paunchy carcass back in his flashy Caddy and headed out of the parking lot. I just stood there watching his taillights, and thought about how glad I was to see the last of him; and how his Aunt Maude had been right all along. My vampires were staring at me with twin looks of anticipation, and I knew they wanted me to spill what I had heard from ol' Morris baby's head. It was kind of amusing how these two completely magical beings were always so fascinated with my telepathy. I guess in their world view, _I_ was the oddity. Sighing again, I told them what they were clearly dying to hear (in a manner of speaking) by explaining, "I just _hate_ greedy people. He inherited that building and several others from a relative that he couldn't even stand. The price I told you was what the Realtor he consulted told him it was really worth, and he had made up his mind that was the least amount he would take, no matter what. I just figured we could stand out there all night arguing, or we could just cut to the chase and get it over with."

I left out the part about him thinking that vampires were mentally deficient just because they were dead. Pam gazed at me in complete amazement, and then rather sarcastically asked me if that was _everything_ I had learned. Out of habit, I had edited some parts, but she _did_ ask; so I told her exactly what he had been thinking about. I was looking straight at her when I said it, too, and so I could see that I had actually managed to surprise her for once. Pam asked me, "Sookie, how on earth do _you_ know anything about shoe fetishes?"

So, it turned out that she wasn't shocked by his little fantasy, or that she figured prominently in it, but that innocent little old me had ever heard of such a thing. Really! Those two act like I have lived in a convent my whole life! If they had any idea, any idea _at all_, of all the mean or greedy or truly perverted things that I had been forced to know about my entire life, they wouldn't hardly believe it. I tried to explain to them that being a telepathic barmaid had been a real education, in lots of ways, but I'm not sure they got it.

In fact, they both just stared at me, and Pam shook her head. The Viking didn't say a word, but I felt some very strong emotion swirling through him. It was much too complex to decipher, but I hoped like crazy it wasn't pity. That was one emotion I hoped never to feel from him, or anyone else. Whatever it was, he pulled me into his arms, and gave me the gentlest of kisses, and after that, took me back inside his bar.

*****

All three of us ended up in Eric's office. I was so excited! Eric had just bought a whole building, and we would soon be making huge changes around here..... and my vampires were so calm, it was driving me crazy! Excitedly, I asked what came next.

Eric very patiently explained the process, which sounded very much like what Sam had gone through when he had remodeled part of Merlotte's a couple of years back. I had been on hand through the whole thing, and found it completely fascinating. There was something about transforming an old space into something more functional and attractive that I just found very satisfying. I really wished I had been around to see Valhalla as it was being restored. Much to my surprise, Eric said, "Sookie, this was your idea from the beginning. I think you should be the one in charge of seeing it to completion."

Well, that was unexpected. I blinked a couple of times, and said,"Me? All I know is how to run a bar, and be a good waitress. I know nothing about construction."

A rather detailed discussion followed, and both Pam and Eric seemed convinced that I was capable of overseeing the entire project. I thought it over carefully. Well, why not? All I really had to do was hire other people to do all the work, and make sure it got done on time. A lot of what I would need to do was better done during the day anyway, so I would still have plenty of time to spend with my Viking at night. Eric would be on hand with advice to help me if I got stuck... and I bet Mr. Cataliades would be around for back-up during the day, if needed. Since we got back from New Orleans, I hadn't seriously been working at anything but amusing a rather highly sexed Viking, and it would be nice to feel like I was doing something worthwhile.... so I decided to give it a try, and I told them so. I could tell that my answer pleased them both. It felt pretty good to know they both had so much confidence in me!

I asked Eric when I should get started, and he said I could contact the architect as soon as we returned from our trip. Holy cow! I had a lot to think about! I said, "Okay. I can work a little on my plans while we are gone."

My vampire grinned, wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and said, "Oh, no, you won't. I have plans for all of your time while we are there... and none of it involves work."

Uh huh... the last time I looked, he was still dead to the world during the day, so I could firm up my ideas then and still have time to play with him at night. He had a little smirk on his handsome face, and I so teased him back, by saying, "Oh, a big talker... I think I'll take my notebook along, just in case. Listen, I'm going out to get something to drink... you two want something?"

Pam said no, and left to go see about some visiting vampires who were supposed to be checking in soon. I was a little surprised that Eric had passed this job off to her, because he just such a control freak. Even when he was still Sheriff, he had always wanted to know exactly who was roaming around loose in his Area. Eric accepted my offer of a TrueBlood, though, so I high-tailed it on out into the bar to get our drinks. I went around to the end of the bar, and thought about getting them myself, but decided to just wait and talk to Felicia a little while. Since Pam had given her the last couple of nights off, I had not had a chance to talk to her since her near-abduction. I could see that she was busy filling an order, so I pulled my pencil out of my pocket, and stood sketching on a cocktail napkin until she was free.

While I was waiting, I could hear the two guys sitting on the stools near the end of the bar. They were laughing and punching each other, and then one said to the other, "Okay, how about this one... A string walks into a bar, and asks for a shot of tequila. The bartender says "Sorry, buddy, we don't serve strings". So the string leaves. The next day, the same string walks back into the bar. He asks for a shot of tequila. The bartender says "Sorry, we do _not _serve strings! Please go away." The day after that, before the string goes in the bar, he thinks a minute, ties himself in a knot, and frays both of his ends. He goes in the bar, and once again asks for a shot of tequila. The bartender looks at him suspiciously, and says "Hey, aren't you that string that's been coming in here all the time?" And the string says.... "No, I'm a frayed knot!"

They both just about fall off their barstools laughing, and I sighed and wondered exactly how much they'd had to drink. Luckily, I was saved from the next bar joke by Felicia, who was finally free. Of course, she showed absolutely no sign of her ordeal, but still I asked, "So, how _are _you?" She knew I wasn't inquiring about her health, which was of course, fine. She smiled, and somewhat ruefully, "I am fine, but I feel pretty stupid, falling for a trick like that. I should have known better."

Shaking my head, I said, "Why? Even Eric never expected anything like that here. It made him plenty mad, and I know he's going to get to the bottom of this sooner or later."

The pretty bartender looked at me and said, "If anyone can stop it, it will be the Master. I want to thank you again... for everything. If I can ever do anything for you, Mistress, just ask and it will be done."

I patted her arm, and said, "You are welcome. Right now, you can get Eric a blood, and me a gin-and-tonic, if it's not too much trouble."

She said, "Right away, ma'am," and turned away to get my drinks. As she went towards the warmer to pull out a bottle of TrueBlood, I heard a voice slurring in my ear, "Hey baby... can I have a Jack and coke?"

He must have thought I was a waitress, by the way I was dressed. I turned my head, and saw a man standing behind me, peering at me rather blearily. It looked like maybe he had already had one drink too many. I knew that Felicia probably wouldn't serve he if he'd had his limit, so I figures I'd let her handle it. I said, "Sorry, no. You can ask the bartender, though, she'll be back in a minute." He nodded, but then said, "Hey, you're pretty cute... you want to dance?"

I shook my head, and said, "Uh...no, thanks."

He didn't seem too offended, so I turned back to the bar, I could see Felicia making her way back to me with my drinks in her hand. As I had turned, my pencil slipped out of my hand and fell to the ground, and started to roll. Shoot! I bent over to grab it, and as I just as I got my fingers around it, the drunk behind me decided that my butt waving in the air was just too tempting a target to resist. He grabbed my hips with both hands, and bumped his crotch up against me. Rrrrrrr! I just HATE it when drunks do that, but I was just as mad at myself. After working in a bar all those years, I definitely knew better! Instantly, I started to spring back up, with every intention of whirling around and giving the drunken idiot a good old-fashioned slap, and a serious chewing-out that he wouldn't soon forget. He started to say something (probably crude), but he never got the chance. The next thing I knew, glasses, napkins, tiny pieces of fruit, and all the little sundry items that had been sitting on the very end of the bar went flying as Felicia grabbed the drunk by the throat and pulled him up onto its flat surface. She bared her very sharp fangs at him, and growled, "How _dare_ you do that to my Mistress?"

Instead of clearing the place out, I heard excited cries of "Fight! Fight!" and instantly people began to crowd around, I guess in hopes that they would get to see a vampire really tearing into someone. The captive was lying bent at an extremely uncomfortable angle across the bar. His eyes were glued to Felicia's flashing white fangs, and I thought for a minute he was going to pass out from fright. All of this had happened very quickly, and I was just about to tell Felicia to let the guy go, when I saw the crowd part and the Viking come striding out to see what all the fuss was about. Quite calmly, he took in the scene, then looked to me for an explanation. Not wanting to go into too much detail in front of all the curious fangbangers, I gave him the slightly edited version, "Uh... I was just standing at the bar, talking to Felicia. He thought I was a waitress, I guess. He grabbed my bottom..."

Uh oh. I guess I hadn't edited quite enough, because I could see those blue eyes narrow to slits, and Eric growled low in his chest. At that, as if in unison, the entire crowd took a whole step back away from him. Although I wasn't too wild about what the stupid jerk had done, I didn't want him seriously injured, so I patted my vampire on his rock-hard arm to calm him down a little, and continued,"... and Felicia grabbed _him_. Nothing to get worked up over."

Felicia looked every bit as pissed off as the Viking. She gave the man a shake, and he just made a gurgling sound. She asked Eric, "What shall I do with this vermin, Master?"

I thought for a minute that my vampire was going to take over the job of tossing the guy out (or worse) but after a moment he said, in voice as cold as death, "Eject him from the bar. Make sure he understands not to come back."

From the look on Felicia's face, I could tell that she might very well make sure he _could_ never come back, so I said to her, "Thanks for coming to my rescue!... but don't hurt him too much, okay? He's just a drunken jerk."

I could tell that she was somewhat surprised that I hadn't exactly told Eric the whole story, and she clearly thought the guy deserved a worse punishment; but I also knew she would do exactly what her King had told her. I eyed the mess on the floor, and thought for a split second about helping to clean it up; but I knew exactly what the Viking's response would be to that idea. I was just about to ask one of the other bartenders to get us some fresh drinks, when much to my surprise, Eric said, "Beloved, why don't you let me see to the drinks? I need to speak to the bartenders for a moment anyway. Wait for me in my office."

I really was excited about my new project, and wanted to get some ideas on paper while the interior of the building was still fresh in my mind; so I headed back to his office. I curled up in my favorite spot at the end of his sofa, put my notebook on my lap, and got to work. A couple of minutes later, Eric came back in bearing a bottle of blood in one hand and a cocktail glass in the other. He came over and sat next to me on the sofa, and handed me the glass. Instead of the gin-and-tonic I was expecting, it looked like a Bloody Mary, but in a different kind of glass. I said, "Honey, they got my drink wrong... "

"No, actually that is a new drink the bartenders are thinking about having as a special. I want you to taste it and tell them what you think," he said with a charming smile, "I think you will like the name. It is called a "Vampire's Kiss."

I took a sniff, and could tell it contained tomato juice, but I couldn't tell what else. I took a big sip, and WOW! That was some drink, all right... it had quite a kick to it! Eric must have been hungry, because he drank his blood down right away. Watching him downing his drink, I took another couple of sips from my own glass, and relaxed back against the sofa. There must be a ton of liquor in the new drink, because after only a few sips, a wonderful feeling of well-being began to creep over me. I glanced over at Eric, and could see those fantastic blue eyes watching me oh, so intently, and his lovely sharp white fangs had popped out. Mmmm. Was that great looking vampire really mine? Was I a lucky girl, or what? All the bad feelings left over from the little squabbles we had gotten into recently literally melted away, and was replaced by a feeling of love and connectedness. I scooted closer to him, and pulled his head down to mine for a kiss. The minute our lips touched, a jolt of pure lust ran through me. I was just about to put my drink down, and give my vampire some _really_ serious kissing, when he said, "Here, my Lover, have another sip or two. It will do you good."

Completely mesmerized by those beautiful eyes, I found myself wanting to please him; so I obediently took another few sips."Eric, honey, I don't know what's in these drinks, but I bet we sell a million of 'em!" I enthusiastically proclaimed.

My vampire just chuckled, and looked pleased. Through our Bond, I could feel satisfaction, happiness, lust, and some other emotion that I could not quite identify. "I was certain you would find it to your liking," he said, his eyes glowing.

Did I! I felt great! I hadn't felt this good in days! In fact, I hadn't felt this good since the last time I had taken his blood... Huh. Absently, I glanced down at my glass, but just then Eric decided to pull me in closer for one of his call-the-fire-department kisses. A surge of lust and love for my magnificent vampire ran through me, completely obliterating any other thought than how much I wanted to feel him. Breaking away for just a second, I very carefully put down my glass, and then shoved against his chest with both hands until he was resting against the sofa back. I ran my hands up under his tight t-shirt shirt, and felt his flat stomach and rock-hard chest. Quick as a flash, Eric pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, and then relaxed back against the cushions. That was much, much better. I traced my fingers lightly down his sculptured muscles, and I could feel his pleasure bouncing back through our Bond. Leaning down, I ran my tongue around one of his tight little nipples (just about the only thing on his whole body that was little), and then sucked it into my mouth. I could hear a growl of pleasure coming from deep in his chest, and so I gave the other one equal attention. In the meantime, my hand just seemed to work its way down his chest and stomach without any help from my head, and ended up rubbing the huge bulge that had now developed in his jeans. Oh, double yum!

By now. we were both extremely aroused. We had been forced to miss our special time at first dark, and this seemed like a pretty good time to make up for it. Eric seemed to be thinking along those same lines, because his big hands had began to wander all over my body. He had been busy nibbling on my ear, but stopped long enough to whisper seductively, "My Lover, you are mine, and I want you. You want to please me, do you not?"

"Yes, baby, I would _love_ to please you," I said passionately (and truthfully), "Just tell me what you want..."

Eric raised his head to look at me, eyes smoldering. "First, I want to watch you take off those jeans... slowly," he said in a sultry tone. He reached down, unbuttoned his own jeans, pulled his enormous erection free, and began to stroke himself slowly. Ah... god. This was nearly a replay of our little episode at first dark, but now we weren't in a hurry to get anywhere. I stood, backed away just a little, and then made a big show of unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans. I flashed him just a glimpse of my tiny little blue lace panties, and was rewarded with another jolt of lust through our Bond. Turning around, I started to take my jeans off very, very slowly... and then leaned over and wiggled my butt in his direction, giving him a much better look at those panties. I glanced back over my shoulder, and gave him my sexiest smile. I could tell by his expression that I had his complete and undivided attention. This was fun! I had just hooked my thumbs under the edges of my panties, and was just about to slide them down, too, when I heard voices in the hallway and then a light tapping at the door. Oh... crap.

Simultaneously, both of us let out a growl of sheer frustration. Quite crossly, Eric called out,"What the HELL is it?!"

From the other side of the door, Pam's voice said calmly, "Master, I have the two visitors with me. I would like for you to meet them."

The minute I had heard the knock, I had immediately jerked my pants back up and began to button them. At Pam's announcement, Eric rolled his eyes in exasperation, and let out a huge sigh; but said to me apologetically, "I suppose I really should see to this. It shouldn't take very long. You can finish your drink in the meantime."

He stood up and started to tuck himself away. I sat back down, plucked his shirt from off the lamp shade where it had landed, and tossed it to him. Eric called out, "All right, Pam. Bring them in." The door opened, and Pam ushered two male vampires into the room. They stood and watched as Eric sauntered to his desk, casually pulled on his t-shirt, sat in his chair, and gave all three of them a glare. It was pretty plain to everyone that they had interrupted the King's playtime, and he was not amused. Quite honestly, I wasn't all that happy, myself.

While His Majesty was getting himself arranged, I took a good look at the pair. They were both tall, dark blond, blue-eyed, and even for vampires, drop-dead gorgeous (ha!). They looked so much alike, I wondered if they were twins. I could tell something about them was different, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.

"Master, these are the two vampires I was telling you about, visiting from Texas," Pam drawled, "This is one here is Jimmy Rex, and that is Jimmy Ray. They are headed to New Orleans. Boys, this is Eric Northman, King of Louisiana and Arkansas. They have never met a King before, so I thought maybe you might like to have a special chat with these two." She raised one eyebrow, and gave Eric a significant look.

They bowed, and Pam slid out of the room, leaving them standing in front of Eric's desk. I was a little surprised that Eric didn't introduce me to them, but I figured he had his reasons. I knew it was protocol for visiting vampires to check in when they were out of their own territory, but I had never sat in on an "interview" before now. I had always wondered what was said I these mysterious meetings, and I guessed I was about to find out. Momentarily, I had a mental image of Pam handing out maps and brochures to the local attractions, just like the ladies down at the Chamber of Commerce; except instead of the Art Museum or the Horse Track, she would be telling them where to find the local blood bank or where to go "hunting".

As for the King, he leaned back in his chair, and began to talk to the pair. Almost the first thing out of his mouth was, "I want to make it very clear that there will be absolutely no killing for sport anywhere in my territories. This offense is punishable by being chained in silver for a period of five years, no exceptions."

Ack! Killing for sport! As glad as I was that it was against the rules here, I rather nervously wondered which states it _was_ allowed in... this time, the mental picture I got was of a vampire attaching a hunting tag to freshly drained body, like the deer hunters did around here. I made a note to ask Eric, and make darn sure that we never accepted any social invitations in those places. After that, I began to I wonder what other unwelcome information I was about to find out about, and thought for about the hundredth time that maybe having secret vampire stuff _stay_ secret might not be such a bad thing. Fortunately, the next few things were stuff I already knew.

The entire time Eric had been talking to them, one of them (I think it was Jimmy Rex), kept glancing over at me. The minute I looked in those fantastic ice blue eyes, I knew exactly what it was that was different about this pair. In them, I could see the wildness of the newly made vampire. These two were very young, and very, very dangerous. In spite of the fact that I was still feeling pretty darn good from whatever was in the Vampire's Kiss, I had to resist a serious impulse to go stand next behind Eric's chair. I had never quite forgotten the pain of being bitten by the Were/Vampire Jake when he was newly made. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see what this vampire had on _his _mind, and if Eric hadn't been present, I would be getting ready to "poof" at the drop of a fang. Nervously, I gave the young vampire a polite, but fake smile... which turned out to be exactly the wrong thing to do.

In response to my smile, Jimmy Rex got a gleam in his eye, his fangs came completely out, and he gave me a rakish grin. I was hoping that the Viking hadn't seen it, because if he did... there was going to be hell to pay. He had just let the human bonehead in the bar go, he was sexually frustrated for the second time tonight, and I just knew he wasn't in any mood to put up with any crap from this pair. Sure enough, his next words were so cold that you could have made a frozen margarita with them. To Jimmy Rex, he said, "Since you are apparently so fascinated by her, perhaps you would care for an introduction. This is my Queen and Twice-Bonded, Sookie Northman."

Suddenly, as Eric raised himself up to his full 6'5", it was clear that the laid-back, jean-wearing vampire was gone, and in his place was a huge, powerful, and extremely deadly vampire King. The look he gave the handsome young vampire would have sent anybody with any brains running for cover, and Jimmy Ray did take a step backwards; but then, I became convinced that old Jimmy Rex was indeed a few sandwiches shy of a full picnic, because instead of apologizing, he said in a cocky tone of voice, "Sorry, your Majesty. I was just showing some appreciation for a fine looking woma..."

All I could see was a blur moving across Eric's desk. The next thing I knew, Eric had the young vampire by the throat and had forced him to the ground. I jumped up from where I had been sitting, and was just about to plead with Eric to not hurt the young male; but then, I clamped my lips shut, and stayed the heck out of it. It had been my experience that vampires were by nature the "give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile" types, and maybe Eric _needed_ to put this guy into line, for his own good. I really didn't think the Viking would hurt him very badly anyway for such a small thing... he was actually very fair, for a King. His eyes blazing, my vampire growled, "Who is your Maker? Have they taught you nothing about respect?"

The other vampire, Jimmy Ray, must have been marginally smarter than his counterpart, because the minute he had seen the look on Eric's face, he began sidling away from his friend. He had made it far enough away to be out of the path of Hurricane Eric, but now decided to speak up. He said nervously, "Our Maker was named Constance deHaan, Your Majesty. She was drained and left to meet the sun less than a month after she made us."

Although my vampire never changed expression, through our Bond I felt a jolt of surprise, distress,and then finally a low simmering anger. I could tell that he must have known this Constance, and was troubled by her final death. He took a moment to think this news through, and then asked for the details. Jimmy Rex managed to speak, although very hoarsely (confirming my notion that Eric hadn't really been intending to seriously hurt him), and filled him in on what had happened. At the end of this statement, Eric gave Jimmy Rex a little shake, and asked sternly, "Since Constance's death, exactly how many "mishaps" have the two of you had?"

At first, I was wondering just what kind of "mishaps" Eric was asking about, then it hit me. What he was really asking were how many humans they had killed accidentally, since their maker was no longer around to make sure they practiced restraint. Between the two of them, they confessed to killing five humans, all in the last few weeks. I felt sick... and angry. Any feelings of pity I had for those two were gone. Now I realized exactly why it was that Eric needed to teach these two to respect authority. They needed to know that there were rules, and that there were other vampires who were infinitely stronger and meaner than they were, in positions to see that those rules were followed.

At this point, I was actually kind of hoping Eric would give them _both_ a pretty good ass-kicking, but instead he just gave Jimmy Rex one last shake, and then let him go. Pam had come back into the room right after Eric had first grabbed the cocky young troublemaker, and stood by, silently watching. I was somewhat disappointed when all the Viking did was tell the pair to go back to Texas, and not come back to Louisiana for at least a year; but I could tell by the way they bowed that he had made his point. When they had come in, it was obvious that they had bowed only because Pam had told them to do it; now they were doing it out of both fear and awe. Eric told Pam to escort them out, and he followed them as far as his office door, and stood watching them as they left. He shook his head, shut the door, and returned to his seat.

I could feel how disturbed he was at the news of Constance's final death, and so I went around, stood behind him, and stroked his hair soothingly. I told him how sorry I was about his friend. He took my hand, and pulled me onto his lap. He draped both arms around me, pulled me close, and then surprised me when he said, "I was not all that fond of Constance, but these drainers have got to be stopped. She was over well over four hundred years old. Drainers usually prey on young vampires, because older ones are so much smarter, stronger, and harder to catch. Of course, the older the vampire, the more valuable the blood is on the open market. If one such as Constance can be so easily taken, no vampire is safe."

His words sent a chill through me. If the drainers were targeting older vampires now because their blood was so much more valuable, then what was going to stop them from going after the really, really old ones.... like mine. Suddenly very alarmed, I said, "No vampire? What about you? You are so old, your blood must be worth a fortune. Eric, they could never get you... could they?"

Amusement poured through our Bond, and he said rather cockily, "Me? Not likely." It was nice that he was so confident (as always) and it _did_ seem unlikely that someone like the Viking could be taken down by a bunch of backwoods rednecks. Still, just the _idea_ that it was possible was really creepy, and very frightening. The awful image of Bill laying on the ground, being drained by the Rattrays, floated through my mind, and made me shiver. I snuggled my head into my vampire's rock-hard chest, and I was glad when he held me tighter.

While I was lying there safely in his arms, something else occurred to me, and that was what a hypocrite I was. A minute ago, I had been ready to stake those two newly-made vampires for accidentally killing humans; but for them it was a natural, instinctive behavior, and one that had to be overcome by force of will and training. The other night I had insisted on Eric sending those would-be drainers to jail, where I knew they would not be harmed; but they were greedy and murderous just because they wanted to be. I guess for me, that sort of made it worse. If the situation ever came up again, I very well might reconsider my position.

We both sat there quietly, lost in our own thoughts, when the door flew open, and Pam came in. She immediately collapsed into the chair in front of Eric's desk, throwing her arms over the sides, and hanging her head back as far as it would go. In utter disgust, she said, "What morons! That Constance really knew how to pick them. At least she won't be making any more."

At the sight of her, the corner of Eric's mouth twitched up, and I was glad she had broken his serious mood. The two of them discuss the interview, and then he gave her instruction to call the Sheriff in Austin. Pam sat there and smirked the whole time, while he went into great detail on the long list of issues the Sheriff needed to address with the two Jimmys. Given how fond vampires were of being told what to do, I bet the Austin Sheriff was just going to _love_ that call.... but I bet he did it, anyhow. I think the Area 1 guy was one of the vampires that Stan had brought with him to New Orleans, and so he would know quite well that Stan and Eric were buddies... or allies, anyway.

After a few more words, Pam went back to her office to do his bidding. After all the talk about drainers, our earlier playful mood had been broken; so I went back to my spot on the sofa so that Eric could get some work done. I picked up my notebook and was actually getting a bunch of my ideas down, with only a few minor interruptions from Mr. Needy. Talk about having to be the focus of my attention 100 percent of the time! I supposed it was good for him to see that I had other things to do with my time, instead of just sitting around fawning over him all night... except that it _was_ seriously hard to keep from looking at him... he was just so danged handsome! I was just about to give up trying to resist, go sit in his lap and see what might come up (and pray for no more interruptions), when he turned off his computer, came and hauled me off his couch, and announced that we were heading home. We stopped off to tell Pam we were leaving, and then we hopped in the Vette and headed for Valhalla.

On the way, I couldn't help but replay what he had said about the drainers going after older vampires because their blood was so much more valuable. I was in a good position to know why, too. I had sampled both Bill's and Eric's blood, and the difference was... well, it was like the difference between beer and the extremely expensive, vintage wine that I had tasted in the Virgin Islands. Don't get me wrong... I liked beer just fine, and it was adequate to get the job done; but that wine was totally unforgettable and in a class all by itself. One drop of Eric's blood was the equivalent of an entire bottle of Bill's, when it came to the "high" it would produce; and of course that is what the drainers sold it for. Thank goodness, the healing and rejuvenatory powers of vampire blood was still a very jealously guarded secret, or no vampire would truly be safe, anywhere.

In any event, I was worrying over the idea that my vampire could be a target. It was true that he had not gotten to his advanced age by being easy to catch; but honestly, he went unguarded most of the time, unlike most of the other monarchs. He had been on _my_ case about going around with no bodyguards, but it looked like a case of the pot calling the kettle black to me. It seemed to me that he needed guards even more than I did. One of the main reasons he had always been so hard to capture was because he was always moving in unpredictable patterns, but now, thanks to me, he was a much more stationary target. At least we already had some serious guards at the house, who had been trained by Robert, and I thought Atticus had been as well. Between Valhalla and Fangtasia, Eric was unguarded, but at least he was moving... I wished that he would have someone following him from the house to the club, in case something was to happen on the road....

I had been mulling this whole thing over, my mind whirling through all the possibilities, when suddenly I knew exactly what Pam meant when she said it drove him crazy when he couldn't look after me himself. Huh. The last thing I wanted him to do was worry about me as much as I just worried about him, so I opened my mouth and blurted out, "Eric, about the guards... obviously, I'm not too happy about it, but I guess I can see where you're coming from. Cooper is a pretty decent guy, and I feel comfortable around him. George and Jim are okay, too. So, I'll agree to it, at least for a while. As soon as I get my magic under control, though, the guards are history, Okay?"

He looked surprised, but relieved. I saw my opportunity, and so I finished by saying, "..and I think maybe you should start having some with _you_ all the time, too, not just at work and the house, at least until this whole drainer problem is stopped."

In reply, he said with total confidence that he could take care of himself just fine. I could see the indulgent smile on his face, which meant he was flattered that I cared so much, but he wasn't about to change his mind. That Viking was one stubborn vampire! Well, it had taken _me_ awhile to see reason, so maybe I could figure out a way to make him change his mind later. Pretty soon, we pulled through the gates at Valhalla, and I waved cheerfully at our guards as we went past. For once, I was relieved that they were there.

The minute we walk through the door, I could see that Bobby had been there, because all of Eric's luggage was stacked by the travel coffins. I sighed, and on the way to the kitchen I confessed to Eric that I would just as soon stay home. It seemed like I hadn't even caught my breath from our last trip... I went over to the refrigerator, to pull some sliced fruit out of the bottom drawer. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my vampire was watching. Since Pam and the Jimmys had been so rudely interrupted in our playtime, I hadn't quite gotten to finish my naughty little strip-tease; so to remind him of where we left off, I wiggled my butt enticingly in his direction. This time, apparently he had no intention of just watching. Almost instantly, he was pressed up against me, and rubbing his growing erection against my bottom. Unlike the unpleasant incident with the drunk earlier at the club, this time I had actually been _trying_ to present a tempting target to my husband, and was enjoying the whole thing immensely. I laughed in delight, and leaned back into him a little, so I could feel him better. Without thinking, I teased, "Huh... good thing for you Felicia isn't here. She just about strangled the last guy that tried that."

The minutes the words left my mouth, I knew I had made a huge mistake. Sure enough, a second later I felt Eric stiffen; and not in a good way. He stood completely still, and then very frostily he said, "He... what? You said he grabbed you. I thought you meant that he just patted your bottom."

Reluctantly, I turned around and looked my vampire in the eye. I figured I was about to catch it for not telling him the whole truth in the first place, but I might as well get it over with. I confessed, "Nope. I dropped my pencil on the floor, and when I bent down to pick it up, I got a rather rude awakening. Pretty gross, right? You should have seen Felicia, though. Boy, she was fast! I hardly even had time to stand up straight before she had him by the throat and on top of the bar. In fact, I guess we're even now."

I could see (and feel) his temper zoom up. Vampires really, really hate anyone else touching their human companions, even casually. Because I was Eric's Queen, if a vampire had been stupid enough to do it, it would be a very grave offense punishable by death; and by the look on his face, I wasn't too sure that the same didn't apply to drunken humans as far as the Viking was concerned. Those blue eyes were blazing, and I knew _that_ look... if I didn't give him something else to think about, he'd be out breaking his own rule about hunting for sport in about another minute.

I reached out to stroke his face. Softly, I said,"Calm down, baby. No harm done, really. And anyway, trust me, I couldn't feel a thing, poor little man. You, on the other hand, I can feel just fine."

To emphasize my point, I brazenly rubbed the part in question through his pants. He made an "mmmm" noise, low in his throat. I seemed to be getting his attention, so I whispered, "Those jeans make _your_ bottom look pretty good, too, you know," and then I gave him a very thorough kiss. I put a lot of umpf behind it, too; before I knew it, once again we were kissing each other very passionately. Just as things were really heating up, the doorbell rang. Pam! Arrgg!!! How many times were we going to get interrupted in one night? Reluctantly, I disentangled myself, and I could tell that my vampire just as put out as I was with this second interruption, from the way he was growling... but it would be the height of rudeness to leave our guest standing on the front porch all night. I just smiled at him, shrugged, and said, "Come on! Aren't you excited? Pam will be our first overnight … uh... daytime guest."

From the look on Eric's face, I guessed it wasn't really at the top of his priority list, but nonetheless I went and opened the front door and greeted our guest. I said, "Hey, Pam, that didn't take long. Come on in, we're in the kitchen."

Pam followed me back to the kitchen, and I offered her a blood, even though I could see by her pink complexion it wasn't strictly necessary. I got a snack for myself and and another bottle of blood for Eric, and we all went to the den and sat around chatting for awhile. Out of the blue, Pam asked if we could go swimming again, since she had enjoyed it so much the night before. I had, too, and it sounded like fun... but then, it dawned on me what they would be expecting. Vampires truly saw nothing wrong with nudity, and considered swimsuits a complete waste of time. I, on the other hand, would be seriously uncomfortable. I knew that they had once been lovers (a fact that I tried my best not to dwell on) and Pam had seen everything there was to see, and vice-versa... but... darn it, this was my house, too. As much as I wanted to please Eric, and try to fit into his life with a minimum of fuss, I was going to have to set some boundaries of my own... and I was going to start right now. Firmly, I stated, "Okay, here's the thing. I know that vampires don't really care about nudity, and all that... but I'm human. It would be just too uncomfortable for me if you guys don't wear bathing suits."

At first, they both looked at me like I had lost my mind; but then I guessed they realized that this was non-negotiable, so other than some eye-rolling and heavy sighing from Pam, they both agreed with no argument. Pam went to dig her suit out of her luggage, and Eric and I headed down to our bedroom to change. After our earlier interrupted encounters, I had a feeling that Eric would have more than changing clothes on his mind, and to tell the truth, I did, too. Ever since first dark, I had been teasing him, and been having a pretty good time doing it, too; now I thought one last little tease was in order. I could see that he was rummaging around looking for a swimsuit, and so I started to remove my clothes where he couldn't help but see me. I made a little bet with myself, to see how long it would take him to notice... and act. Ever so slowly, I pulled off my t-shirt; next I wiggled out of my jeans; then I unhooked my bra and slid it off; and... ah! The bra did it! One second there was a vampire observing me from one end of the room; the next. I was being passionately kissed while a pair of large cool hands fondled the girls. I laughed and said, "I wondered how long it would take you. I thought you might hold out until after the panties, though."

*****

Not very much later, we joined Pam in the pool. Since we had a guest waiting, I had only allowed him a very tiny treat... which had only resulted in both of us being more aroused than ever. I was really looking forward to bedtime! However, we did have lots of fun just swimming and goofing around. We had been at it for awhile, and Eric had hauled himself out of the warm water and sat watching Pam and I splash each other. Suddenly, I could tell that something had caught his attention. He had gotten as still as a statue, and he seemed to be listening to something in the distance. He stood and nodded to Pam, who came over and put her arms around me protectively. Now I was nervous. I wondered what was out there, in the darkness. Instead of calling the guards over and letting them check it out, Eric slipped silently into the gloom of the back yard, and disappeared from my view.

I had only seen him do that a couple of times, but it never failed to impress the heck out of me. How a huge man like that could move so swiftly and silently was beyond me. Pam and I just stood there still in the warmth of the pool, waiting. Before much longer, Eric reappeared as silently as he had left. He announced, "It was nothing. Just a bobcat, or something similar."

I gave a huge sigh of relief. It seemed like a good time to go back inside, so Pam took my hand and led me out of the pool. I got some towels out, and handed one to both vampires. We all wrapped up in them, and went back inside the house. It was getting late for me, since I had to be up early the next day, so I showed Pam where the movies were kept in case she wanted to watch one before dawn. I also showed her where one of the downstairs bathrooms was located, and made sure that there were plenty of towels and soap laid out. I said, "Okay, if you have everything you need, I think I'm going to bed now. Have a good rest." I gave her a kiss on her cheek, and then left her to her own devices. I went on down to our bedroom, with the Viking following closely behind me.

Before bed, we had a nice shower, and then he proceeded to prove that anticipation actually _was_ a very powerful aphrodisiac... for both of us. By the time he was finished with me, I was completely, totally worn out, but very, very happy. My last thought before falling asleep was that if the results were so nice, I needed to make him wait more often.

Recipe for a Vampire's Kiss

½ oz. gin

½ oz. Tequila

½ oz. Dry Vermouth

2 oz. Vodka

2 oz. Tomato Juice

1 dash salt

Shake with ice, strain into an old-fashioned glass, and serve.


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris is the sole owner of these characters. **** As you all have probably guessed, I did leave out one teeny, tiny ingredient from the drink recipe. Add to the list: a few drops of ancient vampire blood, to taste! This is another fairly long chapter, so plan accordingly._

**Chapter 14**

**Eric's POV Tuesday **

_**I feel myself swimming briefly up to consciousness, and instinctively know that it is still daylight. I am merely having a brief period of wakefulness before going back to my rest. I have noticed that since Sookie and I became Twice-Bonded, these periods are becoming more and more frequent. Even though I know before changing positions that she is not with me, I roll over and look to her side of the bed anyway. As always when I wake like this, I have an intense longing for my Beloved. If she were vampire, we would always rest together, and it feels wrong for my mate to be absent from my side during the daylight. Sometimes I wish that I had the ability to call her to me; but even if I could, I know that she is a child of the sun and wants to be active during the day. Right now, I wish that she would come to me like she did on occasion in the Islands, warm and smelling of sunlight and coconut oil, and curl up next to me for a nap. Since I am unable to call her, I do the next best thing; I try to feel her through our Bond. Immediately, I can tell that she is very near, probably somewhere in the house, and that she is quite happy and content. That satisfies me, so I smile to myself, pull her pillow over to my face, and breath in her scent: a faint mixture of herbal shampoo, the light perfume she wears to bed, and her own very special fairy smell. Comforted now, I slip back into my slumber.**_

_** *********_

Upon waking just before sunset, I can feel my Beloved lying in the bed next to me, and I open my eyes to see what she is doing. She is propped up with pillows, busily scribbling something into a small notebook. She can feel that I am awake, and hastily puts aside her work. Sliding over to me, she scoots into my waiting arms, and gives me a gentle kiss. Unfortunately, she is already dressed in a tight-fitting pair of jeans, and a Fangtasia t-shirt. Before I can say a word, she announces that Cataliades has called to set up an appointment for us to view the building behind Fangtasia; and that in order to do so, we will have to leave immediately.

This is not what I had in mind to start the evening, at all. After last night's argument over her guards, I am especially anxious to have some time alone with Sookie. We have some issues to get straightened out, and I would prefer to do it right here. Even though she said she was sorry we had a fight, that is not the same thing as agreeing with me. I am going to have to tell her that she _will_ have daytime guards, until her magic gets reliable enough for her to take care of herself. She is much less likely to refuse me here, while I am holding her in my arms. Besides, even though we made love just before dawn, I have the strangest need to be joined with her now, to feel that mystical harmony that we archive through our Bond. Frustrated, I let out a serious growl.

At my protest, she just laughs and says cheerfully, "Come on, Mr. Grumpy, I know you have other ideas... but we really, really need more space. I promise, I'll make it up to you later."

I sigh. Of course, she is right, but honestly I am not too accustomed to doing things on other's people's schedules; and it does make me somewhat out-of-sorts. Finally, I say, "Very well. Call Pam while I am getting dressed, and ask her to meet us there. And by the way, what are you doing wearing pants?"

The little minx gives me a quick peck on the lips, and then rolls away and jumps out of bed. She turns her denim-clad bottom towards me and wiggles it seductively. Looking back over her shoulder, she states, "Now come on, that's not so bad to look at, is it? Before we were dating, you used to _like_ looking at me in jeans... I could always tell. If we are going to be crawling around in a dirty old building, jeans are pretty much required."

True, but those were in the days before she was technically mine. Her jeans were always tight, and fit every curve perfectly... I could easily fantasize about what that perfectly luscious bottom would look like bare, and what it would feel like in my hands; and did so more times than I can count. Many an evening, I would have to take the edge off a raging hard-on with a Fangbanger... blond, and as close to Sookie in looks as possible. As a matter of fact, I find myself rather painfully engorged right now. She eyes my swollen cock, and a slow smile spreads across her face. Sookie says, "See? You like me in jeans just fine."

Oh ho! So she is trying to tease me a little. Well, this is a game better played by two. Taking my cock in my hand, I stroke my shaft slowly. I can tell I have her attention now, by the way her eyes dilate slightly. She looks at me rather hungrily, but does not move an inch. As enticingly as I can, I whisper to her, "Lover... come taste me."

Although I can feel her arousal, she turns me down for the first time in months; and I confess that I do not care for it in the slightest. However, I realize that she is merely being practical, and I cannot fault her for that. Sighing again, I do as she says. I go to shower, and as the hot water runs over me, I think about possible ways of exacting my revenge for her refusal later. I will keep her on the edge until she begs for mercy! Unfortunately, the mental vision of her squirming under me, crying out, "Please, baby, please! Make me cum for you!" does nothing to cure my erection. Briefly, I consider just taking care of the problem myself. A couple of quick flicks of the wrist should do it... but then decide that perhaps I will just wait, and let this tension build... anticipation is a powerful aphrodisiac. I hope she knows what a thorough fucking she is in for later!

Since one hunger has been denied, the other needs to be seen to immediately. Apparently Sookie must have thought of this, because I see her entering the bathroom with a bottle of TrueBlood in her hand. She sets it on the vanity, and then pulls a thick towel from the basket by the tub. I turn off the water, step out of the shower, and she dries me. Stepping into the closet, I am just about to pull out a fresh pair of jeans when I spy my perfume-laden shirt hanging partially out of the clothes hamper. Ye Gods! What was I thinking? I suppose I had been in such a hurry to be with my Bonded last night, that it never occurred to me how easily Sookie might have found it... and gotten a good whiff of another woman's scent. There is no female on the face of the earth, human or otherwise, that would let something like that pass without some serious questions being asked. After making certain that the shirt is now completely buried, I finish dressing and go back into the bathroom where Sookie is waiting patiently. She offers to dry my hair for me; so I sit down and sip my blood while she works. After it is dry, she pulls it back into a ponytail, slips a tie around it to hold it in place, and then kisses the top of my head. Rising, I kiss her back. She grabs her notebook and pencil, and her handbag, and follows me upstairs. She calls out to Juanita that we are leaving, and we depart for the club.

******

On the drive to Shreveport, I check my voice mail. The first message is from Cataliades, confirming what Sookie has already told me about our appointment. Also, he informs me that the Fire Department called to report an explosion at one of my homes, and that the place was a total loss. I smile to myself in satisfaction. He asks me to call him after I have seen the building tonight, to give him instructions on both properties.

Next is a message from Bobby, reporting that Hsu had delivered my suits earlier in the day; and that he will be bringing them with him to Valhalla. Glancing at my watch, I realize that he will be arriving in about an hour to begin packing our things, and that I have forgotten to get Sookie's list. "Beloved, Bobby will be at Valhalla shortly to pack our things for Las Vegas," I tell her, "I forgot to ask you for your list yesterday."

She gives me a rather confused look, and asks, "What list?"

Sometimes I forget that my Bonded does not automatically know all of my habits yet. She is just so much a part of my life now, it seems odd to me that she has only been mine for such a short time. Now I realize that she has probably no idea who it is that actually packs my clothes and things... surely she does not think that I do that sort of thing myself. A vampire's nights are much too short to waste time doing menial tasks such as that. What else are day humans for? Of course, Bobby actually does the packing at night because, although I trust him to a certain extent, I do not allow him near me while I am resting. Robert thinks I am crazy for not having a butler, like Stanton, but up until now it just was not practical since I moved around so much. Now that Sookie and I are married, I plan on spending most of my days at Valhalla; and I find that I have actually been toying with the idea.

To Sookie, I explain, "When I travel, I email Bobby a list of what I want to take with me, and he comes by the night before and packs it all. Since I forgot to mention it, you can just call him and tell him what you want to take."

I glance over, and amused to see that she looks somewhat shocked. "Eric, why didn't you just leave _me_ the list?" she asks, "I'm your wife... I would have been glad to do it. And guess what? If you think I'm letting Bobby look through my underwear drawer, you have another think coming! No way, José!"

Unwilling to start yet another argument, I decide to try reason. I say, "Sookie, that is what Bobby is for... it is part of his job. Do you think Robert packs _his_ own clothes? Of course not. I suppose I can understand that you would not care for a male to pack your things. I think you need a lady's maid. Most Queens have at least one."

By the way she takes a deep breath before answering, I can tell she is trying not to get into another tiff, as well. "No... I would just prefer to do it myself," she replies calmly, "I'll make a deal with you... I'll do my own packing for now, but I'll think about letting one of the maids do it in the future, okay?"

I suppose that is at least a step in the right direction, so I somewhat reluctantly agree; but I can see that we _still_ have not gotten past the servant issue. My Bonded is just so stubborn! Perhaps Pam needs to speak to her. My child was raised with servants, and had her own lady's maid in her human life, as well as several of her own day humans right now. I wonder if Sookie even realizes that is the case... most probably not. I make myself a mental note to discuss this problem with Pam later. Surely Dear Abby must have something to say on the subject.

The lights of Fangtasia are now coming into view. It looks like it is shaping up to be another busy night, especially for a Tuesday. I pull into the employee lot, and park. I can see that Pam's car, so I know that she is already here, so Sookie and I go inside to get her before our appointment. The door to Pam's office is closed, and I start to open it and go in. Sookie says, "Eric, honey! You should knock first!"

I reply, "What for?" and continue through the door. I can see that Pam is having a little snack, but must be nearly finished, because she holds up one finger. Behind me, I can hear Sookie gasp, and say, "Oh, excuse us! Sorry!" She begins to tug on the back of my shirt, to get me to come with her, but really there is no point in leaving... Pam will only be another minute. In fact, she takes one last pull, pats the little waitress on her rump, and says, "That will be all for now, Julie." I see Pam slip a folded bill into her hand, and the ugly little waitress says rather dreamily, "Okay, Miss Pam... see you later." She gives her the mega-watt smile, and drifts toward the door. She bows politely to Sookie and me, and ambles off towards the bar.

As for Sookie, I can feel several emotions roiling around inside her. Surprise, embarrassment, repugnance, curiosity, and most surprising of all, desire... then embarrassment again. I turn to her, and see that she is gazing at me with barely disguised longing. Unconsciously, she reaches up and lightly brushes the soft place on her neck, one of my favorite spots to feed from her. That completely unconscious little gesture, combined with her unspoken but very intense desire, give me another instant hard-on, as well as triggering a nearly overwhelming urge to feed from her. Pam has no idea that I have been abstaining from feeding from my Bonded for the last several days... she would no doubt think me insane. As a young vampire, her blood requirements are several times that of mine, and I doubt seriously she would have the will power to go this long without real blood. Of course, I suppose I _did_ have my fill from the drainers the other evening, but still... my Bonded's unique blood is so much more satisfying, theirs doesn't really even count.

There is no doubt that my little fairy is aroused; I can smell her luscious fairy-scent from here. She looks totally delectable, and it takes every bit of will power _I_ possess keep from throwing her over my shoulder, taking her to my office, and making up for lost time. My Lover shakes her head as if to clear it, and then says apologetically, "Sorry, Pam. I guess you aren't the only one around here that never learned to knock."

My child is quite rosy after her feeding, and her eyes are glowing. She laughs merrily, licks her lips, and says, "Nonsense, Mistress. You are always welcome. I was nearly finished anyway. That one tastes _much _better than she looks, to be sure."

Rummaging through her purse, she pulls out a dainty lace handkerchief, a compact, and a lipstick. She pats her mouth, and then proceeds to re-apply her lipstick in blood red. Sookie has the most curious expression on her face, and even being able to feel her emotions does not allow me to even hazard a guess as to what she is thinking. Sookie starts to say something, but apparently thinks better of it. Pam gives her a grin, and drawls, "Let me guess. You think I should leave the staff alone."

Sookie just looks uncomfortable, and finally says, "Most companies discourage management having relationships with employees. Not good for discipline, I think."

At that, Pam bursts out laughing. "Sookie, you are always so amusing!" she says, "Trust me, it is not a "relationship", and discipline is the least of our worries. It is understood among the staff that being a "donor" is entirely voluntary... most consider it a perk of the job. And also, I am quite generous with my tips. I promise you, it works out well all the way around."

In response, Sookie just shakes her head, and looks skeptical. If I did not know how much it would disturb her to hear it, I could tell Sookie right now that some of the employees would revolt immediately if that "perk" was cut off... according to Pam, there were serious grumblings when I quit feeding from them several months back. Towards the end of this discussion, my child gets a gleam in her eye, and says slyly, "... and besides, didn't you have a relationship with the Shifter you used to work for in Bon Temps?"

I do not know who is more startled at that statement, Sookie or me. My child just loves to stir up trouble! I heartily dislike being reminded that Sookie was once so closely tied to the shifter, and it had been a happy night indeed when she had finally agreed to give up working for him entirely. However, Sookie told me herself she had only had two prior lovers, and fortunately the shifter was not among them. So why, then, is my Bonded feeling... guilty? This is not the reaction I expected, and I find it most unpleasant. Sookie is generally a very truthful woman, and of course, I think I would have felt it if she had been lying... so why this feeling of guilt now?

Sookie says a little heatedly, "I did _not_ have a relationship with Sam. He was and is just a good friend."

At this, I look at my Bonded sharply. I think for once, she is not telling the entire truth. This is an unpleasant revelation, indeed. To tell the truth, I have always been a little jealous of their friendship, and of course it was quite clear that Merlotte loved her... but I thought it was all one-sided. Even if she never had sex with him before our marriage, did she once have real feelings for him? Does she still? The memory of her coming home just the other evening covered in his scent springs into my mind. She claimed she was just there for a visit, but is that _really_ all that happened? Instantly, suspicions begin to cloud my mind. I find myself suddenly feeling quite out of sorts, until I realize how foolish I am being... Sookie is _my_ Twice-Bonded. Could that rather lowly shifter ever take my place in her affections? Would my loyal, loving wife engage in sex with another man? Of course not. Still, it is just as well that she has little occasion to go to Bon Temps anymore, and I fully intend to keep it that way.

Clearly changing the subject, Sookie announces, "Mr. Cataliades said the owner of the building would meet us here, and he should be here any minute. I am going up front to wait for him." With that, she fairly flies out the door and down the hall. Turning to my child, I say sternly, "Pamela, you should not tease your Mistress."

Pam just laughs, and drawls, "Oh, I wasn't teasing Sookie. I was teasing _you_. You should have seen the look on your face. Priceless!"

I give her a glare, but it does no good. She just winks saucily, and says, "By the way, Sookie's Were is in your office. He said you summoned him."

Ah! It must be her bodyguard, Cooper. "I wish to speak to him privately," I inform Pam, "See to it that I am not disturbed."

Striding quickly to my office, I find the Were sitting in one of the chairs in front of my desk. As soon as I enter the room, he jumps up and stands easily with his feet slightly apart, hands held loosely at his sides. Coolly, I appraise the man before me. He has some size on him, I will give him that... and he looks strong enough, for a Were. Herveaux assures me that he is a fearless, highly trained fighter, and Sookie seems to like him. Clearly, though, he must be lacking in intelligence. Eying him with some disfavor, I say coldly, "It has come to my attention that my wife has been going unguarded for nearly a week now. Is this true?"

I am expecting that his excuse will be that she had told him it was no longer necessary, but instead he surprises me by saying calmly, "No, sir."

Raising one eyebrow, I repeat in disbelief, "No?"

Meeting my gaze evenly, the Were says firmly, "No. Sookie... Mrs. Northman has only left the estate twice during the daytime since we've been back; and even though she said she didn't need guarding anymore, I just didn't feel right letting her run around unprotected like that... so I followed her anyway."

Hmmm. Perhaps he has more brains than I gave him credit for... After a moment of silence, I say, "Continue."

"The first time she left the estate, she went to Bon Temps, had lunch at Merlotte's with her friend Amelia, and then went to her old farmhouse. I parked on the road, and came up through the woods to watch her. She spent some time loading stuff into her car, and then she cleaned out the gutters and did some other stuff around the yard. I would have helped her, but I figured if she found out I'd followed her, she'd be pretty mad. She went straight back to the big house after that. The next time, she went shopping with her friend, Claudine. They went to several stores in Shreveport. Those two sure can shop! After they had dinner, she came here, and I saw your car so I figured she'd be okay after that."

So, he _had_ shown some common sense after all. I feel somewhat better about the situation, so I tell him, "You did well. My wife is still unaccustomed to having guards, and is having a bit of trouble adjusting to the idea."

"I can understand that," the man replies, "she's a pretty independent person. Still, I'd hate for anything to happen to her. She's... well, she's special, isn't she?"

At that comment, I give him a sharp look. The Were meets my eyes easily, and says, "Don't worry. Whatever she is, I like her and I'll do my best to keep her safe."

I hold his gaze a moment longer, and then tell him, "All right. Be packed and at Valhalla tomorrow by 1:30. You will accompany my wife during the daylight hours while we are in Las Vegas. We will be returning to Shreveport on Sunday evening. I am anticipating no trouble at the event, but keep a very close eye on her nonetheless."

The Were nods his understanding, and I finish by saying firmly, "Know this. Unless you hear it directly from me or Pam, you are still under orders to guard her."

He says, "Yes, sir. I understand." Giving me a curt nod, he turns and leaves the room. Not quite as respectful as I would like, but that behavior is typical of that type of Were: too full of testosterone to be good at acknowledging their betters... still, I am quite pleased that he has managed to keep an eye on Sookie, in spite of herself. I make a mental note to make sure he receives a bonus for his prompt actions.

As soon as he leaves, I turn on my computer, and am just about to check my emails, when my cell phone vibrates with with an incoming text, which read: _The man is here. Can U come?_

Leaving the emails for later, I make my way down the hall and out through the crowd in the bar. Instead or calling or texting Pam to join us, I call her to me, a subtle reminder of just who the Maker is in this relationship. As I approach the front entrance, I see Sookie standing next to a rather short and stocky human male wearing a perfectly hideous sports coat. By his body language, I can tell at once that he is quite nervous. Sookie is apparently attempting to settle him down, because I can see her giving him her best Southern Belle smile, and then she pats him reassuringly on his arm. I seriously dislike her touching strangers, but I also know that is one behavior that I will never be able to change in her... it is just too much a part of who she is. He gives her a half-smile in return, and seems to relax a bit.

It only lasts for a moment though. Sookie senses me coming, and I can hear her say, "Oh, here is my husband now." The little man turns and gets a good look at me as I take the last few strides forward. The man turns pale immediately, and I get a whiff of the nervous sweat that has now popped out all over his body. "Eric, this is Mr. Morris Townsend, the owner of the property you are interested in," Sookie says brightly, "Mr. Townsend, this is my husband, Eric Northman."

We are barely through the introductions, when the human's eyes widen slightly as he watches Pam glide up to my side. He gives her one long look from her head to her feet, and is obviously completely bowled over by my child's appearance. I have seen this awestruck look before. He is scared to death, but also fascinated; I imagine that she will be featured prominently in his fantasies from now on. Once again, Sookie performs the introductions, and Pam just gives him her signature flat stare. She really has no tolerance for this type of human at all. Sookie says, "Okay then... why don't we get going? We can just walk from here."

As we make our way outside and around the building, Sookie uncharacteristically keeps up a constant stream of soothing chatter, to which the man seems to respond. By the time we reach the front of his building, he has marginally relaxed again. He pulls out a huge wad of keys and unlocks the door.

Apologetically, the human says, "I'm sorry the electricity is not on... but I brought a couple of flashlights." He pulls two small flashlights from the pocket of his sports coat, and offers them to us. Sookie says, "Thanks. I'll take one, but vampires can see very well in the dark."

Clearly, the idea of roaming around in a dark building with a pair of vampires does not appeal to him. "Uh... take your time and look around," he says, "I think I'll just wait right here."

That suits me perfectly, so the three of us leave the sweaty human outside and go explore the building. It has obviously been unused for many years, and in fact has been empty since we first opened Fangtasia. There are several very large spaces inside, and then a series of smaller ones, which must have been offices at one time. After a brief search, we locate the electrical boxes, and I can see right away that the entire building will have to be rewired. There is very little plumbing present, so that will have to be updated as well. As we proceed through the building, I am amused to see Pam looking around somewhat nervously. My otherwise fearless child is completely afraid of rodents. She will face down vampires centuries older than she without a qualm, but a tiny little mouse sends her into a panic. She is also trying her best to not brush up against anything and get dirty.

In contrast, my Bonded seems to not be bothered by any of that. Fearlessly, she explores every nook and cranny, making notations in the little notebook she brought with her. I am having a marvelous time watching her bend over in those tight jeans, and am now quite glad that she wore them. I even see Pam openly admiring that curvaceous rump, to the point I feel it necessary to give her a waring look. Not intimidated in the slightest, she just grins broadly, and winks. Eventually, we make our way to the back wall, whose windows look out onto the back of Fangtasia. Sookie looks up at the ceiling, and at the interior walls of this space. She asks, "Do you think those walls are load bearing? Can we take them out and make this area larger?"

I am astonished that she even knows what a load bearing wall is. I reply, "Anything is possible with the right engineering, and enough money."

She nods, and then the three of us discuss the possibilities for the space. I am pleased to see that Sookie understands very well what is required for a bar, and we talk over the possible number of offices and storerooms that might be necessary. However, I think we are all in agreement that this building will do just fine.

I lead the women back to the front door, where we find the human smoking a cigarette on the sidewalk outside. I begin negotiations by asking him his price, and he mentions a sum which is completely ridiculous. I have been buying real estate in this area for a very long time, and I know almost to the penny what this property is worth. As frightened as he is of us, he still intends to try and gouge us if possible. Greed is truly an amazing motivator in humans. I give him a look, letting him know that I was not born last night... and he swallows somewhat nervously, but holds firm at his price. We haggle back and forth for a time, Pam and Sookie standing silently by. Out of the blue, Sookie stirs and says rather abruptly, "Offer him $175,000."

At first, I am quite surprised, but then quickly realize that she would never have injected that unnecessarily. She looks at me significantly, and nods. Ah! My brilliant little telepath must have fished it out of his head. The human looks a little startled, but says, "Now, that is offer is very low, very low. A fellow has to make a profit, you know..." and mentions another figure. Immediately, I give him a rather serious glare and say firmly, "$175,000 cash, and not a penny more. It is a fair offer."

The human gives me a rather shrewd look, and apparently can see that I am done negotiating. He is lucky these are more enlightened times. In the old days, I would have merely glamoured him into agreeing to whatever I wanted to pay... or worse. Obviously, I am the only one that has shown any interest in this building in years, and he would be wise just to take my offer. In spite of trying to be more progressive in my ways, I really _do_ want this building; and if he refuses this offer I may very well have to send Pam and Sookie back to Fangtasia, and have a more... in depth discussion with the man. Watching his expression, I can tell that some of those same possibilities are occurring to him. He looks up at the night sky, scratches his head and then throws his cigarette butt to the ground. Reluctantly, he says, "Well, all right. I suppose since it _is_ a cash offer..."

He locks the building, and we walk back to Fangtasia's parking lot. I tell him that Cataliades will be in touch to finish the transaction, and he gets in his car and leaves; but not before giving Pam one long last look. She just rolls her eyes, and sighs openly. He returns to his car, and the minute he pulls out of the parking lot, Sookie shakes her head and announces, "I just hate greedy people. He inherited that building and several others from a relative that he couldn't even stand. The price I told you was what the Realtor he consulted told him it was really worth, and he had made up his mind that was the least amount he would take, no matter what. I just figured we could stand out there all night arguing, or we could just cut to the chase and get it over with."

I have to smile at my practical little fairy. Once again, her telepathy has proven quite useful. What a good team we make! Pam just stares at her in amazement, and then finally exclaims, "Good heavens, Sookie...anything else?"

Sookie smiles faintly, and says, "Well... he has a shoe fetish, and wondered if he could get you to walk on him in those stilettos while he... uh... well, you know.... masturbated."

She says it in such a matter-of-fact fashion, and without blushing, that she actually manages to shock me. Clearly this particular kink is not unknown to her. My Bonded is such a strange mixture of innocence and knowledge, she completely fascinates me. By the expression on her face, Pam is obviously surprised as well, and asks, "Sookie, how on earth do _you_ know anything about shoe fetishes?"

Rather bitterly, my Bonded replies, "Well, duh! Telepath in a bar? Before Bill taught me how to control it, I heard absolutely everything. You have no idea what people _really_ think about. You take any item in the Sears and Roebuck catalog, and someone somewhere wants to have sex with it."

Pam gives her another appraising look, and shakes her head in wonder. For myself, I realize with a jolt that my little darling is not nearly as unworldly as she appears; and also, I get a sudden glimpse into the hell her life must have been up until quite recently. No wonder she is so tough when it counts. It is indeed amazing that she came through her early years with her mind intact, and her soul as clean and pure as it is. Perhaps it is also what allowed her to accept vampires so readily. How much more frightening could we be than the humans she already knew? A fierce desire to protect her from further misery sweeps through me, but in reality, this is one area in which I am completely helpless to shield her. I put my arms around her, and kiss her gently on her sweet lips, before taking her arm to lead her back inside.

As we turn and go back into the bar, one last though occurs to me. If Bill was really the one who taught her how get control over her telepathy, it is clearer than ever why she is still so attached to him. How excruciating it must have been when she found that he had been sent by Sophie-Ann to harness that power! With a twinge of guilt, I think back to my part in that event. Uneasily, I know that I forced the issue because she deserved to hear the truth from his lips, but also for myself. I could sense that she was softening towards him once again, and I knew full well that it would drive a stake right through the heart of their remaining relationship... and that is exactly what happened. Still, now I sincerely wish that I had no hand in causing her pain.

Once we get back inside, we head towards my office. Sookie gives me a big smile, and says, "Well, it looks like you just bought yourself a building. Now what?"

Quickly thinking the process through, I reply, "We will need to hire an architect to draw up some plans, perhaps the one who designed Fangtasia in the first place. Then we hire a general contractor, probably Alcide's company, to do the construction. Finally, we need a decorator to handle the furnishings."

Once we reach my office, we continue to discuss the project, and I can tell that Sookie is quite excited by the whole thing. With everything else Pam and I have to do right now, neither one of us has time to oversee this project; so I decide to see if Sookie might like to do it. "Sookie, this was your idea from the beginning. I think you should be the one in charge of seeing it to completion."

At that, she looks completely startled. "Me?" she asks in total surprise, "All I know is how to run a bar, and be a good waitress. I know nothing about construction."

"Then how do you know about load bearing walls?" I ask her.

She shrugs, and answers, "Sam had Merlotte's remodeled a few years back. I paid attention because I found it interesting. I even made some extra money helping with the finish-out."

As usual, she seems to have little confidence in her own abilities. After seeing how well she took charge at the Residence in New Orleans, I am certain that she can handle this project perfectly well. Also, remembering our earlier conversation, I realize that the last thing I want is for her to get bored, and have the urge to go back to work for Merlotte. It will be good for her to have something meaty to sink her teeth into... so to speak. "I think you can do it," I tell her honestly, "I will be available if you run into problems... but I have every confidence you will do just fine."

Pam chimes in and says, "I think so, too."

Sookie still looks doubtful, but says, "Well, I guess I can give it a shot... when should I start?"

It will be a few weeks until we have clear title to the property, but she can contact the architect as soon as we return from Las Vegas, and I tell her so. After a little more discussion, Sookie declares she is thirsty, and offers to go out and get some refreshments for all of us.

Pam says, "No, thank you. Two vampires from out of the Area are supposed to be checking in any minute. I'm going to my office."

I ask for a bottle of TrueBlood, and both Sookie and Pam slip out the door. Almost the minute it closes, my cell phone rings. It is Julius, reporting back on the outcome of his mission. He says, "As instructed, I went to the bar where the drop was to be made. I questioned the employees to see if anyone remembered a man of the contact's description waiting around at the time the exchange was scheduled. As an excuse, I told them that I was supposed to met him for a job opportunity, but that my car had broken down and I had lost the card with his name and cell phone number on it."

"What was the result?" I asked, "Did anyone remember seeing him? Do you think they knew you were vampire?"

"If they knew I was vampire, they certainly hid it well. One of the waitresses remembered him, and I think the bartender might have, too, but claimed he did not to keep from getting involved. Apparently, it is not the first time this man has been there. He usually comes in around just after opening, around 5:30. According to the waitress, he always orders Buffalo wings and an Abita beer, and pays in cash. He is apparently a very poor tipper, which does not set well with the waitress. He waited around for awhile before finally giving up and leaving, but seemed to make it a point to leave well before dark."

Having seen many a buffalo in my day, I know quite well that they do not possess wings; however, I do not want to distract Julius from his tale, and so refrain from asking for a clarification. I must remember to ask Sookie about it later. I prompt, "Go on."

"The only bits of new information I was able to gather was that the waitress saw him getting into a black F-250 pick-up truck with Louisiana tags, and a University of Texas sticker across the back window. Also, he was wearing a jacket with a Beechcraft logo over the pocket, with the name "Carl" embroidered over it. That's about it. The waitress' advice was, 'Honey, you are probably much better off getting a job with someone else. That guy was a complete asshole.' She really has no idea how true that statement is. However, I persuaded her to take my number, and she promised to call me if he comes back in again."

I am somewhat disappointed, but not altogether surprised. I ask, "What about the three that went to jail?"

There is a significant pause, and then Julius replies, "Two were released this afternoon, and went straight home. They will be having an unfortunate accident any time now. As for the third, he was arraigned, and posted bail, but has not been seen since his release. He has completely disappeared."

After thinking over this news, I tell order Julius to continue with his efforts, and then disconnect. Afterwards, I place a call to Compton, to discuss what I have just learned. We spend a few minutes going over that, and then he fills me in on his own findings. I remind Bill that he should be in Las Vegas no later than Saturday dawn, sooner if possible. As always, he inquires politely about Sookie, and although his voice never betrays his emotions, I can tell that he is missing her all the same. Just then, I feel a surge of serious irritation through Sookie, and simultaneously I hear a commotion coming from out in the bar. Snapping the phone shut, I rush out to see what is happening, I can immediately see that Sookie is fine, but one of the patrons clearly is not. Felicia has him pulled half-way across the bar, holding him by the throat. His eyes are nearly popped out of his head in fright, but he is still wriggling. I take the few remaining paces over to see what has transpired. I raise my eyebrows in question, and in answer Sookie just shakes her head and says quite calmly, "Uh... I was just standing at the bar, waiting for my drinks. He thought I was a waitress, I guess. He grabbed my bottom, and..."

He WHAT! He _grabbed_ my Bonded? Angrily, I let out a growl, but Sookie lays a calming hand on my arm, and finishes her statement, "...Felicia grabbed _him_. Nothing to get worked up over."

The bartender's eyes are blazing, and she gives her captive a serious shake. He makes a sound like "eeerrkkk." She growls out, "What shall I do with this vermin, Master?"

I would like to take over, but I am so glad to see that Sookie has yet another protector in this bar, I decide to let Felicia have the pleasure of disposing of this bit of trash. Coldly, I say, "Eject him from the bar. Make sure he understands not to come back."

Sookie looks at Felicia, and says, "Thanks for coming to my rescue!... but don't hurt him too much, okay? He's just a drunken jerk."

Felicia looks a little surprised at my order, and nods somewhat reluctantly. I can tell she had other ideas; but I also think she will obey her Mistress. She jerks the drunken human completely over the bar, resulting in a few satisfying yelps and pleadings, and then hauls him roughly towards the front door. It has always been our policy to eject troublemakers as publicly as possibly, both because it acts as a deterrent to the rest of the group and also because it seems to be good for business. After tonight's little fracas, no doubt tomorrow night Fangtasia will be busier than ever.

I glance at my Bonded, and can see her contemplating the mess on the floor. She has a faint flush to her face, but otherwise she seems unscathed. Still, this whole incident has served to remind me once again how vulnerable and fragile she really is. There is no doubt at all that she _must_ have some of my blood, for her own good. It is my duty as her Bonded to make sure that she gets it, by any means necessary. If I merely offer it to her, I know quite well that she will refuse. The last thing I want is another argument, and I will not force her... hmmm. Well, as Sookie herself would say, there is more than one way to skin a cat. I can tell that she is about to re-order our drinks, and so I step in and offer to do it for her. At my suggestion, she obediently returns to my office to wait for me. As soon as she has disappeared down the hallway, I turn to one of the new male bartenders, Steven, and say, "I want a drink that is red in color, and very, very strong. Also a Trueblood."

He gives me a rather curious look, but makes no comment. After thinking over my request for a minute, his eyes begin to twinkle, and he replies, "I know just the thing. It is called a "Vampire's Kiss"... apparently it packs quite a wallop. We have been thinking about making it a bar special." He gives me a toothy grin, and I can see that this sporty young vampire soon will be bringing the fangbangers into my bar by the droves.

Quickly, he prepares my order, and I take both bottle and glass from his hands. I give Sookie's drink a quick sniff, and can tell at once that it is sufficiently strong. The color is perfect, as well. I nod at Steven, and head back towards my office. Instead of going in, however, I slip down the hallway a bit further and into the storeroom where I will be unobserved. Working quickly, I let down my fangs, graze my wrist lightly, and allow a few of the resulting drops to fall into the red beverage. I dare not put more than a few, or Sookie would probably be able to tell right away. I am counting on the strong liquor to disguise the euphoric effects of my blood. Once she has taken a drop or two, I should be able to influence her to take a decent amount of blood directly from me in the regular way. Just the thought of it gives me a serious hard-on; which serves to make me realize that the minute my blood passes her lips, I will have an overwhelming desire to feed from her as well. I will need to consume the TrueBlood as quickly as I can, to make my hunger more manageable.

My lovely Bonded is curled up in her customary spot on the end of my couch, busily scribbling into her notebook. She looks up and gives me a welcoming smile, and I carry our drinks over and sit next to her. She takes the cold glass from my hand, gives it a glance, and realizes at once it is not what she ordered, and very politely mentions the mistake. What if she refuses to drink it? Thinking quickly, I say, "No, actually that is a new drink the bartenders are thinking about having as a special. I want you to taste it and tell them what you think. I think you will like the name. It is called a "Vampire's Kiss."

Sookie gives it a tentative sniff, but then puts the glass the her lips and takes a sip. As expected, as soon as she swallows even that tiny bit of my blood, I can feel it beginning to circulate through her body. Quickly, I down my bottled blood in a few gulps. Since I am not altogether sure that she will not be able to recognize the feeling immediately, I watch her carefully as she takes a few more nips. Of course, I can feel it when both the liquor and the blood begin to take effect, but I can see it on her lovely face as well. A faint blush rises to her cheeks, and her blue eyes begin to glow. My fangs come down quite on their own accord, she looks so... edible. She is looking at me with the perfect combination of love, desire, and adoration. I have a serious desire to kiss her and taste my blood on her lips, and am just about to act when she beats me to it. She leans into me, and pulls my head to hers with both hands. The very instant our lips touch, that mysterious burst of energy that sometimes occurs races back and forth between us, and along with it a wave of pure, unadulterated lust.

Immediately, I find myself as hard as a rock, but as much as I want to fuck her this very instant, I want to make sure that I get as much of that drink down her as possible. The more of my blood Sookie takes, the more she will want to please me... it is a natural consequence of vampire's blood, and one to which even my little part-fairy is not entirely immune. I persuade her to drink a little more, and feel another rush of pleasure as my blood travels through her veins. I have not realized until this very minute how much I have missed having my blood inside my Bonded. She is mine, and when my blood is in her, there is absolutely no question of it. It is hard to describe in human words exactly what it feels like... only another vampire could possibly understand the emotional and physical sensations it produces. In addition to that, because of our Bond, I can actually feel part of my physical self melding with my Bonded's, which almost makes me feel... as alive as she is. I have come to crave that effect more than I realized.

My Lover is staring down into her glass, as if she might find the answer to a very important question there. She is so beautiful! I crave her, in every way it is possible to crave a woman. I pull her to me for another serious kiss, and to my surprise and delight, Sookie rather aggressively shoves me back against the sofa and slides her hands under my shirt. To give her better access, I quickly peel it off, and she immediately begins to lightly run her fingertips over my now bare skin. She leans forward, runs the tip of her warm tongue around my left nipple, and sucks it greedily into her hot little mouth. Ah! I just love it when she does that! Soon, her hands snakes over and begins to rub my stiff cock through my jeans, which drives me nearly wild.

Unfortunately, the few diluted drops of blood Sookie has swallowed are not nearly enough, for either of us. I long to feel the exquisite pain of her dull little teeth biting into my flesh, and the total ecstasy produced when I feel my blood flowing into her mouth. Knowing that she is more than ready to grant my every wish, I begin to caress her curves. I whisper in her ear, "My Lover, you are mine, and I want you. You want to please me, do you not?"

Without hesitation, she replies, "Yes, baby, I would _love_ to please you. Just tell me what you want."

What I want is for her to do a slow strip-tease, removing every tiny scrap of fabric from her luscious body. Then I want her to come sit on my lap, and fuck me... and feed from me. I begin by telling her, "First, I want to watch you take off those jeans... slowly." Sookie very willingly jumps up, moves far enough away for me to get a good view, and begins to unbutton her jeans. Smiling seductively, she slowly pulls down the zipper, and then pulls one flap aside to reveal just a flash of wispy blue panties. Before I can get a very good look, she whips around, and slowly and suggestively begins to lower her jeans. Her tiny panties are still in place, and she playfully wiggles her beautiful bottom in my direction.

At the beginning of this erotic performance, I unzipped my own jeans, and freed myself from a rather painful position; and now I cannot resist giving myself pleasure as I watch her strip for me. She bends over seductively, and hooks her fingers under the edges of her panties, in preparation of removing them, too. If I had breath, right now I would be holding it. I simply cannot wait to get the perfect view of her glorious little golden honey pot. I have to slow my strokes, to keep from cuming; and as I fight back that serious impulse, the though flashes across my mind that perhaps I will give in, and take just a tiny sip from her as she feeds from me. The thought of a mutual blood exchange only makes it harder to keep from releasing too soon, so I stop altogether... just as a sharp knock comes on the door.

Instantly, dual growls of total frustration come from Sookie and from me. Whatever this interruption is, it better be good... Irritably, I shout, "What the HELL is it?!"

Much to my surprise, Pam's calm voice says through the door, "Master, I have the two visitors with me. I would like for you to meet them."

My temper begins to rise at the interruption, but then I get a hold on it. I have given the job of screening visitors over to Pam rather reluctantly. As King, I should no longer do it, but I find that the habit of knowing exactly who is roaming around in my Area is a hard one to break. Furthermore, I know that Pam takes this part of her new job as Lieutenant very seriously, and would never have brought them to my attention without a very good reason. I am torn between getting some more blood down my Bonded, and taking care of some obviously important Kingdom business. Glancing over at Sookie, I can see the issue has already been decided for me, since she has already slid back into her jeans and is busy fastening them. I apologize to her for the interruption, and I heartily hope that this meeting will not take very long.

Rather grumpily, I stand and begin to stuff my erection back inside my pants... not exactly an easy thing to do. I call out to Pam, and tell her to bring them in. Sookie tosses me my shirt, and I go back to my desk. I deliberately keep the visitors waiting as I finish dressing and then get comfortably situated in my chair. Finally looking up, I give Pam and her two visitors a stern look, to let them know that I am not pleased by this interruption. Pam introduces them to me, and gives me a look that is designed to let me know that there is something about these two that she thinks I should know, or else they have some information that I may want. I sit back in my chair, and contemplate the pair.

Immediately, I see that these males are so young they must still have dirt behind their ears, and apparently neither one has never been through Louisiana before. Even though Pam has undoubtedly already gone over the rules, I can tell they are both quite wild; so I begin by giving them a stern warning that I will tolerate no killing for sport anywhere in this territory. Their eyes gleam, but they both nod. Sookie looks a little startled at my statement, but merely sits quietly and says nothing. As my Queen, it is inevitable that she will eventually find out just about everything there is to know about the vampire world, but I am trying to let her acquire that knowledge in tiny doses. Just now, I am totally unwilling to let her out of my sight; and so I hope that whatever these young vampires have to offer will not prove to be too distressing for her.

Very deliberately, I have not introduced the pair to Sookie. They are on the very bottom rung of the vampire social ladder, and therefore completely insignificant as far as my Bonded is concerned. However, one of the young pups has the audacity to keep glancing over at her, and finally I see her give him a nervous but polite smile. In return, he lets his fangs run out and gives her an unmistakable leer. Unbelievable! Is the young idiot insane? Standing, I give him a serious glare, and say coldly, "Since you are apparently so fascinated by her, perhaps you would care for an introduction. This is my Queen and Twice-Bonded, Sookie Northman."

The fact that he has been ogling not just a fangbanger waiting for my attention, but my Queen, has finally sunk into that thick skull of his. He takes one full step back away from my desk, and I can tell he is wondering if he can make it out the door before I can catch him. The answer to that question is a resounding "no." However, instead of falling to his knees and offering me his throat as he should, he just says rather insolently, "Sorry, your Majesty. I was just showing some appreciation for a fine looking woma..."

The other vampire (Jimmy Rex? Jimmy Ray?) immediately takes a huge step sideways, to distance himself from his companion, who is about to receive a sharp lesson in exactly why it is unwise to antagonize a King. Before he can get the last word out of his disrespectful mouth, I am over the desk, have him by the throat, and on his knees. Squeezing just enough to make sure I have his complete and undivided attention, I growl, "Who is your Maker? Have they taught you nothing about respect?"

Nervously, the other vampire clears his throat, and answers for him, "Our Maker was named Constance deHaan, Your Majesty. She was drained and left to meet the sun less than a month after she made us."

Constance! I had known her for years. She was well over four hundred years old, and had made many children. She was notorious for making them in pairs, because she was particularly fond of having two wild young vampires service her at once. She would select her targets entirely for their looks, and drain one and then the other within days of each other. As soon as they began to get too tame, she would happily send them on their way, and then start the hunt for the next pair. Occasionally, she threw in a female, for variety. I should have known by looking at these two that they were a result of her handiwork. Constance was known and ridiculed throughout the vampire world for making extremely attractive but stupid children. Nonetheless, I am quite disturbed to hear that a vampire of her age and wiliness has been captured and killed. Up until a second ago, I had been preparing to give this young vampire a serious lesson in respect, but this news distracts me. Sharply, I ask, "Where and when did this happen? Is the King of Texas aware of this?"

Not realizing how close he has come to finding out how unpleasant it is to re-grow body parts, he manages to rasp out, "This all happened about a month ago. I have no idea if King Stan knows, or not. The Area 1 Sheriff knows, of course. We lived with Constance, in Austin. We had all been out feeding on Sixth Street, and the last time we saw her she was slipping into an alley with what we thought was a UT student. We never saw her again. Constance's remains and identification were found the next morning, at Mount Bonnell. We hung around Austin until last night, but we were getting bored so we decided to check out Louisiana. We heard the girls over here taste extra sweet."

If they have been on their own so soon after their making, there is no telling how much trouble they have already caused. Giving the one in my grasp a slight shake, I inquire, "Since Constance's death, exactly how many "mishaps" have the two of you had?"

Jimmy Rex merely holds up two fingers, instead of trying to speak. Only two humans killed between the pair of them is really not all that bad, and I am somewhat surprised at their restraint, until the other one pipes up and says, "Well, three for me. I really thought I was stopping soon enough on that last chick, though. It was really too bad, she was a seriously good fuck..."

Abruptly, I hold up my free hand to stop him before he says another word. He claps his mouth shut immediately. The minute I had started to discipline the young male, Sookie had jumped to her feet, and although I could tell that she wanted to intercede, she very wisely said nothing. At this last statement, though, I feel the disgust and horror rolling through her. That is _way_ more information that Sookie is ready for, and I should have known better than to ask that last question.

Eying these two young troublemakers, I ponder the best course of action. They are clearly uneducated in anything but the most rudimentary elements of being vampire. They are so young and wild, they are still quite dangerous to humans. The last thing I need is a trail of human bodies strung out across my state, drained and marked with bites... the stakes would begin flying immediately. What they need is for some older vampire to take them in hand, and teach them a few things. If they were at all intelligent, I might find someone for the job, but.... no. They are not my problem, but Texas'. No doubt the Area 1 Sheriff had been happy to send them off to Louisiana with his blessing.

Giving the young idiot one last shake, just for emphasis, I finally let go of him. I sit on the edge of my desk, and cross my arms. So as to leave no doubt in their attractive but empty heads, I say sternly, "Go back to Austin. The Sheriff will be expecting you. You are too undisciplined to be allowed to roam freely in this state without supervision. Do not come back to Louisiana for at least a year."

At that pronouncement, they look very disappointed; however, apparently my little lesson has gotten the point across, and they do not argue. During the last part of this "interview," Pam has come back into the room, no doubt to see what is taking so long. She has of course not batted as much as an eyelash during this entire episode, but instead stands by with a slight smile on her face. To her, I say, "Pamela, I am sending these vampires back to Texas, until they settle down and learn to respect authority. Escort them out."

They at least know enough to bow low to me, before they depart. I follow them to the door, and watch as Pam takes them down the hallway to the bar. I hear the one who had caused all the trouble rather hoarsely asking Pam, "That girl is _his _Queen? She's just human, isn't she? What the hell is Twice-Bonded, anyway?"

Even though he is much taller than she, Pam reaches up and slaps the young moron in the back of the head, hard. For such a tiny thing, she packs quite a wallop. He flies forward, but manages to catch himself before crashing into anything, He had better be glad she was not really trying to hurt him. Rather painfully, he yelps, "Hey! Cut it out!"

Quite clearly, I hear Pam say in disgust, "It would take all night to explain it to someone as stupid as you. Just know that one word from her, and any vampire in this state would do her bidding. Take great care that you show our Queen the respect she deserves."

Shaking my head, I go back inside my office, and shut the door. Going back to my desk, I sit back down in my chair. Sookie says nothing, but I know she can feel how troubled I am by the news of Constance's death. She comes around my desk and stands behind me, and then kisses the top of my head. She strokes my hair and says gently, "I guess you knew her. I'm really sorry, baby."

I take Sookie's hand, and kiss the palm. Pulling her around my chair, I set her in my lap, and cuddle her to me. Thinking over the information I have just received, I wonder if there could possibly be any connection between this event and the drainings here in Louisiana. It is a remote possibility, but Julius _did_ mention a University of Texas sticker on the back of the contact's truck... I have always been suspicious of coincidences. I resolve to speak to Stan and Russell in Las Vegas, to see if they have noticed an increase in this sort of activity lately, and what steps they are taking to track down the culprits.

To Sookie, I explain that although I knew Constance, I was never all that fond of her; but that I _am_ extremely concerned about what her capture represents. Clearly, if she had been taken so easily at her age, the drainers are getting better at their job, and it seems that the risk to _all_ vampires is now much higher. Instantly, I can feel a little jolt of fear run through my Bonded. She says, "What about you? You are so old, your blood must be worth a fortune. Eric, they could never get you... could they?"

At that completely ridiculous notion, I snort and say, "Me? Not likely."

She lays her head on my chest, and snuggles closer. I can feel that she is still disturbed by the idea of me being caught and drained, and I am just about to calm her fears, when the door to my office flies open, and Pam comes stalking back into the room. She throws herself dramatically into a chair, and announces in disgust, "What morons! That Constance really knew how to pick them. At least she won't be making any more."

I give Pam orders to call the Sheriff in Austin and tell him to be expecting them back, and that he needs to have a serious chat with both of them about protocol, tradition, and most importantly, restraint. Once Pam is gone, I think about trying to pick up where we left off; but the whole interview has taken up much more time than I expected, and I really do have some things I must see to before leaving for Vegas. I want to get it done, and get my Bonded home where there will be no more interruptions. Sookie gives me one last kiss, slides off of my lap, and goes back to her spot on the sofa. She curls up with her notebook, and soon is busy sketching, scribbling notes, and making lists. She is so adorable! Instead of getting my own work done, however, I just sit in my chair and watch her. After a few minutes, she finally realizes that I am doing nothing but looking at her. She glances up and says, "What?"

I just shake my head, and teasingly reply, "Nothing. You are _much_ too focused on that notebook to suit me. I can tell I am going to be cast aside until this project is complete." I try my best to look forlorn.

It must not be working, because she bursts into laughter. Mercilessly, she says, "Give it up, vampire. You will never, ever be able to pull off "pitiful." Now, I know you have plenty to do before we leave town, so get back to work!"

She is right, of course. Sighing, I do get back to work, but every now and then, I sneak a glance at her. I know that she is very aware of me, too, even though she is doing her best to ignore me. The more she avoids looking at me, the more I want to go peel her out of those jeans and fuck her until she screams my name! She is driving me insane! I force myself to focus, and by the time the bar closes, I am finally finished answering emails and fielding calls from my own Sheriffs. Once I am finished with my tasks, I turn off my computer and stand. Crossing the room, I offer her my hand, and she stands and gives me a kiss. I say, "Let us go home, my Lover."

Stopping by Pam's office on the way out, I tell her we are leaving. She winks, and says, "I'll be right behind you. I think I'll stop to get a bite first."

******

On the way home, Sookie is very quiet. She stares out the window, and is so deep in thought that she doesn't even notice when I get the car up over 100. Finally, she breaks the silence and says, "Eric, about the guards... obviously, I'm not too happy about it, but I guess I can see where you're coming from. Cooper is a pretty decent guy, and I feel comfortable around him. George and Jim are okay, too. So, I'll agree to it, at least for a while. As soon as I get my magic under control, though, the guards are history, Okay?"

Honestly, I am shocked but relieved that she is being so reasonable. I had envisioned another serious argument over this very issue. As her Were so rightly pointed out, she is a very independent person. I myself can hardly stand having guards constantly hovering, so I suppose I _do_ understand. Still, as much as I would like to allow her to have complete freedom, the guards are non-negotiable. I just cannot take a risk where her safety is concerned. To my surprise, she continues, "...and I think maybe you should start having some with you all the time, too, not just at work and the house, at least until this whole drainer problem is stopped."

I know she is just worried, so I try to reassure her by saying, "Beloved, do not be concerned about me. I am old enough to have very good instincts when it comes to this sort of thing. I will be fine."

I can tell that she is unconvinced, but I thinks she knows that it is a waste of her breath to argue with me over this issue. She just shakes her head, and goes back to staring out the window.

Once we arrive home, we enter through the front door, and I can see that the travel coffins have been delivered and set up on their trestles in the living room. Obviously Bobby has done his job, because my luggage is stacked nearby. Sookie sighs, and I ask, "What is wrong, my Lover?"

"I don't know, honey, I'm just ready to stay home for awhile," she answers, "I wish we didn't have to go. Something about Sandy makes me nervous. I guess she just reminds me too much of Victor and Felipe."

To be honest, I would just as soon stay home myself; however, this trip is necessary. I do intend to make it a little more palatable for Sookie, and have already arranged some treats for her. As for now, she is walking in front of me on her way to the kitchen. The fact that she is obviously so concerned for my safety is so very endearing... who else but my Bonded would actually be worried about _me_? It makes me love her all the more, and I am seriously ready to show finally her just how much. I follow her like a puppy into the kitchen, where she opens the refrigerator and bends down to retrieve something from the bottom shelf. For the third time tonight, she teases me unmercifully by waving that fine denim-clad ass of hers. When an opportunity like this presents itself, I am just the vampire to take advantage of it; so in an instant, I am behind her, pulling her back against my growing erection. She giggles, pushes back against me, and says, "Mmmm, that feels good... but it's a good thing for you Felicia isn't here. She just about strangled the last guy that tried that."

I am so busy rubbing my swollen cock against her firm bottom, that it takes a minute for her meaning to sink in. I say slowly, "He... what? You said he grabbed you. I thought you meant that he just patted your bottom."

She stands up and turns around. Looking me square in the eye, she says matter-of-factly, "Nope. I dropped my pencil on the floor, and when I bent down to pick it up, I got a rather rude awakening. Pretty gross, right? You should have seen Felicia, though. Boy, she was fast! I hardly even had time to stand up straight before she had him up and on that bar. I guess we're even now."

If I had known the details at the time, there would be one less drunken human in the great state of Louisiana tonight. Idly, I wonder if anyone at Fangtasia knows who he is... if so, I think I will have to pay him a little visit. Stupid humans trying to pick up my woman is one thing, I always rather enjoy throwing those idiots out; but one actually touching her in such a disgusting manner will _not_ be tolerated.

Sookie reaches up and brushes my cheek with her fingertips. I can feel a tiny sizzle of energy pass between us, and she says gently, "Calm down, baby. No harm done, really. And anyway, trust me, I couldn't feel a thing, poor little man. You, on the other hand, I can feel just fine."

She slides a hand down and rubs me through the fabric of my pants. She whispers, "Those jeans make _your_ bottom look pretty good, too, you know." She pulls my head down, and kisses me with one of her special Sookie kisses. My strong desire to go on a hunt is slowly being replaced with a different one. She wraps both arms around me, and kisses me so passionately that I am not really paying attention to much else.... until the doorbell rings. Ye Gods! Another interruption? I growl in frustration as Sookie pulls away from me, but she just grins and says, "Come on! Aren't you excited? Pam will be our first overnight ...uh... daytime guest."

Frankly, I could care less. I have only one thing on my mind right now... but clearly, my Bonded has slipped into hostess mode, and hurries down the hall to admit our guest. A minute later, Sookie comes back towards the kitchen with Pam trailing closely behind her. Sookie politely offers her a blood, but with a toothy grin, Pam says, "No, thank you. I am quite full."

Sookie warms one for me, though, and gets out some sliced fruit for herself. We all go sit in the den, and get comfortable. We chat about our plans for the upcoming trip, and then Pam says, "Let's go for a swim. I enjoyed the pool very much last night."

For some reason, that statement makes my Bonded uncomfortable; but then she finally blurts out, "Okay, here's the thing. I know that vampires don't really care about nudity, and all that... but I'm human. It would just be too uncomfortable for me if you guys don't wear bathing suits."

I am surprised to find that not only had the two of them gone swimming last night, but apparently Pam had talked Sookie into going in nude. I am sincerely sorry to have missed the sight of my two beautiful women frolicking naked in my pool. I would certainly have enjoyed that much more than dealing with that bitch Sabriel. In response to Sookie's outburst, Pam rolls her eyes, but says, "Well, all right, if you insist. Luckily, I brought one for the pool at the hotel. I'll go get it."

My child has brought all of her luggage with her (which is probably at least twice as much as she needs), and before long has piled everything next to mine in the living room. She triumphantly fishes out a tiny bikini and starts to put it on, while Sookie and I go down to our chamber to change. I locate the drawer that contains my swim trunks, and look back just in time to see Sookie slowly pulling her t-shirt over her head, exposing a lacy ice blue bra. Next, she removes her jeans, revealing the tiny pair of matching panties that I had caught a glimpse of earlier. Now she has my undivided attention, so I just stand and watch. She reaches behind her back, unhooks the bra, and slides it off. Those perfectly magnificent breasts spring free... and that is all I can stand. In a flash, I have them firmly in my hands, and I am kissing their owner passionately.

Sookie chuckles deep in her throat, and says, "I wondered how long it would take you. I thought you might hold out until after the panties, though."

Growling, I make short work of those. She is now completely naked, standing wrapped in my arms. I am still fully clothed, and she slips her hands up under my shirt pulls it over my head, and then kisses my now bare chest. Reaching down, Sookie unfastens my jeans... and for the first time tonight, slides her hands down inside my pants and actually touches me. Ah! I have been waiting all day for this. The warmth of her hands feels extraordinarily good. She strokes my shaft a few times with one hand, and cradles my balls in her other palm and gives them a slight squeeze. Mmm. I am expecting her to finish removing my pants, but after a moment she lets go, and backs away. My little temptress says slyly, "You're always telling me that anticipation is a powerful aphrodisiac. We have company who is waiting on us, and you're just going to have to wait."

Is she crazy? I try to finish removing my jeans as quickly as I can, but she grabs her bikini and laughingly says, "No kidding! You've got to wait!" as she's putting it on. Now I am naked, and she is dressed... if you can call those tiny scraps of fabric clothing. Eying my completely engorged cock, she says sympathetically, "My poor baby. You really _are_ ready, aren't you? Well, all right, just a sample."

My Lover falls to her knees, and takes me in her warm mouth. She runs her tongue around the head, and then licks and sucks... ah, it is sheer bliss. I am watching her service me in complete enjoyment, when suddenly she stops and removes me from her mouth. What the...? She looks up, smiles wickedly, and says, "Okay, there's your sample. More later."

Oh, no, I think not! I tell her quite truthfully, "If you have any desire to get out of this bedroom before dawn, you will finish what you were doing. Otherwise, be prepared."

"You should see the look on your face!" she says with a chuckle, "I was only teasing."

With that, she proceeds to suck and lick me into oblivion. I stroke her lovely golden hair as she pleasures me, and all too soon I can feel my climax approaching. She knows, too, and begins to fondle my balls with her free hand... and that does it. I cry out sharply as I cum into her willing mouth. She swallows, and then gives my now relieved member a few quick kisses. I pull her to her feet, and kiss her deeply. Running my hand down between her legs, I run my finger up under the edge of her bikini bottoms, and find her folds. One long, lazy stroke tells me that she is already dripping wet. I slide one finger into her hot, slick center, and she moans, deep in her throat. I am just about to pick her up, take her to our bed, and ravish her, when she grabs my hand by the wrist, and pulls away from me. I can feel her reluctance, but she says, "Come on, you've had your treat... now, our guest is waiting."

At this point, my appetite has merely been piqued, and I know for a fact that Sookie is just as aroused as I am... however, this time I can tell she means it, so I reluctantly give in and allow her to drag me back upstairs. Pam is already in the pool, floating on her back. Grinning, she says, "I was certain that I would not see you two for awhile."

Sadly, I say, "Your Mistress is a cruel woman. She thinks that looking after guests should come before pleasing her Bonded."

Pam snorts, and says, "If that is true, then Master, you must be losing your touch."

Now that I have had at least the edge taken off of my sexual needs, I find myself in a more playful mood. Sliding into the water, I slip towards my child, and say, "Oh, is that so? We'll see about that..." and the chase begins. Of course, she is much faster than Sookie, and manages to _really_ avoid me for a few minutes before I catch her and dunk her. Sookie sits on the side of the pool, dangling her feet in the water, and laughing. The three of us spend some time playing various silly water games, and swimming. Finally, I pull myself out of the water and just sit on the side of the pool, watching my girls playfully splashing each other and laughing like loons. I have never seen Pam relax and enjoy herself so much around a human. Sookie seems to bring out her playful side, not always an easy thing to do.

Suddenly, off to my left, I can hear something... I am not sure exactly what. Something is out there, just beyond the fence that encompasses the acreage around the house. I do not think it is a vampire, which even _I _could not hear at this distance; nor a human, which I probably _could_ hear... more like an animal of some sort. Even though I doubt it is anything to worry about, I decide to go check it out.

Pam has seen me listening, and becomes still. Sookie stops moving, too, and looks a little alarmed. Pam puts her arms protectively around her, and draws her close. Silently, I slip out into the dark of the yard, past Sookie's new rose garden and towards the back fence. As I approach it, everything is suddenly quiet, and I hear no more sounds. Still, I continue on to the back fence and fly over it. I prowl around a bit, but find nothing... except for the very faint scent of cat. It occurs to me that it was probably just a bobcat, which are quite plentiful in this area. I am a bit surprised it is here so soon after last night, though. According to the reports from my Guards, Sookie's Werewolves were out here running around the last couple of nights, and wolves of any sort are natural predators of the bobcat. In any event, it is no cause for worry, so I fly back to the house. I tell the girls that everything is fine, but our light-hearted mood has been broken, and we all retreat to the inside. In any event, it is getting late for my Lover; and after all our little games in the pool, I want her more than ever. Sookie is the perfect hostess and makes sure that our guest is comfortable before retiring. I tell Pam I will see her just before dawn, and follow my Lover downstairs to our chamber.

This time, she allows me to remove her bikini, and we shower together. Once we are standing under the torrents of hot water, I pull her to me with a slow kiss, and my hand snakes down her body and between her legs. She willingly parts them, and I have her squirming in no time. The scent of aroused fairy fills the shower, and I have an overwhelming desire to taste her. Earlier this evening, I had been on the verge of forgetting my vow not to take any of her blood, but now I am more in control. Next to feeding from her, getting a taste of her essence is the next best thing. When I withdraw my hand she groans, "Oh... no. Please don't stop!"

Now it is my turn to grin mischievously. I turn off the water, wrap her in a towel, and carry her to our bed, where I lay her on the edge of the mattress. I kneel between her legs, and start at one knee and then the other, kissing and licking my way up each thigh in turn. My beautiful Lover is moaning in anticipation, and I really should tease her a while longer, to pay her back for earlier; but I cannot wait to taste her another instant. Parting her folds with my fingers, I run my tongue across her already swollen clit, and the taste of her creamy essence fills my senses. Sookie lets out a prolonged, "Ahhhh." Insatiable now, I devour her, and slide my fingers in and out of that tight, hot center of hers. Almost the minute I do that, I feel her climax building... and then she cums for me, rewarding my eager tongue with a flood of her very special fairy juices. I lap them up in delight, until she begs me to stop... and then, comes the moment I have been waiting for ever since first dark.

Picking her up, I move her to the center of the bed, and crawl between her legs. My eager lover reaches down and guides me to her entrance, and I pause for just a second, to make sure she is watching me. Her blue eyes are blazing in her passion, and I can hear her heart pounding way in her chest. In one smooth stroke, I enter her. Sookie gasps, and cries out, "Oh...Eric!" Unbridled lust for my woman rushes through me, and I proceed to do exactly what I have wanted to do all night, give her a though fucking. I am a little rough, but she clearly loves it; and I give her another intense orgasm before my own. After all the frustrations of the evening, I find that once is just not enough; and after resting just a short while, I turn her on her side, slip up behind her, and insert myself again.

This time, I go slow, and we make this time last. She tells me softly that I have already worn her out, and that she could not possibly have another orgasm; but just before I am about to reach my peak, she unexpectedly gasps and begins to shudder against me, and we end our evening by cuming together one last, delicious time. Chuckling, I cuddle her to me, and almost before I know it she is sleeping peacefully in my arms. It belatedly occurs to me that I was so intent on fucking her senseless, that I never got around to asking her to take more of my blood; but at least I managed to get a few drops down her earlier in the evening. I will try harder tomorrow night, after we get to Vegas. I absolutely hate to leave her here alone in our bed, but of course I must. I kiss my Bonded tenderly, then slip out of bed very carefully, so that I do not wake her. I leave her a note for the next day, and then go upstairs to get into my travel coffin.

I find Pam sitting in the living room, engrossed in a fashion magazine she has brought with her. She looks up as I enter the room, and pats the sofa cushion next to her in invitation. Taking a seat, I settle back against the soft pillows, and take a good look around the room. The woodwork in here is quite spectacular, and I am very pleased with the elegant but comfortable furnishings. "Master, your home is lovely," Pam says, echoing my own thoughts, "It is the perfect Royal Residence for this area... although I am glad you decided to keep the one in New Orleans for special occassions."

I gesture towards the fireplace, and say, "I think I want to have a portrait painted of Sookie and me, to hang there. What do you think?"

As I am saying this, I notice that her nostrils flair, and a slow smile crosses her face. Trapping my right hand with hers, she brings it to her nose, and inhales deeply. Pam grins, and says, "You smell absolutely delicious. Sex and fairy... I swear I do not know how you keep from fucking her to death. One sip of Sookie's blood at your wedding, and I was insatiable for the rest of the night! It is the perfect blend: just enough fairy to make you slightly intoxicated, but not enough to make you loose your head completely. I've never tasted anything remotely like it."

Even though she is my child, and I am willing to share almost everything I possess with her, I really wish that she had never tasted my Bonded's blood. I find that I am quite unwilling for _any_ other vampire to know just how spectacular it really is. How Bill managed to go back to regular human blood after feeding on her for months is beyond me... not that she gave him much choice in the matter. If Pam could taste it now, she would be more amazed than ever. The fairy component increased in strength on our honeymoon, and so far that effect has faded only slightly. I close my eyes, and just think about what Sookie's blood tastes like when it hits my tongue... ah, this will never do. Unbelievably, even after that completely satisfying round of sex with my Lover, I feel myself stirring; but I soon get myself under control. Even if it weren't so close to dawn, my angel needs her rest, since she has to be up early to oversee our transportation tomorrow. Giving Pam a rueful smile, I admit, "Her blood _is_ completely unique, and I fear I am rather addicted to it."

Pam looks searchingly in my eyes, and asks softly, "Eric... is there something the matter with Sookie? When we went in swimming last night, I noticed immediately how much weight she has lost in the last couple of months. If you are giving her your blood, how is that possible?"

I should have known that my child would notice. I know that she has developed a true fondness for my Bonded. To be so attached to _any_ human is completely unprecedented for Pam, and so I decide to be truthful. I tell her, "Having noticed the same thing, I recently decided to stop feeding from her for awhile, to give her body a chance to recover. She refuses to take mine now, even though she knows it is good for her... she can be so stubborn."

"I think you are both crazy," Pam says in her typical blunt fashion, "Have you called in Dr. Ludwig?"

Of course! Why have I not thought of that simple solution before? I am a stupid, stupid vampire. If this situation has not begun to resolve itself by the time we return from Las Vegas, I certainly _will_ call in the healer. "That is an excellent idea, Pam," I reply, "I think I will do so as soon as this trip is over."

We sit silently for a moment, each thinking about what is in store for us in Nevada. When Pam speaks again, it is on a completely different subject. She says, "I thought that you should know about Constance deHaan. Do you think there could possibly be any connection between her death and the drainings here in Texas?"

"I have no idea, but it is possible," is my reply, "I intend to speak to Stan about it, as well as Russell and some of the others."

Slowly, Pam says, "I keep asking myself how on earth they were able to capture someone as old and wily as she was... it makes me worry." My child turns her big blue eyes to me, and I actually _can_ see worry in them. She continues, "Eric... you are the oldest vampire in Louisiana. What if they come after _you_?"

"You sound just like Sookie," I reply with a grin, "Pamela, you know me very well. Can you possibly imagine some backwoods human capturing me, when even vampires armed with swords and silver nets could not?"

"I know, I know... but please, promise me that you will be more cautious than ever. If not for me, then for your Bonded's sake. She is very fragile, Eric, and if something ever happened to you, I fear she would not survive it."

I chide her, "Come now, enough of that! I am going to be fine. We will catch these humans before much longer... and as for Sookie, I am finding out that she is much tougher than she appears." As soon the words leave my mouth, though, a tinge of fear for my wife's future passes through me. If the unimaginable did occur, and I went to my final death, what _would_ happen to Sookie? Would she succumb to the inevitable Bonding Sickness, and die, too? Would she manage to recover, and live out the rest of her life horribly alone, as I once was? Would she fall in love again, even though she could never be Bonded to another vampire? All of those options are quite unpleasant to contemplate, so I shove them out of my head. I am not so arrogant to think that I am invincible, and resolve to take suitable precautions until this ring can be destroyed.

For now, though, dawn is approaching, and it is time for Pam and I to go to our rest. I stand, and offer her my hand. As soon as she stands, I sweep her into my arms and gently tuck her into her coffin, just as I did when she was newly made. Caressing the delicate features of my child's face, I bend and kiss her softly. "Rest well. This Coronation may prove somewhat of a challenge."

Chuckling, Pam says, "Any trip with Sookie along is sure to be challenging, all right..."

With that, she closes her eyes, and I shut the lid. Climbing into my own coffin, I settle in and close my own eyes. While I am waiting for the sun to take me, I think over the coming trip, and make mental lists of all the items I intend to discuss with the other Monarchs that will be present... but then, as always, my thoughts return to my beautiful little fairy-wife, who sleeps so warm and snug downstairs in our big bed. Most heartily I wish that I was there with her, instead of in this damned coffin. I have become so accustomed to listening to her breathe, it seems much too quiet in here. Luckily, I feel the sun rising, and soon I go to my rest.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Author's notes: All of these characters are owned by Charlaine Harris.**** This chapter is not nearly as long as the last two. The last half of the chapter is lots of fun fluff, and I am posting it on Friday the 13th in honor of my wedding anniversary... what an appropriate day for that event, right? **** To keep from boring you guys, I have decided not to post Eric's POV for Wednesday, since nothing much happens that you don't see from Sookie's side.**** Thanks for the outstanding reviews! Please forgive me for not responding to each review from the last chapter, because of some serious time restraints (there may be a few more editing errors in this chapter for the same reason.). I figured you guys would much rather me spend the time getting this chapter ready to post... so here it is...**_

**Chapter 15**

**Sookie's POV Wednesday **

Is there anything more annoying than the sound of an alarm clock going off? Reaching out and pounding the snooze bar, I unsuccessfully tried to chase down the dream I had been having: _In my dream, Gran and I were rocking in our old front porch swing. She looked off in the distance, and said, "Child, I do believe we are in for a little stormy weather." For some reason, the way she said it made me shiver, and she patted my hand and said, "Now Sookie, you know better than that. What have I always taught you about storms?" When I was little, I had been intensely afraid of the often violent thunderstorms that we had in northern Louisiana, and Gran had tried to teach me to overcome my fears. I recited what she had told me about a bazillion times, "Our house is very strong, and can withstand just about anything. If you are prepared, and don't panic, everything will be fine. Never forget that the storm will soon pass." _

_My grandmother nodded, and said, "That's right, honey, and the rain is what makes things grow." _

She was just about to say something else which I knew was going to be very important, when the alarm sounded. I finally gave up trying to recapture the dream, and turned the alarm completely off. Reaching behind me, I felt for the big cool body of my vampire, and then realized with an unpleasant jolt that he was upstairs in his travel coffin. Dang! I just hated waking up without him! I crawled out of bed, and went into our bathroom. Propped up against the mirror was a daily note. It read:

_**Beloved,**_

_**We have many things planned for this evening, so please be ready by first dark. I have a little surprise for you, so wear something nice.**_

_**~E**_

One thing I had come to find out was that my vampire's surprises were almost always really, really good ones. Smiling like an idiot at Eric's note, I took it in and slipped it on top of the growing pile I was accumulating in the back of my lingerie drawer. After a hot shower, I took my time drying and rolling my hair, and applying my make-up. I had never been to Las Vegas before, and wanted to look good for the trip. Since I knew the Viking wouldn't be around to complain, I put on some nice pants and a silk blouse that I had bought on my shopping trip with Claudine. Because it always reminded me so much of Eric, I wore my fleur-de-lis necklace; and also remembered to put my jewelery from Faeryn in my purse to take with me.

Laying out all my clothes, shoes, and underwear took much longer than I had anticipated, and by the time I was done I was reconsidering the wisdom of turning down Bobby's help with the whole packing thing. Maybe next time, I wouldn't be so doggoned hard-headed, and let Juanita help me. I had packed so many things, it looked like Amelia was going! Come to think about it, it seemed kind of funny to think that almost everything in my luggage had been bought in the last two months. Throwing the last few items in my make-up case, I took a last look around to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything... if that was even possible, given the amount I had packed.

It took more than one trip to haul everything upstairs; and by the time I was done, I was really out of breath. I piled all my bags with the stack of luggage already in the entry hall. In the living room, Eric and Pam's coffins were sitting side by side. Standing between them, I rested my hands lightly on the surface of each; and somehow I could sense that both of them were resting comfortably inside. I turned to the black one, and ran both hands over the glossy surface. I said softly, "Hi, baby. I sure missed you this morning. I can't wait 'til first dark." I didn't put enough umph behind it to really disturb him, but it made me feel better to talk to him, anyway. It seemed dark in the house, so I went over and peeked outside. It was really overcast, and I could see right away that it had already been raining. Everything was still damp and dripping.

I still had some time before the transportation was supposed to arrive; so I grabbed my notebook and went into the kitchen. After putting some Community coffee on to drip, I dug around in the fridge. I pulled out some berries and milk, and had some cereal sitting at the island, while making notes for the expansion. Once the coffee was ready, I poured myself a cup and sat back down, and then realized I had forgotten to put any sugar in the dark brew. Since I was completely alone for once, I thought maybe it would be a good time to try a little magical practice; and so I focused on the little sugar bowl at the other end of the island, and called it to me.

Nothing happened. I focused harder, and tried again. This time, the little bowl moved about six inches towards me on the counter top, and stopped. Now I was getting frustrated! I tried a couple of more times, and only managed to move it about another inch. Finally, I gave up and just went and got the stupid thing the old fashioned way. It was odd that I couldn't do it, because I had actually been having pretty regular success with my magic lately. Oh, well, maybe I just had too many other things on my mind to focus properly. I reminded myself to try again later.

As I stood at the sink washing up my breakfast dishes, I glanced out at the back yard again. This time, I could see one of the new men striding towards the house in a great hurry. I could faintly hear him calling out to Hector, who came into view carrying a large pair of hedge trimmers. The two of them had an animated conversation, and then started off towards the back fence. I wondered what in the heck was going on, so I went outside and followed the graveled path in the direction they had taken. As I approached the tall wrought iron fence at the back of the yard, I could see them standing on the other side, examining something on the ground. The back gate was unlocked and standing open, and the men were standing just a few feet past the opening. I joined them as they stood gazing down at the rather bloody remains of a deer. It had been ripped open, and partially eaten. Hector looked up, and said, "Good morning, ma'am. It was too wet to dig today, so we've been trimming up the vines and things along this fence. Xavier here found this just now."

After living in the country my whole life, this was not the first dead animal I had ever seen, but I felt sorry for the poor thing anyhow. I said, "My husband thought last night that maybe he heard a bobcat back here... I guess he was right."

Hector shook his head, and said, "It would take a pretty big bobcat to take down a deer this size. I think maybe this was more like a big coyote or maybe even a panther. I have heard rumors of ones in this area, but this is the first time I've ever seen the evidence myself."

A panther? The first thought that crossed my mind was Jason. He had just been asking Amelia about where I lived. But then I remembered that it couldn't possibly be my brother... since he was a bitten were-panther, and not a born one, he could only shift the three nights surrounding the full moon, and even then I think he had some trouble. I shook my head, and said, "Well, I'm sorry for the deer, but I guess with this much acreage we're bound to have this sort of thing happen from time to time."

Hector agreed, and said, "You know, the funny thing is that it was positioned so perfectly at the back gate. My cat at home leaves me dead birds at my back door laid out just like that, as a "gift." Now, this here is some gift!"

Something about the way he said that set off vague warning bells in the back of my head. I was probably just being paranoid, but I would really like to know if this was the work of a panther or not. I thought for a minute, and told the gardeners, "You know the guard, Cooper? I think I'd like for him to take a look at this."

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my cell phone, and called Cooper. He answered almost immediately, and I told him what we'd found and asked him to come have a look. As the men and I waited, I could see lightening flashing off in the distance, and the low rumble of thunder. Dark banks of clouds were rolling in, and I knew another storm was rapidly approaching. I started to shiver, but then remembered my dream of Gran, and tried to keep calm. A few minutes later, I could see the Were running easily down the path. Cooper came through the gate, and bent down to examine the carcass. Immediately I could see him inhaling deeply. I knew that if anyone could tell what had done this, it would be this full-blooded Were with his keen sense of smell. Of course, the gardeners had no idea such a thing as a Werewolf existed, and so I said carefully, "So, Cooper, any idea what might have done this?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, and said, "Hmm. A cat of some sort... might be a panther. I will tell the other guards to be watching out for one, just in case. Now, Sookie, isn't the transport supposed to be here soon?"

It was nearly time, so I said, "Oh, yes. I guess I had better get back."

"Don't worry about this, Mrs. Northman, we'll take care of it," Hector said reassuringly, "Oh, and by the way, the lilies you ordered were delivered a little while ago."

Confused, I said, "I didn't order any lilies. Like an arrangement?"

Cooper shook his head, and replied, "No, like live plants in buckets, from a nursery. I let the delivery truck in the gates myself. The order had your name on it, so I let it through."

"Uh...okay," I said, "Can I see them?"

We all trooped back up the path, and around the side of the house. I gasped! There were plants in black plastic buckets everywhere! In disbelief, I said, "Good grief! How many are there?"

Hector said calmly, "I counted them. There is an even hundred. They came from a wholesale nursery in Shreveport. I know this looks like a lot, but for a place this size, it is enough to make a really good showing. I can put them in drifts and they will be spectacular when they bloom. I can't plant them today, though, it's too wet. Maybe Mr. Northman ordered them."

If so, he hadn't said a word to me about it. Or... maybe they were a gift from Niall. He still hadn't sent our mysterious wedding gift yet, but I somehow doubted this was it. In any event, it looked like I was going to have a beautiful bunch of lilies blooming soon. I would have to call the nursery later to see who had sent them. I said, "I guess I'll figure it out later."

From the moment I had stepped out of the house, it had been threatening to rain. Suddenly, lightening flashed simultaneously with a loud clap of thunder, the sky opened up, and it began to pour. Cooper and I ran for the cover of the front porch, and the gardeners headed for the carriage house. Luckily, we were fairly close and didn't get too soaked. Opening the front door, I gestured for him to follow me. I said, "Come on in, and let me get us a couple of towels."

I went to the downstairs bath, and grabbed some fluffy towels out of a basket. Coming back out I handed one to the guard. After we had both gotten as dry as possible, we went back to the kitchen, where I poured us both some coffee. Trying to just ignore the storm, I said, "So, Cooper, you really have no idea what killed the deer? Eric thought it was a cat of some kind... Can you tell the difference between a Were animal and a regular one, just by smell?"

He shook his head and said, "It has obviously rained pretty hard since it happened, and the scent was nearly gone. The smell was vaguely familiar, but... no, I guess I really don't know what it was. Sorry."

"You know, I'm probably just being paranoid," I said, "Stuff like this happens in the country all the time... no big deal."

The big Were was just about to open his mouth to say something else, when the doorbell rang. I jumped up to get the door, and could see a limousine and the transport van parked in the drive. Opening the door, I stepped outside, and Cooper, the driver, and I stood on the front porch and stared out at the deluge. Another huge clap of thunder came, and I jumped at the sound. Shivering, I wrapped my arms tightly across my chest, and like Gran had advised, tried to remember how strong my house really was. The rain was coming down in heavy sheets, and I hated for the coffins to be loaded in such awful weather. I knew my vampires would probably laugh themselves sick over the idea that a little rain would hurt them, since technically they were already dead... but still. Since we were flying on Sandy's private jet and didn't have to depart exactly on schedule, I figured we could just wait a few more minutes.

Sure enough, it finally slowed down to just a soft rain. Eric's daytime Royal Guards had ridden over in the limo, and they helped load the coffins and luggage. I could see two other coffins already inside, which I knew belonged to the two vampire Royal Guards that Eric had chosen to take with us. Pam had told me that all Kings and Queens traveled with Guards, whether anyone was expecting any trouble or not... it was just a status thing. Given my past experiences at vampire events, I found it highly unlikely that nothing at all would occur... I guessed it was just my paranoid streak, making another appearance.

Eventually, everything was ready to go. I grabbed my purse and my notebook, made sure the door was locked, and then the driver helped me into the waiting limousine. As we rolled down the drive, I took one last look at Valhalla before my beautiful old house disappeared from my view, and I wished that I didn't have to leave. In the soft spring rain, our little convoy headed for the airport.

*****

Several hours later, after a fairly uneventful trip, Sandy's private jet landed at the Las Vegas airport. Another limousine was already there waiting to take the three guards and me to the hotel, along with the Nevada Queen's private transport van. The minute I stepped off the airplane, I looked around in complete amazement. It was as different here from the green lushness of northern Louisiana as it was possible to get. The ground appeared to be completely flat and mainly covered with tawny colored sand and a little bit of scrubby vegetation; the whole arid plane was ringed in the distance by purple-hazed mountains. It was the first time I had ever seen mountains, of any sort! It had been raining cats and dogs in Shreveport, but Las Vegas was bone dry, the sunlight almost blinding in its brilliance. Immediately, I pulled a pair of sunglasses from my purse, and slipped them on.

Apparently the airport was located on the edge of town, and some of the big hotels could be seen right from where I was standing. I could even see a big pyramid and Sphinx! Cooper and I waited around in the warm sunshine while the bags and coffins were transfered to the transport. Once everything had been re-loaded, the trip from the airport to the hotel was a short one. Since this was my first time in Las Vegas, I was pretty much glued to the window the whole way. Cooper, who was something of a gambler, told me that he had been there many times; so he acted as tour-guide and pointed out all of the famous casinos as we passed them. There were tourists everywhere on the streets, and to my surprise, they all seemed to be dressed very casually. There were walkways up and over the street, so that they could get from one side of the strip to the other without having to deal with the considerable traffic.

This was without a doubt the most incredible place I had ever seen. I felt exactly like Alice In Wonderland, going down the rabbit hole. We passed a pirate ship, a Statue of Liberty, a pyramid, a Paris opera house, and various other amazing architectural oddities. I just shook my head in total amazement. Seeing the look of astonishment on my face, Cooper just laughed, and said, "Wait until dark. Things get really interesting then."

At that, I had to chuckle, That had been my exact experience for the last couple of years, even in Louisiana! Soon, we had gone past most of the other large hotels, and then the limo turned into the drive of Sandy's casino/hotel. It was only a couple of years old, and had been built by Felipe and his vampire cartel. It was very sleek and modern looking with its exterior almost entirely of black glass, with a few accents of red. In keeping with most of the Las Vegas casino hotels on the strip, it had a theme... which, of course, was vampires. It was called _Eternity_.Eric had shown me pictures of it on the Internet, and I knew the main structure was shaped like a V, with the open end towards the street. The casino was nestled into the interior point of the V, and there were various terraced levels going up from there. There were huge fountains out in front, and they contained water that had been died dark red to imitate blood. I thought it was pretty tacky, but Cooper said that the "Blood Fountain" was a huge hit with tourists and vampires alike. Go figure.

The minute our little convoy pulled up under the huge canopy, several valets sprang into action. One came and opened the door to our limousine. Cooper slid out first, then he helped me out. The transport had pulled up directly behind us, and Eric's guards jumped out and began to supervise the unloading of the coffins. Several tourists had stopped to watch this procedure with total fascination. The valets had begun to wheel out special carts for the coffins, and regular carts for our bags. Talk about a three ring circus!

As soon as Pam and Eric were safely through the doors, I stepped into the huge lobby and looked around with curiosity. It was extremely modern, but very elegant. In the center of the space was an enormous fountain, flowing with a red liquid that looked exactly like blood. All the floors, counters, and furnishings were either black or red, with silver accents. A man in a black suit came hurrying over, and greeted me. He said, "Welcome to _Eternity_, Mrs. Northman. I am Mr. Bennett, your special concierge. The Queen's secretary called to make all the arrangements for you and your entourage. Please allow me to escort you to your suite."

He led my little group through the lobby and to a large bank of elevators. As we made our way through the lobby, I could feel the curious stares of most of the humans in the room. In New Orleans, I had gotten a little more used it, and it didn't bother me nearly as much as it used to. One man in particular was practically staring a hole in me, though, and as I past him, out of sheer habit I let down my shields and heard … _Wow! With all those guards and things, those must be some really important vampires... wonder who the woman is... I wonder if I can get a __decent picture of this on my cell phone?_ My entourage had stopped at the bank of elevators to wait for the special car that was large enough to accommodate both coffins, their guards, and the porters. I could see the man pull a cell phone out of his pocket, and started to line up a shot of my group. For some reason, even though he was clearly just a tourist, I wasn't wild about the idea of him having a photograph of my vampire's coffin, so I tapped lightly on Cooper's arm to get his attention. Jerking my chin slightly in the tourist's direction, I gave Cooper a discreet shake of my head, and immediately he knew what I wanted. He walked back to the man and spoke to him, and although I couldn't hear what he said, the man immediately put away his phone. A moment later, Cooper rejoined me, and the elevator cars arrived at nearly the same moment. Mr. Bennett rode with Cooper and me, and a couple of the bellboys with the luggage; and the rest of the group went up with the coffins in the larger car. It turned out we were on the 29th floor. The hotel was only 30 floors, with part of the top floor being a restaurant and nightclub with a rooftop patio. On the way up, Mr. Bennett said, "The 28th and 29th floors are for our very special guests. Those floors can only be accessed by inserting your keycard into this slot here." He indicated a discreet slot under the usual number pad. He continued, "All rooms above the 10tth floor are both light-tight and provide extra security for our vampire guests. Below that level the rooms are light-tight, but can also be rented to human guests. Rest assured that although we do allow humans in the hotel, we have extremely tight security on the vampire floors." He pointed to cameras suspended from the corner of the elevator, and said, "Each floor is carefully monitored electronically, as well as roaming live guards on the top two floors."

Once our little party had reassembled in the upstairs foyer, the concierge escorted us down a long hallway, and stopped before a pair of double doors. He pointed out the rooms on either side of the main suite which were for our guards, and then opened the door and allowed me to step past him into our suite. Although it was furnished very differently, it was laid out in a similar fashion to Eric's suite at the hotel in Shreveport. It had a huge living and dining area with a small bar/kitchenette. The floor to ceiling windows along the outside wall were covered with retractable light-proof shades, which were now closed. Like the rest of the hotel, the furnishings were ultra-modern and extremely elegant. In one corner sat a black baby grand piano, with a large arrangement of fresh flowers on the closed top. Mr. Bennet saw me looking at them, and said, "Those are from Queen Sandy, to welcome you to her Coronation."

To the right of the main doorway, a short hall led to a palatial bedroom with the most enormous bathroom I had ever seen attached. To the left were two slightly smaller bedrooms, each with private baths, and there was also a small room set up to be used as an office. The porters were waiting in the hallway with the travel coffins and all the luggage, and Mr. Bennett helped me to get everybody sorted out into the proper rooms. The concierge also explained some of the hotel's amenities and then handed me several keycards. Once he was satisfied that I had no further questions or needs, he handed me his card with his contact numbers, bowed and left. I posted Eric's day guards outside the main door, just as he had instructed. I told Cooper that he was off duty until the next day, and that I would call him when I was ready to go out. The handsome Were just grinned, and said he was headed straight to the casino downstairs. I figured I had about an hour and a half until dark, so I went ahead and unpacked Eric's and my clothes, took a quick shower, and re-applied my make-up. I slipped on the cute dress I had brought for the evening, and then added my fairy-stone jewelry as a finishing touch. I even dabbed a tiny bit of Obsession in all the right spots, for later.

It was now only a short time until dark, so I went in to the bar and got a couple of Bloods out of the little refrigerator. I went ahead and heated Eric's in the microwave because I knew he would wake first. I was on my way back to our room, when I saw the Viking step through the doorway and look around the room with interest. I went to him, gave him a kiss, and handed him the warm bottle. He took it from me, and said, "Thank you. You look lovely. I take it everything went well?"

"Yes. No problems at all. I got to see the strip, at least by daylight. It was amazing!" I replied enthusiastically, "I can't wait to see it tonight! By the way, we are on the 29th floor."

Eric smiled at me indulgently, and said, "I would imagine that the view from this room is quite good. It should be sunset in just a minute."

Sipping his blood, he crossed over to the windows along one wall, and located the remote control that would raise the light-tight window coverings. He waited the last couple of minutes until sunset, and then pressed it; they slid up and out of sight, leaving the huge windows uncovered. I gasped... Eric was right! The view from up here was nothing short of amazing! The bright, multicolor lights from all the hotels and casinos were like nothing I had ever seen before. I stepped up to the window, and stared out in complete fascination. My vampire slid up behind me, wrapped me in his arms, and we stood silently watching the scene below.

In the reflection in the glass, I caught sight of Pam gliding silently into the room. Her hair was a bit tousled, and she still looked sleepy. I left Eric at the window, and went to heat up her Blood. I handed it to her, and she said, "Thank you. I take it that everything went well?"

"The trip was easy as pie" I replied. "It's pretty easy when you have a whole hoard of people to do everything for you."

Pam went and sat on the sofa to sip her blood, and Eric announced that he was going to get dressed. Knowing that my vampire would be ready in no time flat, I just perched on the arm of a nearby chair. Pam asked, "Has Eric told you where he's taking you yet?"

"No, as usual, he's being very mysterious," I answered. "Why aren't you getting dressed? Aren't you coming with us?"

She shook her head, and said, "No, I have other things I want to do... but I will be joining you later. I think I might start with a little... room service." With that, she grinned wickedly and winked.

For the last couple of weeks, I had really curious about something, but had never quite worked up the nerve to ask her before this. Gran was probably spinning in her grave because I was asking such a personal question, but I mustered my courage and said, "Um... Pam? It's really none of my business, but... what about Robert? How can you..." I trailed off, not really sure how to proceed.

Completely unembarrassed by my question, she smiled and said, "How can I still have sex with others? Oh, Sookie. How can I put this? Robert is like the marzipan treats cook used to make at Christmastide when I was a girl. Once a year, I would enjoy them immensely, but I could not eat them everyday or I would tire of them. For everyday meals, I much preferred meat and potatoes."

"So... you aren't in love with him?" They had always seemed so inseparable when they were together, I had thought that maybe she really loved him.

Somewhat ruefully, she shook her head. She said, "Love? No. For vampires, love is a great rarity. I am very fond of Robert, and he is the only male that I still enjoy having sex with, but... I just have a preference for women."

While we were on the subject, I might as well go one step farther and ask something else I had always wondered about. "Pam, it seems like a _lot_ of the vampire women I have met are bi-sexual. That can't just be coincidence, can it?"

Thoughtfully, she said, "I have often wondered about that very thing. I once thought that when a female became vampire, it merely freed their true natures from the artificial bounds of "proper" society; but perhaps something actually occurs during the turning process which makes them that way. Who knows?"

We both sat in companionable silence, contemplating the possibilities. Just then, Eric popped out of our bedroom, looking as magnificent as ever in his new navy blue suit. He had pulled his long hair back into a loose ponytail, and he looked so yummy that I was already regretting not having our "special time" together this evening. He checked his watch, and said, "We need to get going, Dear One. Pamela, we will see you later."

He held out his hand to me, and after telling Pam goodbye and grabbing my purse, I went to him. The vampire Royal Guards had just come on duty, and they escorted us out to a long black limousine that was already waiting at the curb in front of the hotel. We all piled in, and the car started to roll... all of about a block and a half. I was wondering why we just hadn't walked! In any event, I was thrilled to discover that we were about to go to the one hotel that I had really been aching to see, the Venetian. It was part of an enormous complex, and I watched in awe as our limousine passed under the bridge that crossed over the outdoor "canal" in front of the hotel; and then we pulled up under a huge canopy. One of the guards held the doors for us as we stepped into the lobby. Taking one good look around, I could not help but let out an astonished gasp.

Despite all that I had heard, nothing had prepared me for the magnificence of this place. I had never, ever seen anything remotely like it, even in New York. There were fantastic marble columns and floors inlaid in intricate patterns, incredible woodwork, huge ornate sculptures, and oh, my!.. the ceilings! They were beautifully painted and had elaborate crystal chandeliers hanging everywhere.

Eric looked at my amazed face, and laughed. "Not much like Bossier City, is it?" he asked me with a wink. Taking my arm, he started guiding me to my left down an absolutely unbelievable arched hallway, our guards trailing behind us at a discreet distance. For once, I was actually speechless as we entered into the casino. It was huge! I looked around at everything, and realized that I had no idea what half of this stuff even was!

Shaking my head in wonder, I asked my vampire, "Are we going to gamble?"

"No, Beloved, we have other plans," Eric announced with a smile, "I am going to take you to eat, and then we are going to see the newest show to open here in Vegas... "Phantom of the Opera." I thought you might like to see a show, since you were unable to go to one while you were at Robert's. After that, Pam will join us and we are going to do a little shopping at some of the stores here. I just thought you would like to see the casino first."

When he told me our plans, I thought I might faint from sheer excitement. "Phantom of the Opera" was one of my all time favorite movies, and I knew each and every song by heart... I had never in my wildest dreams expected to be able to see it live! Oh my goodness! I didn't care who was watching, I stopped abruptly, threw my arms around the Viking's neck, pulled his head down and gave him about a hundred little tiny kisses all over his handsome face. "You are without a doubt the absolute best husband in the whole world!" I exclaimed fervently.

Eric chuckled at my open display of affection and said, "I know you did not want to come on this trip. The least I can do is make it somewhat enjoyable. Now, my angel, it is nearly time for our dinner reservations."

Tucking my hand over his arm, he guided me through the casino, with me openly marveling at the luxurious place the entire time. When Eric had mentioned Bossier City earlier, I had known exactly what he meant. In Louisiana, the laws on gambling were about as crazy as everything else in the state. Casino gambling was allowed, but only on one of fifteen riverboats, which were docked on various waterways throughout the state... and also in one land-based casino, located in New Orleans. Several of the gambling boats were moored in Bossier City (which was literally just across the Red River from Shreveport).

Not long after I turned 21, Tara and I had driven to Shreveport one evening, and had gone on board one of the gambling boats. I was too broke at the time to do any betting, but we were curious what all the fuss was about. The riverboat was nothing at all like this! Everything was crammed tightly together, crowded with people smoking cigarettes and drinking to beat the band. I got so claustrophobic, I hadn't wanted to stay long at all. This casino was about as far from that rather depressing atmosphere as it was possible to get. It was spacious, elegant, and smelled heavenly. There were lots of people milling around, but it still did not seem crowded at all.

My vampire and I strolled around a bit, and then took an escalator up one level. The area where we landed had a large window overlooking the strip at one end, and then opened out into an area full of shops on the other. We headed in that direction, and before I knew it we had stepped into what seemed like another world. It really looked like we were in Venice! There were beautiful old-world style storefronts displaying a variety of exquisite items, and restaurants tucked here and there amongst the shops. Before long we stepped into a huge open area, which Eric told me was called St. Mark's Square, featuring a beautiful blue-watered canal complete with gondolas! An ornate bridge passed over the water, and I could see tourists in one of the boats passing under it, propelled by a man in a stripped shirt pushing it along with a long pole.

Most amazing of all was the ceiling, which was painted to simulate the blue daytime sky, complete with puffy white clouds. The entire area was lit up as brightly as daylight, and it suddenly occurred to me that this was as close as I was ever going to come to strolling around an outdoor square in daylight with my husband. The thought made me a little sad at first, but then I decided to be grateful for what I could get. In complete wonder, I exclaimed, "Wow! This is all so beautiful! I wonder if this is what Venice really looks like."

Eric smiled and shook his head. He said, "Not really. This is not nearly as romantic as the real thing, but it _is_ much cleaner and smells a great deal better than it did the last time I was there. Someday, I will take you there, and you can see for yourself."

"Right now, this is plenty good enough for me," I said enthusiastically.

The Viking pointed out the entrance to the restaurant that he had chosen, which was right on the Square. "We could have a more formal table inside, but I thought you might like to sit in the outdoor area," Eric explained, "You can see everything that is going on from there."

We made our way over to the entrance, and were seated promptly. Our guards sat at the table next to us, which seemed like a waste; but by now I knew better than to say anything. Eric was right... from out here, I could see the canal, and all the people going by, and it was just so different than anything I had ever done it was really fun. Fortunately, the bar stocked several kinds of bottled blood, so the vampires were able to sip on those while I ate a wonderful meal. Even though it was an Italian restaurant, it featured several selections that were prepared garlic-free, which made it much easier for me to order than usual. While I was enjoying my dinner, a pair of strolling minstrels passed by, and Eric tipped them to play a song for me. It was a little embarrassing, but I still enjoyed it, and I think my vampire did, too.

I had just finished my meal, and Eric was waiting for the waiter to return with his credit card, when I could see a couple of male vampires and what I assumed were their human companions being seated at a table not far from us. Once they had taken their seats, the one facing our direction got a good look at Eric, and then leaned over and said something to his friend. After a brief discussion, they both rose from their chairs, and headed in our direction. Eric never turned a hair, but out of the corner of my eye I saw two blurs moving past me. The next thing I knew, both Royal Guards were standing between us and the approaching strangers. Wow! I had never seen them do that before... I guess they were along for more than just decoration, like I thought.

The taller of the two vampires looked directly at Eric, and said, "Do I have the honor of addressing Eric Northman of Louisiana?"

There were too many humans in the vicinity to use Eric's title, but it was clear by the way the vampire said it, that was what he meant. Eric rather regally inclined his head, and said, "I am Eric Northman. And you are...?"

The two vampires introduced themselves. They were both from Nevada, and would be at the festivities for the weekend, but had recognized Eric and wished to offer him their congratulations in advance. The taller of the two then asked if they could have a moment of Eric's time. Eric made a gesture to his Guards, who resumed their seats. Rather unexpectedly, he invited the two Nevada vampires to join us, even though it was clear their dates were waiting on them. Once they were seated at our table, they chatted for a few minutes about mutual acquaintances. It turned out that both of them knew Sir Robert fairly well.

I really had nothing to contribute to this conversation, so I merely sat quietly and watched Eric.

I had noticed lately that there was something different about him, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. He was his usual handsome self, and I practically could not take my eyes off of him; but that was completely normal. No, it was something else... I snapped out of my reverie when I noticed that the taller of the two vampires had leaned in towards Eric and was speaking in a low, conspiratorial voice. He said, "Your Majesty, we would like you to know that there are many factions here in Nevada that are convinced that the new Queen may not be strong enough to keep her position. Is it true that you support her?"

Through our Bond, I felt a sizzle of surprise from the Viking. I glanced at him, but outwardly he looked as cool as ever. "It is quite true that I wish her well," was his neutral reply.

The other one leaned in and stated, "The Ancient Pythoness thought _you_ should have taken over here after Felipe, and there are many of those in Nevada who believed her to be right. Is there any chance that you might reconsider?"

Eric said nothing for a moment, and I have to admit I was holding my breath. Even though I didn't _think_ he had any intention of having anything to do with Nevada, I could just as well be wrong. As close as we were in some respects, he was just so used to playing things close to the vest that he could be planning on taking over the Moon, for all I knew. After a long pause, he replied, "I have no intention of regaining this state. I am quite satisfied with Louisiana and Arkansas."

The two of them looked a little disappointed, but I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. I absolutely was _not_ up for any more intrigue and take-overs! Eric stood abruptly, and said, "Now, if you will excuse us, we have tickets for a show, and need to be going."

They jumped up, and gave the Viking a little inconspicuous bow. In return, Eric gave them both a nod, and then took my arm and led me out of the restaurant. As we were leaving, I got up my nerve and asked outright, "Honey, you really _don't_ have any plans to be King of Nevada, do you?"

He laughed at the somewhat worried look on my face, and said, "No, my Queen, I do not. I am perfectly content with my territories... for now." With that, he gave me a playful wink. Oh dear.

Immediately after that, I tried to block all the thoughts of politics right out of my mind. After all, this supposed to be our night to relax and have fun! Before heading back downstairs to the theater, I asked if we could walk across the bridge in the square, so I could see the canal from up there; and of course my vampire indulged me. As we stood on the top looking down at the water, one of the little gondolas passed under the bridge, and the boatman was singing a song in Italian. The couple in the boat looked like newlyweds, the way they were staring raptly into the other's eyes. Seeing the young lovers together made me a little sentimental, and I hugged Eric's arm tightly. Technically, _we_ were very much newlyweds, too, and still very much in love... and even though this wasn't our honeymoon, I was having a wonderful time with my new husband.

I must have had a really sappy look on my face, because my vampire just laughed fondly and kissed my forehead; and then said we needed to get going before the curtain went up. We took an elevator back to the first level, and made our way to the theater. From the outside, everything looked fairly ordinary, but once we stepped through the doorway, again I was amazed. The inside of the theater had been built to look just like the old Paris Opera House! It was nothing short of spectacular. Our seats were in the middle and slightly toward the front, so I could see and hear everything perfectly.

From the time the curtain went up until it fell again, I was totally transported to another place and time. The sets and costumes were magnificent, and the stage effects really incredible. My favorite part of the show was when the Phantom had Christine in his boat, taking her to his hidden lair. The little boat really appeared to be gliding across water, surrounded by mist... how did they do all that with no magic? Idly, I wondered if they had a Fairy in the stage crew.

Although I had seen the movie several times, and knew the story quite well, it didn't matter. Seeing it in person was a completely different experience! Now I knew why people loved to go to the theater to see live performances... it was really intense. All during the play, I had noticed various pieces of what turned out to be a huge chandelier would float down to the center of the ceiling from different corners of the room. Eventually, it had all joined together to form an enormous chandelier almost directly over our heads. Too cool! Once again, I was completely mesmerized with the action and thus totally unprepared a little later as I felt and heard a WOOSH! The huge chandelier dropped from the ceiling and plummeted directly towards our heads! Eric's hand flashed out and grasped my wrist in a strong hold, or I would have poofed right out of my seat! It came to a stop only a few feet above our heads. The entire audience had let out a loud gasp, me included. It had startled me so badly, my heart was just about pounding its way out of my chest! My vampire, on the other hand, was as cool and collected as ever. While the rest of the audience was trying to keep from having heart attacks, he had never even flinched, inside or out. I swear, that vampire had nerves of steel! He just looked at me, and gave me his best devil-may-care grin.

After that, I was swept back up into the play, until the very poignant (an old Word-of-the-Day that I had never gotten to use before) end. After the applause finally died down, and the house lights came back up, Eric took my arm and guided me outside to the lobby. He told me that we were supposed to meet Pam upstairs in front of a particular store that she wanted to check out, so we headed back upstairs. Our guards, who had been sitting directly behind us in the theater, again trailed us at a discreet distance. Although my vampire had a slight smile on his face, I could feel some strange emotion roiling around inside him. He looked down at me and asked, "So, my Lover, did you enjoy the play?"

"It was wonderful, Eric!" I replied enthusiastically. "Thank you so much for taking me. I'll never forget it.... especially the part where the chandelier just about fell on our heads. Did you know it was coming? You never even moved."

He said, "No, this is the first time I have seen the show."

I thought everyone on the North American continent had seen the movie at least once. In disbelief, I asked, "The first time? Have you seen the movie?"

"No, never. Robert was the one who suggested I take you. He said the show was quite romantic, and he thought that you would enjoy it."

Eric had stated that last part with a strange inflection to his voice, and I could still feel some of that unidentified emotion inside him, and so I asked, "What? Didn't _you_ think it was romantic?"

My vampire was silent for a moment, then he said very nonchalantly, "I would have found it much more romantic if the girl Christine had picked the right man."

What? Why would he think that? After thinking it over for a few minutes, though, I finally got it. It had never occurred to me that my vampire would identify with the Phantom, but once I thought about it, I guessed I could see why... sort of. I teased him, "You just liked the Phantom because his name was Erik. Other than that, you have nothing at all in common. He was deformed and you are gorg...uh, you are nice to look at." No sense in inflating that ego any more than necessary.

Too late! Immediately, the Viking's face broke into a broad grin, and he preened a little. I could feel his mood lighten instantly. Eric said, "So... you think I am gorgeous, do you? I am glad that I please you, Beloved. However, the young opera singer did not turn away from Erik because of his deformity, it was because she thought his soul was dark and twisted... and perhaps it was. What she failed to see was that their love might have redeemed him from his loneliness and torment, thus allowing him to change."

That set off a lively debate over the outcome of the play. We were still arguing by the time we reached the storefront, where Pam was patiently waiting. Although she was as pink as a rose, she was still clearly ogling a group of attractive young woman as they passed by. She was dressed in a lovely silk blouse and slacks, was positively dripping with heavy gold jewelry, and was actually carrying a Coach purse. Pam had never looked more like a very wealthy, very pampered young housewife. We greeted her, and she asked how we had liked the play. Almost immediately, we launched back into our argument; and since she had seen the original production in New York, Pam had her own opinion. Unfortunately, she ended up siding with Eric... of course.

Once that discussion wound to an end, Pam pointed at the store behind her and said, "Master, I think this is just the shop we need."

The name of the store was "Elàn," and I could tell that it was very expensive from the window displays. Eric motioned to our guards to wait outside, and he escorted Pam and I through the front door of the shop. Almost immediately, we were greeted by an elegant young blond woman, who smiled warmly and said, "Good evening. How may I help you?"

"I would like to see some evening gowns for my wife," replied my vampire.

She gave him a rather appraising look, and then said brightly, "Absolutely, sir. My name is Noella, and I will be happy to assist you. Please come this way."

She led us back to the far corner of the store where a love seat and a pair of chairs were set in a semi-circle. She said, "Please be seated. Now, tell me what you have in mind."

Pam and I took the chairs. Eric sat on the love seat, draped his arm casually over the back, and stretched out his long legs. Thoughtfully, he told the saleswoman, "The dress must be floor length, and white. Something elegant, but very sexy... I want to show off her figure."

Pam piped up and said, "Let's get her a cocktail dress, too."

To the saleswoman, he added, "Also, a short cocktail dress. This I want to be a bright color, perhaps the color of her eyes, or even red... something fun."

"Sassy!" interjected Pam.

Eric smiled, and said, "Exactly! Sassy."

The saleswoman returned the smile and said, "My goodness, you do know what you want. I think we can find some things that will please you. Let me round up a few choices, and I will be right back." Before leaving, she gave me a look to "size" me up instead of just asking. I guess she had figured out that I was the "wife," since I was the one with the wedding rings on my left hand. However, nobody had even once bothered to ask me what _I_ might be interested in!

I sighed, and then smiled to myself. If my vampires wanted to dress their little doll, I guessed just this once I would just let them have their fun. To be honest, it was actually kind of nice to be fussed over. One thing was for sure, I was figuring out in a hurry that Eric was just as decisive in this area as he was in everything else he did. Maybe that was why he was so successful. It seemed that he always knew _exactly_ what he wanted, and then pursued it until he got it. I took a good long look at my new husband, and it finally hit me what was different about him. He really did look as "gorgeous" as ever, but since he had become King, the power and confidence that he always exuded had been stepped up at least tenfold. When he was still just a Sheriff, I could see glimpses of the true extent of it from time to time, but it was if the Viking had purposefully keeping that part of himself... veiled, until needed. It was if now he was no longer bothering to hide his true nature. Huh.

While we waited, he and Pam chatted about some of the vampires that they expected to see the next evening at Sandy's reception, when the saleslady came back with several dresses. She showed them to us one at a time, and Eric and Pam selected a few for me to try on. Eric was particularly taken with a long white satiny gown that he asked me to try first. I slipped it on, and to my surprise it fit like a glove. It had a pleated, deeply cut v-shaped bodice which showed off my cleavage quite nicely, with a band of crystals underneath. From there down, it was slinky and very form-fitting until my knees, where it flared out. Except for the crossed straps, my back was bare down to my waist.

The minute I stepped out of the dressing room, both of my vampire's fangs slid out completely, and I suppose Noella was used to vampire customers, because she never batted an eyelash. In fact, she merely smiled, and said, "Well, I can tell that you like this one."

"Yes. We will definitely take it," Eric stated firmly, "Sookie, try the blue one next."

I noticed he hadn't even asked about the price, and there were no tags any where on the gorgeous white dress, so I couldn't even begin to guess how much it was. When the saleslady came in to help me with the zippers, I asked her. She shook her head, and said, "Your husband said you might ask me, but that I am not to tell you."

I rolled my eyes, and then said, "Uh huh. Did _he_ ask?"

She chuckled, and answered, "Yes. When I told him, the other lady said, "She's going to balk," but _he_ just laughed and said, "Not if she doesn't know." That is when he swore me to secrecy. If I may say so, you are a very lucky lady."

I sighed, and said, "Yes, I suppose I am." That vampire.

The next dress was a short greenish-blue cocktail dress, in a retro baby-doll style. The top was sequined, with little tiny straps and a satin band right under the bodice, and the full skirt had a satiny underskirt, with two layers of super-fine tulle on top. It was really cute, and made me feel...sassy! That one was also a crowd pleaser.

I tried on the rest of them, and my vampire picked one more short dress that he liked. "Eric, I really only need one dress!" I reminded him, "Why all of these others?"

"Clearly we will be be attending a great deal more of these type events," he replied evenly, "I like these. Why not?"

Eric the ever-practical vampire. He had the saleswoman bring out matching shoes, and even tiny little evening purses that matched. I was not a bit surprised when the shoes he picked were all the extremely high-heeled types... of course. At that, I _had_ balked. Unlike Pam, I wasn't a vampire, and my feet _could_ hurt... as I protested, I could tell neither one of them had any idea what I was going on about. At one point, Eric leaned in and whispered into my ear, "If you would just take some of my blood this would not be an issue."

Hmph. Immediately, I whispered back, "Not until you do."

He gave me a rather inscrutable look, but then ordered the lady to add some matching flats to our purchases. Once she had returned with them, he handed her his Am Ex Black card, which she took and disappeared to ring up the sale. To me, he grinned and said, "There now. Since you are being so stubborn... you can change into those later in the evening, if necessary."

When the sales woman came back for him to sign the slip, he asked her, "Can you recommend a jeweler here?" Of course! She knew just the place! It was not far away, and before I knew it we were strolling around inside the jewelry store, peering into glass-toped display cases. Eric said, "Lover, pick out something you like."

Every thing was beautiful, but looked really, really expensive. I was having trouble, because I knew that if I expressed even the slightest interest in anything, he might buy it. I was hovering indecisively, until finally Pam sighed, and rolled her eyes. In my ear, she murmured, "Sookie, I wish you would just relax, and let my Master have some fun spoiling you a little. Do you know how hard it is to find this kind of selection in Shreveport?"

No, not really. The only "real" jewelry I had ever bought was Eric's ring and necklace, and Robert had actually done most of the work on that. I had absolutely not a clue what to pick, or even where to start. Finally, Eric seemed to realize the problem, and he said, "Lover, let me help you choose."

He walked around, and looked a little more, then he called the salesman over. "My wife's dress requires something very simple," he stated, "A diamond solitaire would be just right. I think...pear shaped. Something that we can get with matching earrings."

In a flash, the salesman laid a small black velvet pad on the counter, pulled out a very lovely pear-shaped diamond solitaire. Eric took one look at it, and shook his head. "Not nearly big enough, and I can see the flaws from here." he said. The salesman gave him a more appraising look, and then said, "If you will excuse me, sir, I have a few other things in the safe which I think might be suitable." When he came back, he had another pad that already had three more necklaces, and several pairs of earrings displayed on it. These were all at least double the size of the first one, and even my uneducated eye could see the difference in the stones. Soon, the two men were deep in discussion over carat weight, color, clarity, and lots of other stuff I didn't understand...but I listened, and tried to learn. Eventually, Eric made his selection, and said, "Dear One, do you like these?"

I knew he was going to buy me something, that much was clear. The solitaire necklace and matching drop earrings were beautiful, and elegant, and I could wear them with anything, but of course I knew they must be extremely expensive. I hesitated, and then said, "Yes, Eric, they _are_ beautiful... but...."

Pam, who had been hovering behind me, took that minute to pinch my arm. Ow! Ruefully rubbing the spot, and hoping it wasn't going to leave a bruise, I finished, "... er... they are perfect, thank you."

I could tell that Eric was pleased that I hadn't argued, and he pulled me to him and gave me a kiss. "I want you to look like the Queen that you are." he said with a smile.

He gave the man his credit card, and soon the salesman handed me a small intricately inlaid wooden box, which contained my new jewelry. I slipped it into my handbag, and thanked the man for his help; and then gave my vampire another heartfelt kiss of thanks. There was absolutely no doubt about it, he really _was_ spoiling me!

After that, the three of us (well, really, the _five_ of us), ambled around the mall and shopped. Eric bought some really nice Italian leather belts (the ones _without_ the silver tips), I found some pretty clips for my hair, and Pam...well, Pam bought so many things, I thought we were going to have to call for more guards to pack it all back to our suite. Basically, though, we had a really good time. Eventually, Eric glanced at his watch, and said, "It is time for us to get back to the hotel. There is something very important which requires my attention."

With that, we all made our way back downstairs, and before long our car was brought around. We made the short trip back to Eternity. Once inside the lobby, Pam told us she was headed for the casino to do some gambling, and wished us a good night. Eric sent one of the guards with her, and motioned for Atticus to follow us upstairs. Before I knew it we were standing in front of the door to the suite, and our guard sprang forward to open the door for me. As I stepped inside, I glanced down, and noticed immediately that there seemed to be something strewn on the floor. It trailed back down the hallway toward our bedroom. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was a path of scattered red rose petals! I glanced back at Eric, who was grinning like crazy at my astonishment.

Anxious to see what was at the end of the path, I followed the trail of petals. They led down the short hallway, and then into our room; and on our bed were scattered literally hundreds more. There were several huge bouquets of roses scattered on various tables around the room. The fireplace had been lit and was casting a very romantic glow across the room. Next to the vase on my bedside table was a bottle of champagne, a bottle of blood, and two glasses, as well as a crystal plate of what appeared to be chocolates. "Oh, wow! Eric! Look at this!" I said in total surprise, "What on earth did I do to deserve all of this?"

My vampire had stepped into the room behind me, and firmly shut the door. He came up behind me, and slid both arms around my waist. He kissed the top of my head, and said seriously, "You are just so... sweet. You demand nothing, yet give me everything. You are my perfect mate. Now, my Lover, let me show you how much I treasure you."

He unzipped my dress, and let it fall to the ground. Reaching around me, he unhooked my front-closing bra, and slid it off my shoulders. He pulled my hair to one side, and nuzzled the nape of my neck, inhaling my scent. A chill of delight and anticipation passed down my body. I could tell that I was in for a very special evening of lovemaking with my magnificent vampire, and I couldn't wait to see exactly what else he had in mind....


	16. Chapter 16

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris owns all of these characters. I am only borrowing them for my own amusement._

**Chapter 16**

_**Sookie's POV Thursday: Las Vegas & Reception at Royal Residence**_

The next day, I woke to find myself spooned up behind the long, cool body of my vampire. Before I even opened my eyes, I could smell all the roses in our room, and I had to smile to myself. Underneath that intimidating exterior, my husband was really a very romantic vampire. I rolled over onto my back. Oh, owww! Holy cow, I was _really_ sore! The Viking had kept me up until nearly dawn making love. He had been nearly insatiable, and I was now definitely feeling the after-effects. It had never been more apparent to me that the benefits of his rich old blood were pretty much gone. Last night, Eric had urged me to take some, but of course I had refused. He told me I was being infuriating and stubborn, and I told him that he was, too... but that didn't stop us from having a really good time, anyhow. Nevertheless, it made me lay in bed and think back over the last several days, and ponder the results of my refusing to take any blood from him.

When we first returned to Valhalla from New Orleans, I had actually gotten some of my appetite back; but as the week wore on it seemed to be fading again. Each day, I seemed to be getting more and more tired and feeling sluggish, even though I was getting more sleep than I usually needed. I had even noticed yesterday that it was becoming harder to maintain my mental shields when around other humans. The last time I felt like this, I had been in New York coming down with a roaring case of Bonding sickness... but of course that was impossible. I was literally plastered to the side of my Bonded, so distance couldn't possibly be to blame.

It had now been nearly two weeks since I had taken any of my vampire's blood. My craving for it was getting nearly unbearable, and I supposed that just showed how truly addicted to it I had become. The cravings had gotten a little better a couple of days ago, but now they were back with a vengeance. I made a pact with myself to hold out just another day or two. Like I made clear last night, until Eric started feeding from me, I just wasn't going to take any of his blood. Surely he would relent soon, and we could get back to normal. I wondered if there was any way for me to get him to give in, short of begging.

The crazy part was that I could tell that Eric's abstinence from taking my blood truly had not done a bit of good. The only benefit of his not feeding from me that I could see was that I had come to realize just how amazing our sex life was even without it. Last night, for example, had been absolutely wonderful... and intense. That vampire had turned me every which way but loose. In fact, I sincerely hoped that by first dark my little hootchie had recovered a bit, because otherwise I was going to have to turn him down, for the very first time ever. I could well imagine what the Viking would say to that... and to be honest, it wouldn't make me happy either.

To see what I could do to avoid that dire situation, I decided to take a long soak in the enormous tub. I rolled out of bed and limped into the bathroom. Eric had left me a note propped on the sink, with a red rosebud lying next to it. It read:

_**My beautiful Queen,**_

_**You excite me like no other. Tonight I will show you just how much.**_

_**Until first dark,**_

_**~E**_

Uh oh, that sounded like he was already planning more fun and games, and I bet "Not tonight, dear, my hootchie hurts" wasn't going to cut it. Sighing, I ran the bath water as hot as I could get it, and slipped in by inches. As I lay soaking, my mind wandered again to my magnificent vampire and our love life. I closed my eyes and indulged in a few replays of recent encounters, and then my mind slid off into a few fantasies of my own. Almost unconsciously, my hand had slipped down between my legs, and I lightly ran my finger over my folds. Oh, ow!

That brought me up short. Good grief! I was a little disgusted with myself. It seemed that ever since our honeymoon, all I ever thought about was having sex with Eric! Ack! Was I as addicted to having sex with him as I was to his blood? If so, I really _was_ just as bad as any fangbanger at Fangtasia... well, except for the fact that I was married to my vampire. That should count for something, right? What I really, really needed to do was to get my mind off sex for five minutes and go do something constructive, so I pulled myself out of the water and dried off. My soak had helped some, but what I needed was some aspirin. I rummaged around in my make-up bag until I finally found two pretty beat-up looking Bayer lurking in the bottom of a pouch. What a hassle! It had been months since I had even thought about pain relievers of any sort... At that thought, I just had to laugh at myself. Poor, poor human girl, having to resort to something as pedestrian as asprin!

Now I was _really_ determined to get out, get busy, and quit whining. After my bath, I dressed in some capri pants and a cute top, and gave Cooper a ring on his cell phone. He said he would be by to get me in a few minutes. I covered my naked, sleeping vampire with the comforter and kissed his muscular shoulder before leaving, doing my best to avoid getting worked up all over again. Just as I was locking our bedroom, I heard a knock on the suite's main door. Cooper had come to fetch me. Stepping into the hall, I greeted Eric's two Royal Guards and told them I was going sightseeing and would be back later. As we headed for the elevators, I asked Cooper, "Hey, have you had any lunch?"

"No, I thought I might wait and see if you wanted to get something," he replied, "Where do you want to go?"

"We went to the Venetian last night. What do you suggest?"

"Let's catch a cab to the Bellagio," he said, "It's definitely something you won't want to miss."

"Do you think we could just walk?" I asked. "I would like to see things from the street."

He looked at me a little oddly but agreed. Leaving the hotel, we headed up the street on foot. It turned out to be further and much hotter than I anticipated, but I was glad to see all the sights anyway. Luckily, we were able to cross the street on one of the pedestrian bridges, and we managed to arrive in front of the Bellagio just as one of the famous "Fountains of Bellagio" shows was starting. It truly was amazing, and the song that was playing was humorously enough "Viva Las Vegas." Smiling, I wondered what Bubba would make of that.

Once the water show was over, Cooper and I headed inside. The Bellagio was completely different from the Venetian, but just as impressive. From the ceiling in the lobby hung thousands of incredibly beautiful blown glass flowers, by a famous artist named Chihuly. Cooper asked at the front desk about restaurants, and was directed to a casual place overlooking the conservatory. After a nice lunch, we took a walk through the botanical gardens, where I was completely astounded at the amazing array of plants. I even pulled out my notebook and wrote down some ideas for my gardens at Valhalla.

After that, we walked around randomly, just looking at whatever we came across. Eventually, the Were and I found ourselves standing just outside of one of the smaller theaters of the hotel. I checked out the marquis, and saw that the current show was a magic act starring a world-famous magician renowned for his disappearing acts. Unfortunately, the show was not scheduled to begin for several hours. Just as we were turning to leave, the door to the theater opened, and out walked the magician and a couple of members of his stage crew. I was probably gawking, since I had never been that close to anyone I had actually seen on TV before (well, except for Bubba). I admit that I was a tiny bit starstruck. Instead of ignoring us completely, the magician glanced at me in passing and then did a double-take. He stopped, turned around, and stared back at me for a moment. With a flick of his wrist, he dismissed his entourage and then walked straight back to me.

The magician gave me a little bow. With a merry twinkle in his eye, he said, "Hello, little sister. That is a beautiful necklace that you are wearing. May I?"

He reached out and touched the necklace Faeryn had given me. At once, two very interesting things happened. The minute he touched my necklace, a low sizzle of energy passed between us; also, when he got close, his luscious smell hit me. He was Fairy! Ha! No wonder he was so good at disappearing! "I believe I recognize the workmanship, since I have a piece by the same artist," he said with a charming smile, "Faeryn is very talented, is she not?"

Shooting back the cuff of his left sleeve, he displayed a handsome bracelet made with blue-and-gold fairy-stone. He then introduced himself, and I said excitedly, "It is such a pleasure to meet you! I'm Sookie Northman, and this is my friend Cooper."

After studying my face intently, the magician said, "It is an unexpected pleasure to meet _you_, my dear. If I am not very much mistaken, I know your family quite well. Are you coming to my show while you are in Vegas?"

Even though I knew very well how fairies felt about vampires, I might as well be honest with him, and so I admitted, "No, my husband is here for the Coronation of the new Vampire Queen, and we are expected to attend all the functions."

He gave me a piercing look. "Ah... Northman. I don't suppose your husband would be Eric Northman, of Louisiana?"

I held up my chin and said proudly, "Yes, he is."

"A girl from your family, Twice-Bonded to a vampire King," he said, shaking his head, "Well, well, well. These are strange days, indeed." Turning to Cooper he said, "Now, sir, how about you? Would you like to come to the show?"

"Well, I _will_ be off duty in the evenings. Yes, I would definitely like to see your act. I have heard it is completely amazing."

Taking a pen and a card from his pocket, the magician scribbled a note on the back of the card and then handed it to Cooper. He said, "Give that to the man at the front of the VIP line any night this week, and you will be seated at my guest table. I hope you enjoy the show."

Cooper thanked him profusely. The three of us exchanged a few more words and then said goodbye. As Cooper and I watched the famous magician hurrying to catch up with the rest of his group, I said in astonishment, "Wow! That was really cool!"

My guard stood silent for a moment, as if turning some things over in his mind. Finally, he said, "Sookie, someday I hope you'll trust me enough to tell me all about yourself... and your family."

Uh-oh. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, but Cooper was both my guard _and_ my friend. Now that I had agreed to full-time guards, I was probably going to be with him practically all the time. It was inevitable that he was going to figure it out sooner or later. "Coop, I guess by now you've figured out that there is something a little funny about me," I began, "The truth is, way back in my family, there was a fairy in the woodpile. I have just a smidgen of fairy blood, that's all."

The Were gave me a skeptical look. I amended, "Well, that's not exactly all. My relatives are pretty important in the Fairy world, and so it's really important that nobody knows I'm related to them... although, apparently sometimes people can just tell, anyhow."

"Honestly, I had already been thinking along those lines," Cooper said with a slight frown, "I am glad you told me, though. To do a good job of guarding you, it's better if I know these things."

"Well, I for one am glad you know. It's really no big deal, though."

At that, he gave a disbelieving snort and shook his head; but all he asked was, "Well, my lady, where do you want to go now?"

As a matter of fact, I was somewhat irritated to find that as the afternoon had progressed, all I could think about was my vampire. Once again, I was missing him like crazy. Also, I seemed to still be having a bit of trouble maintaining my mental shields around the other tourists, and my headache was not much better. In answer to Cooper's question, I said, "I know this sounds crazy, but I would just as soon go back to our hotel, if that's okay with you."

This time I was glad to take a cab instead of walking back to the Eternity. Once there, I remembered to stop off at the gift shop in the lobby. Luckily they had aspirin, so I bought some. Cooper looked at me a little oddly, but was too much of a gentlemen to ask me any more personal questions, bless him. He merely escorted me upstairs and dropped me off at my door.

The first thing I did when I got inside the suite was snag a coke out of the mini-fridge, and I immediately downed a couple of my new purchases. It really wasn't all that close to sunset, but I sat cross-legged on our bed and drank my coke there anyway. My vampire lay on his side, mostly covered with the comforter. It seemed a shame to have that spectacular body all covered up like that, so I slid the cover down so I could admire him. When I got to the fun man bits, they made me think again about all the things we had done the night before that had produced all the soreness... yum, yum, yum.

The entire time I had been away from Eric, I was longing to be right here next to him, even though I was only a few blocks away... just as I had directly after we had completed our Second Bonding. I had fought the serious impulse to come back here and cuddle all afternoon, and now the sight of his muscular body lying naked in all its glory was enough for me to finally just give in. I removed all of my clothes and crawled back into bed. Sliding myself back under his arm, I wiggled my bottom back into place. The minute I was settled against his skin, something in me seemed to relax a little. I let out a sigh of pure contentment. It was definitely the best I had felt all day. My hootchie was still pretty sore, but my headache was slightly better already. I shut my eyes and almost immediately slipped into a light sleep. The next thing I knew, I was being kissed and stroked awake.

With great delight, Eric murmured in my ear, "I just love it when I wake to this!" The Gracious Plenty was firmly pressed against my butt and quite obviously ready for action. No matter how sore I was, I knew I wanted him, and as soon as possible. I rolled on my back to give my impatient lover access to my breasts. As he suckled, he ran his hand down my body and found my happy spot. Even though I was still very tender, it still felt pretty darned good. It occurred to me that if I was on top, maybe penetration would be less painful, so I pushed him onto his back and climbed up on top. Giving me his best Viking grin, Eric said, "Ah, my Queen is feeling assertive tonight. I approve!"

With one hand, I positioned him beneath me and tried to lower myself on to his waiting erection; but as much as I was eager for it, I was still _really_ sore. In spite of myself, I winced. No doubt feeling my discomfort through our Bond, he quickly pulled out. "What is it, Beloved?"

Reluctantly, I climbed off my vampire's big body and stretched out beside him. "We had a little too much fun last night," I admitted, "I'm just a little sore."

"Just as I said last night, it has been too long since you have had any of my blood. Please, my Lover, let me give you some." Eric stared at me appealingly with those big blue eyes of his, and honestly I almost gave in right then. Remembering my earlier thoughts on the subject, I said slowly, "I will if you will."

The Viking was silent for a moment. At first, I thought he might give in, but finally he said, "Not yet. I feel strongly that we should give it a few more days. As for tonight, I have no wish to hurt you... so, at least let me heal you."

I really, really wanted to make love to him, so I nodded my consent. Eric took his index finger and punctured it with one sharp fang. As he did it, he watched me closely. I knew he could see the desire in my eyes when I saw the large glistening drop of blood well up on the tip of his finger. Instead of immediately rubbing it on my tender girl parts, he held it out and offered it to me. I thought about refusing... but it was just one drop, after all. I absolutely could not help myself. Taking his hand, I guided it to my mouth. As my lips closed around his finger, I sucked ever so gently and then ran my tongue over the tiny puncture. He closed his eyes and sighed in pleasure.

The minute my vampire's thick sweet blood dissolved on my tongue, I felt a tiny jolt of energy pass between us. As his taste flooded my senses, a little moan of pleasure came from my throat. Just that one drop and my remaining headache lifted instantly. My soreness was much better, although not completely gone. Almost reluctantly, Eric removed his finger from my mouth, bit it again, and this time swiftly rubbed it into my folds and up into my center. Any remaining tenderness vanished instantly, and was replaced by a much more pleasant throbbing. Eric rolled me on to my back and kneed open my legs. He placed himself at my wet center and pressed into me ever so slowly. Moving at a leisurely pace, he whispered in my ear, "Better now?"

Thoroughly enjoying the friction he was causing, I answered, "Oh, yes..." and then a few minutes later, "Oh! Yes! Yes!"

Just taking that one tiny bit of my vampire's ancient blood had made me feel so close to him that I never wanted our lovemaking to be over, but all too soon it was. Afterward, he pulled me to him, laid my head on his chest, and wrapped me up in his arms. He was so quiet, I could tell that he was deep in thought. As for me, I was completely content just to lay there cuddled into his arms. Finally, Eric kissed the top of my head and said, "Beloved, let us get dressed. I want to take you to eat before we go to the reception at the Royal Residence."

We both got out of bed and went to take a shower. Once we were done, he said, "Wear your new cocktail dress. I want to see your lovely legs this evening... and wear your fleur-de-lis necklace. It will go well with your dress."

I carefully applied my makeup and fixed my hair. I slipped into the new matching bra and panties that we had bought to go with my dress, and then into the dress itself. Pam was right, it did make me feel sassy! I added the proper high heels, and then grabbed the cute little matching evening bag. Keeping in mind Gran's rule that a lady should never leave the house on a date unprepared for emergencies, into the tiny purse I put my driver's license, a credit card, a little "mad" money, my cell phone, a tiny compact and a lipstick. The last thing I did was fasten my gold and diamond necklace around my neck, since Eric had asked me to wear it.

I stepped into the living area, where I found Eric standing at the window. My handsome vampire was gazing down at the amazing light show of the strip, and appeared to be lost in thought once again. As soon as I approached, he turned to face me, He was dressed in his new suit that Hsu had made, and of course he looked absolutely wonderful in it. Pulling me close, he kissed me tenderly on the mouth. Staring deeply into my eyes, he said seriously, "Lover, you are a vision. You are my perfect Queen, and I love you very much."

Wow! What a nice thing to say! Immediately, I smiled and replied, "I love you, too."

"Sookie, you still have much to learn about our world," said my vampire, "I feel that perhaps I should tell you..." Before he could finish, a knock came at the door. Eric hesitated a moment before going to open it. Atticus stepped into the room. "Excuse me, Sir, but a young human woman is here asking for Pam. Should we let her through?"

About that time, Pam's door opened and she came gliding out of her room. Apparently she had heard the guard's question, because she said carelessly, "Oh, it must be my date. Send her in, Atticus."

The guard nodded politely and went back outside. A moment later, a lovely young brunette woman in a short black cocktail dress walked through the door. "Hi! I'm Tiffany," she said, "I was supposed to meet Pam here?"

Pam raised one eyebrow, gave the girl the once-over, and then said flatly, "You'll do. Eric, Sookie, this is...Tiffany."

It was pretty obvious this girl was a professional "escort" that specialized in vampire clients, because she gave us each a cool nod instead of offering to shake hands. Out of habit, I dropped my shields to check her out, and was rewarded with nothing but _Wow! That Pam's pretty hot!... look at those sharp little fangs, sweet! ...I think I'm gonna enjoy this one, and I'll get to see the Royal Residence, too... the big one is really impressive... if I was into men, he wouldn't be too bad... _and so on_. _Just typical fangbanger thoughts, wrapped up in a more presentable package.Pam stepped over and hooked her arm through Tiffany's. "Are we ready then?"

Eric looked me over carefully and said, "Wait, Beloved... you seem to be missing something." He frowned, and patted his pockets. He exclaimed, "Ah! Here we are!" Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a little black velvet box and handed it to me with a flourish. That vampire! What on earth had he bought me now? I took the box and opened it. Inside was nestled a pair of earrings that matched my fleur-de-lis necklace and a beautiful gold charm bracelet. I inspected the charms and although there were several tiny gold-and-diamond fleur-de-lis, there were also many other whimsical emblems of Louisiana: pelicans, gators, crawfish, and amusingly, bats. Smiling, Eric said, "I have been meaning to give these to you, and thought this was the perfect occasion. Just right to represent Louisiana. "

Truly delighted with my gift, I thanked my generous husband with a kiss. Removing the earrings I was wearing, I slipped on the new ones. Eric helped me with the clasp to the heavy bracelet, and then brought my wrist up to his lips and kissed it. His cool lips sent a shiver of anticipation through me. I could tell that Tiffany was completely mesmerized by this scene. She was thinking_... I bet that jewelry cost a bundle...Hmmm, look at her rings, too... obviously this vampire must be seriously loaded... are they married?...does he love her?...nah, vamps don't love... but he does seem fond of her... I wonder how long it will last before he gets bored and moves on... _With an effort, I shielded myself from any further musings by the escort.

Holding me at arm's length, the Viking gave me a good long look, and then said in satisfaction, "Now you are perfect. Let us go." He offered me his arm, opened the door, and we proceeded down the hall in a little pack; Atticus in front, then the four of us, and the other guard bringing up the rear. Apparently Eric had already called for our car to be brought around, because a long black limousine was waiting at the front door. After making sure we were safely inside, Atticus slid in the back with us, and the other guard got in the front with the driver. The limo glided smoothly out into traffic, and before long we had reached our destination. Eric had made reservations for us at a very trendy restaurant with a world-famous chef, and Tiffany seemed quite excited to be eating there. "It usually takes weeks to get reservations here!" she said excitedly, "Who did you have to kill to get in so quickly? Oh... er... sorry, just a figure of speech, right?"

Pam rolled her eyes and sighed. Eric smiled faintly. "I have a few rather influential friends in the area."

The restaurant was really nice and the menu very exciting. In fact, it was so different, I wasn't sure what everything was; so I asked the waiter what his absolute favorite thing was on the menu and picked that. My two vampires ordered some sort of specialty Bloods, and sat sipping them while Tiffany and I had dinner. Even though she was not the sharpest knife in the drawer, it was still nice to not be the only one at the table eating real food for once. The escort chattered the entire meal, without saying a single thing of substance. By the way Pam was watching her with her fangs mostly down, I knew that Tiffany's conversational skills were not expected to be her strongest suit. This was the very first time I had ever actually been present when Pam had a human "date" with her... and it was a little uncomfortable to watch, but kind of fascinating at the same time.

Throughout the meal, Eric was very quiet, doing his best inscrutable vampire act. Mainly, he just watched me eat with a faint smile on his handsome face. I had begun to notice how different his demeanor was around unfamiliar humans... he always looked fairly scary and intimidating, revealing nothing of the fun-loving vampire that I knew him to be. After being around as many vampires as I had in the last couple of years, I had come to realize that they all had hidden sides to them, just like most humans. Because of my telepathy, I knew exactly how much ugliness could lay behind a perfectly normal, passive human exterior. At least vampires usually showed you their bad side right up front.

The first course arrived and was just as yummy as it was pretty to look at. I was hungrier than I had been in quite awhile and ate most of my dinner, As soon as the main course was whisked away, the waiter had brought out little finger bowls of water with a small lemon slice floating in each one. Eric had taken me to enough nice restaurants by now that I knew I was supposed to rinse my fingers in the water, but I wasn't sure if I was still sensitive to fresh lemon or not. I had managed to avoid it since my experience at the seafood restaurant in New Orleans. Staring down at the bowl, I decided that there probably wasn't enough lemon in the water to cause an issue anyhow, so I dipped my fingertips in and swirled them around, then dried them on the napkin provided.

Within a minute or two, though, my fingers began to burn and turn red. The reaction wasn't nearly as intense as it had been in New Orleans, but it was enough to be irritating all the same. I had placed my hands inconspicuously in my lap, while trying to decide whether it was getting painful enough that I needed to go wash them in the ladies' room or not. As luck would have it, Eric chose that minute to hold out his hand across the table for mine. Reluctantly, I put my hand in his, hoping that he wouldn't notice. Of course, he did, almost instantly. "Sookie, what is wrong with your fingers?" he asked in dismay.

Acutely aware that Tiffany was hanging on every word, I replied, "Um... I seem to be developing an allergy to lemons."

Eric looked confused at first, and then the significance of what I had just said must have sunk in. He said, "Oh." Then, in alarm, "Are you going to be all right?"

In all the excitement of the parade in New Orleans and its aftermath, I had never gotten around to telling him about the incident with the lemons in the restaurant. Now, I said calmly, "Yes, I think I just need to go wash up a little. It's really not too bad." I excused myself and started off to the restroom. I stopped a waiter and discreetly asked him to point me in the right direction. Just as I was heading that way, behind me I heard, "Sookie! Wait up!"

Tiffany had followed me. "I'd like to come with you, if that's all right."

A little abruptly, I said, "Sure. Follow me." We found the room with no problem. I hurriedly made use of the facilities, and then scrubbed my hands thoroughly with soap and water. Luckily, it was the kind of fancy establishment with a restroom attendant. She offered me some hand lotion with aloe in it, which pretty much stopped the burning. While I was doing all of that, Tiffany had been taking care of her own human needs, and was now re-applying her lipstick in the mirror. She asked me, "So, how did you get hooked up with vampires?"

I didn't want to be rude, but I really didn't feel like it was any of her business. Vaguely, I answered, "Oh, one of my neighbors at home was a vampire, and one thing led to another."

"I can see from your rings that you are married to the big guy," she said confidentially, "How's that working for you?"

Noncommittally, I replied, "Great!" To change the subject, I asked, "So, how did you get into your line of work?"

The escort shrugged. "Well, I was from a tiny little town in Kansas that no one's ever heard of. I couldn't wait to shake the dust of that stupid town off my feet, and the minute I could I headed out west. I ended up here, and tried to get a job in the casinos... but this job actually pays much better. I have good manners, I know how to dress, and I like hanging with vampires, so I got a pretty good gig as an upscale escort. Now all my clients are upper-end vampires like yours. One day before I get much older, I plan on getting one of them to turn me... and I'll go from there. So, are you planning on being turned soon?"

A bit taken aback by her bluntness, I replied, "No, not really." I could hardly believe that the girl had just laid it all out on the table like that. I guess she thought that we were sisters under the skin or something. No one had ever accused me of being a snob, but really, I had very little in common with her. Well, except for being human... and preferring the company of vampires... and being from a po-dunk town... but still! I loved my vampire, and he loved me, and we had a very special relationship that I wasn't about to explain to this woman. Briefly, I thought about trying to talk her out of being turned, but then realized that it really wasn't any of _my_ business. I stated firmly, "Well, we had better get back. I think we are supposed to be at the party soon."

Tiffany's eyes glowed in excitement. "It will be my first trip out to the Royal Residence. I can hardly wait to see it! I'll bet I see some of my past clients there, too. Don't you think all this King and Queen stuff is just too cool? I have seen this new Queen Sandy a couple of times at other parties, but that was when Felipe de Castro was still in power. Do you know her well?"

By now, we were headed back to the table. It was clear from Tiffany's remarks that she really had no clue who we were, and I was all for leaving it that way. In reply, I said briefly, "I know her as well as I want to. Oh, here we are."

We reached the table and returned to our seats. The waiter came around and offered us humans dessert, which we both turned down; and so it was time to go. The limo was waiting for us, and our little group all piled back inside. This time, the trip was longer. Looking out the window, I realized that we had left the city and were headed out into the desert. Eric seemed to be lost in thought and hardly said a thing, but of course maybe it was just because he couldn't get a word in edgewise. Tiffany talked enough for all four of us. Some time later, we drove past a long, tall fence and eventually pulled up to a huge set of gates. Vampire guards were standing on both sides, and one stepped forward to check us off of a guest list. He waved us through and we proceeded down a long driveway. The limousine came to a stop, and one of the Nevada Royal Guards came to let us out.

As I stepped from the car, I looked up at the Royal Residence. It was huge. The style of the structure was Mediterranean in flavor, with colonnades, arches, and a red-tiled roof. It made Valhalla look small in comparison. It had been built by Felipe, and I could see that it would have suited him perfectly. If not for the brave and cunning actions of my Viking, this had very nearly been my new home as an extremely reluctant member of Felipe's Royal Nest. The very thought gave me the shivers. As luck would have it, the Royal Guards at the door had been with Sandy and Felipe in New Orleans, and obviously recognized Eric's entourage. They bowed low from the waist, and then ceremoniously opened the huge wooden doors to let us enter. I could tell that Tiffany was a bit puzzled by this behavior, since the guests entering just before us had not received the same formal treatment.

We stepped through the big wooden doors into a huge entry, and the first thing I noticed was the enormous wrought-iron chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A curved staircase with an elaborate wrought-iron balustrade snaked up one wall, leading to the second story. Directly ahead was a large arched doorway, and beyond that I could see the party in progress. As our group passed into the room, I could see Sandy greeting her guests. Standing next to her were her Lieutenants, whom I knew slightly from New Orleans. The new Queen was dressed in a very elegant but sexy white satin cocktail dress. Around her throat was an incredible gold and diamond necklace, and the matching earrings were so long that they actually brushed her shoulders. The minute Sandy saw Eric, her eyes lit up and her fangs came down. She came forward and kissed him on both cheeks, continental style. She said, "It is about time you got here, Viking! Where would I be without my counterpart? Good evening, Sookie. Pam, is this your new human?"

"Yes, but I only rented her for the evening," Pam replied dryly.

Seeming to take no offense at that blunt statement, Tiffany said excitedly, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. I'm Tiffany. I live here in Las Vegas." She was beaming, and I could tell she was completely awestruck to come so close to vampire Royalty. I sighed.

Completely ignoring the girl, Sandy turned her eyes back to my husband. She regarded him silently for moment. "Eric, you and I have some... things to discuss," she finally said in a honeyed tone, "Why don't you stand here with me for a few minutes, and we'll chat while I greet my guests. Sookie, there is no need for you to be bored... why don't you go with Pam, and enjoy the party? I think there are several vampires here that you already know."

I could feel a surge of surprise, irritation, and some other strange emotion rushing through our Bond. The Viking and Sandy stared at each other for a moment, and I could tell that there was something being left unsaid. I thought at first he would refuse her request, but to my surprise he finally said, "Very well. Sookie, I will find you shortly. Pam, keep an eye on your Mistress."

Pam nodded, took Tiffany's arm and waded into the crowd of guests, with me tagging along behind. Glancing around, I could see that there were plenty of humans and even a few Weres present. It looked like most of the vampires had dates, so I supposed that it was expected at this event. I could see waiters in white jackets circulating throughout the room, serving Bloods, champagne or wine. I heard Tiffany excitedly asking Pam, "It seems like the Queen and Eric know each other pretty well. What did she mean by "counterpart"? Without breaking stride, Pam gave her a glare and said in her normal blunt fashion, "I will pay you extra for not talking." Tiffany must have been smarter than she first appeared, because she shut right up after that.

I was just passing by a human girl who looked vaguely familiar, when she spoke up and said, "Hey! Sookie! I thought maybe I would see you here."

The minute she spoke, I recognized her. Of course! It was one of the other Maids of Erebus, the smart one, Chloé. I could see that she must have recently had some more of her vampire's blood, because she was just beginning to get that little glow. She smiled and gave me a hug. Turning to her vampire, she said, "Hamilton, I want you to meet my friend Sookie. Oh! I am _so_ sorry! I should say, Queen Sookie!"

Although Chloé was really beautiful, surprisingly her vampire was just ordinary looking. Not handsome, not ugly, just... ordinary. I supposed he must have other qualities that she liked. I smiled and said, "Actually, I prefer just plain Sookie. Hamilton, it is a pleasure to meet you."

He bowed very slightly, and his eyes glowed a little as he said, "Ma'am, the pleasure is all mine. I am happy to say I was a witness at your Bonding ceremony. The entire event was truly unforgettable and I congratulate you. So, how goes it in Louisiana after all the excitement?" We chatted for awhile, and Chloé asked me if we were staying here at the Royal Residence along with some of the other visiting monarchs. I told her that our group was staying at the hotel in town. With a dimpled smile, she said, "Hey! So are we! What do you have planned for tomorrow during the day?"

"Nothing so far."

"Okay, how about us having lunch out by the pool and then sunbathing a little?" Chloé suggested, "Hamilton here likes for me to get a little sun, right, sweetie?"

He smiled at her indulgently. "Yes, I do. I like to think of you two girls out getting golden in the sun."

I could tell by the way they were looking at each other that they were really in love. It did me good to know that I wasn't the only human girl in the universe that was capable of instilling love in the non-beating heart of a vampire. Chloé and I made plans to meet the next day. Just as we got the details hashed out, I could feel my vampire approaching; so I was not at all surprised when he stepped up beside me. I made the introductions, and Chloé looked pretty impressed by the Viking. Apparently, Eric and Hamilton already knew each other. I noticed that her vampire pulled Chloé a tad bit closer to his side. Ah, another possessive vampire, who could have guessed?

Almost immediately, yet another group of vampires and their dates drifted over to greet Eric and give him congratulations. He made the introductions, and we chatted for a while. As the vampires were talking, I took in more of my surroundings. The room was enormous, shaped in a long rectangle, with more arched doorways at either end. The furnishings were Mediterranean in flavor and clearly very expensive. Along the southern wall was a series of huge, arched windows which overlooked a large patio area bounded on three sides by the wings of the building. In the center, a beautiful swimming pool glowed like a jewel. At the first lull in the conversation, Eric leaned down and murmured in my ear, "Where is Pam? She is supposed to be watching you."

"I stopped to talk to Chloé, and she kept going," I whispered rather crossly, "Please, just this once, don't make me have a babysitter the whole time. It's supposed to be a party, for Pete's sake!"

Eric reached out and delicately ran a finger down the side of my face. Unexpectedly, he smiled and said, "Very well, I suppose you are right. There are Royal Guards everywhere, and for once we are not a target for anyone. I will try to relax and let you have some fun. In any event, I plan on having my lovely Queen at my side the rest of the night. _I_ do not count as a babysitter, do I?"

The Viking seemed to be in an agreeable mood, so I decided to go for broke. I said, "No, you are definitely _not_ a babysitter! But I'm not talking about just tonight, I mean at _all _the scheduled events. I have Cooper with me for the day, and all the events are going to have very tight security, right? So, as long as we're at a party, I don't want someone watching me every second. Okay?"

Eric thought over my proposal, and eventually (although somewhat reluctantly) he agreed. Just as we had come to our agreement, I looked up and saw Pam come barreling back through the crowd, escort in tow. She came to a halt in front of us and exclaimed, "Sookie! Where have you been? I looked back and you were gone... I have been looking for you everywhere!"

Giving Pam a frown, Eric said rather sternly, "You and I will have a serious talk later about exactly what I mean when I say to keep an eye on your Mistress. For now, go mingle. I will be with her from now on."

If Pam could have gotten any paler, I think she would have. I don't think she was much looking forward to that talk. I really hadn't meant to get her in any trouble. I was about to jump in and defend her, when from behind me, I heard a familiar voice say, "Well, if it isn't the beautiful Queen Sookie and her King."

I turned around to find Stan and his date for the evening. She was an absolutely stunning human woman, small-boned and delicate, but with a startling presence. She looked very familiar, but I just couldn't place her. The King of Texas said, "Eric, Sookie, Pam... this is Deanna. Deanna, I would like to introduce one of my fellow monarchs, King Eric of Louisiana and Arkansas, and his lovely Bonded Sookie. Pam here is one of Eric's Lieutenants... Eric, where is Compton? I haven't seen him around anywhere."

"He'll be here for the Coronation. As a matter of fact, I am glad I ran into you. I have a few things I think we should discuss... ladies, please excuse us for just a moment." He pulled Stan off just out of (human) earshot, and soon they were deep into a discussion. I sighed. This was supposed to be a party, but the Viking couldn't resist throwing in as much business as possible. That vampire!

The bad vampire in question looked up, gestured to Pam, and went back to his discussion. Without a word, Pam left Tiffany and went to join her fellow vampires. Suddenly, I realized that Stan had ignored the escourt entirely, so I hurriedly said, "Deanna, this is Tiffany. Tiffany, Deanna."

They shook hands, and to keep the conversation going, I asked politely, "So, Deanna, do you live in Dallas?"

Shaking her head, she answered, "No, I live in Austin most of the time. There is a pretty big film community there, you know."

Film community? Where had that come from...? Suddenly, it hit me. Deanna was none other than Deanna Dearing, a well-known and talented actress. I had even seen her in a couple of films myself. I couldn't believe I hadn't recognized her! "Oh, Deanna... I am so sorry!" I apologized, "I should have recognized you! All I can say for myself is that I haven't been to the movies in a very long time."

The actress just laughed and patted me on the arm. "To tell you the truth, for once it was nice to meet someone who _didn't_ recognize me! As much as I love them, fans can get a bit tiresome sometimes."

Even though it was none of my business, I couldn't resist asking her, "So, have you known Stan long?"

"Oh, a few years," she replied, "We are crazy about each other... in small doses! He can just be _so_ possessive, it drives me completely nuts! However, I travel a lot with my work, so when we do get together... rrrwwaarrr!"

I laughed and said, "Oh, boy. I know all about possessive! The older they are, the worse it gets!"

During this exchange, Tiffany had not said a word. She was staring at Stan, Pam, and Eric like she had found the Holy Grail. Rather absently, she inquired, "Sookie, just how old _is_ Eric?"

It was pretty common knowledge anyway, so I answered, "Over a thousand years... he's not exactly sure how much."

At that bit of information, the escort looked completely stunned. Finally, she tore her eyes away from the "Royalty" and gasped, "Sookie, why didn't you _tell_ me that Eric is a King, and Pam is his Lieutenant? Oh my god! Maybe _she'll_ turn me!"

Both Deanna and I looked at the girl with pity. There was a better chance that Pam would try to get a suntan than she would turn this human. "Tiffany, honestly, I think you had better think it over," I said, as gently as I knew how, "You are really young. Why not live a little more, and then see if that's what you still want? Trust me... being a vampire seems glamorous, but it can also be very lonely."

The girl looked at me like I was the stupidest person she had ever seen. Incredulously, she said, "Lonely? Look around... does anyone here look lonely to you?"

I could tell she was never, ever going to get it, so I just let it go. Thankfully, about that time, the vampires rejoined the the humans. We all visited a bit more before Stan and his beautiful companion drifted off to the next group. Pam took Tiffany and disappeared into the crowd, and Eric and I strolled off in the opposite direction. We had just passed through the arched doorway at the far end of the room when one of the waiters moved by with a tray laden with drinks. Eric snagged a glass of champagne for me and took a Blood for himself. I barely had time to swallow my first sip when Eric dragged me into a little alcove out of the main crowd and gave me a kiss, fangs fully down. He ran his lips lightly around mine."Mmmm," he said huskily, "Not as good a vintage as last night, but still enjoyable. More please."

Obediently, I took another sip. He kissed me again, this time quite passionately. Once he had captured ever last smidgeon of champange, he leaned down and nibbled at my earlobe, which sent chills throughout my whole body. I slid my arms up around his neck and began to kiss him right back. I was just exploring the tips of his fangs with my tongue, when from off to our right I heard a melodious female voice with a very upper-class British accent exclaim, "There you are, you naughty vampire! It's about time you showed up!"

Eric froze. Through our Bond rippled the most incredible range of emotions, so complex and quick that I couldn't catch them all... except for the last one; and then apparently his iron will reasserted itself, because all I could feel was just a dull sense of anger or irritation. The odd thing was, the one emotion that I _had_ caught clearly was one that I rarely ever felt from him... nervousness. Why on earth was my super-confident vampire King nervous? He slowly released me and turned towards the voice.

I turned, too, to see who it was calling _my_ husband a "naughty vampire." I saw a vampiress gliding across the room, a glass of blood held aloft in one perfectly manicured hand. She was trailed by a group of male vampires like a pack of dogs following a bitch in heat. I could see why. Even by vampire standards, she was stunning. For one thing, unlike most vampire women, she was very, very tall. I would say she was very nearly six feet, _and_ she was wearing extremely high heels; which made her darned near as tall as the Viking. Her long glossy black hair was straight as a board and fell nearly to her waist. She must have fed well recently, because she had a rosy glow to her otherwise perfect ivory complexion. She was dressed in the proverbial little black sequined cocktail dress, which showed off her slender figure and long legs to perfection. It was cut low enough to show the swell of her small but perfect breasts. In short, this vampiress was my opposite in every conceivable way.

I hated her on sight.

Ignoring me completely, she came straight up to Eric and kissed him lightly on the lips. Instantly, my temperature rose about 20 degrees, and not in a good way. From Eric, I only felt a slight irritation. He stood stock still, never letting go of my hand. The gorgeous vampiress follower's clustered around us. She said something to Eric in a foreign language, and he answered rather sharply in the same language. After a few beats of staring at him, she finally turned her perfect, almond-shaped green eyes toward me, and said something to me in the same language. When it was perfectly clear to everyone that I couldn't understand her, she smiled... the kind of smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "How rude of me! You must not speak French. You must be Sookie. I'm Sabriel, an old friend of Eric's."

Sabriel! That was the name that I had seen on Eric's cell phone display, and she had also called him once at the club while I was there. When I had asked him about her, he had told me that she was someone who had given him trouble in the past. I could believe it. This vampiress looked like trouble with a capital "T." This _had_ to be the female vampire that Julie had told me about, the one that had pumped the little barmaid about information about Eric and me, and then had a long talk with Pam. Even though I had specifically asked Pam about this mysterious woman, all I had gotten was a really vague answer. Hauling out my very best fake smile, I plastered it on my face and then said politely, "It is very nice to meet you."

"Oh, Eric, she _is_ adorable!" Sabriel said in false delight, "Listen to that yummy accent! Sookie, when I had heard that the Viking here had been caught by a human girl, I could hardly believe it."

Eric said smoothly, "Actually, it was _I_ that did the pursuing in this case. It took me quite awhile to convince her to be mine. More than two years, in fact."

When that last statement left his lips, I thought I was hearing things. Had _my_ vampire just said that?...really?...and why?

That reply seemed to irritate her, because momentarily I could see her green eyes narrow ever so slightly; then she was past it, and she drawled, "Really? How interesting. Sookie, I understand you are a telepath, and one of Eric's most valuable assets. How wonderful for him that he is able to combine business with pleasure."

The way she said it made it sound like he had just married me to keep his asset close. What a bitch! My temper rose another several notches, and I was just about to let her have it (at least, verbally), when Eric slid his arm around my waist and pulled me in closer to him. "She makes the perfect Queen," Eric stated coolly, "Beautiful, gracious, and a huge asset to my Kingdom. How could I ask for more?"

Rather abruptly, Sabriel said, "Oh dear, how rude of me! Let me introduce everyone..." She went around the gang standing around her and made the introductions. I was so taken aback by the whole encounter, I promptly forgot every one of their names.

Someone in the group said to Eric, "You are the Twice-Bonded couple, are you not? A friend of mine was present as a witness at the ceremony, and said that in spite of the difficulties before hand, it was both beautiful and unforgettable. Everyone here is talking about it."

At that, Eric beamed and I blushed. My vampire said fondly, "You will have to excuse my little Southern Belle if she is still a little shy on that subject. She was very delicately raised, and I'm afraid still not entirely comfortable with our ways."

Most of the group (with the notable exception of Sabriel) smiled and nodded, as if to say, "Ah! Human girls and their notions! How quaint!"

One vampiress spoke up and asked, "I have heard that sometimes the partners in that type of Bond can feel each other's emotions quite clearly. Is that true in your case?"

I thought it was kind of a personal question, but oddly enough, Eric didn't seem to object. "Yes, it is quite remarkable," he answered, "I have never experienced anything remotely like it."

Suddenly, Sabriel's attention seemed to be diverted, and then her face lit up. A male vampire came into view, and he sauntered up and stood next to Sabriel. I took one look at him, and almost gasped. Holy cow! That was one good-looking vampire! He was like an extremely tall version of Robert Redford He was about an inch taller than Eric, but not nearly as broad and muscular. Nevertheless, he was very manly in a cowboy sort of way. He had the most amazing turquoise eyes I had ever seen. He had to be fairly young for a vampire, because his dark blond hair was cut short in a modern style, and he was clean-shaven. Sabriel slid her arm through his, and said, "Let me introduce my date. This is Carson. Carson, this is Eric, King of Louisiana and Arkansas... oh, and this is Sookie."

Immediately, Eric added, "...my Twice-Bonded and Queen."

Carson gave us a little half-bow. In a soft Texas drawl he said, "Pleased to meet you, sir... ma'am." Charmingly, he spoke with the slight lisp of a newly made vampire who was not quite used to his fangs.

Realizing that I was flat-out staring, I gave myself a little shake and then glanced rather guiltily over at Eric. He was also staring at Carson, but he didn't looked charmed or even amused. He looked... pissed. Sabriel ran her fingers slowly down the cowboy's cheek and cooed, "This will be Carson's first Coronation! He is just a baby, aren't you darling? A friend of mine saw him on a ranch in Texas, and took him as her human companion for a couple of years years. She was quite impressed with his... assets. She got carried away one night in the heat of passion and drained him. Fortunately, she liked him so much she decided to turn him. He_ is _quite magnificent, isn't he? And he still has all those newly-made appetites... yum!"

Somehow, even though it was nicely wrapped up in that spectacularly handsome and polite cowboy persona, I could sense the wild darkness of his new vampire nature simmering just under the surface. I doubted that _any_ human could be alone with him and be safe. Carson looked at Sabriel with hunger in his eyes. I knew _that_ look. He was completely enthralled with Sabriel, and obviously couldn't wait to get her on some horizontal surface as soon as possible. They _did_ make an absolutely stunning couple. She had practically glued herself to him, and it was clear that she was just as eager for a good screwing as he was.

Abruptly, Eric said, "If you will excuse us, I see someone I need to speak to..."

Taking my arm, he practically dragged me away in the opposite direction. I was just about to ask him who in the heck this Sabriel _really_ was, and take no vague answers this time; but before I could get a word out of my mouth, another well wisher stopped us, and then another. By the number of congratulations the Viking received, you would have thought that this was _his_ Coronation and not Sandy's. I tried to pay attention and remember everyone's name, but I had to admit I was beginning to lose track. I was actually surprised at the number of human dates present, most of which stared at me with unconcealed curiosity. Every so often, I would see Sabriel and her magnificent boy-toy drifting through the crowd. Even though Eric was trying not to be obvious about it, I could see he was also keeping an eye on them.

Suddenly, I heard a booming voice behind me say, "Do I have the honor of addressing the new King of Louisiana and his lovely Queen Sookie?"

Eric and I both turned, and immediately my vampire got a broad grin on his face. "Roland! How good to see you!" he exclaimed, "Sookie, my love, this is Roland, the King of the New York territories."

The vampire standing before me was nice looking and of only medium height, but very broad-shouldered. He had long curly blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, a fairly long beard, and twinkling blue eyes. He smiled at me and said, "The Knight told me that you were very special, my dear, but that description did not do you justice. I can see the Viking has chosen his Queen well."

Since he was a friend of Robert's, I was prepared to like him; so I returned his smile and said sincerely, "It is so nice to meet you."

We continued to exchange pleasantries, and then after a few minutes he said to Eric, "I hate to take you away from your lovely Queen, but might I have a word?"

Turning to me, Eric said, "Dear One, please excuse me. I will be back soon. Do not wander far."

"I'll be just fine!" I told him, "I think I'll go out and see the pool."

At first, Eric hesitated, but then nodded his approval. The two monarchs soon disappeared into the crowd. I opened one of the big glass doors, and slipped outside. There were a few other party goers wandering around the patio area, but not many. I walked slowly around the perimeter of the pool, admiring its symmetry. On the bottom was painted a crest, and I wondered if it was still Felipe's, or if Sandy had the pool redone just for this occasion. At the far end of the patio was a tall fountain, very Spanish in design. Water cascaded down several levels and then flowed into the swimming pool. I closed my eyes and listened to the relaxing sound, and thought to myself that it was so...

"Soothing, is it not?" a deep, familiar voice said in my ear. It startled me so badly, I jumped and whirled around, only to find the handsome, ultra wealthy vampire Luke standing there. He was wearing a dark blue suit that made his eyes seem bluer than ever, and his long dark hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. He smiled, flashing his perfectly white, sharp fangs. "I am sorry, Sookie. I swear I did not mean to startle you! And so we meet again, in front of yet another fountain... quite ironic, don't you think? "

I supposed I was not all that surprised that he was here, since California was only one state over. Actually, I was sort of glad to see a face that I recognized, so I returned the smile and said cordially, "Hello, Luke. How are you?"

"I am fine, Sookie" he answered, "Although, I suppose that since you are now a Queen, I should speak to you more formally."

I shook my head, and said, "That's okay. Please just call me Sookie. So, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, Sandy and I go back a long way. She lived in California before Felipe recruited her, you see." He took my arm, and we began to slowly stroll around the pool as we chatted. Passing a planter filled with blooming plants, he reached over and plucked off a pretty daisy. With a flourish and an exaggerated bow, he presented it to me, and said, "A token of my esteem, my beautiful Queen." Laughing at his silliness, I took it. As we walked, I twirled the fragile stem between my fingers. Just to make conversation, I asked, "Where in California do you live?"

"I have many homes, but my favorite is along the coast in Carmel," he replied, "The view of the ocean from the cliffs is quite spectacular. I would love for you to see it someday."

Wistfully, I said, "I have never even been to California! I hear it is beautiful."

Nearly back to the house, we came to a stop. Luke turned to face me, his beautiful eyes glowing. "I would like nothing better than to show it to you," he said softly, "Perhaps someday you will allow me to do so."

Uh huh... I bet the Viking would just _love_ that idea! Shaking my head, I replied, "That is very sweet, Luke, but I doubt it."

"Oh, you never know! Life has a way of surprising you. Now tell me, how are you adjusting to your new circumstances?" he inquired.

"Just fine, thanks. It has taken a little getting used to, though."

Gallantly, Luke said, "I must say, being a Queen certainly suits you. You are even more beautiful than I remember. That dress you are wearing is quite charming, and your necklace... perfect for the Louisiana Queen."

The tall dark-haired vampire reached out and touched the delicate gold chain to my necklace. His long elegant fingers brushed my neck, right where it curved into my shoulder. It was one of Eric's favorite places to bite me, and that one touch set shivers through me. Without warning, an intense wave of longing for my vampire threatened to overwhelm me. A ghost of a smile played on Luke's perfectly shaped lips; and as if he could read my mind, he asked, "Missing your Bonded, are you? In a way, I regret that I chose not to attend your Second Bonding."

Although I was glad that he had missed the more embarrassing parts of that ceremony, I wondered why he had not been there. I was coming to realize that vampires considered it a big deal, and almost every vampire in New Orleans had attended... the ones that were left after the battle, anyhow. Curiosity got the better of me, so I asked, "Really... why?"

Luke studied my face intently for a moment. Instead of giving me a direct answer, he asked me another question, "Do you know why it is important for the ceremony to be witnessed?"

Since I had been doing my best to put that part out of my mind, I really hadn't examined the reasons behind it. "No, not really."

Frowning slightly, he said, "I can see that your Bonded has not done a very good job of explaining all this to you. Now that you have been Twice-Bonded to the Viking, it is known that you carry part of his very being inside you, and this can be sworn to by those present. This is a very sacred thing, almost akin to the Maker-Child relationship. While not exactly vampire, you are now considered ours. As Northman's Twice-Bonded, you are entitled to a great deal of respect, infinitely more than a normal human. Now, in answer to your question: it would be nearly impossible for any vampire who actually witnessed your Bonding to try to take you from him."

That didn't exactly sound like an answer to me, but he had given me a lot to think about. I _had_ noticed that I was being treated with more respect since the Bonding, but I thought that was just to curry favor with Eric. I had a sudden desire to see the subject of this conversation, so I glanced back inside the Residence through the huge arched windows. From my position on the semi-dark patio, I could see all the guests in the room very clearly, almost like goldfish in a bowl... or in this case, piranhas. I searched the crowd for my vampire and finally found him.

I was expecting to see him still talking to Roland, but instead... he was standing next to Sabriel. The Texas hunk was nowhere to be seen. Eric was quite close to the vampiress, holding her arm. He was speaking to her, but of course I had no way of knowing what he was saying. His face was neutral, and all I could feel through the Bond was a low-grade irritation. All I could think about was what a striking couple they made, standing there together; they were both so tall, and elegant. It was almost as if they were two side of a coin, he so golden, and she so dark.

Just then, Sabriel's date Carson came up bearing two glasses of blood. She took one from his hand and then slid into his arms. First kissing the young vampire passionately on the mouth, she then grazed his neck with her sharp fangs. Even from here, I could see a thin line of his dark vampire blood well up. The vampiress gave it a long lick, and then glanced back at Eric with a clearly challenging look. Reaching out one perfectly groomed hand, she ran a long red fingernail down the side of Eric's face, said something to him, and then threw her head back and laughed.

A wave of pure jealousy rippled through me. How _dare_ she touch my husband like that! Eric said one last thing to her, and then turned on his heel and walked away. Suddenly, I felt a blast of pure anger through our Bond, and something like... possessiveness? At that moment, his emotions were so strong, they nearly took my breath away.

Luke had seen none of this because he was standing with his back to the windows. Even though I tried to keep my face neutral, it seemed that he could sense that something was wrong. "Sookie, are you quite all right?" he asked with concern.

Instantly, I said, "Of course! I am just fine!"

Luke peered at me intently. "Very well... if you are sure," he finally said, "The light just went completely out of your face, and I find myself wanting to do something to make it return."

Absently, I said, "I don't know what you mean."

The handsome vampire said slowly, "There is something within you... I don't know exactly what it is. Sookie, I will admit it. I am strangely attracted to you. Oh, I know, you are Twice-Bonded to a King, and no doubt a very faithful young lady... but still, I find myself wanting to know you better. I want to learn all the ways there are to make you smile."

With that, I looked him directly in the eye, and said, "I'll bet you say that to all the girls. Give it up, Luke. Let's just say I was warned."

"Oh, I can very well imagine that you were!" he replied with a laugh, "I freely admit that I cannot resist a certain kind of challenge, but you... you are something entirely different."

Sighing, I said, "What I am is married... _and_ Bonded. I really shouldn't be out here alone with you. I guess I should get back inside."

"Of course, lovely lady. At least let me have the pleasure of escorting you." Luke held out his arm, and I took it. He led me back inside, just in time to for us to see Eric striding in our direction. The minute my vampire saw me, the possessiveness I had felt coming from him a minute earlier quadrupled. He came straight to me, took my arm, and literally pulled me away from Luke. The Viking eyed the California vampire with disfavor and said curtly, "Luke. It seems that I keep finding you with my Bonded."

Luke looked at him very coolly. "Well, perhaps you should pay more attention to her. Every time I see her, she is alone."

Instantly, I felt my vampire's temper flair. His eyes narrowed to glittering blue slits, and suddenly he looked very, very dangerous. Instead of being intimidated, though, Luke just glanced over at me and winked. "Oh, my! I can see when I am not wanted. Sookie, it has been a great pleasure to see you again. Perhaps we will meet again during the festivities."

Oddly enough, the fact that Luke was not cowed by my glowering Viking was kind of endearing. "Good night, Luke," I said with a genuine smile.

"There is that beautiful smile!" Luke exclaimed with delight, "Good night, lovely lady." He took my hand and kissed it, and then turned and merged back into the crowd.

Eric scowled. "Was he bothering you?"

"No, of course not," I answered honestly, "Luke's really very sweet."

At that, the Viking growled and pulled me to him. He gave me one of his forget-everyone-and-everything-but-me kind of kisses... which worked pretty well, considering we were standing in the middle of a room filled with dozens of other people. Eric stopped long enough to whisper in my ear, "Are you ready for a different kind of fun, my lover?"

Boy, was I! I nodded my agreement and took his arm. We had started for the foyer, when Pam unexpectedly came popping out of the crowd, Tiffany right behind her. Somehow, I realized that Eric had "called" her to him, something I had never seen him do before. Rather shortly, he said, "I have fulfilled my obligation to be here. Your Mistress and I will be at the hotel. I will send the car back for you."

With that, Eric escorted me out to the front, where he gestured to our waiting guard to have the car brought around. While we were waiting, I was absently twirling the daisy that Luke had given me. The Viking took one look at it, plucked it from my hand, and sniffed it. It must have still held something of Luke's scent, because Eric frowned, growled deep in his chest, and threw the little bloom to the ground. Luckily, just then the limousine pulled up. Atticus held the door while we slid inside, and then he went to sit up front with the driver. Once inside the limousine, Eric toggled the switch that closed the window between the compartments. Next, he twirled a knob, and hundreds of LED lights lit up the ceiling of the interior like tiny stars.

Almost before the car was rolling, the Viking had wrapped both arms around me and began kissing me passionately. Before he was done, my hootchie was seriously throbbing and wet, wet, wet (and not sore at all, thank goodness!) I could hardly wait until we got back to our hotel. Apparently, my vampire had no intention of waiting anywhere near that long. Before I knew it, he swung my legs up across his lap and leaned me back against the door. Unfastening the straps of my high-heeled sandals, Eric slipped them off and then ran his hands sensuously up and down my legs, stopping to explore all the places that he liked best. Eventually he worked his way under the skirt, right to the edge of my panties. Using his index finger, he lightly traced around the outside of the lace. His delicate touch made me shiver in anticipation.

Now my vampire had my complete and undivided attention. Using both hands now, he slid my tiny blue panties down and slipped them into the pocket of his jacket. Reaching under my skirt again, he began to explore the more intimate areas. Almost immediately he located my nub, and the minute he touched it I could not contain a low moan. He smiled sexily, and continued to rhythmically tease my spot until I came shuddering on his hand. His blue eyes never once left mine as I climaxed, and I could feel through our Bond exactly how much it aroused him to watch me... which was another type of turn-on. From the time we gotten into the limo, we had not spoken a word to each other. As he began to unfasten his pants, he asked huskily, "Lover, will you taste me?"

Oh, boy, he didn't have to ask me twice! I slid off the leather seat, knelt between his legs, and then gazed up at my vampire's face. In the glow from the interior lights, Eric looked sexier than ever. His long blond hair was flowing loose on his shoulders and those amazing sapphire eyes were positively ablaze with passion. He pulled his erection free and gave it a few firm strokes with his hand. Just like the last time I had seen him do that, I found it very, very sexy. I watched him for a moment in fascination, and then reached out and covered his big hand with both of mine. Boldly, I whispered, "Don't stop. It makes me hot to watch you." The minute the words left my lips, a rush of lust boomeranged back and forth between us. Obligingly, Eric continued to stroke himself from the base, and I leaned forward and slid his tip in my mouth. Now it was my vampire's turn to moan.

The feel and taste of his silky hardness in my mouth, coupled with our joint stroking of his shaft, was beyond erotic. With his other hand, he was caressing my hair and keeping it out of my face so he could watch me give him pleasure. He was so aroused, I knew it wouldn't be long until I tasted him... and I was right. Eric whispered hoarsely, "Go slow, lover... slow... ah! Oh...! and then he came in my mouth in a rush. As his essense hit my tongue, I realized instantly that it contained another hint of his blood... and oh my god! It gave me such a rush, it was amazing! Eagerly, I licked and sucked every drop, while he lay his golden head back against the seat and groaned in ecstasy.

When he was done, Eric pulled me up and onto his lap. I lifted my skirt and straddled him, enjoying the feeling of him pressing against me even though we were not joined. We kissed deeply, and then he put his lips next to my ear and murmured, "Lover, you know exactly how to please me."

My vampire began to nibble on my earlobe, which I absolutely loved. We kissed again, gently feeling each others lips. Next, I kissed his whole face, one tiny bit at a time. The next time I kissed him on the mouth, I deliberately ran my tongue across the tips of his fangs, which I had discovered was one of his most sensitive areas. Sure enough, after a few sensual strokes I could feel him becoming hard again. I pulled back a little just to look at him. Brushing his long hair back away from his handsome face, I said, "Tell me what you want, baby."

My vampire said huskily, "I want to fuck you in that dress. Fuck me, Sookie."

Oh god! I rose up enough for him to position himself under me, and I lowered myself on to him slowly, the way we both liked best. This time, I closed my eyes and focused on how incredibly good it felt as each marvelous inch of his hardness filled me. His big hands helped guide my hips, and before long we had found our rhythm. Just as I was getting to the point of no return, I could feel our limousine gliding to a stop. Oh no! We must have already reached the hotel! At any moment, Atticus would be opening the door to let us out. Eric quickly picked up the car phone and commanded, "Give us another minute."

I hoped that we would just keep going... in fact, I was pretty desperate to continue at that point; but much to my surprise he said, "Come, Lover, let me put you to rights. We can continue this is in our room."

Reluctantly, I did as he asked. He managed to get himself tucked away (no small task, given his aroused state) and then he helped me with my shoes. He refused to give me back my panties, though, claiming them as a trophy. We finally emerged from the limousine in a fairly presentable state, and Atticus escorted us inside the hotel and up to our suite. Once we were in the elevator, though, the Royal Guard's fangs slid out immediately, no doubt due to the strong residual scent of sex and fairy. I was completely mortified and could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. Eric, on the other hand, was merely amused by my reaction He spent the whole ride upstairs rubbing up behind me, nuzzling my neck and nibbling on my earlobes. How do you make an extremely aroused vampire King behave?

Desperately trying to maintain a sense of decorum, I tried my level best to ignore him. Instead, I tried to focus my mind on the party we had just left. Immediately, it occurred to me that I had not had a chance to ask Eric about that horrible Sabriel person. Once we were inside the room with the door firmly shut behind us, I began, "Listen, Eric, about Sabriel..."

Never one to be easily distracted when he was intent on something, the Viking growled and pulled me into his arms. He kissed me passionately on the mouth, and then up and down my neck. In between kisses, he muttered, "Forget Sabriel! She means absolutely nothing. All I care about right now is finishing what we started."

I could feel the tips of his fangs scraping my skin, and of course it immediately set off the intense craving for his bite. Eric swung me easily into his arms and carried me back to the huge bed in our room. We kissed feverishly while practically ripping each other's clothes off. I was already dripping wet, and my impatient lover wasted no time in climbing between my legs and entering me in one swift motion. I gasped, but held on and kept up. The Viking was almost savage in his thrusting, but I have to admit that it helped to erase that horrible feeling of jealousy that I had gotten earlier when I had seen Sabriel touching him. I suspected that perhaps he was thinking of Luke, and that was what this claiming session was all about. Whatever the reason, my passion and lust had risen to meet his, and I was giving as good as I was getting. Before I knew it, I was approaching my climax. I knew he could feel it coming. He growled out, "You...are...MINE! Say it, Sookie!" He put his head down to my neck and licked me roughly. Just that one thing was enough to set off my orgasm, and as I came I cried out, "Ah... Eric! I am yours!"

He pounded into me a few more times, and then threw his head back and almost howled as he came inside me. He collapsed on top of me, and I stroked the hard muscles of his back as we both recovered. The thought flitted through my mind that since we hadn't been feeding from each other, both of us seemed to be craving sex more and more frequently. When we were joined, I felt... better, somehow. Hmmm. I wondered if maybe because of our Bond...

Before I could complete the thought, my vampire rolled over, pulled me on top of him, and began to whisper naughty things in my ear. Before long, we were happily engaged in another round of love-making, and since the "claiming" had been taken care of, it was much softer and sweeter than the last. We took our time, just savoring our closeness, until eventually we came to the inevitable but wonderful end. That time, I think we were both completely, unquestionably sated. Eric rolled on to his back, and cuddled me to him. I lay contentedly in his arms for awhile, but for him it was still much too early to sleep. Finally I said, "I'm going to get some water. Can I get you a Blood?"

Eric replied, "Yes. I'll be out in a minute."

I got up and slipped on my white satin nightie. Going into the kitchenette, I retrieved a bottle of water and a blood from the little fridge. I heated the blood in the microwave and was shaking the bottle to even out the temperature, when unexpectedly, I could feel... Bill! Sure enough, I heard the door to the suite open, and in came my dark vampire, Bill Compton. It had been nearly two weeks since I had seen him, and I had really missed him! I set down the drinks, ran to him, and practically threw myself in his arms. Without hesitation, he picked me up and swung me around, gave me a quick kiss on the lip. With fangs down, he murmured in my ear, "Hello, Sweetheart. You smell... wonderful."

I did? ...oh. Sex and fairy, every vampire's favorite combination. Instead of getting mad, I was so glad to see him I just giggled and said playfully, "Oh, stop!"

He gave me another quick kiss before setting me down. I called out, "Eric! Bill's here!"

My Viking came strolling out of our bedroom. His long blond hair was tousled from our prior activities; he was bare-chested and barefooted, wearing only his low-slung sleep pants; and around his neck glinted his gold necklace. He looked absolutely gorgeous! Narrowing his eyes, he looked rather imperiously at Bill, who was still holding my hand. "Compton, what are you doing to my Queen?"

Bill replied calmly, "Greeting her, Sir."

Much to my surprise, one corner of Eric's mouth twitched up in amusement. All he said was, "Ah. Well, come sit down and bring me up to date."

I took Eric his bottle of blood, then went and heated one up for Bill. My vampires had seated themselves near the big window overlooking the Strip. I handed Bill his drink and then went to sit by Eric. He pulled me onto his lap and cradled me to him as he sipped his blood and discussed Kingdom business with Bill. As my two vampires chatted, the door to Pam's room opened and Tiffany came scooting out. She and Pam must have come in shortly after Eric and I did, but of course with our bedroom door shut, I hadn't heard them come in. Boy, was she a mess! Her hair had that "just fucked" look (for real), her make-up had seen better days, and she was carrying her high-heels in one hand. Wow! It was clear that Pam had gotten her money's worth, because the girl was quite pale and sported about three (yes, three!) bite marks... and those were just the ones I could see!

Tiffany looked at Eric and said brightly, "Goodnight, Your Majesty! Good night, Sookie. Maybe I'll see you again!"

I started to get up, but Eric held me firmly in place. My vampire gave the girl a flat look and said nothing. Bill gave her his best cool stare. Feeling a little sorry for her, from atop Eric's lap, I said politely, "Goodnight, Tiffany."

The escort gave a little curtsy and then left. The minute the door closed behind her, Pam emerged from her room. She was wearing a pale pink peignoir, and her complexion was nearly as rosy as her gown. She came gliding across the room and took a seat next to Eric and me on the sofa. Sighing, she said, "Sookie, what is that saying you have about the stupid hammers?"

What? I thought for a minute and then said, "She's as dumb as a box of broken hammers?"

"Yes, that is the very one. Can you imagine? She wanted me to be her Maker! I ask you!"

I remembered the conversation I had earlier with Stan's date Deanna, and had to smile. Bill just shook his head, and Eric dryly, "I doubt you hired her for her wit. Clearly she was adequate in other areas."

Pam gave a Cheshire Cat grin. "Well, yes, now that you mention it, she did have _some_ talents..."

Although I hadn't particularly been all that fond of Tiffany myself, I somehow felt like I should defend the human. "Honestly, Pam you hardly said two words to the poor girl all night," I chided, "Maybe you should have tried to get to know her better."

Pam looked at me like I had lost my mind. With a smirk, she asked, "Really, Sookie. Would you bother talking to a box of Triscuits?"

It took me a minute to get it. Giving her a glare, I said, "Ha ha ha, very funny. You know what I meant."

She just shrugged and then gave me a broad wink. After that, the boys brought her up to date, and before long the three of them were deep into a discussion about the issue that Eric was currently most interested in, that of the drainer problem. Bill filled Eric in on the latest news on that front. Since Felicia's near abduction, I had been paying a lot more attention when the subject came up myself.

I was still sitting on Eric's lap, cradled in his arms. As Pam talked, she absently reached out and began stroking my lower legs and feet. I had noticed recently that as she became more comfortable around me, she was beginning to touch me more often. It was almost like a human would stroke a favorite pet, and for all I knew that was exactly how she thought of me. Strangely enough, even though Eric usually didn't care for anyone touching me, he didn't really seem to mind. Tonight, I found Pam's touch to be very soothing. I rested my head on my vampire's cool muscular chest and was lulled by the rumbling of his deep voice as he spoke. It was very late for me; and after all of our intense love-making, I was truly exhausted. Eventually, completely secure in the company of my three vampires, I slept.


	17. Chapter 17

_Author's Notes: These characters are all owned by Charlaine Harris._

Chapter 17

_Eric's POV Thursday: Reception at the Royal Residence_

I wake to the delicious scent and feel of warm fairy pressed up against me, which as far as I am concerned is a most excellent way to start the evening. I am spooned up behind my Bonded, and she is napping as peacefully as a child with her round little bottom nestled firmly against me. It is a great rarity that she is asleep when I wake for the evening, and so I lay still for a moment and savor the occasion. My mind wanders back to the events of last night: dining, shows, shopping, romance... Giving Sookie her first taste of Vegas was a complete delight. Honestly, I have been dreading this trip, but in trying to make it more palatable for Sookie, I have ended up pleasing myself as well. I actually enjoyed every detail about last night, even before the very erotic and satisfying end to the evening.

Never in my long life have I craved any one woman with the passion and intensity that I do this one. Last night was a perfect example. Even for me, that was quite a performance. I literally could not get enough of her, and the most amazing thing about it was that she seemed to feel exactly the same way. I ponder the inescapable fact that the longer I go without feeding from my Bonded, the more insatiable I become for her sexually. Although we made exquisite love right up until dawn, I can hardly keep my hands off her right now. I have an overwhelming need to feel her skin, and so I run my fingers lightly down her satiny body. Nuzzling Sookie's neck, I breathe in her special scent and then begin to kiss her. I can tell when she comes awake, and the first thing I say to her is, "I just love it when I wake to this!"

I think my Beloved must quite like being waked by an amorous vampire, because I can feel her desire for me zooming through our Bond. She rolls onto her back, cups a hand under each of her breasts, and with a sultry look, offers them to me. I am more than willing to pay them the attention that they deserve. I pull one light pink nipple into my mouth, and immediately I feel it harden under my persistent tongue. Wanting to feel her moisture on my fingers, I run my hand between her legs. The minute I touch her folds, my Lover moans in pleasure, and so I give her some long, sensual strokes. Normally, I like to get her started with a great deal more foreplay, but it seems that she is impatient for our joining. She pushes me over onto my back and boldly straddles me. I love the new, more aggressive Sookie, and so I give her a grin and tell her how much I like it.

The minute my temptress begins to lower herself onto me, though, I can see her wince, and I feel that she is in pain. Immediately, I take her hips firmly in my hands and raise her back off me. I ask her what the trouble is, and I am surprised when she lays down beside me and sighs. Looking rueful, Sookie confesses, "We had a little too much fun last night. I'm just a little sore."

What is this? My Bonded is in pain because of our love-making? Ah, of course... for the last couple of weeks, she has only had a few drops of my blood, and this is the result. I tried again last night to get her to take some, and she flatly refused. I got away with slipping a few drops into her drink a couple of nights ago, but I cannot count on that trick working again. It would be much easier if she would just take some from me in the regular way. Knowing exactly how stubborn she can be, I give her my most appealing look. "Just as I said last night, it has been too long since you have had any of my blood. Please, my Lover, let me give you some."

This time when I offer, I see desire spring into her eyes; but still, she does not accept immediately. She hesitates, and then answers softly, "I will if you will."

Of course, I would like nothing better. I have been craving Sookie's unique blood more and more each day, and I am so hungry right now that I very nearly give in... but unfortunately for both of us, she is lying in just such a way that makes her look thinner and more fragile than ever. Sighing heavily, I respond, "Not yet. I feel strongly that we should give it a few more days. As for tonight, I have no wish to hurt you... so, at least let me heal you."

Disappointment surges through the Bond, but instead of arguing Sookie merely nods. I puncture one finger, and a large drop of blood forms on the tip. Glancing at my Bonded's lovely face, I see how hungrily she is eying that drop, almost like a newly made vampire would. I find that look to be extremely erotic, and getting even one drop down her is better than nothing; so I tempt her by offering it to her. She surprises me again by hesitating only a split second before capturing my hand with her small one, and slowly guiding my finger into her mouth. The feel of her sucking at the tiny wound makes me almost painfully hard, and I can feel her magic flowing between us. It is very pleasurable, and I cannot contain a sigh of satisfaction; and from my Bonded comes the identical feeling. I wish that I could get her to take more, but I already know she will not.

The small wound has already sealed itself, and so I puncture my finger again and use the next drop to heal her. By now, we are both seriously aroused and waste little time before we are happily joined and giving each other a great deal _more_ pleasure... but eventually, we are both sated and my beautiful little wife is wrapped snugly in my arms. As we cuddle, I think about the evening ahead. I have made reservations at the most desirable restaurant in Las Vegas and after dinner we will attend the official reception at the Royal Residence. This will be the first important vampire gathering that I have attended since becoming King, and it should prove to be quite interesting. I am sure that the many of the Nevada group are quite curious about the vampire who very nearly became their new King.

Sandy was seriously irritated when I informed her that I would not be staying at the Royal Residence along with most of the other monarchs. Although technically the Queen of Nevada is still considered an ally, I do not trust her. Outside guards are not allowed inside the Royal Residence, and therefore Sookie would be unprotected by our own forces during the daylight hours... totally unacceptable. Also, even though up until this very minute I have been completely confident that Sandy will not bring up the Proposal, I thought it best to limit Sookie's exposure to her anyway. In the vampire way of thinking, once a Proposal has been formally rejected, it is considered very poor form to speak of it again. I have had a couple of conversations with Sandy since then, and she has not once even alluded to it. Still, what if she _were_ actually to mention it in front of my Bonded?

Uneasily, I think of Sookie's possible reactions if she finds out in that fashion... and not one of them would be at all good. As much as I hate to admit it, Pam was right. I should have told Sookie about the Proposal from the very beginning. I very nearly _did_ tell her a few days ago, but was interrupted. Since then, I have not found just the right opportunity to bring it up. Even now, I am not exactly sure how to begin. I would much rather go through the agony of re-growing a limb than to cause my Bonded distress of any sort. I want to break this whole concept to her as gently as possible... but how? Having never much cared about the delicate feelings of a female before, I am uncertain how to proceed. Perhaps instead of trying to be gentle, I should just be blunt. After all, I have already turned the Proposal down... Ah, this is maddening! I am a King and a warrior, not a diplomat. Where is Robert when I need him? The Knight has always taken great pride in his understanding of human women, and would be able to council me in this matter. I continue to wrestle with this thorny problem, and finally decide to just spit it out... right after we get dressed. I kiss Sookie and tell her, "Beloved, let us get dressed. I want to take you to eat before we go to the reception at the Royal Residence."

She obligingly gets up, and we both get ready. I ask her to wear her new cocktail dress, because I have a desire to show off those lovely legs of hers. I also ask her to wear her fleur-de-lis necklace, because I have another little surprise for her. Of course, I am ready long before she is, so I go into the living room to wait. Staring out the window, I try to think of exactly the right approach. I rehearse several possibilities in my mind, but none of them seem quite right. Really, I would rather face a hoard of drainers armed with silver nets than to do this. Before I know it, Sookie is ready and steps into the room. She comes to me, and I kiss her. I begin by saying nothing less than the truth, "Lover, you are a vision. You are my perfect Queen, and I love you very much."

Her sweet, unsuspecting face lights up, and she replies, "I love you, too."

I decide that I might as well plunge right in. "Sookie, you still have much to learn about our world. I feel that perhaps I should tell you..."

Just then, a sharp knock comes at the door to the suite. The guards would never interrupt me if it was not important, so I stop what I am saying in mid-sentence and go to open the door. Atticus informs me that there is a young woman asking for Pam. I realize it must be Pam's human date for the party, and this suspicion is confirmed when my child enters the room and tells the guard to let her in. An attractive, well-dressed brunette steps inside and introduces herself. Sookie peers at her in curiosity, and if I am not mistaken she is also busily listening in on the girl's thoughts... a sound habit of which I thoroughly approve. The escort must not represent a threat, because Sookie says nothing. If the escort is already here, then it must be later than I thought. Glancing at my watch, I see that we need to be going if we are to make our reservations on time. They were very difficult to come by, even for me, and I do not wish to be late. With an equal feeling of irritation and relief, I realize that the moment for telling Sookie is past, since I cannot possibly bring up the delicate issue of the Proposal up in front of an audience.

With a start, I realize that I have been so wrapped up in my thoughts that I have forgotten to give my Bonded her surprise. I pretend to look her over, and say teasingly, "Wait, Beloved... you seem to be missing something." I make a show of patting my pockets and then produce the little black jewelry box with a flourish. Sookie is still somewhat unaccustomed to receiving gifts, and rather hesitantly takes it from my hand. The minute she opens it, though, I can see the beautiful smile that I crave break across her face. She pulls out the bracelet and inspects it with great delight. I actually purchased the earrings at the same time I bought the matching necklace. I meant to give them to her Mardi Gras night, but in all the excitement of that eventful evening I just forgot. Later, I ordered the charm bracelet from a New Orleans jeweler, specifying exactly which charms I wanted.

The gold jewelry is absolutely perfect for the Queen of Louisiana to wear to this reception, and I tell her so. Right away, I know that she loves her gift. My little Belle very charmingly thanks me, and then eagerly removes the small gold hoops that she is wearing, slips them into her tiny evening bag, and places the new earrings in her ears. The bracelet is solid gold and quite heavy, and so I help her with the strong clasp. I give my beautiful Bonded one last admiring glance before we leave, and really, she is perfection in her new dress and jewelry. I will be the envy of every vampire at the reception tonight. I offer her my arm, and we take our leave.

Not long afterward, we arrive at the restaurant and are seated right away. This establishment is famous for its selection of specialty bloods, and Pam and I discuss the various merits of each before ordering. Sookie and the escort have also ordered, and while we are waiting to be served the young human keeps up a constant stream of rather irritating chatter. Pam is watching her date like a cat watches a particularly delectable mouse, but contributes practically nothing to the conversation herself. Sookie is polite as always, but I can tell that she is somewhat uncomfortable around this girl. How odd it seems that if I had not Bonded Sookie when I did, I would no doubt be sitting here with an escort very much like this one, even though she represents the kind of human for which I have very little tolerance. Ye Gods! No wonder I was so lonely.

I cannot help but compare the two women. For one thing, my Bonded is not given to aimless chatter, a trait which I appreciate after too many years of nattering human females. In contrast, the escort has practically not stopped talking long enough to draw a breath, but still not said a single thing worthy of a response. Although she is certainly attractive enough in her own way, and well dressed, she is quite obviously of lesser stock. As far as I am concerned, this type of human is good for only two things... fucking and feeding.

My lovely Bonded, on the other hand, looks exactly like the Queen she is. She may have been raised with little money, but one would never know it. Sookie's manners are impeccable. She is as gracious as any lady ever born. Her bone structure is delicate, her features strong but refined. Everything about my Queen is elegant, even when she is clad in nothing but blue jeans and tennis shoes. With her around, boredom is truly a thing of the past. My Bonded is a bit lacking in education, but more than makes up for it with her wit and intelligence. She shines with an inner light that is simply irresistible to vampires. I used to think it was due to her fairy heritage, but over time I have come to believe it is just inherently Sookie.

My reverie is broken when the waiter arrives to serve us. Pam and I sip our bloods while our companions eat. My choice of blood is really quite nice, for bottled, and I make a mental note of the brand. I think I will order some for Valhalla when we get home, and toy with the idea of installing a wine-and-blood cellar. With a sense of well-being, I sit back in my chair and enjoy watching my Beloved as she eats her meal. I can still feel that little drop of my blood circulating through her body, which is very satisfying. I see with approval that the human food is beautifully presented, and my Bonded seems to be enjoying it. I am quite pleased to note that her appetite seems to have picked up a bit this evening. She has a faint blush of color in her cheeks, too... but suddenly, for no apparent reason, Sookie begins to fidget. The waiter has just cleared away the main course dishes, and I reach across the table for her hand. She seems to hesitate a moment before laying it in my outstretched palm. Immediately, I see why... her fingers are an angry red and starting to swell! Of course, I immediately ask her what is wrong with them. She replies calmly, "Um... I seem to be developing an allergy to lemons."

Allergies? Do humans develop allergies spontaneously like that? I really cannot remember. How odd it that it should be lemons, because it is rumored that Fairies are seriously allergic to them, in the way vampires are "allergic" to silver... and then it hits me. There is absolutely no doubt that the fairy component in Sookie's blood is getting stronger... exactly how "allergic" is she? Instantly, I am quite alarmed, and I ask her if she is going to be all right. She looks a bit pale, but she reassures me that she is just fine. She excuses herself to go wash off the lemon in the ladies' room. Inexplicably, Pam's date jumps up and follows rapidly behind her.

Pam looks after the two of them. Switching to my native language, which she knows I prefer when we are alone, she asks curiously, "What was that all about?"

In the same language, I explain. My child looks a little startled at the information. "Is she going to be all right? Should you give her some blood?" she asks anxiously.

If only I could. "I doubt she would take it," I say with regret, "She seems to think she will be fine."

Pam shakes her head. "Silly girl. Does she have any idea the lengths some people would go to to have just a _drop_ of your blood? I'll bet dear little Tiffany would not turn you down."

Disdainfully, I reply, "As if I would ever offer. Honestly, Pam, how can you stand that constant chatter?"

She winks and replies, "AB negative, that's how."

I know that my child is particularly fond of that rare blood type, and has a penchant for tall brunettes... so, a winning combination as far as she is concerned. The great thing about Vegas is the ability to order exactly whatever you are in the mood for, and it will be delivered almost instantly. Pam pulls out her compact and begins to repair her lipstick. As she stares into the tiny mirror to check her handiwork, she asks, "So... we will be at Sandy's in no time. Have you told Sookie about the Proposal yet?"

"No. I was just about to bring it up when your date arrived," I reply. "Still, I am quite certain it will not be mentioned."

Pam looks skeptical. "I certainly hope you are right."

Most heartily, I hope so as well. Before our companions return, I say, "See what you can find out about Quinn. Surely someone has some information." When Pam lived in Minnesota, she used to come to Vegas frequently. She still has several acquaintances in the area, so she may have some luck in getting some information from her contacts here.

My child snorts and says dryly, "Oh, do not worry, Master... I am most anxious to find the man who conspired to get my Maker killed. He had better hope _I_ am not the one to finally track him down. Surely, though, he will not be foolish enough to actually show up at an event where you are sure to be present."

"He was one of the most ferocious Pit-fighters in the world, Pamela, and made a fortune betting on himself," I remind her. "That implies a certain amount of cockiness."

She is just about to reply when she sees our companions returning. They take their seats, and immediately I catch Sookie's hand and inspect it. I absolutely cannot bear for her to have marks of any kind on her skin... but fortunately, the redness has now almost entirely disappeared. Perhaps my little drop of blood is still helping to heal her. Bringing her hand to my lips, I kiss each finger, which earns me a brilliant, pain-free smile.

If we leave now we will be fashionably late to the party, so I usher the women back to the car. The trip out to the Residence is unremarkable. The escort is busy setting a world record for inane remarks; Pam continues to give one words responses when she bothers to respond at all; and as usual, Sookie attempts to smooth over any awkward pauses. I tune most of it out, and think about what lies ahead. We finally arrive, and as I help Sookie from the car, I see her taking in the exterior of the Royal Residence. A slight shiver passes through her body, and an unpleasant jolt of fear and anger comes through the Bond. I do not have to be a telepath to know exactly what she is thinking. Honestly, it had never occurred to me until now that just being here would make Sookie so uncomfortable. Still, that threat is well in the past. I know she is strong enough to handle her feelings, so I tuck her hand around my arm and guide her up to the entrance.

We enter the Residence, where we are greeted by Sandy and her Lieutenants. Once the "pleasantries" are out of the way, the new Queen of Nevada eyes me silently. I do not like the gleam I see in her eye when she announces, "Eric, you and I have some... things to discuss. Why don't you stand here with me for a few minutes, and we'll chat while I greet my guests. Sookie, there is no need for you to be bored... why don't you go with Pam and enjoy the party? I think there are several vampires here that you already know."

Wonderful. We have been here less than five minutes and already Sandy has managed to irritate me, on more than one front. For one thing, she has greeted my Queen and Twice-Bonded with less than the respect she deserves. For another, I have no desire to let Sookie go wandering around without me. Also, I am well aware that the Nevada Queen wants me to stand here with her and greet her guests, as if we are a couple. I am just about to flatly refuse; but I can see by the look in Sandy's eye that she is definitely up to something. This is the first time I have seen her in person since rejecting her Proposal; and even though it would be a serious breach of protocol, she may want speak to me about it, just as Pam warned me. If that is the case, obviously I have no desire for Sookie to overhear that particular conversation. Now I most earnestly wish that I had made the time to tell Sookie about it earlier, as I had intended. I absolutely loath being manipulated into this, but I suppose I have no one but myself to blame. Reluctantly, I say, "Very well. Sookie, I will find you shortly. Pam, keep an eye on your Mistress."

I watch as my Bonded follows Pam and her escort into the crowd of party goers. The minute they are out of sight, I turn back to Sandy and give her a serious glare. "From now on, Sandy, I will expect you to treat my Queen with the respect to which she is entitled," I say icily, "She is not some ordinary human that you can dismiss at your whim."

Sandy looks a little taken aback at my obvious displeasure. I can almost see the wheels turning in her head as she re-calculates her strategy. Smoothly, she says, "Don't be silly, Eric. I wasn't trying to slight Sookie at all. I merely thought she might as well be having fun while we conducted a little business. From now on, I will certainly be more careful where your Bonded is concerned." Sandy steps closer, slips her hand around my arm, and says soothingly, "Is everything at the hotel satisfactory? I really wish that you would reconsider, and come stay here. I saved the suite right next to mine, just in case you changed your mind."

"We are quite comfortable at the hotel," I reply firmly.

Giving my arm a light squeeze, she smiles appealingly. "I understand from my secretary that you are leaving Sunday evening. I have been so caught up in this Coronation that I haven't had time to show you the attention you deserve. I would love for you to stay a few extra days and have some fun here. There is a fabulous new show opening at Eternity soon. Also, we have just opened a new hotel and casino in Reno which I would like you to see. It is the first vampire hotel in that city and is already extremely lucrative. We could take a little side trip to Lake Tahoe, which is just beautiful and quite romantic... Your Bonded will love it."

The last thing I want to do is stay in Nevada one minute longer than necessary. I think Sandy is trying to show me how foolish I was to turn down an alliance with such a rich and prosperous territory; and from her remarks, I gather that she intended the romantic setting of Lake Tahoe to provide a good opportunity for her to weasel her way into my bed... and it also appears she expects that bed to include Sookie. If she thinks for one instant that I would willingly share my Bonded with her or anyone else, she _is_ delusional. "I am afraid that will not be possible. There are several pressing matters in Louisiana that need my attention as soon as I return," I tell her in a neutral tone.

While I am speaking, a couple comes through the front door. Sandy greets them and, still clinging to my arm, performs the introductions, "Eric, this is Mel and his lovely companion Tanya. Mel here is one of my partners in Eternity, and a few other ventures.Mel, this is Eric, King of Louisiana and Arkansas."

She gives my arm a little hug of affection as she says it, thus making it clear what "dear friends" we are. Of course, I know why she is going to such great lengths to make it appear to this particular vampire that I am her staunch ally. Before coming to this little event, I had Bill use his data base to tell me all about the vampires who were part of Felipe's old cartel. This vampire, Melech Weiss, was probably the strongest rival for Felipe's old throne, and the one Sandy will have to watch the closest. If I _had_ taken the Nevada throne, I would have arranged for him to have a fatal accident immediately.

The dark-haired, olive-skinned vampire gives me a cool, appraising look, and I give him one in return. "Ah, the Viking. I have always wanted to meet the vampire who very nearly became our new King," he says smoothly, "Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the Mardi Gras Ball this year, but perhaps I will make it to Louisiana by next year."

I am an old hand at vampire politics, and can read perfectly well between the lines. He is saying that if he _had_ been present at the Ball, the outcome might have been very different. He might well have been named Felipe's successor, and he would definitely _not_ have split the Kingdom. If I am not very much mistaken, he also implied that by next year, he will have taken the Nevada throne from Sandy and be looking to regain Louisiana. Giving him a frosty smile, I reply, "By all means, come to see us. I am more than ready for visitors. I always find them so... amusing."

By that, I am letting him know that I am more than ready and able to defend my territory, especially against the likes of him. As Sookie would say, "Bring it." Even if he does manage to get rid of Sandy, he is no real threat to me. This time, the look he gives me is a little more thoughtful, and then he nods and moves on. As soon as they are safely out of ear-shot, Sandy exclaims, "That Mel! He's such a handful. We need to keep an eye on him."

Removing her hand from my arm, I step away from her. "_You_ certainly do need to keep an eye on him," I say coolly, "You said we had business to discuss. I can see that you are quite busy with _your_ guests, and I want to get back to my Bonded; so what did you want to say?"

"What's the matter, Eric?" Sandy says teasingly, "Surely you aren't worried that someone will snatch up Sookie, are you? Although, as a matter of fact, I _did_ see Luke on the prowl earlier..."

In response, I just give her a flat look. Sookie is much too smart to have her head turned by the likes of Luke... and besides, she loves me too much. Nonetheless, I cannot help but consult our Bond. Of course, I can feel Sookie quite well from here. She is relaxed, and seems to be enjoying herself... no inappropriate emotions whatsoever, just as I expected. Once Sandy sees that I have no intention of rising to her bait, she sighs heavily. "You are no fun anymore, Viking. Very well, I have something here that I know you want." She signals to one of her Lieutenants, and he digs in his pocket and removes a small pouch. After taking it from his hand, Sandy opens it, pulls out a glob of gold, and says, "Your half of Felipe's ring. Also, I have a special little gift for you."

She reaches back into the pouch and pulls out a much smaller gold ring. It is one that I recognize immediately, and thought never to see again. In total surprise, I exclaim, "That was Sophie-Ann's ring! It is intact... how is that possible?"

Sandy smiles faintly. "Felipe had his King's ring long before he took over Louisiana, and never thought he needed any additional power. He really thought it was all superstitious nonsense anyway. Sophie-Ann's ring holds no power for me, so I thought I would give it to you, as a gesture of friendship."

According to vampire lore, the ring held by a King or Queen becomes imbued with some of their power, and it is tradition for the successor to have the old ring melted down and re-forged into their own design. This actually _is_ a wonderful gift. I am always amazed when vampires decide to ignore tradition because it is just "superstitious nonsense," since we vampires are animated by nothing _but_ magic. Although I despised de Castro, I still intend to use my half of his ring, along with Sophie-Ann's... who am I to turn my back on any additional power his ring may confer? Who knows, perhaps if Felipe had that little extra something from Sophie-Ann's ring, he might have been fast enough to avoid Victor's sword.

In any event, I nod my appreciation. Slipping both rings back into the pouch and then into my pocket, I say, "Thank you. This is indeed a worthy gift, and one I will treasure. Now, if that is all, I believe there are some old acquaintances here that I would like to see."

At that, Sandy gives me a smirk and says almost gleefully, "Oh, yes! There _are _some old friends that have been asking for you. I certainly hope you enjoy seeing them again."

I wonder very much just what she meant by that last statement, but I am not going to stand here long enough to find out. At least, it is clear that since Sandy has not mentioned the Proposal, she intends to adhere to protocol and not bring it up again. Now, I am glad that I never got the chance to bring it up earlier. I still intend to tell Sookie, but at least tonight we can both relax and enjoy the party. Giving Sandy a curt nod, I take my leave and melt into the throng in the next room.

Because of our Bond, it does not take me long to track down Sookie. She is talking to an old acquaintance of mine, Hamilton, and his human companion. I note with displeasure that Pam and her date are nowhere to be seen, even though I specifically told her to keep an eye on her Mistress. This is exactly why I wanted Compton to be present. Pam seems to think that I am needlessly protective of Sookie, especially at social gatherings. I know Bill will watch her whether I ask him to or not. I slide in behind Sookie, and she turns to me with a brilliant smile. "Eric, I would like for you to meet Chloé and Hamilton. Chloé was one of the other Maids of Erebus."

I nod to them, and say, "Hamilton and I know each other. Chloé, it is a pleasure."

For such a unattractive vampire, Hamilton seems to have done well for himself. His young human is quite lovely, and Sookie seems to like her, so I give the girl a genuine smile. The four of us stand and chat for awhile, and as we visit several other vampires stop by to offer their congratulations on my new status. At the first opportunity, I lean down and ask my Bonded, "Where is Pam? She was supposed to be watching you."

I can feel that my question irritates her, and she replies a little sharply, "I stopped to talk to Chloé, and Pam kept going. Please, just this once, don't make me have a babysitter the whole time. It's supposed to be a party, for Pete's sake!"

Pam is always telling me that Sookie is much too independent to appreciate being constantly monitored, and will eventually resent it if I do not allow her some freedom of movement. I know that my child is probably right. This is one occasion where I have very little to be concerned about, so I relent and agree to my mate's terms. Once she has gotten me to agree to that, she goes one step further and asks me to extend this policy to the rest of the festivities as well. Reluctantly, I concede to that, too; but only because I know that one of my entourage will almost certainly be with her the entire time, anyway, especially once Compton arrives. Happy with our agreement, Sookie slides into my arms and gives me a sweet little kiss. Over the top of her head, I see Pam hurrying back towards us. Giving me a rather nervous look, she says rather crossly to her Mistress, "Sookie! Where have you been? I looked back and you were gone... I have been looking for you everywhere!"

Even though no harm has come of it, I issued an order and I expected it to be followed. I am quite displeased, and Pam will have to be disciplined for this later. "You and I will have a serious talk later about exactly what I mean when I say to keep an eye on your Mistress," I tell her icily, "For now, go mingle. I will be with her from now on."

By the look on my child's face, I can see that I have made my point. Just then, I hear Stan call out a greeting from behind me. I turn and see the King of Texas strolling towards us with his human companion on his arm. I believe she is an actress of some sort, and quite beautiful. Introductions are made all around. I want to speak to Stan about the drainer issue, so I pull him off to one side and gesture for Pam to follow me. I leave Sookie to keep the two humans distracted. I will fill her in on the information that I get from Stan later. As soon as we are away from the companions, I say, "Stan, in the last year Louisiana has experienced a sharp rise in drainings. We have recently been fortunate enough to catch some of the perpetrators in the act. Thanks to Sookie, we were able to extract some useful information from some of them. It appears there is an organization at work, and it is possible that it extends into Texas."

Looking thoughtful, Stan replies, "Yes, as a matter of fact, Texas has seen a rise in drainings as well. As I understand it, V use is at an all-time high, and the demand is growing daily. So far, we have not been able to capture any of the culprits. I only wish I had been in on the interrogation."

Stan's eyes glow brightly, and his over-sized fangs have made an appearance. Obviously he hates drainers every bit as much as I do. I mention the recent visit I had from the two young rogue vampires from his state and the news of Constance DeHaan's final death. The Texan gives me a rather impish grin. "I figured you would bring that up. My Sheriff from Area 2 called and told me that you sent them back... and that they seemed a little less cocky than when they left." Then his face changes to a more serious expression, and he continues, "As for Constance, I can hardly believe they got her. She was nobody's fool."

We spend the next few minutes going over the facts of the case. Finally we agree to call a meeting with the monarchs of the neighboring states for the next evening at first dark. By comparing notes, we should be able to see exactly how widespread this problem is. I give Pam instructions to issue invitations to the appropriate vampires. Even though I have been thoroughly concentrating on the talk with Stan, my eyes are constantly being drawn back to my Bonded. She is chatting animatedly with Stan's human, and the two beautiful women make a very pleasing sight indeed. Stan seems to be appreciating exactly the same view... as is Pam. As I knew they would, Sookie's short baby-doll cocktail dress and high heels make her legs look spectacular. Idly, I wonder exactly what my Bonded is wearing underneath that short skirt.

Eventually Stan and I rejoin the companions. After a little more social chit-chat, the group disperses. Pam and her date turn back to the left, and Sookie and I stroll towards the room to the right. From a passing waiter, I get some blood and champagne. Handing one long-stemmed glass to Sookie, I watch closely as she takes her first sip. A tiny drop remains on her top lip, and it reminds me of our passionate love-making of the prior evening. Immediately, I pull my Lover out of the doorway and into a more secluded spot. I kiss those sweet lips, and lick the tiny drop of the champagne from them. I say, "Mmmm. More, please."

I can see by her sultry smile that Sookie loves this little game, too. Obligingly, she takes a bigger sip this time, and leaves her lips quite wet. Ah! I kiss her again, and instantly I feel her passion zooming up to meet mine. The combination of the taste of the spirits and the softness of her lips is driving me crazy! When she runs her warm tongue erotically over the tips of my fangs, I instantly develop a raging hard-on. I am just wondering how far it is to the bedroom wing... when I hear an unwelcome but familiar voice saying, "There you are, you naughty vampire! It's about time you put in an appearance!"

A feeling of total disbelief rolls through me. This cannot possibly be happening! Of all the vampires to run in to here, it would have to be Sabriel. Reluctantly, I let go of Sookie, and turn to face my former lover. She is crossing the room, closely followed by a pack of admirers. By the triumphant look on her face, I realize immediately that this is no coincidence, but a very calculated move on her part. I am completely disgusted with myself for not anticipating this. The first thing that crosses my mind is that she is going to say something insulting to Sookie and I will be unable to keep myself from killing her right here in front of everyone. Sandy's parting words come back to me, and now I know to whom she was referring. She clearly knew what was coming, and did nothing to warn me. Instantly, my temper begins to surge. My innocent little Bonded is standing right next to me, and I have no wish for her to be harmed by the rampaging anger that I am experiencing, so immediately I force the veil to descend over our Bond.

Sabriel comes straight over and kisses me on the lips. My very first instinct is to reach out, grab her by the throat and start squeezing, and this time the little bitch will _not_ find it pleasurable. I am quite old and extremely strong; and even though she is vampire, I could pop her hateful head off that slender stalk of a neck without much effort at all... However, the resulting mess would surely distress Sookie. It takes every ounce of will power that I possess to stand still and keep my hands to myself. For just a moment, my tormentor and I lock eyes. I hope she can tell that the next words out of her mouth will determine her fate. In French, Sabriel says, "Obviously you are surprised to see me here. Relax, Eric. I am quite anxious to meet your Queen."

In the same language, I warn her curtly, "Remember our conversation in Shreveport, Sabriel. I meant every word."

Without missing a beat, she turns her eyes to Sookie and says, "Bonjour! Vous devez être Sookie. Je suis Sabriel, un vieil ami d'Eric." When it is clear to everyone that Sookie does not understand her, she says, "How rude of me! You must not speak French. You must be Sookie. I'm Sabriel, an old friend of Eric's."

Politely, my Bonded replies, "It is very nice to meet you."

In mock delight, Sabriel claps her hands together and says, "Oh, Eric, she _is_ adorable! Listen to that yummy accent! Sookie, when I had heard that the Viking here had been caught by a human girl, I could hardly believe it."

So the little idiot is going to play a verbal game of cat and mouse with me. I take a moment to glance at my Bonded, and although she looks calm I can see a faint flush to her face. Because I have veiled our Bond, I have no way of knowing what she is feeling, and I do not care for it in the slightest. Very well then. If I cannot kill Sabriel outright, at the very least I will put her in her place. She does not know that all the time she was trying to rekindle my interest in her, I was already obsessed by Sookie. Much to her dismay, Sabriel has alwaysbeen the one chasing me, so I say the one thing most likely to get under her skin. "Actually, it was _I _that did the pursuing in this case. It took me quite awhile to convince her to be mine. More than two years, in fact."

By the way Sabriel's eyes narrow, I can tell that verbal arrow hit its mark. She immediately comes back with, "Really? Sookie, I understand you are a telepath, and one of Eric's most valuable assets. How wonderful for him that he is able to combine business with pleasure."

There is no doubt that she is implying that I only Bonded Sookie because of her usefulness, and that I do not love her at all. Sookie is no fool, and definitely not one to stand still for slights. Before my little spitfire can open her mouth and defend herself, I do it for her. "She makes the perfect Queen. Beautiful, gracious, and a huge asset to my Kingdom. How could I ask for more?"

Apparently, Sabriel can see that she is not going to win this verbal battle, and so abruptly changes the subject by introducing those vampires who are now clustered around to witness this charming scene. A short, bearded vampire in a gray suit turns to me and asks, "You are the Twice-Bonded couple, are you not? A friend of mine was present as a witness at the ceremony. He said that in spite of the difficulties before-hand, it was both beautiful and unforgettable. Everyone here is talking about it."

Ha! If I had scripted it, I could not have asked for a more perfect comment. I can tell by the way they are staring at my Bonded and me that the vampires here are fascinated by this rarest of unions; and it is clear from his words that our Bonding ceremony is on its way to becoming legendary among my kind. This pleases me, and even more so because I see that Sabriel does not care to be reminded of Sookie's and my permanent and sacred tie. I glance at Sookie again, and of course, she looks completely adorable as the pink color rises in her cheeks. My Bonded's ladylike reluctance to be in the limelight is in sharp contrast to Sabriel's constant desire to be the center of attention, and it endears her to me all the more. Fondly, I explain to the others, "You will have to excuse my little Southern Belle if she is still a little shy on that subject. She was very delicately raised, and I'm afraid still not entirely comfortable with our ways."

Glancing around, I see that most of this group has fallen under the spell of my little vampire charmer. By the sour look on her face, there is no doubt Sabriel sees it, too. Another member of the group around us asks if our Bond allows Sookie and I to feel each other's emotions, and I emphatically confirm this is indeed the case. Although normally I would not answer that particular question, I want Sabriel to understand just how closely bound Sookie and I truly are. Surely after seeing us together, the she-devil will realize that there is really no hope of her coming between my Bonded and me, and finally give up this ridiculous pursuit. I am quickly tiring of this game, and am just about to take Sookie and get as far away from this troublemaker as possible, when I see Sabriel looking expectantly at something over my shoulder. She breaks into a brilliant smile, and I turn my head to see what has caught her attention. A tall male vampire walks up to Sabriel, and she gives him a sultry smile. Linking her arm through his, she turns back to us and says, "Let me introduce my date. This is Carson. Carson, this is Eric, King of Louisiana and Arkansas... oh, and this is Sookie."

Once again she is slighting my Queen, so I quickly add, "...my Twice-Bonded and Queen."

Since I cannot feel Sookie's emotions at all, my only means of determining how she is taking all this is the old-fashioned way... by watching her. This time when I glance down at her, I am quite displeased to find that she is staring at this newcomer with a glazed expression. Obviously she finds him very attractive. Giving the male a much more appraising look, I wonder just what she finds so appealing. While it is true that he is even taller than I am, he is quite thin and not very muscular. He has short, rather unremarkable hair, and no beard at all... in fact, he looks more like a boy than a man. Even if I were not a thousand years his senior, there would be no contest between us. My Bonded seems quite mesmerized by his eyes, which I will admit are a very strange color... a bright sort of greenish-blue. Sabriel is speaking, but I am only half-way listening. I do gather that this male is newly made, still quite wild, and apparently well-hung... which should appeal to Sabriel's tastes. She loves rough sex; in fact, that is putting it mildly. This young male is still quite dangerous to human women, and Sabriel will no doubt be present to cheer him on with his victims so she can watch... and share. Sandy had better keep a close eye on these two, or the body count will be rising in her territory in no time.

Sabriel is now hanging all over her "date." By the way she keeps glancing at me to gauge my reaction, I suspect she brought him here in a futile attempt to make me jealous. The irony here is that it seems that I actually _am_ jealous, but only because my Bonded gave him more than a cursory glance. Suddenly, I am quite anxious to get Sookie away from both of them, so I make a rather lame excuse, take my mate by the arm, and steer her out of the room. Along the way, we are stopped by several other vampires of my acquaintance who offer me congratulations. I am pleased and somewhat relieved to see that all of them are treating Sookie with the respect that she deserves as my Bonded and Queen.

As we drift through the party goers, I occasionally catch a glimpse of Sabriel and her young vampire, but I take care to keep my Bonded well away from them. Sookie and I make our way to a huge window that overlooks the outdoor patio and pool area. Before we can get a good look, I hear a familiar voice say, "Do I have the honor of addressing the new King of Louisiana and his lovely Queen Sookie?" It is Roland, the King of the New York territories, who is also a very old friend of Robert's. I introduce him to Sookie, and by the way his eyes are glowing, I can tell he is quite taken with my Bonded. We visit for a few minutes, and then he says, "I hate to take you away from your lovely Queen, but might I have a word?"

As much as I hate to leave my wife alone, I know that Roland wants to give me the necklace that Robert sent without Sookie seeing it. Since Sabriel and her date are still at the far end of the other room, they are unlikely to come upon Sookie standing by herself. I think about calling Pam, but I _did_ promise my Bonded that I wouldn't make her have a "babysitter" all evening; so I turn to her and say, "Beloved, please excuse me. I will be back soon. Do not wander far."

My Queen gives us both a brilliant smile, and announces that she is going out to see the pool. I know the place is dripping with guards and that she should be perfectly safe. Moreover, it will make her happy if I allow her some freedom... so I follow Roland into the next room. Sure enough, Sabriel and her cowboy are over by the piano near one of the big picture windows. Deliberately turning my back to them, I watch Roland as he pulls a black velvet box from his pocket. He hands it to me and I pop it open. Gazing down at Sookie's Sunrise Necklace, it is clear that Robert has outdone himself this time. The large canary diamond in the center is absolutely exquisite and the perfect color to represent the sun. Suddenly, it occurs to me that perhaps I should wait to explain Sookie about Sandy's Proposal until I present her with this necklace. Once I tell her about the miraculous vision of the sunrise that her great magic allowed me to share, surely she will see how unique and irreplaceable she is to me; and then I can make her understand that I would never, ever sully our very special relationship with a political marriage to another.

Glancing down at the stunning necklace, Roland says admiringly, "A lovely piece, to be sure, and an appropriate tribute to a Queen such as yours. Now that I see your Bonded in person, I can understand what all the fuss is about. Robert told me how enchanting she is, but I thought he surely must be exaggerating."

Fortunately, he really has no idea just how unique Sookie really is. Proudly, I say, "My Bonded is very special in many ways. Now, if you would not mind playing courier again, I have something to send back to Robert."

I pull the pouch containing the monarch's rings from my pocket, and hand them to Roland. He says, "Ah, yes. Robert mentioned that you might be sending back the gold for your ring. I would be honored to deliver it. I know that some think the power of the rings is more myth than fact, but I can tell you first-hand that is not the case. You will see for yourself quite soon."

For the next few minutes, Roland and I have a rather serious discussion on the hazards and benefits of being a King, some of which I am already aware, but others come as a complete surprise. Vampires are not overly given to sharing information or anything else, and I am both surprised and grateful for this particular King's advice. I think he will prove to be a great ally in the future, and a very worthy one, since he is considered by all to be one of the strongest vampire monarchs in this country. Before he takes his leave, Roland says seriously, "Take care, my friend. Robert told me of the prophecy that was given by the Pythoness. I am even older than you, Eric, and I have never known her to be wrong. I believe that you _are _Fated to do something great, perhaps something that will have an enormous impact on us all. As for your Twice-Bonded, I could see at once that she is something very special, indeed; and you know there are always those who care nothing for rules and traditions. Luke, for example..."

Giving a disdainful snort, I say, "Luke is no threat. Sookie adores me."

The King of New York gives me a very knowing look. "It happens to the best of us. I am ashamed to admit that Luke managed to romance one of _my_ humans out from under me, a century or so ago. I have never quite forgiven him for it... I was very fond of her, and of course, after that I had to kill her."

Momentarily, I feel a twinge of unease pass through me, but then logic prevails. Sookie and I are _much_ too tightly bound for anyone to come between us. Before I can respond, I feel an arm sliding around my waist from behind. I know it is not Sookie, but I have an awful feeling that I know exactly who it is. I look down, and sure enough, I recognize the long blood-red fingernails of Sabriel's hand. She steps up besides me and says, "Hello, lover. Miss me? Good evening, Roland. How is New York?"

Roland gives me a piercing look, as I immediately step away from her. He eyes her coolly, and says in a rather chilly tone, "New York is fine, Sabriel. I heard you were living in Brazil these days."

I know for a fact that before _our _affair, she had pursued Roland quite avidly, but to no avail. Robert once told me that when the New York monarch heard that I had taken her on, he had nearly sent me two bottles of Royalty in thanks. Now, Sabriel gives him her model-perfect smile, and says carelessly, "Oh, Enrique was just not the vampire I thought he was; and the _xerife _of his_Á__rea _therewas becoming tiresome about the number of humans we were killing... as if there was a shortage of street urchins in Brazil! I ask you! I had to come back to the states to have any _real_ fun. Now that Eric is King of Louisiana, I think I might just relocate to New Orleans... if I can get him to reconsider a few things."

In response, I give her a look that has sent more sensible vampires running for cover, but she just gives me a mischievous little grin in return. Roland says hastily, "Well, I can see you two have some things to discuss... Viking, remember what I told you." With a nod of his head, he disappears rapidly into the crowd. Sabriel watches his back, and says, "Now what were the two of you discussing so avidly? Politics, no doubt. That Roland never could relax at a party, and you are getting to be just as bad!

The minute he is gone, I grab her arm roughly and snarl, "Sabriel, exactly what are you doing here? Haven't I made myself clear? I warned you to stay away from Sookie and me. Believe me when I tell you that you are lucky to still be in one piece."

Throwing her head back, she laughs and asks, "Come, now, Eric, do you really think that I came here just on your account? Sandy and I have been friends for years. I couldn't very well miss her Coronation, could I? I told you before, I am willing to wait for you to come to your senses, and until you do I have Carson to keep me amused. Just between the two of us, his dick is even bigger than yours, and nearly splits me in two... I just _love_ it! Speaking of the well-hung little devil... here he is."

The young vampire strides up bearing two glasses of blood. Sabriel turns to him, practically sticks her tongue down his throat, and then grazes his neck with her fangs. The dark blood wells to the surface, and she licks it before the wound closes. The young idiot closes his eyes, and gives a low moan of pleasure. She looks back at me, and says teasingly, "Carson here _loves_ for me to feed from him; don't you, baby?" One of the biggest ongoing arguments between Sabriel and me was my absolute refusal to let her take any of my blood, so by doing this she is trying to prove a point. She reaches out one of those long red talons of hers and runs it down my face. Chuckling, she says, "His blood may not be as old as yours, but it is _so_ wild it makes me cream just to taste it! Now, run along, Eric, and find your little barmaid; that is, if she hasn't run off with Luke yet. I was looking out the window only a moment ago, and saw them huddled together out by the pool."

What! Luke is outside alone with my Bonded? Instantly, a wave of possessiveness is added to the anger I am already feeling. I unblock our Bond to try to see what Sookie is feeling, but my own rampaging vampire emotions drown out hers. To Sabriel, I spit out, "I meant what I said in Shreveport, Sabriel. Stay away from both of us, or suffer the consequences." With that, I turn and stride rapidly in the direction of the door to the patio. I can hear her laughter ringing out behind me. As I cross into the next room, I try to reign in my anger before seeing my Bonded... without much success. Just as I am about to reach the door, it opens and Sookie steps through, escorted by none other than the odious Luke. Her hand is wrapped around his arm, and she is smiling up at his face. There is no doubt that he is an extremely handsome vampire, and his dark good looks contrast perfectly with her golden beauty. Despite my earlier claims to Roland, an enormous burst of unbridled jealously shoots through me. Sookie's head snaps around and her eyes widen slightly as I move towards her. Taking her arm, I pry her away from him. "Luke. It seems that I keep finding you with my Bonded," I say quite icily.

I can hardly believe my ears when he has the effrontery to reply, "Well, perhaps you should pay more attention to her. Every time I see her, she is alone."

At that insolent remark, my temper rises another several notches. As a King, I am due a great deal more respect, and after the incident with Sabriel, I am just spoiling to take my anger out on someone. However, I think the scoundrel decides that perhaps he would rather not engage in an all-out fight, because in a rather passive manner, he says, "Oh, my! I can see when I am not wanted. Sookie, it has been a great pleasure to see you again. Perhaps we will meet again during the festivities." He does have the audacity to wink at Sookie when he says it, though.

Seemingly oblivious to how irritated I am, Sookie says quite calmly, "Good night, Luke."

Luke gives her a broad grin. "There is that beautiful smile! Good night, lovely lady." He takes her hand and kisses it. Although I would like nothing better that to wipe that smug look off his face, I know that Sookie will be very upset if I cause a huge scene in public, so I let him go. As I watch him blend back into the crowd, I ask her the mildest thing I can think of. "Was he bothering you?"

Sookie's answer is, "No, of course not. He's really very sweet." Sweet? She thinks he is... sweet? Letting out a growl of pure frustration, I pull her into my arms. I am determined to kiss her until his image in her mind is replaced with mine, and mine only. It must be working, too, because before long my Lover is returning my kisses with increasing intensity. I can think of nothing but getting her back to the hotel and bedding her as soon as possible. Come to think about it, I have no intention of even waiting _that_ long... I ask my Lover if she is ready to go, and she nods. I am in no mood to go looking for Pam, so I call her to me. In no time at all she appears with her human following closely behind. Abruptly, I inform her that Sookie and I are leaving for the hotel. I am leaving them at the party for a reason... I want a little privacy on the drive back to the hotel.

While Sookie and I wait for the limousine to be brought around, I glance down and notice her twirling a small flower in her fingers, gazing down at it with a faint smile curving her lips. Somehow, I just _know_ that insufferable pest Luke gave it to her. I pluck it from her fingers, and one sniff confirms my suspicions. Grrrrr. _I _shower her with dozens of roses_. He_ gives her only a single daisy, and still she seems charmed. Women! I toss the offending blossom on the ground, and then help her into the car. Sookie slides across the leather seat in a very ladylike fashion, and then sits facing the front with her hands folded primly in her lap. After all of the frustrations of _that_ party, if she thinks that she will make it back to the hotel untouched, she is very much mistaken. I want her, NOW! Although the guard in the front set is vampire, the driver is human, so I put up the shield between the compartments. I turn on some mood lighting, and then turn to my little Lover and begin my seduction.

After getting things going with a few passionate kisses, I lean Sookie back against the door, and finally satisfy my curiosity about what she is wearing under her sexy little dress. Her tiny panties are nearly the same shade of blue as her eyes. After removing them, I slide them in my pocket so that she will not be tempted to retrieve them in case we are interrupted (although how that would be possible in a moving vehicle is beyond me); but still, the way our luck has been running lately, I am taking no chances. I am a bit surprised that she is allowing me to have my way with her with other people nearby... but perhaps she is finally learning to be less inhibited. Her willingness to play is a powerful turn-on, and I do my level best to make certain that she is every bit as aroused as I am.

When I veil our Bond even for a short time, it always serves to remind me what it was like before it was made. I seriously do not care to be reminded of that lonely state. Without the hum of Sookie's emotions, I feel... incomplete somehow. Now, I absolutely relish being able to share my Bonded's physical and emotional pleasure as she climaxes. I have an overwhelming desire to feel her hot little mouth wrapped around my now throbbing cock, so I ask her to give me pleasure in that way. She quite willingly slides off the seat and rests on her knees between my legs. By now, I am extremely aroused, and so hurry things along by freeing myself from my pants. Sookie watches me hungrily; but unexpectedly, I catch the sudden flare of heat in her eyes as she watches me give my shaft a few long, sure strokes. Her arousal is rocketing through the Bond. Ah... it seems that my lusty little fairy likes to see me touch myself, which is an interesting thing to discover. In fact, the next thing out of those delectable lips is a low, "Don't stop. It makes me hot to watch you." It makes _me_ hot to hear her say so... and the next thing I know, she has covered my hand with her small ones, and taken me into her warm mouth.

By the gods, there was never such a woman as this! Watching this perfect creature kneeling between my legs, gazing up at me with adoration and desire, and clearly eager to give me pleasure, is an intensely erotic experience. Having sex in a limo is not new for me, by any means; but just now, with Sookie, somehow it _seems_ new... and very exciting. Even though I want to prolong this, I find that I cannot hold back for another second. With a helpless moan, I release my essence into my Lover's willing mouth.

Once I regain my senses, I pull Sookie onto my lap, and before very much longer, I finally get my wish... I am being thoroughly fucked by my amazing, erotic, apparently uninhibited wife in the sexy little dress that Ibought her. I think I may have just added a brand new fantasy to my list. I know I will replay this scene in my mind many, many times from this night hence. Unfortunately, just as my fantastic lover is approaching her orgasm, the car rolls to a stop. Simultaneously, we both let out a prolonged groan. Thinking quickly, I call the driver and ask for a few more minutes of privacy, while my Bonded and I get presentable. I could have the driver to just keep going until further notice; but I am in the mood for some serious fucking, and need more space to maneuver than this limousine provides. Sometimes, being my size can be quite inconvenient.

While making sure all of our clothing is in place, Sookie begs very prettily for her panties back, but I flatly refuse. The thought of her strolling through the lobby of the hotel completely bare under her short skirt is _very_ stimulating, and much too good of an opportunity to be missed She pouts, but I stand firm. Atticus opens the passenger door for us, and I emerge first, only to watch in amusement as Sookie attempts to get out without giving the guard a peek. She must be more magical than I thought, because she actually does manage it! Once inside the hotel, we head straight for the elevators. After a short wait, Atticus, Sookie, and I step into the waiting car and the doors slide shut. After selecting the proper floor, Atticus stands quietly to one side. The elevator fills with the delicious scent of sex and aroused fairy, and even though my guard never changes expression, quite naturally his fangs slide down in response. Although Sookie's heritage is a closely guarded secret, there is really no way to conceal it from those in our personal retinue... Royal Guards included. This is an excellent example of why. However, I took great care in selecting my personal guards for this very reason; besides being awesome fighters, they are all extremely loyal to me.

Since I have not had any of Sookie's blood recently, I am totally not immune from that amazing scent myself; and I cannot help but slide up behind her and rub myself all over her. I nuzzle her neck and nibble on her ears, which normally drives her wild... but now she does her best to ignore me. She stands still as a stone, and when my hands snake around her body and caress her breasts, she tries in vain to get rid of my wandering hands. Now that our Bond is once again functional, I can feel that she is a tad embarrassed, but really, there is no reason for her to be... I am her Bonded, and there is no reason at all I cannot show her affection in front of our guards if that is my wish. If I wanted to take her right here in this elevator, Atticus would never so much as bat an eye... although he would no doubt enjoy the show immensely. However, the ride upstairs is too short to do much good, anyway. Her refusal to even look at me just fans the flames of my passion for her, and I absolutely cannot wait to get her to our room. Unfortunately, the minute the door swings shut behind us, the first thing out of her mouth is, "Listen, Eric, about Sabriel..."

What! Where did that come from? Of course, after the earlier confrontation with Sabriel. I suppose I should have expected it. Sookie is not stupid and will naturally have questions, but I have no wish to spoil our love-making with a discussion of that horrid little troublemaker. Right now, I want my lover to have nothing on her mind but me. Growling in frustration, I pull her into my arms. In between giving her the kind of kisses that I know will be certain to get her refocused on the activities at hand, I try to satisfy her curiosity by telling her the completely truthful but abbreviated version, "Forget Sabriel!... She means absolutely nothing... All I care about right now is finishing what we started."

Very deliberately, I skim my Lover's neck with my fangs, which almost instantly has the desired result. The lust and longing from both of us slams back and forth through our Bond. Swinging her into my arms, I hurry to our bed and have her peeled out of her dress in no time. She falls backwards on to the mattress, and reaches out and pulls me to her. We are both in such a state that no further foreplay is needed or wanted, so I thrust myself into her in one smooth motion. Sookie gasps, turns a wonderful shade of pink, and instantly the scent of aroused fairy fills the air. The way she looks lying under me causes a fierce wave of possessiveness to roll through me, perhaps because this entire evening has been filled with those who would like nothing better than to come between the two of us... Sandy, then Sabriel, that wild young cowboy, and finally... Luke. I feel like we are under attack from all sides, which naturally brings out the darker side of my nature. Even though rationally I know that Sookie and I are bound together as tightly as two souls can be, and that in reality no one could hope to break us apart, I still have an urgent need to claim what is mine. The vampire in me takes over, and before I know it I am slamming myself into my woman. Fortunately, she is not afraid of my passion, and in fact seems to exult in it, which of course just adds fuel to the fire. Once I feel her climax approaching, I want to hear her say it, I _must_ hear it! So between each savage thrust, I exclaim, "You... are... MINE! Say it, Sookie!"

She hesitates just a moment before answering, and but even that slight hesitation drives me wild. I want so much to bite her! I _need_ to bite her! Her blood is calling to me, and it is sheer agony to have to resist... I lose my head just a bit, and lick her neck in preparation for feeding. Just the possibility of my bite is enough to set off her orgasm, and as it rolls through her she finally cries out, "Oh, Eric! I _am_ yours!" When the words leave her lips, they fill me with a deep sense of satisfaction. My control finally seems to reassert itself, and I am able to control my impulses... this time. However, in the back of my mind, I know with certainty that quite soon, I will _not _be able to stop. I will only be able to resist feeding from her a couple of more days at the very most. For now, though, I am so close to my own climax that the sensations coming from Sookie are enough to throw me over the edge, and this time, I release inside her quite violently.

Afterward, I lay on top of my Lover as we both recover. The long firm strokes of her hands on my back serve to sooth me. Even after that intense joining, I find that I am nowhere near sated, and so I roll over, and pull my delicious little fairy on top of me. I pull her head down to mine for a kiss, and then I hold her firmly in my arms as I whisper, "I am not done with you yet, my Lover. I am going to fuck you until you scream my name... even if it takes all night." I proceed to tell her in graphic detail exactly what I plan to do to her. In response, she squirms and chuckles and blushes, but not once does she object.

A couple of hours later, we are both happily and completely spent. It is still fairly early, but I have no desire to do anything but stay here with Sookie. She lies snugly in my arms, playing with my gold necklace. She offers to warm some blood for me, and of course after all that intense lovemaking I am simply ravenous, so I accept. After giving me a saucy smack on the lips, she jumps out of bed and hunts for something to put on. I admire her lovely body as she raises her arms to slide her nightie over her head. The satiny garment slithers down, covering her form, but at least it is short enough that I can still admire her long longs. She flits out of our room, leaving the door open. Crossing my arms behind my head, I contentedly lie in bed and listen to the sounds of my sweet little fairy rummaging around in the outer room. I grin to myself as I hear her singing a little song under her breath, which seems to be a slightly off-key rendition of "Viva Las Vegas." The microwave runs for a minute, then dings. I am just about to get out of bed and join her when I hear the main door to the suite open and close. There are some unidentified sounds, and some murmuring which is too soft for even my ears to pick up, and then I hear Sookie giggling. "Oh, stop!" she says playfully... and then a second later, "Eric! Bill's here!"

I roll out of bed and head into the living room. As I come through the door, I see Compton standing by Sookie. He is holding her hand, which used to drive me insane... but now I find it no more than mildly irritating. To be perfectly honest, I actually find myself somewhat glad to see him. More out of habit than anything, I ask him, "Compton, what are you doing to my Queen?"

In his normal cool fashion, he replies, "Greeting her, Sir."

Stifling an urge to roll my eyes, I tell him to come sit with me and fill me in on what has been going on in New Orleans. We get comfortably seated near the big window, and Sookie brings us both drinks. I pull her on to my lap and sip my blood as Bill brings me up to date. He has just given me some very encouraging news about the recovery of a fairly substantial amount of money from the Cayman Islands, when the door to Pam's room opens and her escort pops out. I have already forgotten her name. She is looking a little worse for wear, and I see Bill looking disdainfully down his patrician nose at her. Instead of leaving quietly and unobtrusively as she should, the stupid girl actually comes over and interrupts our meeting to announce that she is leaving. She chirps, "Goodnight, Your Majesty! Good night, Sookie. Maybe I'll see you again soon!"

Annoyed that this insignificant human has interrupted my train of thought, I merely give her a glare. Bill is equally annoyed and does the same. Sookie tries to get up to see her out, but I do not allow it. I like my Bonded just where she is, and besides, she is a Queen and not expected to rise when those beneath her leave a room. Sookie knows quite well it is useless to wiggle, so she just relaxes back into my arms and says, "Goodnight, Tiffany."

The door has hardly closed when Pam comes out of her room to join us. She is wearing a lovely nightgown, and a delicate perfume wafts from her. She settles on the sofa next to Sookie and me, and nods her head in greeting to Bill. There has never been any love lost between these two, but since the night of the battle in New Orleans, they seemed to have reached somewhat of a truce. The first thing out of her mouth is a complaint about how stupid her date was... which is exactly the same thing I hear nearly every time she hires someone sight unseen. Sookie suggests that Pam might like these girls better if she would at least make an attempt to get to know them. My child points out that for her to do so would be the equivalent of Sookie talking to a box of snacks... I watch as the expression on Sookie's face changes from shocked to thoughtful, and then finally she just shakes her head and gives up. I can tell that Bill is trying as hard not to laugh at this whole humorous exchange as I am.

I suppose it _is_ hard for Sookie to realize with what little regard most vampires view the average human, but only because she still thinks of herself as merely human. She is part human and part Fairy by blood, and because of our Bond, she now is the vessel for part of a vampire's essence, as well... and not just any run-of-the-mill vampire, either, I might add. The sum of all those parts makes her extremely unique. Eventually, she will come to terms with just how different she really is. In the meantime, she is going to have to get over her squeamishness when it comes to the feeding habits of our retinue. She knows quite well that they are too young to live off of bottled blood alone... whatever the media says. Up until the other night in Pam's office, both Pam and Bill have taken great care not to upset their Mistress by feeding in front of her. I think ultimately Sookie's common sense will prevail, and she will become more comfortable with that particular aspect of our natures.

After a moment, Bill begins to fill Pam in on the items she missed, and then we move on to some fresh business. It seems that last night, Julius was finally successful in capturing the contact man between the drainers and the next level of the organization. He attempted some low-level interrogation with no results, but Bill instructed him just hold the prisoner until we can get home with Sookie. She will no doubt be able to get much more information out of him than any of us. Sookie seems quite agreeable to this, and listens intently as we speculate on how the organization works.

As we talk, Pam begins to massage Sookie's legs and feet. I normally do not care for anyone touching my Bonded, but I can tell that the gentle rubbing is very pleasurable to her, so I allow it. In fact, the sight of Pam touching _anyone_ with such affection is both amazing and rather endearing. Although Bill's expression never changes, I know that he would give anything to be in Pam's place. Before long, I can tell that my Bonded has fallen asleep in my arms. I cradle her sleeping body to my chest while we vampires continue our deep discussion. The three of us talk until nearly dawn, and then I carry a still-sleeping Sookie to our bed. I make a few arrangements for the coming day by phone, and then leave Sookie her daily note.

Crawling into bed, I slide up next to my sleeping wife and pull her close. As I wait for dawn, I replay the events of the reception in my mind, and contemplate what to do about my pair of troublemakers. Sandy is a nuisance, but in another couple of days she will cease to be a problem. Sookie and I will be headed back to Louisiana by then; and if I am not much mistaken, after that Sandy will be much too busy defending her territory from Mel and his band of merry vampires to spend any more time thinking about me.

Sabriel, on the other hand... her actions tonight made it obvious to me that she is not going to go away easily. She may think that she is being clever by being here, and playing mind games with me in public; but obviously she never really knew me well at all. For one thing, when it comes to being devious, she is hopelessly outclassed. For another, I warned her what would happen if she did not stay away from me and Sookie, but she has obviously fooled herself into thinking that I was merely joking... but I do not issue threats lightly. The minute she openly slighted and embarrassed my Queen, Sabriel's fate was sealed. She may think that she has escaped my wrath because I did nothing at the party this evening... but really, for numerous reasons it would be best if her punishment were handed out in more private circumstances.

With my Bonded sleeping peacefully in my arms, I allow my mind to travel down many dark, twisted paths, searching for the most suitable end to the vampiress Sabriel. Eventually the sunrise sends me to my rest.


	18. Chapter 18

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris owns all of these wonderful characters._

_*****I want to thank those readers who take the time to help me correct errors. For example, those who speak other languages are especially helpful. Outside of a little high-school Spanish, and the Latin I learned in college, I only speak English (much to my dismay). I have been using an on-line translator for most of the languages in my text, which apparently is not very good at getting masculine/feminine words right... I can use all the help I can get, so if anyone finds any errors, please let me know._

_***** This chapter was originally twice this long. I decided to break it in half, so you don't have to wait as long for me to get the second half edited. The other half will be up later this week._

**Chapter 18: **

_**Sookie's POV Friday: Las Vegas Casino Party (first half)**_

I awakened to another dull headache. It seemed that the drop of Eric's blood I had taken the night before had not been enough to last very long. I must have fallen asleep in the living room, while my vampires had their meeting. I barely remembered Eric carrying me to bed last night, and removing my nightie before tucking me in. That vampire really had a thing about me sleeping in the buff. He insisted that he liked to be able to feel my warm skin up next to his if he woke during the day. Talk about spoiled! I inched out from under the Viking's big arm, and headed immediately to the bathroom in search of more aspirin. I dug the bottle out of my purse, and downed a couple. As I was filling a water glass at the sink, I saw my daily note. It read:

_**Beloved,**_

_**You deserve some pampering. You have an appointment at the Spa here at 4:00. Pam will join you when she rises. Enjoy.**_

_**~E**_

Huh. I was a little surprised that Eric had made my appointment at the Spa for then, because I would not be back to the room by first dark; but he had told me before we left Shreveport that sometimes he would have side meetings with the other monarchs, and maybe tonight was one of those times. Pam had made a big issue of how great the Spa was supposed to be here, so I was actually looking forward to trying it.

Since I was supposed to meet Chloé at the pool for a late lunch, I slipped on one of the bikinis and wraps that Eric had bought me for my honeymoon. I still had about an hour before I needed to be at the pool, so I called Cooper to tell him when to come get me. Since I had some time left, I sat down with my notebook and attempted to work on my ideas for the new building for awhile. Try as I might, though, I just couldn't seem to concentrate. My headache was marginally better after the aspirin; but it seemed like the last couple of days my mind was stuffed full of cotton. I could hardly put two thoughts together (except for thinking about sex with Eric, those thoughts were clear as a bell). After it became clear that I wasn't making much progress, I pulled out the rose catalog Hector had given me, and started a list of all the varieties I might like to try in the new rose garden. Before I knew it, Cooper was knocking at the door, so I grabbed my purse, keycard, and sunglasses, and went to open it. I said hello to all of the guards, and then allowed Cooper to escort me down to the pool.

Once we found our way to the right door, Cooper held it open for me. I stepped out into the brilliant, harsh sunshine, and had to slide on my sunglasses immediately. Glancing around, I took in the fantastic pool area. I had never seen such a luxurious pool in my life! It was enormous, with a fantastic tile mosaic on its bottom. There were many tables, chairs and chaise lounges clumped in strategic areas. Several cabanas draped with filmy fabric for privacy were dotted around as well. Since this was mainly a vampire hotel, I wasn't too surprised to see that there weren't all that many guests taking in the sun. At the far end of the pool, I could see Chloé sitting at a table under an open umbrella, so I made my way over and greeted her. I introduced her to Cooper, and she said in a friendly way, "Nice to meet you, Cooper. My bodyguard, Milo, is right over there. You might want to join him."

My Were nodded, and went to join the other guard. I could see the other man stand and offer his hand. They shook, and both sat down in the shade of another umbrella. As soon as I plopped into my chair, a waiter came scooting out to take my drink order. Even though it was just one o'clock, Chloé said she was having a strawberry daiquiri, and so I decided... why not? I was sort of on vacation.

The drinks came in a flash, and soon after that our food. Once again, I wasn't particularly hungry, but I was determined to load up on as many calories as I could, anyway. As we ate, we chatted up a storm, and I was amazed at how easy it was to talk to her. For one thing, I was having practically no trouble keeping out of her head. We talked about this and that, but of course the conversation eventually drifted around to life with our vampires. Chloé told me, "Hamilton likes to travel, and we go to lots and lots of parties. Over the last few months, I've gotten to know some of the other girls around the country who are like us... companions to wealthy vampires."

"Are there very many?" I asked curiously.

She shook her head, and said, "_Lots_ of companions, but not that many that are in "long term" relationships... it seems to be really rare for the vampire to actually love the human. Still, it's nice to get together with the other girls to compare notes. I've learned lots of wild things that way... for example, I learned about the Bond thing from you... and I was warned about Luke from one of the other girls."

It sounded like a little informal information network to me... which was only fair, since most vampires were just so danged secretive. Teasingly, Chloé said, "Speaking of Luke, I saw you talking to him at the party last night, and he looked down-right smitten with you. Are you tired of your King already? Isn't one wealthy, fantastically handsome vampire enough?"

"Give me a break!" I said with a laugh, "First, no, I am not tired of Eric, and second, Luke isn't smitten with me... he's just an acquaintance."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Uh huh...I bet that's what all the girls say, right before falling into bed with him."

"Well, not _this_ girl," I retorted, "My Viking is all I can handle."

Grinning, Chloé said, "Your Viking is spectacular, I'll give you that. He's so tall! Since it's just us girls, you've got to tell me... is he "proportional"? She held out her hands, several inches apart. There was no doubt whatsoever to what she was referring. She was as bad as Amelia! However, it felt so good to have a girlfriend in the same boat as I was, and I was in a sharing mood; so I confided, "Yep, pretty much."

She whistled, and said, "Wow! Well, to tell the absolute truth, Hamilton isn't all that special to look at, but he's pretty well decked out in that department, too. I have no complaints... now that he's giving me blood. Up until then, I had to live on aspirin. Talk about sore!"

Oh, yes, did I know! However, I kept that tidbit to myself. "Back to Luke," Chloé said, "I heard through the grapevine that the reason that he won't date anyone seriously is that he was once in love with a very special woman, but she died under some unfortunate circumstances and he never got over it."

Even though I wasn't interested in him romantically, I guess I was becoming as big a gossip as everyone else in the vampire world. I made the "keep going" signal with my hand. Conspiratorially, she whispered, "Do you know about... Fairies?"

Gulp. Cautiously, I nodded. "Well, I think Luke's girlfriend was a part-fairy... like maybe a quarter, or something like that," she said in a low voice, "Anyhow, she died in some strange accident, and the Fairies blamed him for her death, and things got pretty sticky for awhile. I heard that the Fairies and the vampires mostly just hate each other, anyway, so it was pretty strange for them to be in love in the first place."

Oh. Maybe that little bit of information did actually explain Luke's attraction to me. I kept that part to myself, too. Shaking my head, I said, "Poor Luke. He seems like a nice guy... but I'm seriously not interested. I am totally, head-over-heels in love with my very possessive Viking."

"Speaking of possessive, I think I found out one of the reasons that vampires are so danged possessive, especially when it comes to warm-blooded guys."

I rolled my eyes, and said, "Let me guess...Waaaay too much testosterone?"

Chloé giggled, and replied, "Nope. Close, but no cigar. I told you Hamilton finally started giving me his blood, right? Well, I figured I'd ask around, and see if I could find out about the side effects.... and this is what I discovered. First, you have to be _very_ careful not to get accidentally turned, unless of course that's what you're after. Then, as you obviously know, when vampires give you their blood regularly, it keeps you really healthy. Your body is operating at its peak, all the time. You can hear better, see better, feel stronger. Here's the kicker, though... it also makes you extra, super-duper fertile. Oh, yeah, those little eggs are just popping out like crazy. Supposedly, if you even _looked_ at a warm-blooded guy sideways you'd turn up preggers immediately... and probably dead, too, right after the vampire found out. So if you're ever gonna fool around, be sure and use some serious birth-control."

"I can't imagine ever cheating on Eric in the first place," I said quite honestly.

She laughed, and said, "I'm with you on that, Sookie. I really love Hamilton, too... but apparently, there have been a few "incidents" with girls getting a little too close to their bodyguards. Oddly enough, I've heard it's almost always a shifter that turns the girl's head, although sometimes it's a Were. Your guard Cooper, for example... he's a hottie, and I'll bet _his_ swimmers are little Olympians."

At that statement, I glanced over at the Were in question. He saw me looking at him, so I just gave him a half-hearted wave, and turned back around. I whispered, "Cooper? Ewwww. He's my friend, and I guess he's not bad looking, but... no way. Now, I had this shifter guard once when I was on my honeymoon... _he_ was a real hunk. In fact, Eric got pretty bent out of shape over him.... but I really had no interest in him at all."

"I have never dated any Supes but Hamilton; but I've seen some Weres that were really good-looking, so I can see how it might happen," she said. "I saw this guy in New Orleans that was really, really something. I understand he's kind of a rock-star in the Were world. In fact, I heard he's supposed to be here for the Coronation ceremony. I think his name is Quinn."

Oh, holy crap. I should have realized that he would be here for such an important Supernatural event. Uneasily, I wondered if Eric knew... and then realized that _of course_, Eric knew. Chloé looked at me, and said in concern, "Girl, you just got paler than Hamilton. What on earth is wrong?"

"Uh... I used to date Quinn, and he tried to come between Eric and me," I replied uneasily, "I really hadn't expected for him to be here, is all."

She looked at me in astonishment, and said, "You dated _him_, too? Wow! You go, girl!"

"Trust me, it wasn't really all that great. He's got lots of issues... and honestly, I'm pretty mad at him myself. He better just stay the heck away from me."

By then, we were done with lunch, and went and laid in the sun for awhile. A cabana boy brought us out some towels, and set us up with some more drinks. Once we got settled, our conversation continued. Chloé yawned, and said, "Sorry! If I drift off, I apologize in advance. My schedule's been way off the last few days."

"Schedule, what schedule?" I laughed, "Sometimes all I get is a couple of hours sleep, but then sometimes I get twelve... how do _you_ deal with it?"

"Believe it or not, Hamilton is usually big on me keeping a regular schedule, and he's really picky about me eating regularly, too. We have a full-time chef, just for me... which wigged me out at first, but I got used to it. When I met my vampire, I was putting myself through school, and had been practically living off ramen noddles for years!" she said. "The funny thing is, my vampire takes much better care of me than I did myself... go figure."

"Since he's been giving you blood, besides feeling great, have you noticed any side effects?" I asked curiously, "Like... a loss of appetite, or being able to tell when it's time for sunrise or sunset without looking?"

Chloé shook her head, and said, "Nope, not a bit. I eat like a horse, and never seem to gain or lose an ounce. Can you _really_ tell when dawn is coming? If that's true, aren't you afraid you are too close to being turned?"

Now it was my turn to shake my head. "According to Eric, I can't be accidentally turned, because we are Twice-Bonded. I would have to specifically ask him to do it... but honestly, I can't see that ever happening. As for the sunrise-sunset thing, I could do it for awhile, but... not so much lately." Huh. If she wasn't having any problems with appetite, maybe I should re-consider the whole no-vampire-blood policy. Glancing over at our two bodyguards, I asked, "Do you have to have guards all the time? Does it bother you? It drives me crazy sometimes."

She shrugged and said, "It was a little weird at first... well, everything was a little weird at first, right? However, I had a scare recently, and now I am actually glad to have them. We live in a high-rise, and I was leaving the building just to walk down the street for some coffee. Some crazy old guy came running at me with a bible in one hand, and a stake in the other, screaming, "Whore of Satan! Die! Die!" She shivered at the memory, and then continued, "If it hadn't been for Milo, I could have really been hurt. There are lots of crazy people in the world, Sookie."

Shaking my head at her narrow escape, I said, "Yes, I know. It always surprises me how many people are still out to get rid of vampires."

She looked thoughtful, and said, "I think I told you when we met that I am a historian, right? Let me tell you, all throughout history, people have done stupid and destructive things to other groups they feel threatened by in some way. Vampires are just the latest target."

"Oh, that's right," I said, "You were working on your PhD. Are you going to finish?"

Momentarily, she looked upset. She said, "Well, I was getting pretty close to finishing when I met Hamilton, but since then, he seems to want _all _of my attention. Also, he's really old-fashioned, and doesn't think women should work at all... that's just about the only area that we can't seem to agree on. What about Eric? Does he let you work?"

I thought about that question for a minute, and answered, "Let" me? I wouldn't put it that way. I sort of got to know him while I was working for him part time, in the first place. I still do that same job for him from time to time. Also, he owns a nightclub, and I help out there as much as I can. As a matter of fact we are about to expand, and I'm going to help oversee that project."

My new friend looked envious, and said, "Wow! He sounds pretty progressive for such an old vampire."

I said, "He is very, very practical in lots of ways. I think he knows I would be bored sitting around doing nothing all day... but he does seem to have a bee in his bonnet about me doing anything he considers "menial."

"Oh, I know exactly what you mean! Hamilton is exactly the same way. I guess once they get to a certain age and status, they all think like that. Still, for the most part we get along really well."

After that, we went on to talk about where we lived, and what we liked to read, and tons of other stuff. Soon, though, she looked at her watch, and said, "Oops! I have a hair and nail appointment in a little bit, so I have to scoot. I guess I'll be seeing you tonight, though. I enjoyed the visit very much."

I said likewise; and so we both rounded up our bodyguards, and headed back to our rooms. I left Cooper waiting for me in the living area, while I showered and changed; and then he followed me to the Spa. I let him know about what time I would be finished, and told him that he could just come back for me later; but he pulled a paperback from the pocket of his sports jacket, and said he'd just as soon wait out front. He took a seat in the lobby, and began to read while I went inside for my "pampering." My sweet husband had given me a manicure, pedicure, facial, herbal body wrap, and massage. The last time I had been given this "royal" treatment had been the night of the Erebus parade, and I had not really gotten to relax and enjoy any of it, because I was so worried. This time, I had every intention of enjoying my luxurious gift to its fullest. The receptionist led me to a private room, handed me a black satin robe trimmed with red embroidery, and said, "Just slip into that, and lie down. Tina will be here shortly to start your facial, and then after that, you are lined up with Belinda for a massage and body wrap."

I took off my clothes and bra, but left on my panties. It just seemed too... unladylike to go completely bare, even though I was going to be covered with sheet for my massage. I slipped into the luxurious robe. hopped up on the table, and laid back. Before much longer, a nice-looking woman of about thirty-five came in the room, and gave me my very first facial, and I loved every second of it. The lady complimented me on my skin, and said, "You are so lucky! You have the kind of skin that ages slowly no matter what you do... you must have good genes." Ha! She had no idea! Once the facial was over, another woman of about 50 slipped in to my room. She was dressed in comfortable black pants and a tight fitting t-shirt, and introduced herself as Belinda, my masseuse for the evening. She proceeded to rub out knots in muscles I wasn't even aware that I had! She was using some very lightly scented oils, which for some reason reminded me of Claudine, and that made me relax even more... the whole experience was sheer bliss! An hour later, she was done with my massage, and just about to start on the herbal body wrap, when my cell phone rang, startling both of us. She grabbed it from the top of my pile of clothes, and handed it to me. Of course, it was Eric. He began the conversation by saying, "Ah, my Lover, I was just lying here thinking of you. Do you miss me?"

It turned out that he was in a mood, and before I knew it, he had dragged me right into it. I even had to get rid of Belinda until our call was over. Phew! That was one bad vampire! I swear, he could talk me into absolutely anything. After that, I was really, really relaxed... and I'll admit, I even fell asleep during my herbal wrap. A little later, I was just getting starting on my pedicure, when Pam came to find me. She was wearing one of the black satin robes provided, and she had her blond hair casually piled on top of her head. I nearly told her that she looked as cute as a bug, but at the last minute realized that she might not get it, and be insulted instead. "Good evening, Mistress," she said with a smile, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Enthusiastically, I answered, "Yes! This is wonderful!"

"The King sends his regards, and wanted me to remind you that he had a meeting with some of the other monarchs. You will be done here long before I will, so once you are dressed, Bill will escort you to the casino. Eric will meet you there. I will catch up with all of you later."

I nodded, and she sat in the chair next to me and we chatted while we had our nails done. We discussed all the various unusual spa treatments available, such as "Caviar Fusion Facial" and "Coconut Milk Bath"; and Pam tried to talk me into having something called a "Brazilian wax" but when I found out what that consisted of, I nixed that idea immediately. Having someone applying hot wax in that most sensitive of areas and then ripping it off sounded like a very poor idea to me... especially since I had not had any vampire blood lately. It sounded like it would hurt like holy heck! I said sourly, "If you think it's so great, you do it!"

She just grinned and replied, "It would do no good... I would have to have it done every day!"

******

About an hour later, I was done. I was dressed and just about to leave my room, when I heard a light tap on the door. A beautiful tall brunette wearing a short silky black robe stepped inside. The word "DONOR" was elaborately embroidered in gold thread on the front of her robe. She said brightly, "Are you Pam?"

Oh, brother. I sighed heavily, pointed towards the next room, and said, "Nope. Next door, I think." She just giggled and said, "Oops! Sorry!" and went back out. It looked to me like Pam was having another rocket scientist for dinner. Shaking my head, I made my way back to the lobby, fully expecting to see Cooper waiting. Instead, his chair was empty, and the receptionist said, "Oh! Mrs. Northman! You are done a little earlier than expected. Your bodyguard asked me to tell you that he needed to step away for just a minute, and that he would be right back. I think he finished the book he was reading, and went down to the gift store to buy another."

I said, "Okay. I think I'll just wait for him out in the hall." I stepped out of the Spa doors into the broad corridor. Directly across the hall was a series of shop windows, so I wandered over to look at the displays. A moment later, I had the sensation that someone was staring at me and so I casually glanced around to see who it might be. I was quite startled to find the handsome cowboy that had been with that Sabriel vampire last night almost at my elbow. He was casually dressed in a pressed pair of jeans, and long-sleeved western-style shirt. He looked very pale, so I figured he was on his way to find a donor. The gorgeous vampire gave me his devastating little cowboy grin; the kind that was supposed to say, "_Don't worry, little human girl. It's just harmless little ol' me, your friendly __cowboy __vampire _." If I had any less experience with vampires, I might have even fallen for it, too... but I could see that danger lurking right underneath that polite exterior. In his soft Texas accent, he charmingly lisped, "Sorry, ma'am. I surely didn't mean to startle you. I think I met you last night at the party, didn't I? My name is Carson."

His manner was very mild, but I could see the hungry gleam in his eyes. Since this wasn't exactly my first rodeo with a newly made vampire, I took a big step back away from him. "Hello, Carson. How are you this evening?" I asked politely.

"Oh, fair to middlin'," he answered, "I just saw a pretty lady out here all alone, and thought I'd keep her company" He took two steps closer, closing the gap between us and then some. He locked his startling turquoise eyes on mine, and reached out and stroked my arm with his big hand. He said, "You are as pretty as a daisy, Miss Sookie. I think you and I could be real good friends, don't you?"

I sighed. Texas seemed to be producing uneducated, foolhardy vampires by the truckloads. This young male was not only attempting to glamour me, he was actually laying his hands on me. I wondered who in the heck his Maker was, and why she hadn't taught him any better before turning him loose. At that point, I wasn't really all that nervous, since I could just poof away if necessary; but for his own good, I said firmly, "Carson. I _am_ the Bonded of a King, and you should know better than to touch me without permission. As I understand it, that offense can be punishable by death, if the King objects... and trust me, Eric wouldn't like this one bit."

For a split second, the young male looked a little stunned, but I think it was more because his glamour hadn't worked than anything I had said. Just as I was opening my mouth to give him a clearer picture of exactly what Eric would do to him if he found out about this little transgression, Carson inhaled sharply. Instantly, his eyes dilated slightly, and his fangs snicked down. Apparently, newly-made vampires are quite sensitive to the slightest amount of fairy-smell, because I could see an enormous bulge appear in his jeans. Oh, wow. I guessed Sabriel hadn't exactly been exaggerating his attributes. His hand gripped my arm, and he said dreamily, "Miss Sookie, you smell _good_!"

Instantly, I felt my magic swirling up inside me; but I still wanted to handle this without resorting to it, if I possibly could. "Carson, snap out of it!" I said forcefully, "You _really_ don't want to do this!"

At the same time, from behind me, I heard the deep voice of Cooper commanding, "Vampire! Step away from the Queen right now!"

Carson looked clean over my head, and took a good look at my guard. Cooper grabbed me by both of my arms, and pulled me sharply backwards. In a flash, he had inserted his body between me and the vampire, and gave out a low, warning growl. The hair on the back of my neck stood up at the serious menace in that sound. Since Carson was such a young vampire, my highly trained, very strong Were had a pretty good chance of taking him in an out-and-out fight; but I still didn't want it to come to that. Sticking my head out from behind Cooper's broad back, I said soothingly, "Okay, guys, let's all calm down. Carson here just got a little carried away, but he won't make that mistake again, will you?"

Next to feeding and having sex, new vampires love to fight better than anything, and I could see this one's eyes glittering with arousal and danger. At that very tense moment, my cell phone chose to ring, and I knew without a doubt it was Eric calling me to see what in the heck had caused me to be so nervous. Snapping the phone open, I held it to my ear and said, "Hello, Eric."

Sure enough, Eric's voice said abruptly, "Are you all right?"

Before answering, I raised a questioning eyebrow at Carson. I think it had finally gotten through that thick skull of his what would happen to him if I mentioned to my infinitely older, stronger, and extremely dangerous husband what was going really going on. Instantly, the young vampire retracted his fangs and took a couple of steps backwards, palms held out in front of him in a placating way. Into the phone, I said, "I'm perfectly fine. Cooper is here with me, and we are just about to go back to the suite. I'll see you in a little while, okay?"

"Very well, if you are sure. Hurry and get dressed, my meeting will be over quite soon."

With that, we told each other goodbye, and I shut my phone with a click. Carson blinked a couple of times, and then said sheepishly, "I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't know what came over me. I get a little out of control sometimes. I appreciate you not mentioning it to your husband."

Even though the danger was clearly past, my hand was still resting on my Were's back; and I could feel the aggression in his body, clear as a bell. "Come on, Cooper," I said mildly, "I need to get back to the room and get dressed. Eric is going to pitch a fit if I'm late. Carson, next time be more respectful of the rules."

The young cowboy gave me a little bow, and then practically scurried off in the other direction. Cooper was still obviously in attack mode, so I tugged a little on his sleeve, and said, "Thanks for coming to my rescue, big guy, but he's gone now. You can settle down."

The big Were turned to face me, and for the first time I could see his true wolf nature staring out of his huge golden-brown eyes. "Are you all right?" he asked, almost angrily, "Why didn't you wait for me? How can I protect you if you go running around without me?"

He seemed to be pretty steamed, and I very nearly got mad right back; but then I realized that he was just snippy because he was upset. By not waiting for him, I had ended up putting both of us at risk, and that wasn't fair on my part. If anything happened to me, he would have to answer to Eric... and I had a feeling that was one interview that wouldn't turn out too well for Cooper. Apologetically, I said, "Okay, okay, you're right, and I'm sorry. I was just doing a little shopping, when Carson came up for a chat. He's new, and got carried away by... well, to be honest, I guess it was my fairy smell. You know the young ones have no resistance it at all, right?"

"Why in the hell didn't you tell Eric what was going on?" Cooper demanded, "At the very least, he needs to have a good long talk with that jerk."

I sighed, and said, "Look, I screwed up by not waiting, okay? Eric and I have already had one fight this week about guards, and if I tell him about this I'll just be in for another lecture. And besides, if he finds out that Carson actually touched me, I am afraid Eric would do considerably more than have a "talk" with him. He just about tore a young vampire's head off a couple of days ago, just for flashing his fangs at me."

"Sookie, no offense, but you should let Eric handle disciplining vampires in his own way. Trust me when I tell you that they need someone like him in charge. I know you have come to be comfortable around vampires; but they are still killers by nature, and need a strong hand to keep them in line. Think of the next poor girl, who doesn't have a Were and a King to come to her rescue."

Of course, he was probably right. I just shook my head, and said nothing. The guard took my arm, led me toward the elevators, and then back up to my suite. When we got to the door, Cooper somewhat stiffly asked me if I wanted him to come inside and wait until Eric came back, but I told him that I would be fine. Eric had taken Atticus with him, but left the other vampire Royal Guard for me, and Bill should be inside anyway. I told him goodnight, and headed inside the suite to get dressed. I was expecting to see Bill, but he was nowhere in sight, so I went on to my room to shower and dress. I fixed my hair and make-up, and then got out the shimmering green evening gown that Claudine and I had bought in Shreveport. I managed to struggle into it, and get all my bits and pieces situated in the right place. I slipped the pair of cute little green crystal earrings that I had found to go with my dress into my earlobes. They wouldn't go with another thing I owned but this dress; but they had been on sale for half-price, so I didn't feel too bad about buying them for just one occassion. Looking at myself in the floor to ceiling mirror in our bedroom, I decided that I actually looked pretty good. I packed up all my goodies into my tiny evening bag, and I was finally ready to go.

This time when I entered the living room, Bill was already there dressed and waiting for me. He was staring out of the window at the street below, sipping a bottle of TrueBlood. He turned towards me, and immediately his lovely dark eyes began to glow. His fangs slid down in appreciation, and he said huskily, "Sweetheart, you look very beautiful tonight. Eric will be the envy of every vampire at this event."

This was the first time we'd been alone in weeks, and as always I marveled at how amazingly handsome he was. I noticed that his bow tie was a little askew, so I went over and straightened it for him. Kissing his cool cheek, I said fondly, "You look pretty good yourself. I've really missed you, Bill."

"I've missed you, too." He peered at me intently, then said, "Sookie, are you... all right? You are well?"

Huh. Funny he should notice that I wasn't quite up to snuff. I said, "Honestly, I have a slight headache, but nothing to worry about."

Bill put his hands on my shoulders, and pulled me to him. He kissed me on the forehead, and inhaled my scent. Although he never changed expression, I could feel a jolt of surprise coming from him. Carefully, he asked, "Has Eric stopped giving you his blood?"

I knew he could tell anyhow, so I replied, "I quit taking it on purpose. I thought maybe it was one of the reasons I haven't been hungry lately."

For Bill to look shocked was a great rarity. Incredulously, he said, "...and Eric agreed to this?"

Defensively, I said, "It is my choice to take it or not, Bill... just like when we were together. You offered me yours lots of times that I didn't take it."

From him, I could feel a dull ache, and immediately I was sorry I had said it. Rather coldly, Bill said, "There _is_ a difference, Sookie. Eric is your Twice-Bonded, and you should listen to him. You are just being stubborn. You _know _his blood is good for you."

In an instant, I went from feeling bad to being mad. Here was Bill, of all vampires, taking Eric's side... again! Oh, boy, how times had changed. Ever since Eric had become King, it seemed as if Bill was agreeing more and more with the Viking, especially when it came to me. I knew Bill was old-fashioned, and probably thought I should listen to my husband, but really! I had made Dr, Martin leave the word "obey" out of our wedding vows for a reason! Sheesh! "Mind your own business, Bill," I said crossly.

In his cold, calm voice, he said, "Actually, it _is_ my business, and you know it. Eric may not realize how tightly we are bound, but _you_ do."

Well, that brought me up short. All my irritation drained away as my dark vampire and I stood and stared at each other. What he said was true. The Second Bonding Ceremony had not only made my Second Bond with Eric stronger, but had actually deepened my Bond (or whatever it was) to Bill as well. The funny thing was that we had never, until that very minute, said a word about it. Even now, it was almost as if both of us were afraid to speak of it out loud. Finally, he sighed heavily, and said, "You know that I just want you to be happy, and well. Now, the King is no doubt wanting his Bonded. Allow me to escort you to him."

Bill offered me his arm, and I took it. Just before we got to the door, I said softly, "I know Eric asked you to be a Lieutenant. What are you going to tell him?"

My beautiful dark vampire stopped and looked at me intently. After a long pause, he replied, "To tell you the truth, I thought seriously about leaving Louisiana altogether. I thought maybe it would be easier on all three of us."

Oh no! He couldn't! He wouldn't! Bill was.. he was... part of my life! We shared a Bond, and although I wouldn't actually get sick or anything if he left, I would miss him so much! I knew his leaving for good would make me _very_ unhappy. In fact, it was making me feel awful just to think about it. However, I had known all along that someday it might very well come to this. Bill still loved me and it was probably painful for him to see me with Eric, although he hadn't given the Viking even the slightest reason to be jealous ever since our wedding. To be honest, I still loved Bill, too... although not in the same way I once did. We both knew our sexual relationship was over. What we shared now was different, but just as important... and in reality much deeper than what we had when we were dating. I was happily married, and I knew Bill was eventually going to have relationships with other women, but... couldn't he meet a nice girl at home in Bon Temps? Or maybe in New Orleans? But maybe, if I _really_ loved him, perhaps I should encourage him to leave for his own happiness, just as he had done for me when he encouraged me to go to Eric. Knowing Bill, though, he had already made up his mind. Completely terrified of the answer, I asked slowly "...and what did you decide?"

I knew that he could feel everything that had just passed through me, and it seemed to satisfy him somehow. Slowly, the corner of his mouth twitched up, and he said, "Oh, I suppose I'll stay. It is hard to say no to Eric, and also... it seems to take two of us to keep you out of trouble."

I knew that I didn't have to say a word. Bill could feel how happy his answer had made me. This time, his handsome face lit up in a genuine smile. He kissed me gently on the lips, replaced my hand on his arm, and in his slow Southern drawl said, "Shall we go, Sweetheart? I imagine the Viking is getting anxious for his Queen."

******

On the way to the elevator, my cell phone began to vibrate. I scrambled to pull it out of my little evening bag, and saw that it was a text. It read: _Where R U? I want U! _My impatient vampire! Smiling, I sent back: _Coming! Where R U? _A moment later came the answer:_ By the fountain. _By then, Bill and I had gotten in the elevator, and had reached the casino level. As the doors slid open, I relayed to Bill, "Mr. Impatient is waiting at the fountain outside the casino."

Bill took my arm, and we headed in that direction. As we approached the huge water feature, I could see my Viking standing in a group of other vampires. Sandy was talking to him, her hand resting him lightly on his arm. My breath caught in my throat when I saw him... he was just so gorgeous! He was wearing his black tuxedo, and had pulled his long hair back into a tight ponytail. He was so tall he towered over all the other vampires in the group.

Eric was partially turned away from me, but must have felt me approaching, because he turned his head in my direction and gave me one of those brilliant smiles of his. His eyes were flashing, and his fangs slid down immediately... I supposed in appreciation of my dress. Instantly, that strange little crackle of energy passed between us. I could feel a range of emotions rolling through him: a burst of pleasure, a tiny tinge of possessiveness, pride, love, and flat out lust. I happened to glance at Sandy, who was watching my Viking very intently, and caught a strange expression momentarily flicker across her face. As Bill and I approached, Eric stepped away from the group and came towards us. He ordered, "Bill, join the others. I wish to speak to my Queen."

Bill bowed formally, and then went over and greeted the other vampires. Eric stared down at me, his lips turned up in a faint smile. He pulled me to him, bent his golden head to mine and gave me a soft, loving kiss full on the mouth. He put his lips to my ear, and whispered, "I thought you would never get here. I missed my Bonded."

Smiling, I whispered back, "I missed you, too. Make up for it later?"

I could feel his lust rise several notches, and he said softly, "Oh, yes, my beautiful Queen. I definitely have plans for later." Just the way he said it sent chills through me.

We stood together for another minute, staring into each other's eyes, when I heard Sandy's voice saying, "Sookie, you look quite delectable in that gown. You will certainly not lack any dance partners at the nightclub later."

We both turned to face her. She was looking pretty spiffy herself in a very sexy gold sequined evening gown, which left practically nothing to the imagination; and I had never seen shoes with heels that high. Good thing for her that she was vampire, and her feet wouldn't hurt. Her hair had been styled in a "just-fucked" look, which went great with the dress. Never had the difference between human and vampire ideas of royalty been more apparent. She was gorgeous, but still not my idea of what a Queen should look like. I tried to think of Queen Elizabeth in that get-up, and almost burst out laughing. I wondered irreverently if Sandy had been practicing her "royal wave" for the Coronation tomorrow night. Oh dear! I really had to stifle a laugh at that. I guess Eric had felt my amusement, because he looked down at me as if to say, "...what?" I knew he wouldn't get it. To him, this was probably the epitome of Queenly clothing. Clearly, I still had a lot to learn about vampire culture, and I didn't need the oracle to tell me that I had a lot of similar garments in my future.

Apparently, the Viking took a rather dim view of Sandy's last statement. In a rather chilly tone, Eric stated flatly, "She will have no need of any dance partners besides me."

Sandy gave him an amused look and said, "Come, Eric, don't be such a caveman! This is supposed to be a party! Don't you want your Bonded to have fun? Don't forget, you promised to join in the discussion with Roland and some of the others later. Do you really expect her to sit around like a wallflower while you are gone? No humans allowed at the meeting... no offense, Sookie."

"Oh, none taken," I replied amiably, "I am really fine by myself."

Promptly, Eric said, "You will not be by yourself. Bill or Pam can watch you."

"Eric, really! You are going to smother this poor child!" Sandy exclaimed, "She'll be perfectly safe anywhere in this hotel. Well, unfortunately I must go greet more guests now. Eric, I will see you later." She turned and glided off towards a group of new arrivals.

I could feel the Viking's annoyance starting up already, so I squeezed his arm and said, "Come on, honey, Sandy's right. What could happen here? This place has more security than Fort Knox, and you know it. Besides, you promised... no babysitters at the social events."

He brushed his fingertips lovingly down the side of my face, and said, "Very well. I will honor my word. Now, let us go see what the casino has to offer."

The Viking made a gesture, and Atticus suddenly appeared in front of us. I had been so focused on Eric, I hadn't even noticed him before then. I guessed I was finally getting used to him being a fixture of our personal landscape. Eric dismissed him for the evening, since no outside guards were allowed inside the social events. Taking my arm, Eric steered me through the doors to the casino, Bill trailing in our wake. In honor of her Coronation, the Queen's invited guests were all being treated to free gambling chips. There was a special window at the cashier's cage where these could be obtained. I figured the amount of chips that were dispensed depended on just how "tight" you were with Sandy. Eric sent Bill over to collect ours, and soon he came back with a whole bucket of black, purple, and yellow chips... I guess Sandy was trying to tell Eric that he was her _best_ friend. I sighed, and rolled my eyes, but both of my vampires seemed to find it highly amusing.

I looked around the casino with interest. In comparison to the Venetian and the Bellagio, this casino was ultra modern and sleek in design. Although the casino portion of the hotel was still opened to the public, tonight it was mainly filled with vampires and their dates. Even if I hadn't been able to tell from their light glow, it was obvious by the way they were dressed. Most of the regular tourists in Las Vegas were clothed very casually, but the vampires were all dressed to the nines in formal evening wear. They reminded me of pictures I had seen of Las Vegas' early days... glamorous and very elegant. I half-way expected to see Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. come floating past.

Another thing that I noticed that was different between this casino and some of the others was the smell. Cooper had explained that the management teams in Vegas spent a fortune figuring out how to keep people in the casinos longer, and one of the ways they discovered was to make them smell good. Each casino had a very light but distinct aroma, and the Eternity was no exception. I was having a hard time identifying the scent, but it smelled really, really nice. It reminded me of something I couldn't quite put my finger on... something very comforting. I was just about to ask my vampires if they could identify it, when I noticed that both of their eyes were slightly dilated; and then, it hit me. This place smelled very much like Niall and Claudine. They must have found a way to simulate fairy smell, and pump it in to the casino. Since most of the other casinos relied on free alcohol to loosen the inhibitions (and therefore the wallets) of the gamblers, and vampires of course don't drink liquor; so it was a sneaky way of getting their vampire clients to let loose of more money. I wondered if Sandy had thought of it... she seemed to have that kind of mind.

In addition to getting to gamble free, the evening's festivities included a free show in one of the Eternity's theaters and a huge party in the roof-top nightclub and restaurant, named Styx. Both of those events were by invitation only, and Pam had told me earlier that it was sure to be a good time. With my two vampires flanking me, we wandered around the casino, and either Bill or Eric would explain the different games as we passed.

There were quite a few humans present in the casino, and just like the day before at the Bellagio, I was having terrible trouble maintaining my mental shields. I supposed I had just been in the company of vampires too much, and gotten out of practice. As long as I was wedged in between Bill and Eric, it helped some, so I was careful to stay there as much as possible. Occasionally we would stop at a table, and place some bets. Since I had only the vaguest idea of what to do, I mostly just watched. Eric handed me a big handful of chips, and urged me to place my own bets. He would whisper in my ear, and tell me what to do. At first, I had terrible trouble laying down my chips, because to me they represented real money. In my experience, it was just so darned hard to make it in the first place, that it seemed sinful to take a chance on losing it just for amusement. I think Bill finally figured out what the trouble was, and murmured in my ear, "It's really Sandy's money you are gambling... do you really care if you lose it or not?"

After that, it was lots easier. Oddly enough, once I stopped caring, I started winning! We would stay at one table until it got "cold," and then move on to something else. Cocktail waitresses circulated throughout the room, offering free drinks to the humans; and to my surprise, there were also many attractive young women and men dressed in the same kind of uniforms, that had DONOR badges pinned on the front. In the past, all the vampire events I had attended had offered this amenity, but it had been carried out behind closed doors. In Las Vegas, apparently it was considered fine to let it all hang out, so to speak. To keep from taking a break away from a winning streak, a vampire would just call one over, have his or her little snack right out in front of God and everybody, and then resume gambling.

The first time I saw this happen, my jaw just about hit the floor in astonishment. A short but attractive male vampire at the table next to us had flagged down a rather pretty red-headed donor, casually bitten her on the neck, and then began sucking for all he was worth. I glanced around, to see who else might be watching. Of course, the only ones paying the slightest bit of attention were the human tourists in the vicinity. Instead of looking horrified, most of them looked on with avid curiosity. Unfortunately, Eric was leaned over a craps table throwing dice right at that moment, and Bill had stepped up next to him to watch him, so I was momentarily standing by myself.

I was fairly bombarded by the thoughts of those around me_...holy cow! I wonder how many times a night she can do that without getting sick?...do they all taste the same, or what?...man, that looks like it would hurt like the dickens, but she seems to like it..._once the vampire was done, I saw him give her three chips as a tip, and I guess either she tasted really good, or he was winning big, because they were black $100 chips. I had never made that much on a single tip in my whole life! Dang! Idly, I wondered how much my supposedly unique-tasting blood would bring. In spite of myself, I felt a bit like a voyeur for watching, and also slightly queasy... not the usual reaction for a "vampire Queen," I'd bet.

By now, Bill had glanced back at me, and seemed to know exactly what I was thinking (and feeling). He took my arm, guided me back to Eric's side, and then stood protectively behind me. I figured he would be tracking down one of those donors himself before the night was out, but at least he was too much of a gentleman to do it in front of me. Turning my attention back to the craps table, it appeared that the Viking was now on a roll. He had an absolutely enormous pile of chips in front of him, and all the spectators seemed to be betting on him. Every time he rolled, they would all send up a huge cheer, so I guessed he was winning. He looked at me with a rakish grin, and said, "Ah, my good luck charm. With you at my side I cannot possibly lose." There was already a huge stack of chips directly in front of him on the "PASS LINE" area. There was a little white disk laying on the area marked "10," so I knew that is what Eric would need to roll to win. He took all of his remaining chips, and lined them up just behind the line where his other chips were resting.

Bill had explained earlier that the odds of rolling a four or a ten were the worst, and therefore bets placed on those numbers payed out the best. In honor of the Queen's Coronation, the craps tables were paying out ten times odds, instead of the normal two to one. I guess I had developed a glazed-over look at that point, because Bill just laughed and said it meant that the casino would pay a winning roll ten dollars for every one dollar that was bet. All I knew was that if Eric rolled a ten, he would win a huge amount of money. Blue eyes sparkling with high spirits, my Viking held out the dice in his hand and commanded, "Blow on them for good luck."

Smiling, I did as he asked; and then nervously held my breath. He drew back his hand and with a snap of his wrist, tossed the little cubes towards the other end of the table. They hit the edge, and then rolled back... oh! Oh! One die settled with five dots up, and the other looked like it was going to stop on a three... but then, I got so excited that I inadvertently sent out a little sizzle of energy, and the little die plopped over one last time. Guess what.... it was on a five. The "boxman" at the end of the table (whose job it was to see that no crooked dice were used) looked stunned, reached out and inspected the dice carefully, and then shrugged. A huge cheer erupted, Eric laughed like a maniac, and he caught me up in his arms and hugged me tight. I, on the other hand, could hardly celebrate, since I had just been guilty of cheating, big time. I knew full well that both of my vampires had probably felt it when my magic got loose, and must realize that we had just cheated... but do you think that was going to stop either one of them? Oh, no, it did not. Eric actually leaned over and whispered, "Do you think you could do that again?" Even Bill was looking at me expectantly. Vampires! Jeez.

With that, I reached out and started piling all the chips back into our bucket. At Eric's astonished look, I said grimly, "We are done here, buddy." The spectators groaned since it was clear that their "hot roller" was leaving. Too bad! He had won so much that it wouldn't all fit in the container, and so I had to stuff chips into both vampire's pockets. I grabbed Eric by the hand, ordered Bill, "Come on," and practically drug the Viking away from the table. I finally slowed down when we were over by the roulette wheels. Eric looked at the big wheel speculatively, then back at me. Although I could not read his thoughts, I could tell by the speculative gleam in his eye that he was wondering if I could just give that little spinning ball a slight nudge so that it would fall into a particular slot. Unfortunately, the answer was probably, "Yes." I frowned at him, and said sternly, "Don't even _think_ about asking!"

With that, both vampires just started laughing. You would have thought that I had something outrageously funny. I just stood and patted my foot until the two of them calmed down. Still chuckling, Eric said, "It is a good thing for Las Vegas that I have a very honest wife. Dear One, that was completely amazing!"

"Eric, you should really give those chips back. It's just not right," I said firmly.

My vampires looked at me as if I had lost my mind. Simultaneously, they both said a vehement, "NO!"

Giving the pair of them another serious scowl, I asked, "Why not?"

As if speaking to a particularly slow child, Bill asked me, "Exactly how would you go about explaining it? '_Oh, sorry, Sandy, my fairy magic just got away from me..._' I don't think that would be wise, do you?"

Well, I guess he had a point there. Reluctantly, I said, "Well, all right... but from now on, you get no help from me!"

Looking around, Bill said, "If you two will excuse me, I see an old acquaintance that I would like to see. I will catch up with you in a bit."

He bowed, and then sauntered off in the other direction. I wondered if he was _really_ going to see a friend, or to get a snack. In any event, the Viking had been looking around for some other games to play, and said, "Let us go try our hand at blackjack, my Lover. That is something that you cannot influence inadvertently."

I supposed that was true enough. We found a table that had two open seats, and slipped into them. This was one game I actually did know how to play. Gran had taught me when I was a teenager, and we used to play for matchsticks on the old kitchen table. The dealer was pulling cards out of a thing that Eric told me was called a shoe. We both made bets, and it only took me one hand to realize that unfortunately, this was yet another game that I should not play. Since the dealer was human, and I was having trouble blocking things tonight, I could "hear" exactly what he had in his hand. I played out one hand, lost, and then slid of the seat. I leaned in and whispered to Eric, "I think I'll just watch you, okay?"

He just nodded, and then went back to playing. As he concentrated on his cards, I stood behind him and watched, but it was hard to pay attention. I was still being bombarded by random thoughts. I tried my best to raise my mental shields, but was having one heck of a time. Luckily, most of the players at the table where Eric was playing were vampires. The table directly behind me, though, was full of humans and I could "hear" almost every one of them. I glanced at the group, and they seemed like typical human tourists. The table must be "hot", because almost all of them had pretty large piles of chips. The odd thing was, all the players were thinking exactly the same thing, with slight variations..._okay, there's the slug_...and then, as the dealer dealt out each card, they were all counting. The dealer, on the other hand, was thinking _I can't believe that Charles wanted to keep this scam going even during the party. What if we get caught? I hate this Blood Bond! I hate it!_

I had no idea exactly what was happening here, but I thought I could guess. Most, if not all of these players were somehow cheating, probably by counting cards in some way. While I was still trying to digest all of this, a vampire dressed in the uniform of a casino "Pit Boss" walked up to the dealer and murmured something in his ear. The poor man turned a little pale, and immediately thought, "_God in Heaven! How does he always know when I am upset? Even though I'm scared, I really have no choice but to obey, because I know he'll drain me if I screw up._

By that, I gathered that this was "Charles," the dealer's Bonded vampire, and apparently his boss as well. Old Charles gazed at each player in turn, and I was amazed at the absolute cacophony (a recent word-of-the-day) going on in each one of their heads. They all knew him, and were afraid of him! Yikes! After that, he turned on his heel, and strode toward one of the other tables in his area.

Uneasily, I remembered that when Felipe had been telling me about his plans for Eric and me to join his nest, he had mentioned that he wanted my help solving some little problems he was having at his casinos. I wondered if this was one of them. I wrestled with myself for a few minutes. I was here as a guest of one of the owners, and it would be really bad of me to let this go on without telling anyone. On the other hand, I knew what would probably happen to these humans once the vampires found out. From what I could gather, every one of these humans was probably being forced into this out of fear... and besides, even though I hadn't meant to, I had just cheated the casino out of a big wad of cash, too. I thought for a minute, and then slid on to the last remaining seat at the table. Knowing that there were security cameras everywhere, I smiled brightly and said, "Hi, ya'll. Mind if I join you?"

The dealer said, "Welcome, ma'am. Place your bet, please."

Although Eric and Bill had most of our chips, I still had a couple in my hand. I laid them on the table, and the dealer began to lay out another hand. Immediately, the rest of the humans at the table began their mental counting again. Softly enough so that only the players at this table could hear, I said, "Listen, guys. I know what's going on here. I also think that Charles is a real louse." I looked squarely at the dealer, and said, "If you want a chance of getting out of this alive, keep dealing."

Momentarily everyone at the table looked shocked, but quickly regained their composure. Soon, it looked for all the world as if we were just a random bunch of tourists, playing a game. I continued, "I have no choice but to tell the Queen about what's going on, and I'll bet she's gonna be plenty pissed off. I'll make a deal with you, though. If you tell me how this works, I'll give you guys two hours head start before I say anything. You all can do what you want, but my advice is to get the heck out of Dodge while the getting is good. I have a feeling you won't have to worry about Charles chasing you... but Sandy's group might be a different matter."

All the while I had been speaking, the play continued at the table as if nothing had happened. When I finished speaking, the dealer asked each person in turn if they wanted any cards, but I knew what he was really asking them was if they wanted to go along with my proposal or not. Unsurprisingly, they all said yes. When he got back around to me, he explained, "When I pick up the cards, it's in a certain order. I do a false shuffle, and reload the cards into the chute in the same order. There is a marker called a slug which tells the players when those cards are about to come out of the chute."

"Are you the only ones working for Charles?" I asked.

"No, I think there are others, but we don't know each other's names," he readily replied, "I can't help you there."

I looked at the dealer again, and told him, "Your vampire already knows you are upset, so that won't tip him off. Is there any way for you to get out of here without him catching you? You only have to avoid him for the next couple of hours."

The dealer stammered, "Uh.. uh... I'll think of something. I appreciate the deal you're giving us... but if you don't mind me asking, just who _are_ you?"

I shook my head, and said, "Just a girl who was very nearly Bonded against my will by a creepy vampire who wanted to use me, too. Oh, and one last thing... don't any of you get any bright ideas about trying this in the casino in New Orleans, okay? Now, if y'all will excuse me, I've got to get back to my husband."

The minute I said it, I knew I didn't have far to go. For one thing, the dealer had turned even paler and sweat popped out on his brow. From behind me, Eric's deep voice said, "Sookie, what is going on?"

I slid off the chair, and said, "Uh... come with me, and I'll explain."

With that, I turned to my vampire, grabbed his hand and towed him off to an out of the way corner of the casino. It only took a couple of minutes to explain what was going on, but it took a little longer to get him agree to wait before informing Sandy. While we were discussing the issue, I looked up and saw Pam coming towards us. She looked very pretty in a pale blue evening gown. Her hair was done in a very elaborate up-do, and she was as pink as I have ever seen her. She smiled in a very relaxed fashion, and both dimples flashed. Wow! That spa treatment really did agree with her! She said, "Good evening. How's the party so far? Have I missed anything?"

Eric replied, "We have not gone upstairs just yet. We have been doing a bit of gambling."

She eyed the overflowing bucket of chips I was holding, and chuckled, "With some success, I see."

My vampire had a twinkle in his eye when he replied, "Oh, yes, my Bonded is _very_ good luck. Unfortunately, she is rather tired of gambling, and is ready to go to the party upstairs."

"I will go with you... I can come back and try my luck later."

We had stopped at the cashier's cage to "cash in" our chips, when Bill rejoined our group. As I suspected, he must have found himself a donor, because he was as rosy as Pam. The four of us headed to the elevators. There were two special elevators in use for tonight's event, which went straight to the club on the top floor. Standing between them was a perfectly enormous man, even taller and more muscular than Eric. I could tell this was the case, because he was wearing nothing more than a short drape around his hips, and some tall lace-up sandals. From his forehead sprouted fake horns (at least I hoped they were fake) and he was holding a tall staff. I could see some party goers ahead of us put something in his outstretched palm, and then then the tall man made a sweeping gesture with his hand, and allowed them onto one of the elevators. Eric was patting his pockets, and soon produced four golden coins. He handed one to each of us. Pam and Bill seemed to know what was going on, but I was completely clueless. Eric explained, "The club upstairs is named Styx, after the river the Greeks thought was the boundary between Earth and the underworld. That is Charon the ferryman, to whom you must pay a gold coin to take you across the river. In this case, it is a clever way to make sure only invited guests can get upstairs."

We approached the huge "ferryman." He held out his hand for his payment, and then as each of us provided him with our coin, he theatrically made them disappear; and then, with a grand sweeping gesture, he allowed us access to the elevator. Pam sighed, and rolled her eyes, but I thought it was pretty fun. We all piled into the elevator, and were instantly whisked straight to the top floor. The Viking managed to behave himself much better during this elevator ride, contenting himself with merely resting his big hand my back. His fingers absently stroked my bare skin, and as always, his touch made me shiver with pleasure. The elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened to reveal the entrance to the nightclub. Apparently, the party was already in full swing....


	19. Chapter 19

_Author's Notes: I am so sorry for taking so long to get this up, but my second son graduated from University of Texas this weekend, and I have been busy with the celebration activities. I finally found a cozy Irish Pub in Downtown Austin that has a free wi-fi zone; so, I am posting this chapter while sitting by a roaring fire, trying my best to ignore all the yelling fans watching the Dallas Cowboys football game on the Big-screen._

**Chapter 19**

_**Sookie's POV Friday: Las Vegas Casino Party (Part 2)**_

With the sure touch of his hand, Eric guided me out of the elevator and towards the stone facade of the nightclub. Over the doorway was carved "STYX," and we passed under it into a very dark and mysterious atmosphere. There was definitely nothing like this in Shreveport, that was for sure. From what I could see from the doorway, the inside of the club was on multiple levels, with booths, tables, and conversation groups tucked here and there. The lighting was extremely dim, perfect for vampire eyes, but a bit more of a challenge for humans. There were two long bars, one with regular liquor and one for vampires only, with a huge selection of specialty bloods on display. In following the theme of the rest of the hotel, almost everything was upholstered in black leather. The most amazing feature, though, was a small river (with red water, of course) that wound its way throughout the interior of the club, and then passed under a glass wall to continue onto the outside patio. There were several small bridges that passed over it scattered throughout the club. There was a light fog rising from the floors, which glowed with an eerie light; and I wondered how in the world they produced that effect.

The dance floor was located on the far side of the club. There was already a tangle of elegantly clad bodies gyrating to the music and seemingly having a great time. Off to the right was the entrance to the attached dining room, which had obviously been rearranged for the party. For those interested in carrying on conversations, it provided a more quiet atmosphere as well as offering a buffet for the human companions. Eric chose to go in that direction first, and almost the minute we were through the door, he said, "Oh... there is someone that I want you to meet." He steered me towards a group of three vampires standing near an elaborate blood fountain. They were by themselves, and even for vampires seemed very aloof, as if they were merely there to observe. There was one female, bracketed by two males, and they were all quite striking. For one thing, if I wasn't very much mistaken, they had all three been Native American in their human lives. The woman was probably only about five feet tall, and had long dark hair which hung in a straight curtain down her back. She was dressed in a fawn colored evening gown, which was slit up both sides to reveal a pair of curvaceous legs; and her stunning jewelry was made of elaborately wrought platinum with turquoise stones. The vampire men had very strong, handsome features, and both wore their dark hair in long braids. They were wearing well-cut traditional black tuxedos, and each sported an amulet of some sort on a leather cord.

The vampiress turned her large, dark eyes on me, and held my gaze as we approached. Eric's little entourage stopped in front of the three, and he said, "Sookie, I want you to meet the Queen of Oklahoma, Wanda Three Eagles. These are her Lieutenants, Ed Nighthawk and Joseph Eveningstar. Wanda, this is my Bonded, Sookie; my child Pam, who is also my Lieutenant, and Bill Compton, my..." For a split second, the Viking hesitated, not quite sure just what Bill's title was at that point.

Bill finished for him by saying smoothly, "...other Lieutenant." I could feel a jolt of surprise from my Viking, and then a slow smile crossed his face. Briefly, Eric and Bill locked eyes, and my vampire raised one eyebrow in question. Bill gave him a nod, and that was that. The new King of Louisiana now formally had two Lieutenants, one being my former lover. As happy as I was at that little exchange, I was still pretty amazed that everything had worked out as well as it had.

"Oh, I am well acquainted with Bill Compton," the Queen said in a low, melodious voice, giving Pam a cool nod, but gracing Bill with a faint smile. Then she turned her dark eyes on me, giving me a piercing stare.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," I said politely. Without smiling, the Queen of Oklahoma studied my face intently for a long moment, before stepping forward and holding out her hand for mine. For any vampire to do that was very unusual, and I hesitated slightly; but Eric, who still had his hand on my elbow, tapped me discreetly with his fingertips to let me know it was okay. I laid my hand in her outstretched palm, and unexpectedly felt a tiny little sizzle of energy leave my hand and pass in to her. The odd thing was that it was almost as if she had drawn it out of me herself. The minute it happened, I could see the shock of recognition leap into her eyes; and for the first time the ghost of a smile graced her lips. Her fangs slid down and her eyes began to glow, which was a little frightening. I could tell through our Bond that Eric was suddenly on full alert, even though outwardly he looked as composed as ever. I figured that my Viking could protect me, no matter what, so I tried to relax. In her beautiful low voice, the Queen said something to me in a language that I didn't know, but somehow sounded strangely familiar. When it was clear that I didn't understand her, she repeated in English, "I can see that you are one of the old ones. The Viking is truly fortunate to share this Bond with you."

Uh oh. I guessed that meant that she could tell I had a touch of fairy. I was a little shocked that she thought it was such a big deal, since I knew very well that fairies and vampires were not all that fond of each other. All I could think to say was, "Um... thank you, but I feel like I'm the one who is lucky."

For the next few minutes, we had a very interesting conversation; and then the Oklahoma Queen and her braves said their goodbyes and went off in the other direction. Almost the minute they were gone, other groups stepped up to greet us. Bill had missed out on the reception the night before, and actually seemed to enjoy being introduced as Eric's Lieutenant. For a vampire who had proclaimed his disinterest in vampire politics when I first met him, he certainly had come a long way. We hadn't been at the party too terribly long, when we ran across Stan and Deanna; who, as luck would have it, were visiting with a group that included Chloé and Hamilton. The beautiful actress greeted me warmly, and complimented my dress. After chatting for a few minutes, she announced, "Ladies, I am starving. Would my fellow humans care to join me at the buffet?"

Eric patted my arm, and told me, "I want you to go have something to eat. I will find you in a minute." The three of us girls took off across the room towards the buffet, leaving the vampires behind to talk about their dark, super-secret, unsuitable-for-human-ears vampire stuff. I can say one thing for Sandy; unlike Felipe, she believed in providing a good spread for the humans. The food was beautifully displayed, and looked yummy, even though once again I wasn't very hungry.

We found a table off in one corner, where we could observe most of the vampires in the room. I had met a few of them the evening before, and some of them I had met at other events. Deanna seemed to know several, as well. It turned out that the beautiful actress was quite a clown, and she had Chloé and I laughing like crazy at some of her apt but deadly (ha!) impressions of some of the vampires present. Since there were so few humans in attendance, I found that I was having a much better time up here than I had in the casino, even though occasionally one of the other girls' thoughts would float through my head. The ones that I did catch from them were perfectly harmless, and I was tickled to discover that pretty much whatever Deanna was thinking about was exactly what came out of her mouth the next minute. She apparently didn't have much of a filter. It was actually kind of refreshing to know somebody like that, for once.

I was just taking a bite of smoked salmon when Chloé asked, "Sookie, how about that Lieutenant of your husband's, Bill? He is absolutely gorgeous! Eric must trust him a lot to let him any where near you. Ever think of getting a little of _that_ on the side?"

She winked when she said it, and it was clear that she was just teasing me; but that question was so unexpected, I just about choked on the salmon. Deanna calmly reached over and thumped me on my back. While I was sputtering, she said conspiratorially to Chloé, "Well, I have it on good authority that Sookie was once Bill's human, but it was clear to any vampire who saw them together that Eric was completely fascinated with her. The Dallas nest had a betting pool going to see how long it would take for Eric to get her away from Bill, and whether he'd have to kill him to do it. Stan won."

Chloé sat back in her seat, and stared at me in awe."Well, my goodness, Sookie! You _are_ a Supe magnet!" she exclaimed.

The fact that what I considered my very private business was such a source of amusement to a bunch of vampires I hardly knew was both surprising and irritating. Finally, I recovered my breath enough to croak out, "Good grief! Are the Dallas vampires so bored that they have to keep track of my love life?"

"Well, Sookie, as one of the few known telepaths, you are already a curiosity," Deanna replied honestly. "If you had wanted to stay out of the limelight, you should have picked much more obscure vampires to dally with than those two, and most especially the Viking. You have no one to blame but yourself! Now that Eric is a King, you might as well resign yourself to the fact that you are going to be talked about... a lot."

Rather bitterly, I said, "Well, that's just great. It would suit me just fine if he _was_ obscure. I never wanted Eric to be King in the first place."

Chloé nodded in sympathy, but Deanna snorted and said skeptically, "Huh. Surely you knew it would happen sooner or later. That one has "King" written all over him. As far as being in the limelight, trust me, you'll get used to it. Just ignore it as much as you can, and go on about your life."

Obviously, she was in a position to know all about being in the public eye... at least my "public" was only vampires, not the masses of humans she had to contend with. In fact, I had discovered that one of the reasons she liked being around vampires so much was precisely because they _didn't_ make a big deal out of her being famous. To lighten the mood again, Chloé glanced around the room until her eyes lit on a tall, lone vampire standing near a huge window, staring down at the strip. "Talking about handsome vampires, have you girls gotten a good look at the hunk over there? Now _that _is one fine-looking vampire."

Taking a closer look, I saw that she was referring to none other than Carson. He was staring out of the huge window at the street below, sipping a glass of blood, and apparently brooding. Deanna took a good look, wiggled her eyebrows and said, "Mm, mm, mm. I wouldn't mind licking that one all over, kind of like a big ol' vamp-cicle."

"Well, girls, he _is_ gorgeous, but I would stay far away from him if I was you," I informed them very seriously, "I ran into him outside of the Spa just after first dark, and he apparently thought I'd make a nifty snack. My guard had to get in his face to make him back down. He's newly made, and very dangerous."

"He must be pretty dense, if he'd try that with a King's human," Deanna said, "Well, ladies, if you don't like "Dangerous" over there, I promise there are plenty of human boys in Austin that look just like that. You just gotta love those Texas boys... God bless 'em."

Resting the back of one palm against her forehead, and fanning herself vigorously with the other, Chloé dramatically exclaimed, "Whew! I'm moving to Austin! Good Lord!"

As if he could feel us staring at him, Carson slowly turned away from the window, and looked in our direction. Uneasily, I wondered if his hearing was good enough that he had overheard what we had been saying... but I realized it was unlikely. He gave me a crooked little smile, and raised his glass in my direction. The last thing I wanted was for him to come to the table, so I just gave him a quick nod; and luckily he merely bowed, and then sauntered away.

Since between the two of them these girls obviously knew plenty of vampires, I realized that maybe this might be my chance to find out something about the mysterious Sabriel."What do y'all know about his date from last night?" I asked, "Her name is Sabriel."

Deanna gave me a rather strange look, but then said, "Honey, stay completely away from that one. I've never met her, but I've heard she's a real bitch."

"That was my impression, too; but do you know anything else about her?" I wanted to know as much as I could find out. Something about her just didn't set well with me, and I was learning to trust my instincts when it came to vampires. For his own reasons, Eric was obviously not going to tell me a thing, so it was up to me to do a little digging.

"A little. Apparently, she was the daughter of a wealthy British diplomat before she was turned; so she seems pretty sophisticated, even though I think she's not very old. I've seen Stan giving her the eye a time or two, but I put a stop to that in a hurry."

Chloé said, "Last night was the first time I'd ever seen her, but I've got to admit... she's gorgeous. I'd give anything to be that tall! And that hair! Wow!"

"Oh, I don't think she's all that hot," Deanna said shortly. "Sookie, I think your vampire is missing you. He practically hasn't taken his eyes off of you the entire time you've been away from him. I can tell he's crazy about you."

I glanced over at him, and sure enough, the Viking was watching me like a hawk, those fabulous blue eyes smoldering. I could feel a serious wave of lust and possessiveness booming across the Bond, and instantly my heart began to pound. He was just so... so... sexy! I began to wonder if anyone would miss us if we just slipped back to our room for a few minutes. I had the overwhelming urge to be with him, just to touch his skin...

Vaguely, I heard Chloé say to Deanna, "Wow, I think I see smoke coming out of her ears! I feel like if I stepped in between them, I'd turn into a cinder!"

"This is pretty amazing to watch," Deanna replied, "Stan told me about this Second-Bond thing. She can feel everything he's feeling, and vice-versa. There's kind of a boomerang effect, so any emotion they're both having can become very intense."

Absently, I said, "Sorry to run off, girls, but I've got to go..." With that, I got up and headed in the direction of my vampire. Eric met me half way across the room, and pulled me to him. He leaned down and said, "I saw you staring at that overgrown cowboy again, and I couldn't stand it another minute. I want _all_ of your attention tonight." He ran his big hand down my bare back, and I shivered with pleasure. He gave me one of his special Eric kisses, and if my little nether regions hadn't already been hot and throbbing, they would have gotten that way immediately. When we came up for air, I began to realize that every vampire within spitting distance was watching with eyes glowing and fangs down. Although they could probably hear me anyway, I whispered to Eric, "I think we're about to incite an orgy... "

The Viking just chuckled, pulled me a little tighter, and said, "And that would be bad because...?"

That _would_ be the vampire point of view! "Maybe we could just slip back to our room for a little while?"I asked hopefully.

The Viking murmured into my hair, "Hmm. While ordinarily I would find that suggestion an excellent one, I suspect once we got there we might never come back; and there is the little matter of the cheating Pit Boss to be handled, as well as a side meeting I have promised to attend later."

Well, dang! However, he was right; so I decided to just enjoy being with my sexy, handsome vampire and have some fun at the party in the meantime. Pam had already gone off on her own, and Stan and Hamilton were busy collecting their companions. Bill was waiting patiently for us by the door. Our group migrated over to the nightclub, where we found a large table not too far from the dance floor. It was a booth on one side, with chairs on the other; and to my surprise Eric had me slide into the booth between him and Bill. I was a little amused to see Chloé stealing glances between Bill, Eric, and me; and I could tell that she was still trying to puzzle out how my former boyfriend had become the Viking's obviously trusted Lieutenant. It would take me all night to explain it to her, even if I could.

For the next little while, we had a great time dancing and chatting; and I was sorry when Eric glanced at his watch and announced, "I have some business to attend to. Bill, come with me. Sookie, we will not be gone long." I was proud of him for sticking to his word, and letting me stay by myself... until I saw him glance at Stan, who gave Eric a very slight nod of his head. Oh brother! I should have known my very over-protective Viking wouldn't go off and leave me in a room full of strange vampires without someone watching over me, and apparently my new babysitter was none other than the King of Texas. That vampire!

Giving me one last kiss, Eric slid out of our booth, and he and Bill headed off through the crowd. After they were gone, the conversation resumed, and to my surprise I continued to enjoy myself. I didn't feel a bit awkward around the others at all, especially since everyone seemed to be going out of their way to include me. Now that he was getting to know me a little better, Stan was letting his rather boring "public face" down a bit; and to my surprise I found out that he actually had a wicked sense of humor. He and Deanna kept up a playful banter, which kept me laughing. Not long after Eric left, a rather nice looking vampire sauntered up and asked me to dance; but Stan and Hamilton both gave him such a glare that he slunk off without me even having to turn him down. To make up for it, Stan himself asked me to dance, and turned out to be pretty good at it; the real surprise, though, was Hamilton. He might not be the most attractive vampire in the room, but he was an absolutely fantastic dancer. After that, Deanna playfully pulled me on to the floor, and we tried our best to give old Stan something to think about; and his fangs were by far not the only ones around us flashing in appreciation.

After all that dancing, I was burning up! I decided to sit out the next few, to cool off and take a well needed trip to the ladies' room. After telling Deanna where I was headed, I asked the closest waiter to point me in the right direction. It turned out that the restrooms were located through a very inconspicuous door and then down a short hallway. Just past the restrooms the hallway curved into a service corridor, with its own freight elevator for supplying the restaurant and club. Entering the ladies' room, I took care of my needs, and then took the time to repair my hair and make-up. I was headed back to the club, and had just passed back through the doorway, when I had the strangest notion that someone was watching me. After Deanna's earlier advice, I tried my best to ignore it, but curiosity got the better of me, and so I glanced around... but as far as I could tell, no one was paying me the slightest attention. I went back to my seat, just as the other two couples were once again heading back out to the dance floor.

Sipping my gin and tonic, I casually glanced around the crowded club, and thought to myself for about the hundredth time about what party animals vampires really were; when I felt a slight vibration coming from the tiny evening bag on my lap. What the heck...? Oh! It must be my cell phone, which I had to set to vibrate instead of ring before slipping it into my purse earlier. I quickly dug it out and popped it open. Holding it to my ear with one hand, and covering my other ear to block out the noise, I said loudly, "Hello?"

I could hear nothing on the other end of the receiver; and after waiting a minute I realized that the call must have been dropped. I looked at the number to see if I recognized it, but I didn't. It was probably just a wrong number. I put the phone back in my purse, and replaced it on my lap. From my right, I heard a lovely voice with a British accent saying, "Good evening, Sookie. Do you mind if I join you?"

Uh oh. Slowly, I glanced up to see the beautiful vampiress Sabriel sliding into the booth with me. She looked absolutely stunning in a slinky, perfectly cut black evening gown. Around her throat gleamed a diamond and emerald necklace, with matching earrings dangling from her earlobes. Sabriel gave me a brilliant smile, and said, "I saw you sitting here all alone, and I thought I would come over and get better acquainted. Let me say, you look quite beautiful tonight. Your dress is perfect for you." To prove it, she let her fangs down about half way.

To say that I was shocked at this little visit would have been putting it mildly. I wondered exactly what she wanted, and was instantly on my guard. "Uh... thank you," I said cautiously, "If you are looking for Eric, he will be back in a little while."

Tossing back her silky long hair with one elegant hand, Sabriel laughed and said, "No, actually I wanted to get to know _you_ a little better. I hardly got a chance to talk to you at all last night. Now, tell me all about yourself. Where are you from, originally?"

"Bon Temps, Louisiana," I answered, "It's not far from Shreveport."

Flashing a perfect set of dimples at me, Sabriel said, "Really. I find that part of the country to be quite beautiful, and of course Louisiana has a very interesting culture. I understand that Eric and you have a wonderful old house in the country. I have a great interest in historic homes, and would love to see it."

Somehow, I wasn't too excited by a visit from this vampiress, but I couldn't quite bring myself to be outwardly rude to her. "The house isn't really ready for visitors yet, " I lied.

Instead of being insulted, she just said mildly, "Well, perhaps soon then. I'm re-locating to Louisiana in the near future, so there will be plenty of time."

Just then, my phone vibrated again, but this time it was the short vibration for an incoming text. Knowing it had to be Eric, I said, "Uh, excuse me for a sec..." and once again dug the phone out of my tiny purse, and snapped it open. Instead of a message, all I saw was 3 3 3 3 3, which I knew was the text symbol for hearts. Awww! My vampire was obviously bored in his meeting, and had sent me hearts! I thought about sending something back, but knew it would be rude to do it in front of my visitor, so I just shut the phone and laid it on the table in front of me. I must have had a goofy smile on my face, though, because Sabriel said, "I take it that was Eric?"

I nodded, and explained, "He gets bored easily... I guess it gives him something to do."

"Oh, yes, I am sure at his age he _does _get bored quite easily... So, tell me, what did you do before you met Eric?"

"I was a waitress in a bar named Merlotte's," I answered truthfully. My old job was not glamorous by any means, but it had paid the bills and I had no reason to be ashamed of it. I figured she would look down her perfectly shaped nose at me after that, but surprisingly she said, "How interesting. I am sure you met a lot of real characters in a job such as that... and of course, your knowledge must come in quite handy, since Eric owns a bar."

"I suppose so," I replied, "Although I don't actually work in the bar much."

"Well, of course not. Eric is a King... It would look very odd if he allowed you to work," she said easily, "Your only function is to keep the King amused... and with one such as the Viking, that would be a full-time job. Honestly, I was quite surprised to hear that a human girl was able to capture his attention for very long. No offense, Sookie, you are quite lovely, but perhaps lacking in the kind of experience that would be required. After a thousand years of having sex, I imagine one could become quite jaded."

At that comment, my temper flared. How dare she assume that just because I was human, I couldn't keep my husband's attention? However, a tiny hint of worry appeared in the back of my mind that maybe she was right. Throughout this conversation, she had been scooting herself closer to me until she was very close, indeed. She reached out, took my hand into her long, elegant cool one, and pinned my eyes with an intense gaze. She stroked my hand, and said slowly, "Sookie, I feel that you and I could be great friends. My own little hobby is learning all there is to know about sex. Why don't you come with me, and let me teach you a few little tricks. I promise, you have never experienced anything like what I can show you... and then we can have Eric join us. The Viking will certainly enjoy the two of us giving him pleasure together."

Dang! I absolutely could not believe it, but I knew without a doubt that this vampiress was trying her best to glamour me into bed! As Eric's Bonded, I thought I was supposed to be off limits to _all_ vampires, and surely she knew that she taking a huge risk by attempting this little seduction. Now I was _really_ annoyed, and would have dearly loved to fairy-slap that sexy smile off her perfect face; but as Eric's Queen, I knew that the last thing I needed to do was cause a scene, much less use my magic to cause it. However, I did have one other talent that wasn't quite as obvious. I was still a telepath, first and foremost; and in the past, I had been able to occasionally listen in on vampires, especially if they were threatening to me in some way. Maybe I could figure out exactly what this Sabriel was _really_ wanted. Since she was already holding my hand, I focused, and gave it my best shot; but... nothing. Just a big hole where her brain was, just like most vampires. Crap! This pretty much confirmed my suspicions that my ability to "hear" vampire brains was a result of me having recently taken vampire blood... and I hadn't had any of Eric's in a long time. Immediately, I slid my hand out of Sabriel's and stated flatly, "Frankly, Sabriel, I don't swing that way, and I am not about to share my husband with you or anybody else."

Two things happened at once. Sabriel sat back with a look of shock on her beautiful face, and my cell phone vibrated again. Much more calmly than I felt, I said, "Excuse me." I scooted a more comfortable distance away from her, and then flipped open my phone. The text read: _R U all right? Do U need me? ~E_

My vampire must have been close enough to feel that little burst of irritation. I knew he was in a very important meeting with some of the other monarchs, and I wouldn't dream of bothering him with something I should be adult enough to handle on my own. I sent back: _I miss U, but __I'm fine 4 now._

After hitting the send button, I shut the phone, and then glanced at Sabriel. She was staring at me with a thoughtful expression on her lovely face. She said slowly, "Well, Sookie, I can see that you _do_ have some very interesting qualities." She was just about to say something else, when Carson slid into the booth from the opposite direction, effectively pinning me between the two of them. If she already _had_ a date, and one that could hardly keep his hands off of her, then what in the hell was she doing trying to seduce me? Now I was somewhat confused. "You remember Carson, don't you, Sookie?" Sabriel asked, "You met him last night at Sandy's reception. He was quite impressed with you, weren't you, my darling?"

"As a matter of fact, I ran into him a little earlier this evening; didn't I, Carson?" I said rather snidely, "I'm surprised he didn't mention it." Actually, given the outcome of that meeting, I really wasn't surprised at all. If I was him, I probably wouldn't have mentioned it to her, either.

She gave him a sharp look, and said in a flat tone, "Really? How odd that he didn't mention it."

"I just pure-d forgot, Sugar Dumplin'," the handsome cowboy lisped rather nervously, "I was just out lookin' for a snack while you were dressin', and ran into Miss Sookie here."

Sabriel eyed him narrowly, and I could tell that she was less than happy by this news. However, she seemed to get past it, and then she smiled at me and said, "I'm _so_ glad to hear that the two of you are friends now. I'll bet the two of you could..."

She was interrupted from saying anything further by the vibrating of my cell. At that point, I didn't care if it _was_ rude, I flipped it open and read: _I miss U 2. All I can think about is licking you._

Both vampires had scooted quite close, so I know darned well they could read every word. Normally, I would be embarrassed that they had read something so intimate, as well as irritated, but Eric's message had served to bolster my self-confidence a little. So Sabriel thought I bored my husband, huh? Making sure she could see it, I boldly typed in: _All over? Or just in 1 spot? ~S._

It didn't take long for the phone to vibrate once more, and this time the reply was: _All over, and then the 1 spot that makes you scream my name. Be there soon, my angel. I luv U._

This time, even though I had asked for it, I knew by the heat in my cheeks that I was blushing. I guess it also released a bit of my fairy smell, because Carson's fangs slid down immediately. Sabriel's slid out, too, but I don't think it was in response to my smell. She looked... pissed. Trying to act like she hadn't been hanging over my arm reading every word, Sabriel narrowed her eyes, and said rather sourly, "Does he text you like that constantly? How annoying. If Eric is so anxious for your attention, why did he leave you alone in the first place?"

Just as the words left her mouth, Stan and Deanna appeared from around the side of the booth. For once, I was _really_ glad to see the Texas King. Upon spying my two bookends, Stan said, "Well, hello, Sabriel. I'll answer that question. Eric had a meeting to attend, and he left his Bonded in my care. I was supposed to keep an eye on her, and I can see that I have been a little remiss in my duties. Did you want something?" By his tone, it was clear that he was _not_ pleased to find her with me.

Sweet as pie, Sabriel retracted her fangs, flashed him both dimples, and said, "No, Your Majesty, I was just visiting with Sookie here. Nothing important."

The minute he had spotted the monarch, Carson slid out of the booth, and gave the King of Texas a rather ungainly bow. Stan gave him the once over, and the sudden transition from congenial party-animal to extremely powerful, bad-ass vampire was amazing to see. His eyes glinting with menace, he said coldly, "I believe that you are one of _my_ vampires. Newly made, are you not? Let me give you a piece of advice... no, make that a direct command. You had better be on your very best behavior around these ladies, and particularly the Queen of Louisiana. I had better never see even the _hint_ of fang around either one of them again. Have I made myself clear?"

Obviously, the cowboy was not nearly as dense as his contemporaries, Jimmy Rex and Jimmy Ray. Immediately, Carson exclaimed, "Yes, sir! Very clear!" Without even waiting for his date, he bowed again to Stan, then to me, and then melted into the crowd. While her date was busy having a close encounter with his King, Sabriel had risen to her feet; and in her high heals she was taller than Stan. She didn't _look_ worried, but quickly gave him another brilliant smile and said, "Well, Your Majesty, I certainly don't want to wear out _my_ welcome. Ta ta!" She turned, and headed towards the bar without a backward glance. She had never once even acknowledged Deanna's presence. "Nice to meet you, too, you little bitch," the actress said sourly to Sabriel's retreating back. Turning to me, she asked, "What the hell did _she_ want?"

"Well, among other things, she tried to glamour me into having sex with her," I answered coolly, "She seemed a little surprised when it didn't work."

Deanna narrowed her eyes, and said, "Oh, she did, did she? I told you, Sookie, you need to stay away from her. She's poison." Patting the still glowering vampire King on his arm, she said, "Stan, honey, you cool off for a minute, and we'll be right back. Sookie, come on, let's dance." She gave the monarch a quick kiss, and then grabbed my hand to pull me towards the dance floor. It was a fast-paced number, and once it was over I found I had worked off most of the irritation that the meeting with Sabriel had produced. I was back to a more amiable frame of mind, but decided that a little more gin and tonic wouldn't hurt, either. I told Deanna I was going to get myself a fresh drink, and that I would be back to the table in a minute. "Okay. Now that Stan's had a minute to cool down, I'm going to see if his ruffled feathers need any smoothing," she said with a wink, "See you in a minute."

I had put in my order at the bar, and was waiting on my drink, when I heard the unmistakable voice of Luke saying in my ear, "All alone again, Sookie? What _is_ the good King thinking?"

Turning, I saw that tonight the tall vampire was dressed in an impeccable black tuxedo, with a festive red bow tie and cummerbund. His beautiful dark hair was loose and flowing about his broad shoulders, and his dark blue eyes were twinkling merrily. A small diamond stud winked from one earlobe, which I found pretty sexy. Strange that I had never noticed that little detail before tonight. He looked... really, really nice. I swallowed hard, and then said, "Eric had a meeting with some of the other monarchs. He should be back soon."

Luke shook his dark head, and said, "Actually, I just saw him talking to Sabriel, right over there." He pointed toward the vampire's blood bar, and sure enough, when the crowd parted a little I could see them standing there together. Once again, it occurred to me what a perfectly stunning couple they made. Luke and I stood side by side and watched while Sabriel clung to my husband's arm. She had a seductive look on her beautiful face, and leaned in to whisper in his ear. Eric was partially turned away from me, so I couldn't see what his reaction was. A sharp spike of pure jealousy ran through me. Unable to turn away, I stood staring at the two of them as I asked Luke bluntly, "Do you know her?"

"Oh, yes, I know her... but not biblically," he replied, "Not that she didn't try; but fortunately, I am old enough to know better, and also, I much prefer human women. The last time I saw her was when she and your Bonded were still an item."

Instantly, my heart began to pound, and I felt a little nauseated. It was inevitable that someday I would run into this situation, given Eric's reputation with women, but it was a cruel twist of fate that the first one had to be someone as perfect as Sabriel. I tried to fight down the twin emotions of jealousy and pain that were threatening to drown me. Why on earth hadn't the Viking just told me the truth about her when I asked him? I could see now that she had known very well that I didn't have a clue who she was, and had been toying with me out of pure meanness. Humiliation was now added to my emotional stew. Luke said reflectively, "Ah... I wondered what she was doing here with that overgrown cowboy... definitely not her type. No money, no power."

As if from a distance, I heard my own voice asking him, "What do you mean?"

"She is a world-class manipulator," the Californian stated flatly, "Quite obviously, she brought the gorgeous Texan in an attempt to make the Viking jealous. If you ask my opinion, I think she must be attempting to lure him away from you."

_Had_ Eric beenjealous last night? I replayed the evening in my mind. When we had first seen Sabriel, all I had felt from him was that strange nervousness, a little anger, and then just a dull, low-key feeling of irritation... unless... what if that dullness I had felt was him partially closing our Bond? Instantly, I realized that was exactly what had happened, and in fact what must be happening right that very minute. _Why_ had he closed it? To keep me from feeling his jealousy? In fact, I remembered that I _had_ felt anger and possessiveness coming from him, as I watched him walking away from Sabriel and her date last night. Did he still feel something for her? Could he be... having an affair? At first, I completely rejected the idea. I knew without a doubt that he loved me, very much. Like he was always pointing out, I could feel it through our Bond. Even if he _could_ block the Bond, surely his emotions couldn't lie... but was he sexually faithful?

Even though Eric had promised he would be, I knew that vampires were by nature very promiscuous. As Sabriel had been quick to point out, Eric had probably been with hundreds or maybe even thousands of women in the last millennium, and had probably seen and done just about everything it was possible to do as far as sex was concerned. Did I _really_ think that I could keep an extremely over-sexed vampire like the Viking enthralled with my rather limited experience? Even if she hadn't just said as much, I could look at Sabriel and tell that she knew all sorts of things that I didn't... things that he no doubt liked very much. Had I already managed to bore him to the point seeking another lover?

I tried to dismiss the awful thought. I told myself sternly that I was probably just being silly. After all, Eric was with me nearly all the time! Well, except for a few times this last week couple of weeks... and just tonight, while I was at the spa. He could have just as easily been with Sabriel instead of a meeting like he claimed. Also, he hadn't been feeding from me... maybe it _wasn't_ just to keep me healthy. The image of him coming home the night he had claimed to be meeting with the Area 3 sheriff floated through my mind. He had been rosy that night, as if he had feed well recently. My stomach turned over with a sickening thump at the very idea of him drinking Sabriel's sweet, thick vampire blood. It was probably much tastier than my thin human blood, even if mine did have a touch of fairy in it. And even worse, she would no doubt be relishing _his_ ancient blood... his wonderful, potent, amazingly magical blood. That thought alone was enough to make me gasp out loud in pain while my mind continued its head-long somersault... if Sabriel _was_ his lover, what was the point of her talk with me? Was it just to humiliate me... or did Eric know that she was going to try to get me to agree to a threesome? Had he put her up to it? Had the two of them put Carson up to trying to seduce me earlier so Eric could feel free to be with his mistress? No! All of those ideas were just... crazy! I refused to believe any of it... My stomach was churning, my head was spinning, and without warning I felt tears spring into my eyes.

While all this was running through my head, Luke had been watching me intently without speaking. Instead of taking advantage of the situation, however, he took my arm and said sharply, "None of that, young lady! Remember that you are a Queen, and worth ten of her, even if you are not vampire."

His words were totally unexpected, but exactly what I needed to get a grip on my rampaging emotions. I straightened my spine, lifted my chin, and dotted discretely at my eyes with my cocktail napkin. "Thanks, Luke. I can't imagine what came over me," As much as I tried, though, I could not quite contain the tiny tremor in my voice.

Gently, the handsome vampire said, "My dear girl, you are very young and perhaps inexperienced in the affairs of the heart. It will take a great deal of courage to be the mate of a vampire such as the Viking, in more ways than one. My advice is to stand your ground, and never let that little troublemaker know that you are wounded."

When he spoke, I could finally hear the faintest hint of an accent, but I couldn't even begin to tell what it was. "Come, Sookie, dance with me," he said seductively, "Clearly, it will do your Viking good to have a little competition."

Shaking my head, I said, "Luke, you know he is _very_ possessive, and has quite a temper. I would hate for him to hurt you."

With a mischievous twinkle in his lively blue eyes, the handsome vampire said, "Oh, I think I'll risk it. I insist."

Without waiting for an answer, Luke took me by the elbow, and practically dragged me out onto the rather crowded dance floor. It turned out that he was a good dancer, and I tried my best to let the music and the movement knock all the nasty suspicions right out of my head. Unfortunately, this time it didn't work. Awful thoughts continued to bounce around in my head at the speed of light, and I just couldn't make up my mind what to do or think about the whole situation. My brain had been in a complete fog for the last couple of days, and try as I might, I just couldn't seem to snap out of it enough to think clearly.

As soon as the first song was through, I turned to leave the dance floor, but Luke firmly held on to my hand until the next number started. This song turned out to be a slow, dreamy tune. Immediately Luke pulled me in closer, and started spinning me around the room. He really was an excellent dancer, and as he held me close I could smell the slightest hint of a wonderful cologne. Even though Luke was one hundred percent vampire, his scent reminded me of Niall, somehow. I closed my eyes and inhaled, and tried to erase all the suspicions that kept crowding through my head about my husband and his (hopefully) ex-girlfriend. About half-way through the song, I felt Bill come up behind me. He said formally, "May I cut in?"

Luke sighed, and said regretfully, "Sookie, your watchdog is here to claim you. Thank you for the dance. Perhaps I will see you later."

Luke quickly kissed my hand, and then handed me off to Bill. He drifted off into the crowd as Bill pulled me back into the slow dance. In his cool Southern lilt, he demanded, "Sookie, what in heaven's name were you doing dancing with Luke? "

Rather more sharply than I intended, I replied, "I was dancing with him because he asked me. This is, in fact, a nightclub. Dancing is expected."

"Are you just _trying_ to provoke Eric?" Bill breathed into my ear, "That is a _very_ dangerous thing to do."

So is carrying on with old girlfriends right under your wife's nose. "Luke doesn't seem all that intimidated," I said coldly.

Just as coldly, Bill shot back, "In this case, it might be Eric that you should worry about. Luke is older than he is, and theoretically stronger."

What? Older and stronger than my Viking? I had no idea... however, right now I had other things to think about. Without anymore beating around the bush, I grabbed Bill by the hand, practically dragged him through the club, and then outside to a somewhat secluded corner of the patio area. Heatedly, I asked, "Bill, did you know that Sabriel and Eric had a relationship?"

My dark vampire's face never revealed a thing, but I could feel a sudden jolt of surprise coming from him. He hesitated a moment before answering, "Yes, but I was in New Orleans with Sophie-Ann when that was going on. Sookie, that was in the past. Why mention it?"

"It would have been nice to be prepared, is all," I replied grimly, "Clearly I was the _only_ person in the room who didn't know."

Bill snorted, and said disdainfully, "Sookie, if you worry about every woman that Eric has ever been with, you will drive yourself completely crazy. Trust me, you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Fangbangers don't count!" I exclaimed. "Sabriel is a vampire, and so... perfect. She's gorgeous, sophisticated, well-traveled, well-educated... She can even speak to him in other languages! She's everything that I'm not."

Quickly, I turned towards the railing so that he could not see the tears that had welled up in my eyes. I pretended to look out over the lights of the strip below us, but I knew that he could feel my swirling emotions anyhow. Bill stood next to me, and took my hand. His lovely dark eyes caught and held my gaze. I could feel his love swirling over me, like a comfortable blanket. "Sweetheart, you have never quite grasped how incredibly special you are," he told me seriously. "You heard the Ancient Prophetess … you are _Fated_ to be Eric's mate, which means that you were intended to be his all along. Once I knew the truth of it, I felt incredibly lucky to have had you for as long as I did, and that I still share a connection with you. Something as unheard of as a tie like ours _can't_ be a coincidence. I feel that I am _meant_ to be with the two of you, somehow."

Oh, brother! Suddenly, it became crystal clear why he was getting along so well with Eric. He thought he had given me up for some higher purpose! I sighed heavily, and said, "Bill, you are a very sensible guy, for a vampire. You don't really believe all that fortune-telling stuff, do you?"

For once, Bill looked (and felt) completely shocked, and he replied fervently, "Yes, of course I do! You don't?"

I just shook my head, and said, "No, not really... however, I didn't believe in fairies and vampires, either, until just a few years ago, so maybe I'm the one who is naive."

Now it was his turn to shake his head. "I had no idea that you did not believe her," my dark vampire said slowly, "Sookie, you must ask yourself... deep down, don't you feel it to be true?"

Did I? Everyone whose opinions I truly valued seemed to believe it... Eric, Bill, Robert and even Niall. I had never done what Bill had just suggested; and so I closed my eyes, and tried to examine how I _really_ felt... and was somewhat surprised to find that in the deepest parts of my heart and soul, I sort of _did_ believe it. Wow.

Bill was watching me intently with his dark steady gaze, and finally said, "You see, you _do_ believe it. No one will _ever_ be able to take your place."

"All right, maybe it _is_ true," I conceded, "But that doesn't necessarily mean that Eric is faithful when it comes to sex. As you are so fond of telling me, vampires don't view sex the same way as humans do."

Bill looked uncomfortable, and almost unwillingly responded, "As to that, I cannot say. I can only tell you that, if not for Lorena, I myself would have had no trouble staying faithful to you. Even though I was physically compelled to have sex with her, my heart knew how wrong it was... and I despised myself for it."

This was the first time he had ever admitted that to me, and although it still hurt to think about it, I appreciated it nonetheless. I squeezed his hand, and said softly, "Thanks, Bill. I guess this is something the Viking and I will just have to work out."

He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. "It makes me unsettled to see you so unhappy," he said, "Please, let me take you to your husband, and see if _he_ can't convince you that all is well between you."

From behind us, I heard Eric's deep voice say quietly, "That won't be necessary. Bill, please excuse us."

My heart did a sickening flip-flop. I had been so intent on Bill's and my conversation, I hadn't even felt Eric approaching. After giving my hand a squeeze, Bill let go, bowed to both of us, and went toward the door. Eric said nothing until Bill had gone back inside, then he turned those sapphire eyes on me and asked, "I heard the end of that conversation. Why does Bill think that I need to convince you that "all is well" between us? What is wrong?"

I hesitated. Now the moment of truth had arrived, but I didn't really know exactly what to say. _Are you fucking Sabriel? _seemed a little blunt, even for me. Finally, I just blurted out, "Eric... why didn't you tell me the truth about you and Sabriel?"

The Viking stood completely still. A huge jolt of surprise and what I suspected was guilt ran through him. After a moment, he said cautiously, "Sookie, I _have_ told you the truth... just not all of it."

"In my book, that is the same as lying," I retorted angrily.

At first, Eric looked stunned; but then, he shook his golden head and said firmly, "No, it is not. I told you that Sabriel is someone that gave me a great deal of trouble in the past. That is completely true. We did have a brief relationship, of sorts... but it was over before I met you. It ended badly. I have been doing my best to keep her away from you."

I could tell that he was trying to calm me down by sending me waves of love through our Bond. He stepped up, and tried to take me in his arms, but I wasn't ready for that. This time, I was going to get some _real_ answers. I stepped back, swallowed hard, and asked him flat out, "Do you still love her?"

In confusion, Eric said, "What? Do I _still_ love her? Sookie, I _never_ loved her!"

Even though I was terrified of the answer, I just _had _to know. I turned my back to him so that I didn't have to look in those eyes, and whispered, "Are you having sex with her?" The minute the words were out of my mouth, the dam broke and the tears came on like a flood.

Fervently, he replied, "How can you even ask me that? No! Of course not! On our Bond, I swear it!"

"Oh, you mean the Bond that you shut down so that I can't feel what you are up to?" I sobbed, "That Bond? How can I trust it if you can manipulate it like that?"

"I cannot really shut it down... only blunt it a bit," Eric said helplessly, "I was so angry at Sabriel showing up here, I knew it would be unpleasant for you. Bill made me realize that it is not good for you to be constantly bombarded with my strong vampire emotions."

Bill! He must have spilled the beans about my reaction to Eric's emotions on the night of the battle in New Orleans. The thought of those two conspiring against me just made me cry all that much harder. My vampire stepped behind me, took my arm, and turned me around to face him. He pulled me to him and held me tightly as I sobbed into his chest. Gently, Eric said, "Shhhh, my angel, please don't cry. You have nothing to cry about. I am yours... all of me... not to be shared with anyone."

Eventually, my tears subsided, and Eric reached into his pocket and produced a clean handkerchief. He said mildly, "It is a good thing I am always prepared." He dabbed it under my eyes, and then handed it to me. I took it, and tried to repair the damage. While trying to wipe my nose in as ladylike fashion as I could manage, I glanced at his shirt, and saw immediately that I had made a huge mess on it. He looked down, gave me a little half-grin, and said, "You see? My wife is quite hard on my shirts."

Sniffing, I said hopelessly, "We are both a mess. There is no way to get through that crowd without everyone knowing that we were having a fight."

At that, he gave me a big Viking-style grin; the kind that lit up his whole face. He exclaimed, "Ah, Beloved, you forget... I have talents!"

In a flash, Eric swooped me up in his strong arms, and launched us both into the air. He flew us down to the pool level, where he landed and then set me down gently. He kissed me, took my hand and said, "Come, my Love. Now we can take the elevator back up to our room, with none being the wiser."

We did exactly as he suggested, and luckily did not run into anyone. We slipped inside our suite, and I went straight to our bathroom. Oh no! I looked just awful! My make-up was a wreck, much too far gone to repair. I leaned over and washed it all off in the sink. I thought about putting on more, but realized that I had absolutely no desire to return to the party. I got one of Eric's spare shirts out of the closet, and took it back out to the living room. He was once again standing by the big window, staring out. He had slipped off his jacket, and pulled his hair loose from its ponytail. His bow tie was undone, the ends dangling around the unbuttoned collar of his shirt. I crossed the room and handed him the clean shirt, and he looked at it in surprise. "What is this for?" he asked.

"You can't go back to the party in that shirt. You should change."

"I have had enough of the party, unless you want to go back," he replied with a slight smile, "I would much rather stay here with my lovely Queen."

My vampire reached out and pulled me to him. He kissed me gently on the forehead, then my cheeks, then the tip of my nose, and finally full on the mouth. He leaned his head down, and nibbled at my ear, and then breathed in my scent. From behind my ear, I heard him say, "My Lover, you smell like strange vampire, and I find it disturbing... I want to bathe you."

He must have been smelling Luke, and also some of the others I had danced with earlier. It was a good thing my sense of smell wasn't all that sensitive, because I bet I would not care for the scent of Sabriel which was no doubt on _him_. Silently, I took his hand and led him to our huge shower, where we took great care in scrubbing each other very thoroughly.

Once washed and dried, I unpinned my hair and let it fall to my shoulders. I found my brush, and made it smooth, and then searched for my nightgown in case Bill or Pam showed up before we turned in for the day. Eric had already gone into our bedroom, and when I followed him I saw that he had found a way to dim the lights in the room. There were narrow bands of white light that ran around the baseboards, the headboard of the bed, and also the floor to ceiling wall of mirror opposite the bed, which cast an interesting glow. The ceiling was actually full of little twinkle lights almost like the one in the limousine. The Viking gave me a rakish grin and said, "What can I say? It's pure Vegas." I finally found my white nightie where Eric had tossed it after taking it off of me the night before. I started to put it on, but he took it from my hand, and said, "Completely unnecessary as far as I am concerned. Now, come here."

My vampire tossed the little satin garment right back where I had found it, and kissed me tenderly. He hugged me to him, our naked bodies pressed together. Despite the differences in our sizes, we fit together remarkably well. He kissed the top of my head, and said quietly, "You are my Twice-Bonded, Sookie; my one and only love. For a vampire, do you have any idea how rare and precious a gift that is? How could you possibly think that I would prefer Sabriel over you?

I rested my forehead on his hard chest, and sighed. I said softly, "I know you love me, but... she is a beautiful, sophisticated vampire, who undoubtedly knows lots about sex. I'm just an inexperienced human. I thought maybe you were getting bored."

"Bored!" Eric exclaimed, "Angel, you are anything _but_ boring, and we both know very well that you are much more than "just human"... but even if you were, I would love you anyway. As for sex, I am experienced enough for the both of us. I will tell you something... it delights me to be the one to teach you things. I _like_ to know that you have never done a particular act with another man, vampire or otherwise."

Putting his fingers under my chin, he raised my face up so that I would have to look at him. His blue eyes were glowing with an inner fire, and he said seriously, "Now, my Queen, as for the question of beauty... to me, you are the most beautiful woman in the world, living or undead."

We were standing next to the bed, and he turned me toward the huge floor to ceiling mirror on the opposite wall. Rather shyly, I looked at our reflections. He was so huge, he made me feel tiny, and his skin was very pale next to mine. Standing directly behind me, he slid his arms around me and then bent his golden head down to my ear. As his long hair fell against mine, I noticed again that the strands were exactly the same shade. How strange was that? His eyes met mine in the mirror, and he whispered sexily, "Lover, I want you to see yourself as I see you. See how beautiful you are? You are perfect."

My vampire slid his hands over my curves, and gently caressed my breasts. He cupped one in each hand, and as he slowly rolled my nipples between his fingers they hardened instantly. Completely mesmerized, I watched as he ran his big hands back down my body, until they were placed on either side of my mound. He stroked the golden curls lightly, and repeated softly, "Just perfect."

Eric sat down on the side of the bed, with his legs apart, then settled me between them, still facing the mirror. "Now watch," he murmured.

With his hands he parted my legs, exposing my folds. I closed my eyes in embarrassment, but he commanded, "No, my Lover, open your eyes. I want you to watch."

I could feel the perfect mixture of love and desire coming through the Bond, and also his erection was pressing firmly against my back; so I could tell exactly how aroused he really was. Wanting very much to please him, I overcame my shyness and opened my eyes like he asked. I watched in the mirror as he slid one long finger into my folds and found my nub. I had never really looked at myself like this before, and unexpectedly found the sight of his big hand stroking that most intimate part of me to be very, very erotic. I could feel myself getting hotter and wetter by the minute. I glanced up at the reflection of his eyes, and they were smoldering with passion. Eric gave me his most seductive smile, and said softly, "Watch me give you pleasure, Sookie."

Unable to _not_ watch what he was doing to me, my eyes shifted back to my own body. His talented fingers were slick with my juices, teasing my nub in a delicious, steady rhythm. His other hand had found my breasts again, and he caressed one and played with the nipple the way I loved. He bent his head to my neck to nuzzle and suck on it; and even though he wasn't biting me, I could see what it would look like if he was. Passionately, I said, "Oh, baby... please!" He knew exactly what I wanted, but he said hoarsely, "Soon, my Lover, soon. Only a few more nights." Teasing both of us unmercifully, he deliberately flashed his fangs, and then scraped them across my skin and... Ah, god! The combination was just too intense... I rolled my head back against his chest, and cried out as my body shuddered with wave after wave of pleasure. When it was over, I lay panting against him, my heart pounding away in my chest. I could hear him chuckling softly in delight.

My vampire was clearly not done with me, though. Keeping me in his arms, in one swift motion, he had laid us both down on the bed. He stroked my body with his hands, and then parted my legs. He crawled between them, and placed himself at my entrance. Eric said, "I want you to see how beautiful we are together, my wife. Now, look."

My vampire had positioned us on the bed so that by rolling my head to the side, I could see our reflections quite well. He was staring down at me, his long hair swinging forward. He was supporting his weight on his arms, and so the muscles in his chest and arms were flexed. I could see part of his smooth back, and best of all, his beautiful butt. Slowly, he pushed his length inside me, inch by glorious inch, and then stopped. I ran my hands down his muscular flanks. He was right, we _were_ beautiful together. I _loved_ the way our bodies looked, locked together in this most intimate of all acts.

He rested his weight on his forearms, and I slid my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. He whispered sexily in my ear, "Can you feel me inside you? I fill you up perfectly, do I not?" Oh, yes, he did... and then some. My heart pounding, I nodded. He commanded, "Now, look into my eyes, Sookie." I gazed up at him, and I that could see his lovely blue eyes were still filled with passion, but also with love. He said, "Now, can you feel _me_ inside _you_? Not just physically, but the part of my being that now dwells in you."

Our Bond was fully opened, and now that we were joined, I could feel him as strongly as ever. Softly, I said, "Yes, Eric."

Quite seriously, he said, "That is something no other woman will ever be able to claim."

With that, he began to move. He thrust into me, and I think he wanted to prove just how perfect we were together, because he took his time, getting us both close to the edge, and then backing us down, until I thought I would go crazy. I wanted him to finish me, but that little bit of teasing he had done earlier had just intensified my desire for his bite. Through our Bond, I could feel his intense longing and hunger, too. He had his face buried in my neck and was nuzzling me, and I cried, "Eric... baby, _please_!"

I heard a muffled, "Ah, Sookie... I vowed I would not."

And _I _had vowed never to beg... but I was going to, anyhow. As softly as I could, I whispered again, "Please?"

As if to himself, I heard him say, "Surely just a tiny sip should not hurt."

Ah! Immediately, I rolled my head to the side, both to make it easier for him, and so that I could watch. Just to tease us both, he took his time, scraping my neck with the sharp points of his fangs a few times. Each time sent chills through my whole body. Finally, he licked me roughly, drew back a little... and then sank his fangs into the firm flesh of my neck. Oh... oh.... oh my god! It felt so good! He began to suck at the little wounds, and the minute my blood began to flow into his hungry mouth, we both moaned in sheer ecstasy. He never stopped moving inside me, and almost instantly I began my orgasm; and in another second I could feel him shuddering as he filled me. Not only was the physical pleasure incredible, intense satisfaction and what could only be described as relief flooded through our Bond from both of us.

Afterwards, neither one of us wanted to move, and so he lay on top of me for a long time, still licking and sucking at the little punctures. The feeling of his tongue against my skin was so soothing, I just wanted to purr. Eventually, he rolled off and then stretched out so that we were facing each other. Staring deeply into my eyes, Eric said, "You see? There is nothing in this world that could compare with that."

I was convinced. The Bond that I had once despised made our relationship unique, physically and spiritually. All of my prior sexual experiences paled in comparison, because of that one component. Even if I _were_ to have sex with another man, it could not possibly measure up to what the Viking and I shared; and even though he had once had sex with countless women, maybe the same was true for him

Softly, I whispered to him, "I love you, Eric."

In answer, he said something in his old language, and then in English, "Beloved, you are my life. Never doubt my love for you. I swear on our sacred Bond to be faithful." He cuddled me to him, and whispered reassuring words of love in my ear; until completely exhausted, I fell asleep.


	20. Chapter 20

_Author's Notes: I want to say a heartfelt thank you for all the amazing reviews for the last chapter. Each and every one was appreciated. A special thanks to the reader who pointed out my most serious blooper yet.... I was bone-headed enough to have the Queen of Oklahoma wearing SILVER jewelry! Once I quit laughing at myself, I went back and fixed it! LOL! You guys always keep me on my toes, and for that I thank you. Also a big thanks to KLoyd, who helped me with Eric's language. _

_**** Now, on to Eric's Point of View of the Casino Party. This is a LONG chapter, and starts out with a little Viking naughtiness, so be warned!_

**Chapter 20**

**Eric's POV Friday (Casino party)**

My eyes fly open just before sunset, and although I know quite well that Sookie will not be here, I still do not care for it. It was my own doing, though, so I have no one to blame but myself. Shutting my eyes again, I allow my mind to roam freely for a few minutes, and instantly an image of my Lover floats into my head. It is another of my favorite fantasies, and this time, Sookie is dressed in that sexy little cocktail dress from last night, wearing those high-heels that make her legs look so phenomenal. She flirtatiously leans over and places her hands flat on the hood of my Corvette, thus coming tantalizingly close to exposing her luscious bottom... At that thought, my cock springs to attention. I have an urgent need to be with my Bonded, and now! She is already being pampered at the Spa, and to demand that she come back right now is impractical; so after thinking about my dilemma, I reach over and pluck my phone off my nightstand. Flipping it open, I hit Sookie's number on my speed dial, and soon I hear her voice saying, "Hello, baby. Are you up? I'm really enjoying my treat."

"Ah, my Lover, I was just lying here thinking of you," I admit, "Do you miss me?"

Without missing a beat, she replies playfully, "Nope, not a bit. Sven here is giving me a wonderful massage, and all I can think about is where he's rubbing."

Ha! I know very well there is no "Sven," since I made all the arrangements for her Spa treatments myself; and I very specifically requested a female masseuse. "Oh, I see," I said in a sultry tone, "Well then, you won't mind if I do a little rubbing of my own, since you are not here to take care of my needs."

At that, a moment of silence; but even though we are several floors apart, I can feel a faint jolt of arousal through our Bond. In the background, I hear her saying to someone, "Uh... could you give me a few minutes? I need to take this call... I'll let you know when I'm done... Okay, thanks." A moment later, she says softly, "Mmm. I'm sorry I'm not there to take care of you, baby. Are you _really_ rubbing yourself?"

I glance down at myself, and say truthfully, "Oh, yes.... I certainly am. It feels quite good. Since you are not here, I was just having one of my favorite fantasies... but I wanted to hear your voice. Tell me, Lover, do you ever give yourself pleasure when I am not available?"

Another long silence, and a slight jolt of guilt and embarrassment races through the Bond. Smiling broadly, I tell her, "Don't be embarrassed, my angel. Let me tell you my fantasy. In it, you are wearing a short dress, and very high heels. I admire every inch of your spectacular legs. You bend over the hood of my car, and I can almost catch a glimpse of your bottom. You give me a cute little look over your shoulder, and then slowly lift up the hem of your skirt. Under it, you are wearing the tiniest, wispiest panties imaginable. Very slowly, you wriggle out of them, and then toss them to me. Are you wearing panties right now, my Love?"

Through the phone, I hear a soft, "Yes. It didn't seem very ladylike to take _everything_ off, even though I'm under a sheet."

"Sookie, you want to please me, do you not?" I ask her.

The reply comes back, "Yes, of course I do."

"Very well. I want you to take off your panties."

Another moment of silence, then I hear a shy, "All right. If that's what you want." I can hear some rustling sounds, and then, "All right, baby. I am completely, totally naked right now."

The fact that she is willing to go along with my little game just delights me, and I cannot help but chuckle. "In my fantasy, you unzip your dress, and let it slip to the ground," I continue, "Do you know how hard it makes me, just thinking about your perfect body?"

Breathlessly, she asks, "Are you... very hard?"

"Oh, yes. Very, very hard." Under the slow, even strokes of my hand, my member is as hard as a rock. "Now, in my fantasy, you lay your luscious little body down on the hood of my car... you take your breasts in your hands. You squeeze them and then roll the nipples between your fingers. I want you to do it for me, angel. Take one in your hand... feel how heavy it is... and how hard your nipple gets. Now, imagine me sliding it in my mouth, and teasing that firm little nipple with my tongue."

She says nothing, but through the Bond I can feel exactly how aroused she is. I envision her, laying on the pristine white sheets of the Spa's massage table, slick with fragrant massage oils, and fondling her own perfect breasts; and I have to slow my own strokes considerably. This is _much_ too pleasurable to be over too quickly. "In my fantasy, you take your hand, and reach down between your legs," I continue, in a low, sexy tone, "With your fingers, you give yourself pleasure while I watch. It nearly drives me wild with desire. Right now, I want you to take your finger, run it though your folds, and tell me exactly how wet you are..."

From the other end of the phone, I hear a shocked, "Oh, Eric I... I can't!"

"Do it, Sookie," I tell her firmly, "You are mine, and I want you to do as I say. Be a good girl, and tell me how wet you are."

I hear a slight gasp, and then I hear the softest whisper imaginable, "I am... very wet."

"Ah... I wish that I was there to taste you. Now, my Lover, I want you to think of me here in our bed, giving myself pleasure, while you are there doing the same." This time, I hear a moan, and then, "Oh, Eric..."

"You know, I can feel your pleasure through our Bond, even from here. Can you feel mine?"

With a touch of surprise, Sookie says, "Yes, baby. I _can_ feel you. You really are... enjoying this."

"Oh, yes, I certainly _am_ enjoying this," I say with an effort. Keeping up a steady rhythm with my hand, I concentrate on visualizing exactly what my sweet wife is doing to herself right now. I let out my own moan, as our good feelings flow across the Bond. "I can tell you are getting close, as am I. Let me hear it when you cum, Lover."

She is panting lightly now, and a couple of minutes later, I hear, "Ah... Oh god... Oh Eric! Now, baby, now!" And then a soft, low moan. That sound, along with the feelings she is sending me, tips me over the edge; and my essence shoots out like a geyser. Once the spasms have stopped, and I can speak again, I tell my Beloved, "You are an amazing woman, Sookie. Do you have any idea how passionately I love you?"

She chuckles weakly, and replies, "I absolutely cannot believe that I just did that! You are one bad, bad vampire, and..." In the background, I hear a knock and a voice saying, "Ready for me yet, Mrs. Northman?" I can feel embarrassment rushing through the bond. Sookie mutters into the phone, "I gotta go, Sugar. See you later." There is a sharp click as she snaps her phone shut. Laughing, I do the same on my end. Now, I am in excellent spirits, and roll out of bed to shower off the mess I just created.

*****

Just a few minutes later, I am clean, dressed in my favorite Armani tuxedo, and ready to go. The upcoming meeting with Stan and the other monarchs of the surrounding states is slated to begin quite soon. This will be my first since becoming King, and should prove interesting. While dressing, I mentally revisited all the issues I intend to discuss, the most important of which is the problem with the drainers. I am anxious to learn what the others will say on that subject.

After that very erotic round of phone sex with my Bonded, I am quite hungry, so I go straight out to the little kitchen and pop a bottle of blood into the microwave. The door to Pam's bedroom opens, and my child emerges. She is still wearing her nightgown, and her fine blond hair is a bit tousled from her rest. She looks at me rather blearily, and I know from experience it is best to talk to her as little as possible just now. My child has always been slow to rise, ever since she was first made, and a little out of sorts until she feeds. Silently, I hand her the bottle I just heated for myself, and then get another out of the refrigerator. She nods her thanks, and then heads for the sofa where she curls up and begins sipping her blood.

Taking my now heated bottle, I use the remote control to raise the light-tight window covering, and peer down at the busy street below. After the first sip of blood, I notice that it tastes... off. I glance at the expiration date on the bottle, to see if it has gone bad, but no... I suppose I should just try another brand. Well, it really isn't all that bad, so I take another sip. In the reflection of the glass, I can see Bill come silently out of his room, and head for the refrigerator. After the microwave dings, he brings his own bottle back to the seating area, and selects a chair facing the window. I have an urge to warn him not to try to talk to Pam just yet, but apparently he is not inclined to be chatty first thing either. We three vampires drink our blood in companionable silence. After a few minutes, Bill breaks the quiet by asking curiously, "Where is Sookie?"

Turning away from the window, I answer, "At the Spa downstairs. Pamela, shouldn't you be joining her soon?"

Now that she has had some blood, she is ready to converse like a civilized vampire. Pam grins, and says, "Yes. I can't wait. They have a special menu of goodies for vampires, including Donors that come to your room for feeding and fucking in between the other treatments. I just love Vegas!" With that, she gets up and retreats to her room to dress.

Bill just shakes his head, and makes no comment. Taking a seat, I contemplate the vampire before me. Even before Sookie became a point of contention, Bill and I have always had our issues. He has always tried very hard to maintain whatever shred of humanity remains inside of him, while I got over that silly impulse centuries ago. In me, I think he sees himself several centuries hence... ice cold, hardened, and completely ruthless. To him, that is still something to be avoided. As for myself, I have never understood his attempts to meld into human society. We are vampire, and vastly superior to most humans... with a few notable exceptions.

The only thing I ever envied Bill was his relationship with Sookie. It was obvious from the first time I saw them together that he was in head-over-heels in love with his beautiful young human. Even from the very beginning, it set off the most peculiar feelings of jealousy inside me to see them together. To find myself in the same predicament as he almost immediately thereafter was, to say the least, baffling. In my wildest dreams I never expected to fall in love with anyone, much less with a mere human girl (which at the time I believed Sookie to be). Of course, since the Prophetess declared us a Fated pair, I completely understand why; but at the time is was very... unsettling.

Even now that she is unquestionably mine, I still have moments when I envy their relationship. Compton understands her in a way that I may never be able to achieve. He is still very much connected to his humanity, and I am not; but beyond that they share a common background. Even though they consider the hundred and fifty or so years between their births a huge gulf culturally, I could tell them that in reality it is not. Because of my age, I can see these sorts of things very clearly. They were born on the very same soil, and the manners and ideals that Sookie was raised with are very much an echo of the ones Bill had in his lifetime. Sookie knows and understands the war in which he fought, and honors him for it. For Bill, Sookie is a living embodiment of the Southern lady he was raised to protect and treasure. Those things are deeply ingrained in them, whether they know it or not. In fact, if Sookie were entirely human, and if I had never come on the scene, they probably would have been quite perfect for one another.

Since the night I became King, the relationship between Bill and me has undergone a subtle change. He seems to have completely given up any hope of winning Sookie back, and I no longer feel that type of tension between us. He seems comfortable with accepting and indeed supporting my authority now, which was certainly never the case when I was his Sheriff. As for myself, I completely surprised at how much I have come to trust him, and yet... he still has not accepted the position as my Lieutenant. To Bill, honor and loyalty are still of the utmost importance, and if he ever does accept, I will know that from that point forward I will be able to rely on him to obey me unconditionally... with the possible exception of Sookie. I am quite positive that he will always put her first, no matter what. As for Sookie herself, I can feel through our Bond that although she cares for him deeply, it really is nothing like the true love that she feels for me.

For now, I am tempted to take Bill with me to the meeting, but I know that it is unlikely that Pam will be finished at the Spa in time to escort Sookie to the party; so I instruct him to wait for Sookie and bring her to me later. In response, he gives me a sharp nod; and I suspect that he is looking forward to having a few minutes alone with her. It is a measure of my trust that I am allowing it. I get up to leave, and just as I am about to go out the door, Pam appears, casually dressed to go to her appointment at the Spa. We walk to the elevator together, one Royal guard trailing us, the other still posted at the door to our suite. In the elevator, Pam says, "By the way, at the party last night I was able to find out that although Sandy put in a special request for Quinn to be the announcer at her ceremony, she was told yesterday that he may or may not be present. They have a back-up ready, just in case, but I hear she threw a huge fit over the whole thing. Apparently our formerly quiet, composed little Sandy is rapidly turning into quite the prima donna. I just knew it! I am _so_ glad you turned her Proposal down... otherwise, I really _would_ go back to Wyoming."

Shaking my head, I sigh, and say, "_I_ will be glad when this whole event is over, and we can get back to Louisiana." The door to the elevator opens on Pam's floor, and she steps out. I very nearly follow her, just to poke my head in and lay my eyes on my Bonded; but at the mere suggestion, Pam gives me a glare, and says, "You are going to be late for your own meeting, and besides... no woman likes to be disturbed while at the Spa. It defeats the whole purpose. I will give her your regards."

Since I have already managed to "disturb" Sookie at the Spa, and she seemed to like it just fine, I merely laugh at Pam's surly expression. Stepping back I allow the doors to slide closed, and the elevator descends to the next floor. Heading for the lounge where we have agreed to meet, I round the corner and see that the others are already present, and comfortably seated. I motion for Atticus to join the other Royal Guards lurking in the hallway. Taking a chair myself, I greet everyone. Stan from Texas is here with one of his Lieutenants, as is Russell from Mississippi. In addition, Wanda Three Eagles, the Queen of Oklahoma is in attendance; and as always, is flanked by her two warriors. I am a little surprised to see the Oklahoma contingent at this Coronation, They usually keep very much to themselves, and Wanda herself is somewhat of a mystery.

In the seat farthest from the door sits the King of Florida, wearing a tuxedo with tiny pink flamingos marching across the bow tie and cummerbund. He is working diligently on a crossword puzzle out of today's newspaper, but looks up and gives me a polite nod. His Lieutenant is a very attractive female, whom I believe is his child. We all spend a little time exchanging pleasantries before getting down to business. Russell cannot resist teasing me a little by saying, "So, Viking, I saw you standing in the reception line with the good Queen Sandy at the party last night. The two of you looked pretty chummy... will we be hearing an announcement of a Royal Wedding soon?" At this parry, the others perk up their ears and wait eagerly for my reply.

I _knew_ it had been a mistake to stand there with Sandy, even for a minute... Time to put a stop to any rumors. "Absolutely not," I say firmly, "The Queen I already have is plenty."

At that, the Mississippi monarch barks out a laugh and says, "Yes, I imagine that little gal of yours keeps you pretty busy, all right. I'm willing to bet she wouldn't care much for sharing your nest with the likes of Sandy. I surely wouldn't risk making _your _Bonded mad... she is pretty handy with a stake, as I recall. Where is she, by the way? I thought you two were just about joined at the hip."

"I sent her to the Spa, for a little pampering," I answer him, "Compton will be bringing her to me later."

"Compton, eh? Isn't that letting the fox guard the hen house?"

Of course, Russell knows all about their prior relationship. Rather stiffly, I reply, "Not at all. I am his King. He is quite loyal to me _and_ my Queen."

Raising one eyebrow, Russell drawls, "Really. So Compton's still working for you? Since you stole his little human right out from under him, I thought he might be wanting a change of scenery. I was just about to offer him a place in Mississippi."

"Yes, he _is_ working for me... in a very trusted position." Honestly, I don't really know what Bill's title is, but that description is accurate enough. It has already occurred to me that Bill's database and computer skills are a very valuable asset, and other monarchs might be interested in acquiring those assets for their own use; but I have no intention of allowing that to happen. Of course, they will offer him a great deal of money, and probably lots of other perks as well. However, in addition to the very lucrative position I have already offered him, I possess the one thing sure to keep him in Louisiana: Sookie. I doubt very much anything anyone could offer him will ever trump that.

For now, I decided to change the conversation, to keep Russell from bringing up any more irritating subjects. Since I am the one that called this meeting, I take charge and get started by saying, "For more than a year, Louisiana has seen a sharp increase in the number of drainings..."

*****

A little over an hour later, my meeting is over, and the other monarchs have dispersed. I have learned some interesting facts, and I am eager to talk these over with Sookie. Since she has the ability to think like a human, perhaps she can see a pattern to these things that we vampires cannot. Stan was the last to leave the lounge, after making plans with me to get together at the nightclub later in the evening. It seems his companion has taken a liking to Sookie, and asked if we could join them. In contrast to the idiotic escort that Pam had dragged along with us last night, I think that Sookie might enjoy being around Stan's human, who actually seems quite intelligent.

As for myself, I am seriously thinking about heading back up to the suite, and getting Sookie myself instead of waiting any longer to see her. Towards the end of my meeting, I felt a disturbing jolt of irritation and alarm from her, and I had to excuse myself from the meeting long enough to phone her to see what the trouble was. During our little game earlier, I noticed again that our Bond seemed a little... less intense than usual, and I find it quite unsettling. I noticed this same thing just a night or so ago, in Shreveport. I wonder if this effect is just a natural progression of the Bond. Robert told me that eventually Sookie and I could be apart for longer periods of time without getting Bonding Sickness, but he said nothing of the Bond's intensity becoming weaker. As wonderful as it felt when this Second Bond was made, in the beginning I could not help but wonder if I would come to find it too confining some day; but now I honestly cannot imagine being without it. The idea that our connection might be fading is very disturbing, indeed. Without it, I am afraid I will no longer feel... complete.

With that thought, now I really _am_ uncomfortable. I gesture for Atticus to follow me, and immediately head towards the elevators to go upstairs. Just as I am passing the fountain in front of the casino, I see Sandy coming out through the doors, with one of her Lieutenants and two scantily clad young human girls trailing behind her. Upon catching sight of me, she breaks into a brilliant smile, and calls out, "Just the vampire I wanted to see. Good evening, Eric."

Sandy is very nearly the last vampire _I_ want to see... but seeing no alternative, I reply, "Good evening, Sandy." I must admit, the Nevada Queen is looking rather good this evening in a sparkling gold dress and very attractive high heels. She gives me a dazzling smile, comes over, and raises her face for a kiss. I complete the greeting by avoiding her upturned lips, and instead lightly brush my own lips briefly against her cheek. She stands back and surveys me, then says saucily, "My goodness, Viking, you certainly look wonderful in a tuxedo... good enough to eat, in fact." Giving me a rather sultry smile, she reaches up to fiddle with my bow tie. I am quite certain it is already perfectly straight, since I arranged it myself not two minutes ago.

"You disappeared from the Reception last night before I had a chance to find you again," Sandy says in a playful tone, "Why did you leave so early? You missed the entertainment."

I owe her no explanations, so I give none. She says teasingly, "What's the matter, Viking? One of my guests not exactly to your liking? Or did you have to leave to keep your little Bonded out of the clutches of Luke?"

The guest to which Sandy is referring is of course Sabriel, who will no doubt be present at tonight's festivities as well. I intend to keep her as far from Sookie as I can. Although I have "plans" for my former lover, I must be very careful in their execution. I do not want anyone to connect me to her unfortunate demise. To Sandy, I reply, "If you mean Sabriel, she was not exactly the only old lover of mine present at the party, just the most annoying. We left early because Sookie was anxious for _me_ to supply the evening's entertainment... which I did."

"Oh, I am quite certain you did! I was at the Second Bonding Ceremony, remember? You are obviously very... talented. Sookie is a very lucky girl. Speaking of your sweet little Bonded, I confess that I was hoping to catch you away from her. I have a little gift for you, to thank you for your support, and I know that Sookie is still a little squeamish about our ways." She turns to the lovely twins, who have been waiting patiently behind her, and gestures for them to step forward. They are both tall but delicately built blonds, with startling blue eyes. Sandy says, "These are for you. They are from Sweden, and quite untouched by any vampire. I wanted you to have a taste of your homeland. There is a private room just around the corner where you will be undisturbed for as long as you wish."

Both girls turn their huge blue eyes to me, and offer me identical eager smiles. They really are very lovely, and up until recently I would have delighted in being the first to sink my fangs into that virgin flesh, but now... no. In fact, the idea is actually vaguely unpleasant. "Sandy, this is a very generous gift, but I must decline," I say firmly, "I feed only from my Bonded."

"Eric, you must be joking!" Sandy exclaims in disbelief, "I know you told Sookie that you would only feed from her before your Second Bonding; but now that it is done, you know quite well that you can do whatever you want. Why would you deny yourself the pleasure of variety?"

From behind me, I hear a melodious voice saying, "To keep the Bond pure, of course."

Both Sandy and I turn, and see Wanda Three Eagles and her two braves approaching. Sandy looks momentarily put out by the interruption, but quickly recovers. She laughs derisively, and says, "Wanda, what are you talking about? You aren't really going to encourage this ridiculous behavior, are you?"

Wanda turns her big dark eyes on the Nevada Queen, and answers seriously, "Do not disparage what you do not understand, Sandy Seacrest. For a Twice-Bonded pair, to take blood from others dilutes the Bond between the souls... with only a few exceptions. It takes a very special vampire to understand the true value of a Second Bond. It is more mystical and sacred than one such as yourself could hope to understand."

"What makes you such an authority, Wanda?" Sandy says quite sourly, "_You've_ never been Twice-Bonded, that I ever heard."

The Oklahoma Queen gives her a rather mysterious half-smile. "I understand a great deal about the old ways... magic, rituals, Bonds... it is one of my gifts." Wanda pins my eyes with her intense gaze, and says, "I would very much like to meet your Bonded, Eric. Perhaps I will see you both later. In the meantime, let no one sway you from protecting your Bond." With that, she nods to Sandy and me, and heads towards the casino.

Sandy watches the three of them disappearing through the doorway, and exclaims, "Well! Have you ever heard such superstitious nonsense? That Wanda! She plays the mysterious, mystical Indian to the hilt, doesn't she? It is just not in a vampire's nature to feed from only one human... everyone knows that! Now, why don't we take these lovely young ladies, and find that private room? I'll take one, and you take the other, and we'll all have a marvelous time."

Up until this very minute, I had never even considered that taking blood from others might dilute the Bond. Maybe that is why our connection has not been as strong this week... I fed from those two drainers a week ago, and I _haven't_ been feeding from Sookie. Uneasily, I wonder if I have inadvertently damaged our Bond. With a pang, I realize that I have been so busy with consolidating my new position that I have still not taken the time to do any research on Second Bonds, and find out everything there is to know. I wonder what other pitfalls there are lurking just around the corner. Perhaps I should have a more in-depth discussion with Wanda, since she seems to know something about it... In any event, this current situation must be dealt with firmly. Looking Sandy squarely in the eye, I say, "Sandy, as I have already stated, I feed only from my Bonded. Believe me when I tell you, it is not a hardship."

Obviously, the Queen can tell that I have made up my mind. Sighing heavily, she says, "Viking, you are one stubborn vampire. Very well. Randy, send the girls back to the Residence, and I'll see them myself later. Maybe I'll even save them for the ceremony tomorrow night." Her lieutenant bows, and quickly escorts the girls toward the front of the hotel. As she watches them go, she says, "Speaking of my ceremony, I have been informed by E(E)E that Quinn is on personal leave. My lovely ceremony will just not be the same with that stupid Were-Bear they have lined up to take his place. I am sure that a word from you might solve my little dilemma."

Sincerely, I reply, "Believe me, Sandy, I would like nothing better than for Quinn to be here."

Giving a sharp bark of laughter, she says, "Oh, I am certain you would... but you know what I mean. You could let it be known that you are going to pardon him... and then after the ceremony, you can do whatever you want."

If I thought that would smoke the Were-Tiger out, I would certainly think about it. Just as Sandy is opening her mouth to say something else, a group of vampires and their companions step up to greet the Queen. She performs the introductions, and it appears that these are more of her Nevada vampires. I listen, and respond to yet another round of boring social chatter, but what I really have on my mind is Sookie and our Bond. For about the fifth time in as many minutes, I glance at my watch and wonder what on earth could be taking her so long to get here. Finally I cannot stand it another minute, and so I pull my phone from my pocket and send her a text: _Where R U? I want you!_ A minute later, a reply comes back that she is indeed on her way. It is about time!

Sandy looks a little put out that I am not giving her my undivided attention, and says, "Before I forget, I promised Roland that I would pass along an invitation to join him and a few other of the monarchs in a discussion later... oh, by the way, no humans allowed." She names a time, and I agree to go, out of deference to Roland if nothing else. As of now, Pam is my only Lieutenant; so I will probably take her with me, and leave Bill to keep an eye on Sookie. Sandy lays her hand on my arm, and stares up into my eyes. In a low, sexy tone, she says, "After the meeting, we might take a few minutes to have a meeting of our own... a little celebration of our new positions. Have you ever fucked a vampire Queen before, Viking?"

Obviously, she must think that fucking a Queen will be an exciting new treat for me. Sighing, I reply truthfully, "Yes, several, and quite frankly, the sex is seldom worth the danger involved... but the only Queen I will be bedding tonight is my own. If I am not mistaken, she is here now."

Looking up, I see Compton coming down the corridor with Sookie on his arm. In spite of myself, I feel a sudden stab of jealousy... but then, I receive that strange flash of magical energy that is sometimes produced when Sookie and I first see one another. The warmth of her love for me pours through our Bond, and once again I feel complete, as I only do when she is by my side. She is simply ravishing tonight, in a dark green evening gown that I have never seen before. It shows off every curve to perfection. I can tell that she has been sunbathing today, because her skin has a beautiful golden tint to it. Her hair is pinned up in a chignon, which make her look very elegant... and has the added benefit of exposing her glorious neck. She is wearing no jewelry but a pair of sparkling green earrings that match the dress. For costume jewelry, they are attractive enough; but unexpectedly, I find that it displeases me to for anything but real jewels to touch her skin. I wish now that I had asked Robert to send Sophie-Ann's jewelry with Roland. As I recall, there was a splendid emerald-and-diamond set that would look spectacular with that dress. I think that for Sookie's Coronation gift, I will present her with the whole lot at once, instead of giving them out for little surprises here and there. In my mind's eye, I picture myself a couple of weeks from now, draping one after another of the gleaming baubles over Sookie's very naked body. The very thought is enough to make me quite aroused.

With that wonderful fantasy playing in my head, I step away from the group, and greet my Queen. A wave of love for this amazing creature washes over me, startling in its intensity. My Bonded raises her lovely face to mine, and as I kiss her I inhale her delicious scent. It is a wonderful combination of Obsession, fairy, and sunlight. There is also a lingering scent of Bill on her skin, but surprisingly, I do not find it any more than slightly irritating. Instead, his scent is becoming... familiar. I tuck that unexpected thought into the back of my mind, to be pondered later. Just now, I savor the feel of my beautiful fairy-wife's warm sweet lips, and the way her body subconsciously curves into mine. As we whisper our private greetings to each other, I have to resist a serious urge to sweep her up into my arms, and head right back up to our room. However, we need to at least make an appearance at this party, so I will try to be a patient vampire... but afterwards, I will certainly make up for lost time. I look down into Sookie's eyes, and I find myself completely mesmerized by their color and depth. I have the strangest feeling that right now, _she _could glamour _me_ if she were so inclined. In fact, perhaps that would explain how a ruthless, battle-hardened vampire such as myself has fallen so utterly and completely in love... my little fairy glamoured me into it. If that is the case, I hope she never stops...

From behind me, I hear Sandy's voice saying, "Sookie, you look quite delectable in that gown. You will certainly not lack any dance partners at the nightclub later."

My Bonded and I turn as the Nevada Queen approaches. I have to suppress a growl of sheer irritation at yet another interruption. I swear, this particular female has a gift for saying the exact thing sure to irritate me the most. It is just as well that I have no intention of making that Royal marriage with her... I'd probably send her to her final death before the ink was dry on the papers, and be hauled before the Ancient Pythoness with no good excuse. On the other hand, it would probably be worth being chained in silver for several years just to have the pleasure of getting rid of her for good. So she thinks that I am going to allow just any vampire who asks to dance with my Bonded? I think not! Coldly, I reply to Sandy that Sookie will certainly have no need for any other dance partners other than myself. After a little more conversation, Sandy finally drifts off to greet her other guests. Her last comment to me is a casual, "Eric, I will see you later." Ha! Not if I see her coming first.

Once she is safely out of sight, I take Sookie and head for the casino, with Bill in our wake. We stop at the cashier's window, and pick up the free chips that Sandy is giving out as part of her celebration. I am highly amused to see how many she has allotted to my account. Clearly Sandy is trying to impress me with her generosity. I will be more than happy to gamble with her money... it will take the sting out of losing, if fortune does not smile on me tonight. I doubt that will be the case, though; with my own personal good luck charm on my arm, how can I lose?

I know that gambling is new to Sookie, and so I take the time to explain the different games as we pass. At first, she is a little shy about placing bets, but soon she loosens up and begins to enjoy herself. I have been gambling since I was a human boy, much to my father's dismay. He absolutely did not approve, and as I recall I received more than one thrashing for disobeying him, and sneaking off with the older men to gamble. Fortunately, I have always been lucky... most of the time, anyway. In fact, the seeds of my current wealth began as small sums won from the other members of my original nest. Although I seldom play anymore, I still enjoy it on occasion.

As for Bill, I am a bit surprised to see that not only does he enjoy gambling, he is quite good at it. I would have thought him much too conservative to take risks with money; but it turns out that he learned to wager when he was a soldier, in order to pass the time. Sometimes I forget that in his human life, he was a warrior, like me. He has an excellent head for figures, and can calculate odds easily; and apparently, he has the necessary skill, nerve, and luck to be successful at winning. Up until tonight, I thought the only things that Bill and I had in common were being vampire, and loving the same woman; but now, I find myself somewhat amused to learn that there is more to Bill Compton than I could have guessed.

It seems that luck is with all three of us this evening. I find a craps table that seems to be "hot," and try my hand there. My string of good fortune continues, and the crowd around the table grows as I continue to roll winning combinations. At one point, I realize that Sookie has stepped away from my side, and I glance around to see where my lucky charm has gotten off to... but I see Bill has kept an eye on her, because a moment later he guides her back to the table. This is a rather critical roll, and so I ask her to blow on the dice for me. She obliges, and I toss them... the first one stops on five, and much to my dismay the second one is just about to land on a losing three... but suddenly, it defies the laws of physics and lands with the five up. A huge cheer erupts from the onlookers, and I cannot help but let out an astonished laugh as I pick up my little fairy and hug her to me... Although completely unexpected, I know exactly what happened. Since I was standing right next to her, I could literally feel the magical energy of my Bonded as it flowed out of her. I thought at first that she had done it on purpose, but one glance at her shocked face told me everything I needed to know. Bill is grinning, and even though he could not feel her magic as I did, I suppose he has figured out what just occurred as well.

If only I had Sookie with me in those early days, I would be twice as wealthy by now! A fairy- wife makes a most excellent good luck charm, especially when her magic supplies the "luck". Honestly, I have not had that much fun in years! Immediately, I ask her if she can do it again, but to my surprise, she begins raking all of our chips back into the container. I have no idea why she seems so irritated. She gives me a look that would send a younger vampire scuttling for the safety of his coffin, and says flatly, "We are done here, Buddy." Oh. When she calls me "Buddy," it means she is somehow upset with my behavior, but I cannot fathom what it could be. After stuffing the remaining chips into our pockets, she grabs my hand and marches away from the craps table. She leads us straight over to the roulette wheel, and stops. Perhaps she is wanting to see if she has similar success with this game... surely it would take very little magic to nudge that tiny little ball into the proper slot. I am just calculating how best to approach this, when she gives me a serious frown, and states, "Don't even _think_ about asking!"

Ah, I think I finally get it. She is upset that we "cheated" the house. She looks so adorable, standing there with her hands firmly planted on her hips, fuming away! This transgression is so minor compared to some of the things I have done over the years, it doesn't even count. Vampires obviously have a little different view on this type of thing... even Bill can see the humor in the situation, and before I know it we are sharing a laugh at my sweet wife's expense. Sookie insists that we give the chips back, and I let Bill be the one to explain to her why that is an extraordinarily bad idea. By his expression, I can tell Bill thinks Sookie is about to launch into another lecture on honesty. He makes up some lame excuse about seeing an old friend, and hurries away, leaving his King on the receiving end of that Stackhouse temper... Coward!

However, to my surprise Sookie just watches his back as he walks away, and says nothing further on the subject. Trying to distract her before she gets her second wind, I look around and spy a blackjack table nearby. I get her to follow me to the table, but after the first hand I can tell she is getting riled up again. She slides off her seat, and stands quietly behind me while I play. I have a fairly good system for this game, but it requires a great deal of concentration. I play several hands, and win (without any magic, I might add), before I realize that Sookie is no longer behind me. I glance around, and realize that she is sitting at another blackjack table almost directly behind me. I slide up behind her just in time to hear, "....don't any of you get any bright ideas about trying this in the casino in New Orleans, okay? Now, if y'all will excuse me, I've got to get back to my husband."

If that one little statement wasn't enough to tell me that something is amiss, the look on the dealer's pale and sweating face would do it. Without further ado, I inquire, "Sookie, what is going on?" She hops off her stool, grabs my hand and drags me over to a secluded corner before telling me, "Well, baby, it's like this. I've been having a little trouble keeping other people's voices out of my head the last couple of days, and I overheard those guys... well, to make a long story short, there's a vampire Pit Boss named Charles who has been forcing his humans to cheat Sandy's casino out of a boatload of money."

WHAT! I turn my back for five minutes, and here is my Bonded, embroiled in another mess. Pam is right, Sookie _is_ a danger magnet. I am quite proud of her telepathic abilities, but what if this Charles had caught her talking to his humans? I suppose I could have moved fast enough to intercept him before he hurt her, but still... visions of Longshadow pinning her to that table in Fangtasia dance through my mind. I mull the situation over carefully. Sandy has done nothing but irritate me since I arrived; first with being rude to Sookie, then not warning me that Sabriel was lying in wait at the reception last night, and just a short while ago trying to tempt me to feed from others... Honestly, I am inclined to ignore this whole thing. However, it goes against my grain to allow an underling to cheat his overlord, and so I finally say, "I need to inform Sandy of this, and let her security forces handle it before the humans get away."

"Um... we can't just yet. I told them I would give them two hours before I said anything," Sookie informs me calmly. I am somewhat annoyed to find out that she has yet again put human interests before vampire ones. A small argument ensues, until she finally get me to agree to her terms. It is absolutely amazing what my woman can get me to agree to. I can well imagine the grief Sandy will give me for allowing this delay... however, she really should be grateful that Sookie has identified the ring-leader, this vampire Charles. In reality, the humans are fairly insignificant in the scheme of things. Sookie has just saved this casino untold amounts of money. I find it highly ironic that my Bonded has just done exactly what Felipe de Castro wanted her to do in the first place, but of her own free will... and unpaid, to boot. If I was still inclined to rent out her telepathic services, her fees for a consultation such as this would have been way more than the money we just won... so that should salve my Bonded's conscience somewhat.

Just as we are finishing up with this rather irritating conversation, I can see Pam approaching. She greets us, and luckily for me, she decides to delay her gambling until later. My child is a notoriously poor gambler, in spite of all my tutelage. I could give her every one of these chips, and an hour later she would be back asking me for more... she has no head for it, and gets carried away in the excitement much too easily. I'm afraid Pam is a tad on the spoiled side, when it comes to money. She was from a good family in her human life, and since I made her, she has wanted for nothing. It was fortunate for her that her Maker was already a vampire of means. Years ago, I set up trust funds for her, so she is a wealthy woman in her own right. She only works with me at Fangtasia because it is an adventure, and keeps her from being bored.

After a brief conversation, we decide to go upstairs to the nightclub and join the party there. We cash out, and just as we are about to head to the nightclub, Bill saunters up in time to join us. I guide my little group toward the elevators, and remember at the last minute to dispense the little golden coins that will allow access to the club to each of my party. We pay our tribute to Charon, and he allows us to enter the elevator. It is an express car straight to the top of the hotel, and soon the doors open to reveal the small lobby just outside the nightclub.

Once inside the club, I look around with interest. Unlike Fangtasia, this club actually does cater mainly to the vampire trade. Since the vampire population in New Orleans continues to rise, I have been toying with the idea of opening a club there very much like this one. I approve of the floor plan, and the lighting and atmosphere is very pleasant. I see that there is a human buffet set up in the adjacent restaurant, and since I want to make sure that my Bonded eats something, I steer her in that direction. The minute we step through the door, I spy Wanda and her two braves standing off to one side, as aloof as ever. I am still not exactly certain what they are doing at this event, since obviously they are not doing a great deal of socializing. Wanda mentioned earlier that she would like to meet Sookie, and so I head in their direction. The three Oklahoma vampires take in our group with nearly identical dark, unreadable gazes. I make the introductions, by saying, "Sookie, I want you to meet the Queen of Oklahoma, Wanda Three Eagles. These are her Lieutenants, Ed Nighthawk and Joseph Eveningstar. Wanda, this is my Bonded, Sookie; my child Pam, who is also my Lieutenant, and Bill Compton, my..."

I pause, searching for the best word to describe where Bill falls in my hierarchy. Much to my surprise, Compton himself supplies the answer by filling in, "....other Lieutenant." I give him a questioning look to make certain he actually is accepting this position, and he gives me a nod in confirmation. As we stare at each other, I have the strangest sensation that some important milestone has been reached, that somehow a necessary step has been taken; and the odd thing is, I can see in his eyes that he feels it, too. Then, the moment passes, and I return my attention to Wanda. She nods briefly to Pam, but then gives Bill a faint smile and says, "Oh, I am well acquainted with Bill Compton." I had no idea that these two knew each other, but perhaps he met her when he was working on his database.

Sookie very politely says hello, and after a moment of giving my Bonded the once-over, Wanda steps forward and holds out her hand for Sookie's. I can see Sookie hesitate, but I give her a signal that I will allow it. My Bonded lays her hand in the Oklahoma Queen's; and since I am still firmly holding her arm, I can feel it as a small burst of her energy leaves her body, and flows into Wanda's. This behavior startles me, although I am careful to not let it show. Why on earth would Sookie do something so foolhardy? We have gone out of our way to conceal her heritage, and yet here she is, apparently flaunting it. I see Wanda's eyes widen as she receives the tiny bit of magical energy, and her fangs slip out. Immediately, I get ready to intervene in case she decides that Sookie is enough fairy to provide an exquisite little snack. Since this Queen is such a mystery, I have no idea how old or strong she is, or her two braves; but I _do_ have complete faith in my abilities as a fighter. Still, surely this vampiress is old enough and wise enough to have some restraint... Just as I am preparing to move between the two of them, Wanda shocks me again by saying something to Sookie in a language that I do not understand. I am fairly certain it is Sylvan; and if I am correct, this Queen is indeed a mystery. Where on earth would a vampire Queen have learned to speak the language of the Fairies?

By her next words, I know that it probably _was_ Sylvan. In English, Wanda says to Sookie, "Even if you do not have the language yet, I can see that you are one of the old ones. The Viking is truly fortunate to share this Bond with you." Sookie makes a polite reply, but I can feel that her emotions are in a jumble; so I try to send her calm back through the Bond. Wanda gives both of us a penetrating look, as if she can see what is passing between us. Still holding Sookie's hand, she turns her intense gaze on me. "Viking, she is very young, so it will be up to you to guide and protect her. Take care to keep your Bond pure and strong, and from the two of you will come extraordinary magic." To Sookie, Wanda says, "I know things about you now that you perhaps meant to keep to yourself; so in return, I will tell you something about myself that is not common knowledge. In my human life, I was medicine woman to my tribe, as was my mother before me, and her mother before her. I was born with a knowledge of the supernatural world, and when I became vampire, that gift was greatly enhanced."

Clearly, this is no ordinary vampire Queen, and one that I should perhaps get to know better. "As a matter of fact, I was wondering exactly what you do know about Second Bonds," I say to her, "Obviously, I am interested in learning all there is to know on the subject."

"I have some knowledge of Bonds, and also some things I can just sense," Wanda replies seriously, "I can tell you, for example, that there is something threatening the strength of your Bond, but I cannot say exactly what it is. I am willing to share with you what I know, but this is not the time and most especially not the place. Contact me after you return home. Bill Compton knows how to find me. One last word of advice to both of you... keep those of your nest close at all times. I sense that you will have need of their support and protection." She gives pointed looks at Pam and Bill. Of course, she is just assuming that my Lieutenants are members of my Royal nest, since that is how it usually works.

Immediately, Sookie pipes up and flatly states, "We don't have a nest." Since the incident with Felipe, I know she thinks that all nests are bad, and is anxious to make it clear to everyone that she is _not_ shared.

Wanda gives her an amused look, and responds, "Are you _sure_, Sookie Northman? Just like Bonds, sometimes nests defy the rules." Unexpectedly, she turns her gaze to Bill, and asks, "... isn't that right, Bill Compton?"

After that rather cryptic remark, she says a brief goodbye to my entourage, gives Sookie one last searching look, and departs. Sookie watches them blend into the crowd, and her only comment is a confused, "What the heck was all _that_ about?" Honestly, I have no idea... but somehow, I sense that this meeting was an important one, and I intend to give it a good deal of thought later. After that, the four of us begin to circulate through the room. This sort of social event is actually quite important, since it helps to establish my position as the new King of Louisiana. I find that I am quite proud of my royal retinue. Although young, both Pam and Bill are both smart and well known as exceptional fighters. My beautiful telepath is both brave and unique, and every monarch present would dearly love to possess such a valuable asset. I only wish Robert was here, because although he technically does not live in Louisiana, it should be clear to all that the Knight will always stand with me, come what may. I now have one of the largest populations of vampires in the country living under my rule; and my territory contains New Orleans, which is a sort of Mecca for vampires. It is important to make my strength known from the very beginning... I will _not_ be vulnerable to another takeover.

Several other vampires come up to chat. Eventually, we meet up with Stan and his lovely date. The beautiful actress happens to be engaged in a conversation with Hamilton's human. I always thought Hamilton a little on the dull side, for a vampire; but Sookie seems to like his companion, so I invite them to join us. I can feel Sookie's spirits lift at seeing some human women that she likes. Soon, she and the other girls are chatting animatedly, and before long the three of them go off to visit the human food buffet. We vampires watch them sashaying gracefully across the room, and Stan says fondly, "Mm, mm, mm. Now, that's what I call a bevy of beauties."

Pam's fangs slide out in appreciation of the view, and drawls, "I'll say!... Hamilton, exactly how fond of your companion are you? Not getting tired of her, or..."

The unattractive vampire gives Pam a look, and says firmly, "Chloe is mine, and I intend to keep her that way. In fact, Eric, I wanted to ask you... how is this marriage business? It isn't legal in our state yet, but I was thinking about taking her up to Vermont."

Stan breaks in and says teasingly, "Oh, dear, another smitten vampire. Love is certainly in the air these days. If you love her, Hamilton, why don't you Bond her, instead of going through with a worthless human marriage that is really nothing more than just a piece of paper?"

"Oh, I don't know if I am prepared to do _that_... but she's been asking some pretty pointed questions about blood ties and Bonds lately. I thought marriage might make her happy instead," Hamilton is quick to state, "She's perfectly obedient without the bond, and I've never liked the idea of the human being able to feel _my_ emotions. I had to kill the last human I bonded, because I just couldn't stand it... and I am quite fond of this girl. I can't fathom how much more confining a Second Bond would be. "

Unexpectedly. Bill speaks up, and says, "Some might think it comforting to have such a connection."

"I'll bet you wish now you'd Bonded the lovely Sookie when you had the chance, eh Compton?" Stan goads him, "Northman here certainly beat you on that score."

Bill merely gives him that chilly smile of his and responds, "For me to have made a Bond with Sookie would be nothing short of miraculous, since my My King and Queen are a Fated pair."

That was certainly a carefully crafted sentence, since I know full well that at before our Second Bonding, Compton _did _share a weird sort of blood tie with her. Stan laughs and says, "Ah, I see... the loyal new Lieutenant. Well, Eric, since you are the only one of us to have been Twice-Bonded, tell us... how is it, really?"

"It is... very profound, but should not be undertaken lightly." I reply thoughtfully.

Hamilton blinks at the seriousness of my tone, and he asks, "Why? Are you sorry you did it?"

Almost against my will, my eyes wander back to the figure of my Bonded, who is now sitting at a table across the room. She is laughing at something one of the other girls said, and for once looks completely carefree. Her lighthearted amusement floats through our Bond, warming me and sending that tiny tingle of life through me that I find so completely addictive. Turning back to Hamilton, I answer truthfully, "No. I would do it again, without hesitation. But Sookie is... different. As Bill says, we are Fated. Now, as for the issue of marriage... it makes things more convenient where humans are concerned, since it provides a label that they understand... and it does make the woman very, very happy." I do not add that it makes me curiously happy as well.

"Speaking of keeping women happy, Viking, I saw you talking to Sabriel last night," Stan says slyly, "How is the new little wife handling the specter of the old flame?"

"Sookie is my Queen, why should someone as insignificant as Sabriel bother her?" I answer, "Nevertheless, I have ordered Sabriel to stay away from her." At my side Pam stirs, but wisely says nothing.

Hamilton says sourly, "Speaking of Sabriel, who _is_ that vampire she's brought with her? It looks like he's certainly caught the attention of our ladies." Jealousy and danger flashes in his eyes as he says it. Hamilton may not be much to look at, but he is much older and stronger than he appears; and for once I am glad to see him let the vampire inside him show. Stan looks nearly as irritated, and amusingly enough, my Lieutenants do not look too happy about this turn of events, either. I turn my head to see what all the fuss is about, and sure enough, our women are openly admiring the tall young vampire. As I watch, he turns slowly towards the women, smiles in a smarmy manner, and raises his glass in a toast... to Sookie! What the HELL does he think he's doing? Grrrrr. I am just about to go teach this young pup to keep his eyes and his toasts to himself, when he gives a quick bow, and heads off in the other direction.

My Bonded just shakes her head, and then turns her attention back to the other women; but I could see her face quite well from here. When her eyes had met his, it seemed like there was something there, some kind of hidden message passing between the two of them... how is this possible? Her whereabouts have been accounted for every second. Obviously, I must be imagining things, and yet... there was definitely something there. This is the second time that I have seen her showing interest in him, and I do not care for it in the slightest. I had not included this young vampire in my plans for Sabriel, unless it came in the form of collateral damage; but really, it would be very little effort to get rid of him as well...

As soon as the threat to their companions has passed, the other vampires return to their conversation. After a moment of thought, I indicate to Pam that I wish to have a private word with her, and we step to one side. In a voice low enough that the others cannot hear, I instruct her, "See if you can find out where Sabriel is staying. Be extremely discreet."

Much to my surprise, the look Pam gives me in response would blast the paint off my Corvette. She narrows her eyes, and asks suspiciously, "Why?"

In all the years since her making, she has rarely ever questioned me like this. As her Maker, she has no choice to obey me if I give her a direct order, but this time I can tell she just might try if my answer does not suit her. In a flash, my temper begins to rise, but then it occurs to me what the matter is... she thinks I want to know so that I can have a little rendezvous with my old lover, and Pam is merely being protective of her Mistress. This is an interesting turn of events, and one I will have to ponder later. For now, I decide to let her little transgression go. Although of course I have no real need of any help, Pam has always loathed Sabriel, and will certainly enjoy this project immensely. This will be a little reward for all her hard work since the take-over. Also, I recognized the truth in Wanda's words earlier. I have no intention of contaminating our sacred Bond with Sabriel's blood. Pam might as well be the beneficiary of it, and perhaps the young male vampire's, too. In response, I say carelessly, "Oh, I thought I might do a little hunting later. Would you care to join me?"

Instantly, a slow smile replaces the frown, and she replies, "Oh, yes, my Master, I would _love_ to join you. I will see what I can find out." Without another word, she slips off into the crowd. The minute she is gone, I turn my gaze back to my Bonded. I take in every detail: the way her shimmering green gown clings to her figure, and the enticing swell of her magnificent breasts peeking over the low cut bodice; the rosy blush of her cheeks, and the way her perfectly formed lips curve upward into a smile; and finally, her lovely golden hair, and the way the tendrils that have escaped from captivity curl temptingly down the side of that delectable neck... I long to kiss her there, and feel her blood as it pulses under that delicate but resilient skin. A sharp pang of hunger for my Bonded's blood pierces me, which I have to struggle to control. How can I possibly be this obsessed with a woman? There is no doubt about it, my fairy has enchanted me. This overwhelming need to touch her, to claim what is mine has _got_ to be magic; there is no other explanation.

For about the hundredth time, I wish that I had the ability to call Sookie to me. However, I suppose that I must be projecting my desire across the Bond, because almost immediately she turns her head in my direction. I see the heat flare in her eyes as she looks at me. Without ever taking her eyes off mine, she says something to her companions, rises from her seat, and then floats across the room towards me. It pleases me to find that in a way, I _can_ call her to me. I meet her halfway, and she practically melts into my arm. The desire we are both feeling reverberates through the Bond, and I growl into her ear, "I saw you staring at that overgrown cowboy again, and I couldn't stand it another minute. I want _all_ of your attention tonight." I run my hand down her bare back, just to feel the warmth of her silky skin under my palm. She is generally not too fond of serious public displays of affection, or as she calls them, "inappropriate P.D.A.'s," but right now she returns my kisses with an intensity she normally reserves for the privacy of our bedroom. However, it finally occurs to her that the all the vampires at the nearby tables are enjoying our little performance quite a bit. Suddenly embarrassed, she whispers, "Uh... I think we're about to incite an orgy..."

Oh, yes, I can see by the show of fang in the vicinity that her statement is probably closer to the truth than she realizes. In the old days, orgies at vampire parties were fairly commonplace, but now that we are "out," they seem to be less so... however, still not entirely unheard of, by any means. Teasingly, I reply, "And that would be bad because...?"

Of course, I have absolutely no intention of sharing her, and she knows it. My Lover mentions going back to our room, but as much as I would like to do that very thing, I still have obligations to fulfill. When I reluctantly mention this, a look of disappointment flits across Sookie's face, but then she gives me a steamy smile, traces one finger down the side of my face, and says softly, "Until later, then."

After rounding up the rest of the group, we head to the nightclub and choose a table near the dance floor. Before sitting down, my Bonded looks around and asks curiously, "Where is Pam? Did she go back to the casino to gamble? I thought she wanted to dance."

Smoothly, I reply, "She is circulating a bit... I expect we will see her later." That answer seems to satisfy her. Earlier this evening, I noted that Sookie was taking great care to stay in between Bill and me, and at first I thought perhaps it just made her feel more secure to be between to strong protectors. However, after her revelation that she is having trouble blocking out unwanted thoughts, it occurred to me that perhaps she was using us as a shield of sorts; so I make sure she is seated in between us at our table. After instructing Bill to order a gin and tonic for his Queen, I take her out for the first dance of the evening. Sookie dearly loves to dance, and in no time I can tell that she is having fun. As soon as we return to the table, I indicate to Bill that I will allow him to dance with his Queen, which I can tell surprises both of them... but now that he has formally the position as my Lieutenant, he is unquestionably _my_ vampire, and no longer a potential rival. Part of his job is to protect and amuse his Queen. In any event, I can see the two of them perfectly well from here, and I find watching my lovely wife dance to be very enjoyable. She really is good at it, being both lithe and possessing an excellent sense of rhythm. Even though Bill is technically her partner, I can tell that she is actually dancing for me. Every so often, she turns her head and catches my eye, and gives me that sensual smile of hers.

While enjoying the performance, I begin to plan out the rest of my evening; in particular, the portion that includes Sabriel's unfortunate demise. If it turns out that she is staying here in the hotel, security will be somewhat of a problem. Also, for me to have the necessary time for this little project, Sookie will have to go to sleep earlier than usual. Hmm. As soon as Roland's meeting is over, I will take my Bonded back to the room, and finally have my way with her. Mentally, I calculate the number of orgasms required to send her straight to sleep... which I will be more than delighted to supply. A win-win situation, all around.

With that happy plan rolling around in my head, I flag down a passing waiter, and take a bottle of TrueBlood from his tray. Oddly enough, once again the blood tastes vaguely unpleasant. When we first arrived, I noticed that the bar here has a huge selection of specialty bloods, and I think later I will see if they have the brand I liked at the restaurant last night. I set my bottle of blood down, just as Stan and his human return to the table. It is nearing the agreed upon time for the meeting with Roland. I had noted in the earlier meeting that I was the only monarch present without a Lieutenant. Since Pam is off doing my bidding, and Bill has now formally accepted his position, I decide to take him with me. This will leave Sookie here by herself. In spite of our agreement, I have absolutely no intention of leaving her in a room full of strange vampires unprotected, and so I ask Stan if he will keep an eye on her while I am gone. He readily agrees, and none too soon... Sookie is heading back to the table, Bill in tow. Her eyes are aglow with high spirits, her cheeks rosy from dancing, and she looks completely edible... once again, a flash of hunger for her unique blood runs through me.

Trying to calm down the urge to feed, I take another mouthful of the TrueBlood, and manage to swallow it, even though it tastes bad. Sookie slides in next to me, and she pulls Bill in next to her. Under the table, she immediately slides her little hand in mine, and gives it a squeeze. While watching my sensuous little fairy dancing, I developed a very nice hard-on, and so I playfully slide her hand over and place it on the bulge. It is quite dark in the club, even for vampires; and under the concealing edge of the table, no one can see a thing. I am completely amused by Sookie's reaction. Outwardly, she never turns a hair; and since her face is already flush her complexion gives nothing away. Inside, however, she is seething with both embarrassment and lust, in equal proportions. I do not think I have ever met a human as good at concealing her true emotions than my Bonded... she really _would_ make a splendid vampire.

She is usually so ladylike that I fully expected her to jerk her hand back, or else give me a good thumping to make me behave. Instead, she surprises and delights me by giving me a firm, rhythmic rubbing instead, all the while keeping up a lively conversation with our friends. At one point, Chloe asks me a question, but I am so distracted by the extremely pleasurable sensations going on under the the table, that I find it somewhat difficult to respond coherently. Sookie gives the girl a sweet, innocent smile and deftly moves the conversation on to something else, all the while continuing her kneading, squeezing, and stroking. A moment later, Bill engages the girl in a discussion, and Sookie turns those luminous blue eyes in my direction. Giving me a smoldering look, she leans in, blows gently in my ear, and then breathes, "Enjoying the party?"

Ah, I just _love_ it when she does that! I manage to reply, "Oh, immensely." She chuckles, low in her throat. "Mmm. Well, I think it's time you danced with me again."

As much as I am enjoying her attentions, if she doesn't stop soon, I am going to explode; and so somewhat reluctantly, I agree. She gives me one last squeeze, and we both slide out of the booth. It really is a good thing that it is dark and very crowded in here, or it would be quite obvious that I am aroused. As it is, no one seems to notice, except Sookie, who merely glances down at her handiwork, and smiles to herself. I lead her to the dance floor, and as luck would have it, the song playing is "Breakdown," an old Tome Petty tune. How appropriate! My Bonded very sensually rubs her body against mine in time to the beat, deliberately inflaming me even further; until I am ready to throw her over my shoulder, and haul her back to our room. In fact, we may not even make it that far. Just now, a secluded corner with a flat surface would do admirably. I pull her to me abruptly, and growl in her ear, "Woman, you are driving me wild."

My little temptress gives me a white hot kiss, and then pulls back a little. Giving me a wicked grin, she responds flirtatiously, "If you can' t stand the heat, don't go in the kitchen. You started this, Buster!" The little minx is quickly learning to give as good as she gets, which absolutely delights me. Really, this woman is my perfect mate, in every way!

We dance a little more, then return to the table. This time Sookie deliberately keeps her hands in plain sight at all times. I try to figure out a way to repay her in kind from earlier, but that dress is much too tight to allow ingress by wandering hands. The best I can do is run my fingers lightly up and down her bare back, and fiddle with her neck and ears. I am quite sure she can feel my frustration, and finds it highly amusing. In response to my attentions, she merely gives me a smug look, and then playfully pokes her tongue out at me... which makes me laugh out loud. Unfortunately, I see by my watch it is time to leave; so I excuse myself, motion to Bill to follow me, and head to the meeting with Roland.

******

Some time later, the meeting is finally over. The monarchs of New York, Florida, Las Vegas, California, and a couple of others from the eastern seaboard were present, along with their Lieutenants. Unfortunately, the subject at hand was Fairies. Apparently, the tensions between the races is escalating faster than I anticipated. In addition to the more traditional issues, there has been increasing resentment between the races because the Fairies have flat out refused to allow vampires to buy and own property in the Fairy-owned lands. These include many of the "garden spots" of the world, such as the Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Cozumel, and the like. Until fairly recently, we were not even allowed to visit these places that the Fairies hold sacred. In addition, many vastly profitable pharmaceutical companies are entirely Fairy-held, and vampires are pushing for the right to buy stocks in these. Again, we have been denied.

Therefore, it has been suggested that those of us that have Fairies living openly in our territory deny them that right. The debate over this issue was fierce, and as yet unresolved. Although I can understand their frustration, it is my opinion that those in favor of such measures are not taking the long view. Since Bonding Sookie, I have discovered that perhaps Fairies are not as unreasonable as they appear. I refused to agree to such an aggressive policy, since I am certain it would lead to another war... and of course, I would find it extraordinarily difficult to eject my own Bonded's family members from my territory. Luckily, Roland agreed with me, and his opinion counts a great deal. For now, this issue has been tabled. A summit is going to be called in the next year, to discuss this issue with a wider group, which will include vampires from other countries. I can only hope that something else does not occur to spark a war in the meantime.

During the meeting, I had been disturbed to feel irritation coming from my Bonded. enough so that I texted her to see what the trouble was. She sent back a message saying that she was fine. Fortunately, at that point California and Florida had digressed into a side-issue that held no interest for me, so I was able to engage in a quick round of playful text-messaging with my Bonded before the meeting resumed. In spite of her light-hearted words, I could still feel an underlying irritation through our Bond; but soon after that it vanished. Nonetheless, I am anxious to get back to her. Now that the meeting is at an end, I only have one more item to handle before I can retrieve my Bonded and take her back to our room. I must stay long enough to relay the information to Sandy about the card-counting ring that Sookie discovered.

As soon as our session is over and the other vampires begin filtering out of the room, Sandy makes a bee-line straight towards me. Bill stands at my side, watching her approach. For the most part, Bill had remained silent during the meeting. Now he shakes his head, and comments quietly, "It always amazes me that those with the least to lose are always the most belligerent." That has been my experience, as well.

Sandy comes to a stop in front of us, her own Lieutenant following closely in her wake. "Well, Viking, I am a little surprised that someone who loves to fight as much as you do took such a pacifist stance," she says. She had been in favor of the proposal.

"I made my position quite clear earlier," I remind her, "Right now, we have another matter to discuss. I know that you have been having some problems in your casinos. I believe I have the answer to at least one of them." Not long after we split Felipe's kingdom, she had called and requested Sookie's help. Although she remained polite, I could sense her irritation when I told her that my Bonded's services were no longer for hire. After this, Sandy will owe me one huge favor. I continue with an explanation of exactly how and what Sookie uncovered. At first, the Nevada Queen is predictably irritated that Sookie allowed the humans to escape, but I remind her that without Sookie's help, she would still be losing large sums of money for a long time to come. I point out that the vampire Pit Boss Charles has probably not allowed his humans to keep more than a pittance of their winnings, and therefore she may very well recover most of it... if she acts quickly. With that, she gives me her thanks, and she and her Lieutenant hurry away to alert her security forces. I had informed Compton about the issue of the cheaters on the way to the meeting, and also gave him a brief run-down of what I had discovered about the drainers, so he was not surprised by any of this. As soon as Sandy is gone, I give Bill his orders, "Call Julius and Rasul, and tell them what I learned about the drainers. Afterwards, meet me back at the nightclub."

After giving me a slight bow, Bill disappears to find a more private spot to make his call. Finally, I am free to return to the party. In the time I have been gone, the crowd inside the nightclub has grown considerably, and is now completely packed with partying vampires. I have not had more than a couple of sips of blood all evening, so I decide to stop by the bar, and see if they have the brand I am interested in trying. Eventually making my way up to the edge of the blood bar, I put in my request to the bartender, who produces a bottle almost immediately. After taking the first sip, I am disappointed to find that it too has a rather disagreeable taste. Still, it is marginally better than the TrueBlood, and I need to be full before attempting to make love to Sookie. I am still determined to go as long as I can without giving in to my urge too feed from her, for her sake... but I also know that even _my_ will-power has its limits. I am vampire, she is my Bonded... I cannot resist her blood much longer, even though she is clearly no better.

Brooding over the situation, I decide that the minute we return to Louisiana, I _am_ going to summon Dr. Ludwig. In fact, I believe I will have her waiting at Fangtasia the night we arrive, so there will be no more delay. Something deep inside is telling me that I must get to the bottom of Sookie's ailment, and soon. In addition to her weight loss, I've also noticed she has been a little out-of-sorts lately; and now it is now apparent that she is also having trouble with her telepathy. I wonder why she hasn't told me this before tonight... I am her Bonded, she really should tell me everything. It will not do for her to keep secrets from me. Just as I am taking another swallow from my glass, the scent of Sabriel's very expensive perfume wafts past. I turn around, and sure enough, she is standing directly behind me. At first, my former lover stands completely still, staring at me with those huge green eyes of hers, giving me no clue as to what she might be thinking. Uneasily, I wonder what mischief she has already been up to tonight. A slow smile breaks across her face. "Well, hello, Lover," she says in French, "Are you enjoying the party?"

Immediately, I veil the Bond. Just the fact that Sabriel has approached me in spite of all my warnings makes my temper flare to a dangerous level, and I have no wish to harm my Bonded. Last night, I made up my mind to send this little troublemaker to her final death, but I really have no desire to get caught doing it; therefore killing her right here is a poor idea. Although reckless and stubborn, Sabriel is not stupid, and I must be very careful not to alert her as to my intentions. Several options run through my mind. The easiest thing would be to pretend to have changed my mind, and set up a romantic rendezvous with her for later; but somehow I cannot bring myself to dishonor Sookie that way, even if it is just a ruse. No, the best plan is to appear to be just as irritated by this female as I have been for our last few encounters, and then catch her unawares later. If Pam has been unlucky in discovering where she is staying, I may even have to forgo the pleasure of doing this little job myself. If necessary, I can send Pam and Bill after her at a later date. For now, I just give her a glare, and in English reply flatly, "I was, up until just now." My meaning could not be clearer.

"I know you don't mean that, Eric," Sabriel says with a pretty pout, "Be nice. I want to apologize about last night. I know I was being catty, but I was jealous. Yes, I admit it... a human girl made _me_ jealous."

Although Sabriel is trying hard to appear sincere, I very much doubt it. I know exactly how my former lover feels about humans. I remain silent, waiting to see exactly what where she is headed with this "confession." Sliding a little closer to me, she says, "It is obvious that she has you enthralled. She is lovely, I'll grant you that." By now, Sabriel is close enough to snake her hand up my arm. She leans in to my ear, and says in an intimate whisper, "I miss you, Eric. I _love_ you. I don't _want_ to wait any longer to be with you. I love you so much that I'm willing to share you with the human girl. I promise, I will be gentle with her... no hurting her until you give me permission. I will give her pleasure, and you can watch... I know you will like that... and of course, you are more than adequate to service us both afterwards." With that, she slides her manicured hand down, and lightly rubs me through the fabric of my pants.

The very idea of this female touching my Sookie is so repulsive, this time nothing happens when she strokes me. My member remains tamely in its place. Sabriel gives me a rather shocked look, obviously expecting a much bigger reaction. Catching her hand in mine, I remove it from my lap, and then jerk her forward a bit, so that now I can murmur in _her_ ear. "Sabriel, I really don't _care_ if you love me, and never did," I say meanly, wishing to hurt her if I can, "I have only ever loved one woman in my thousand years, and that woman is Sookie. Are you delusional enough to imagine I would share the one thing I treasure most with anyone, much less someone as insignificant as you?"

Sabriel jerks back her head, and surprisingly, I can see real pain in her eyes. "Don't say that, Eric," she pleads, "When we made love, it was wonderful... exciting... you _loved_ it... you _loved_ me! You know you did!"

"I _never_ loved you," I say coldly, "I only took up with you because I was bored. The memory of what we did together revolts me.... and by the way, I merely _fucked_ you, like thousands of others... I only _make love_ to my Bonded. As a matter of fact, I intend to go do that right now." I stand up, and brush past her, leaving her standing in my wake. From behind me, I hear her voice saying stubbornly, "You are _mine_, Eric! Mine!"

Oh, yes, the crazy little bitch needs killing, in the worst way... quite obviously she will never give up. I only hope that Pam has managed to find out where she is staying. I am suddenly looking forward to disposing of this problem once and for all. I am just about to head back to the table and find Sookie, when I see Pam making her way towards me through the throng. As soon as she reaches my side, she asks, "How did the meeting go?"

"Some of the others are irritated at the Fairies... again. Among other things, it was suggested that the ones living in Louisiana need to be thrown out. There will be a summit next year to discuss it further."

"I am certain your in-laws will be thrilled at that idea," Pam says dryly, "For once, I am glad I am not you."

We stand and discuss the issue for a few minutes, and then I finally get around to asking Pam if she was successful in her quest. She replies, "Yes. As it turns out, they are staying here, on the 26th floor."

Ah! Convenient, except for all the security present. Pam and I talk over our plans, and we agree to meet in our suite a little later. Finally, I head back to the table to retrieve my wife, who has been without me for entirely too long this evening. Just before reaching my destination, it occurs to me with an unpleasant thump that I cannot feel my Bonded. Immediately, I lift the veil I imposed earlier... and am just about bowled over with the feelings that are currently flowing through it. For some unknown reason, Sookie is completely distraught. Rushing the short distance to the table, I find it empty. Closing my eyes, it only takes me a second to locate Sookie through our Bond. She is somewhere outside, so immediately I push my way through the crowd, and out the door. Sure enough, she is standing near the edge of the patio, with her back to me. Compton is raising her hand to his lips and holding it there in a kiss. In a flash, I slip up behind them, to see just what in the hell is going on... and I am just in time hear him tell her, "It makes me unsettled to see you so unhappy. Please, let me take you to your husband, and see if _he_ can't convince you that all is well between you."

I am relieved to hear that despite outward appearances, Bill is once again being quite loyal to me. Clearly, though, something is horribly amiss. I dismiss Bill, and once he is gone I ask Sookie what the trouble is. For a moment, it seems as if she is struggling to find the right words, and then she asks, "Eric... why didn't you tell me the truth about you and Sabriel?"

I was expecting just about any response but that one. I have no idea who told Sookie, but I can see that I seriously underestimated the effect that this information would have on her. I do not even have words for all of the emotions that are roiling around inside her right now. The pain in her eyes and her voice is more devastating to me than the burning slice of a sword. Obviously Sookie is not only shocked by the news, but for some unfathomable reason this revelation has hurt her deeply. A serious discussion follows, and it becomes clear just what the trouble is. Somehow, my Bonded has gotten the crazy idea that I am in love with Sabriel, or at the very least am still having sex with her. How can she think that? I have _never_ loved another, and I have been completely faithful since our engagement. How could she possibly be so insecure? She is my Queen! She is... my life! Still, to reassure her that I am completely loyal, I swear on the most sacred thing I can think of... our Bond. Unfortunately, that turns out to be exactly the wrong thing to say.

"Oh, you mean the Bond that you shut down so that I can't feel what you are up to?" she practically wails in response, "That Bond? How can I trust it if you can manipulate it like that?"

Now I am completely, totally shocked. I had no idea that she could tell that I was blocking our Bond. If she knew, why hasn't she said anything? I wonder uneasily what else she knows about that she is not telling me. "I cannot really shut it down... only blunt it a bit," I say, and then try to explain that I was only doing it to protect her. Instead of making her feel better, it just makes things even worse. Although by now she has turned her back to me, I can feel her sorrow through our Bond, and I can tell that she is crying. I just hate it when she cries! I have to fix this! I do not know what to do!

Instinctively, I reach out and turn my Bonded around to face me. Tears are streaming down her cheeks, and I do not know that I have ever seen her this upset. I hold her fragile little body to me tightly as she sobs into my chest, desperate to do something to comfort her. All I can think to do is to reassure her that I love her, and that I am hers alone... which is absolutely the truth. Finally, I must have said something right, because eventually the firestorm passes. Since our first encounter in Dallas, I try to always carry a handkerchief in my pocket for just such occasions, and so I retrieve it. After dabbing a little under her eyes, I give up and hand it to her. She begins to mop her face, but then she gets a good look at my shirt and gasps in dismay. Glancing down, I realize that her face and my shirt look very nearly the same... a complete mess. I attempt to lighten the moment a little by saying, "You see? My wife is quite hard on my shirts."

Still upset, Sookie points out that it will be impossible for us to get through the nightclub without everyone noticing that we have been fighting. She is probably right, but fortunately this is one problem that I can fix... and rather easily. I merely pick her up and fly her down to a lower level of the hotel, and then ride the elevator back up to our suite. The minute we are inside, she disappears into our bedroom, and a moment later I hear the water running in the sink. I know she wants a minute alone to compose herself, and frankly, I need a moment to think this turn of events through as well. Removing my jacket, I toss it over the back of a nearby chair, tug my tie and my hair loose, and then go to the window and stare out. Instead of paying a bit of attention to the scene below, my mind is busy trying to decide what to do.

In trying to protect my Bonded from a little unpleasantness, I have apparently done exactly the wrong thing. I have only managed to make her desperately unhappy, and that was never my intention. How is it possible that she does not understand what she means to me? How can a woman who can face mortal danger head on without flinching, who can even stand up to _me_ when I am angry... how can someone as brave and capable as Sookie have so little self-confidence? She has more than earned her place at my side. I try to puzzle this out, with little success. Never has the gulf between us seemed so insurmountable as it does right this minute. Obviously, I am too far removed from human emotions to understand this young female creature, even with the benefit of our Bond. Will we _ever_ be able to understand each other? All I really know is that I never, ever want to see her this upset again. I cannot possibly tell her about every woman I've ever been with, it would take days... weeks maybe, even _if_ I could even remember them all. It is inevitable that she will come face to face with some of them.... in fact, she already has.

Suddenly, Wanda's words drift back through my mind. She reminded me of how young and fragile Sookie really is, and that I need to be the one to guide her. It is clear now that I cannot always shield Sookie from the truth, but perhaps I _can_ give her the self-confidence needed to withstand it... but how? I am wrestling with how best to proceed, when I realize that the subject of my thoughts is crossing the room towards me. I turn to face her, and see that she has one of my extra tuxedo shirts draped over her arm. She has removed all of her make-up, and it is clear that she has no intention of returning to the party; but for some reason she apparently thinks I might want to go back by myself. I hasten to reassure her that is not the case. I look her over carefully. Her eyes are red and a bit swollen, and in spite of her newly tanned skin, she looks wan. There is still a look of pain in her eyes, which I absolutely cannot bear to see. She appears so fragile, and so... vulnerable, which seems to evoke some strong emotion within me; one so alien to me that I am not even sure what to call it. I think I feel... helpless. Not knowing what else to do, I sweep her into an embrace, and kiss her tenderly.

Once my Bonded is in my arms, I think we both feel a little better... that is, until I get a good whiff of other vampires on her skin. Most of them I was expecting: Bill's now familiar scent is there; I can also detect Stan, Hamilton, and... what is this? I smell... Luke. That is one scent I was _not _expecting.... Grrr. Exactly when and where was Sookie in contact with _him_ tonight? It is becoming obvious to me that Luke has set his sights on my Bonded as his next conquest. His scent immediately sets off the vampire instinct to claim my human, which I manage to get under control. Although I would dearly love to question Sookie about this, I realize that she is already so overwrought that now is not the time. Uneasily, I wonder if she can smell Sabriel's perfume on me. I think it is high time that we both have a bath, and start afresh. I ask her if I can bathe her, and without another word, she leads me in to the shower.

As always, the sight of the warm water cascading over my Lover's luscious body makes me aroused, and I am looking forward to our love-making. I think that perhaps this will provide the best opportunity to show my Beloved just how special she is to me. Once we are clean and dry, I head to the bedroom to set the mood. Earlier, I noticed that the bedroom has some special lighting features, and so I adjust them to my liking. A few minutes later, I enjoy the view of a very naked Sookie, who comes in and wanders around our bedroom, obviously in search of something. She finally locates her white nightie, which I manage to get away from her before she covers up that wonderful warm skin of hers.

Pulling her into my arms, I catch our reflection in the floor-to-ceiling mirror that runs along one wall of our bedroom. I contemplate the view of our naked bodies, pressed together so intimately. We make really _do_ make a beautiful pair, my Lover and I. I wonder if she knows it? We are perfect together, in every way. My completely unique wife fills my mind, and my unbeating heart with love and life; she completes me in some unexpected, mysterious way. No other woman has ever come close to measuring up to her, in beauty or any other way. I spend the next little while doing my best to reassure her of these things. One thing leads to another, and after a little foreplay, my beautiful Beloved and I are finally, blissfully joined. Once I am inside her, I gently remind my Lover that she alone holds a piece of my very soul within her body, which no one else ever has or ever will be able to claim. As I speak those words, in the depths of her eyes I finally see a tiny flame of pride ignite. Finally, I think she understands exactly who she is... my beloved Queen, my Twice-Bonded; the woman who has captured my very soul, and whom I will love forever. With that, I begin to make love to my soul mate in the most tender, yet the most passionate way I know how.

During our foreplay earlier, I could feel Sookie's intense desire for my bite, and in fact she had finally come right out and asked. Trying to fulfill my vow to hold off feeding as long as possible, I reluctantly refused; but now that we are joined, an absolutely overwhelming hunger for my Bonded's sweet blood rages inside me. I want it, I need it, in fact I am nearly crazed for it; and yet, I manage to hold back... that is, until she finally overcomes that stubborn pride of hers and flat out begs. That one whispered word "...please?" carries in it all the pent-up, desperate longing of the last couple of weeks; and instantly I know that my Lover needs this just as much as I do. We are never closer than when I am feeding from her, and after tonight's upset, it is one way for us to repair the rift between us. In spite of all my earlier resolutions, I hear myself saying, "Surely one small sip should not hurt..."

Across our Bond comes a surge of elation and anticipation. Immediately, Sookie rolls her head to one side, exposing the soft part of her neck. Now that I have made up my mind, I decide to make the most of it. I prolong our anticipation by lightly dragging my fangs across her skin, and working us both up into a state, before finally plunging them into her. The feel of my fangs once again penetrating my Bonded's skin is wonderful, but I am unprepared for the sheer ecstasy that is produced when the first spurt of her blood flows into my hungry mouth. It has only been a little less than two weeks since I have tasted Sookie's absolutely unique fairy-laced blood, but it is far better than I remember. More incredible than the taste, however, is the magic it produces. As I continue to plunge myself into her warmth, the awesome magic of our sacred Bond swirls up around us; so that we are one in spirit as well as in the flesh. This feeling is very nearly as intense as the night in New York, when we repaired our Bonding Sickness. A thought skitters across the edge of my consciousness, something very, very important; but then Sookie begins to climax, and instantly all other thoughts are swept away on the tidal wave of our passion; and soon, I join her in the physical completion of our fantastic joining.

Even after the last spasm has long since passed, I lay with my woman under me, unwilling to move from this spot. I can tell by the way Sookie is clinging to me that she does not want me to move, either. I confess, I took a tiny bit more than just the mouthful that I had planned; but for the first time in days I am completely and totally sated, in every way. Just because it feels good, I run my tongue lazily back and forth over the tiny punctures left by my fangs, and then suck a little more just for good measure. Finally, I roll off to one side, and pull Sookie around so that she is facing me. I want to be looking into her eyes when I say this, to see if she truly understands now. "You see?" I ask her very seriously, "There is nothing in this world that could compare with that."

Finally, I can see by the look in her eyes that she is convinced. As soft as a warm summer breeze, my angel whispers, "I love you, Eric."

Immediately, I respond,"Älskade, du är mitt liv. Betvivla aldrig den kärlek jag känner för dig.  
Jag svär vid vårt helgade Band att vara dig trogen." Just a second later, I realize that this solemn oath has slipped out in my own language, so I amend it to English," Beloved, you are my life. Never doubt my love for you. I swear on our sacred Bond to be faithful." Sookie gives me the sweetest, most loving smile I have ever seen, and I pull her into my arms once again. For a long time, I lay with her settled comfortably against me, while we whisper words of love to one another. In the last few weeks I have been nearly insatiable for my Lover, and by now would be more than ready for another round of sex; but curiously enough, tonight I am content to do nothing but cuddle and talk. After a few stifled yawns, I can tell that my Lover is getting sleepy, and eventually her eyes flutter shut for the last time. Soon she is breathing in the slow, deep pattern that means she is fast asleep, and will not wake again for hours.

I am torn between staying here with her until dawn, or carrying out my plans for Sabriel with Pam. After thinking over the earlier confrontation with my former lover, I finally recognize that she is utterly obsessed with me, to the point of being slightly unbalanced. Although I may have convinced Sookie that I am completely faithful and that Sabriel is nothing to me, it is crystal clear that my old lover does not accept my commitment to my Bonded, and probably never will. In fact, she is so obsessed that she may be a serious danger to Sookie, and that is completely and totally unacceptable. Very well, then; I suppose it is time to go hunting.

Carefully, I rearrange Sookie and slide my arm out from under her. Even in her sleep, she gives a tiny mew of protest at being parted from me, but then settles peacefully back into her slumber. Silently, I locate a pair of black jeans and t-shirt, and get dressed, quite deliberately not showering first. I think it poetic justice that the last thing Sabriel smells in this world will be the mingled scents of my Bonded and me and our lovemaking. I pull my hair back into a tight ponytail, and then head into the living room. Pam is lounging on the sofa, also dressed for hunting. Upon seeing me, a self-satisfied look comes over her face, and she says, "Well! Bill told me that Sookie found out about Sabriel, and had a melt-down. I hate to say I told you so, but..."

"Then don't," I cut in, before she could get going on the "You Should Have Listened To Me" speech. Unfortunately, it does no good to stem the incoming tide. Without hardly slowing down, she continues, "...she was bound to find out sooner or later. You are lucky she is not headed for the airport right now, looking for the first flight back to Louisiana... or did you use your Bond to make her stay long enough to make up with her?"

Pam is referring to the fact that in most traditional Bonds, the vampire can bend the human to his will. Somewhat indignantly, I reply, "So you think I would have to resort to that, do you? I have never once used our Bond to try and control Sookie. I respect her too much."

"Or could it be that you are afraid that it might not work on her, just like our glamour doesn't?" my child says rather slyly, "Bill said that she was still quite upset when he left. We thought you might need a little help calming her down, so we looked around for you. When it was clear that you had left the party, we came back to the room... by then, it was pretty obvious that you had done just fine on your own. Nice speech, by the way. At least one good thing came of all this... you got over that ridiculous idea of yours, and had some of her blood. You should see yourself.... you look quite rosy for a change. After sex and feeding, I was afraid you would be too comfortable to feel like going on our hunt."

With her words, it occurs to me that not only had I left the door to our bedroom open, I had been so focused on soothing Sookie I had not even heard Pam and Bill coming in. So they heard most of what passed between Sookie and I, did they? Even though our very intimate words was not really meant for others to hear, I suppose I really do not mind, since everything that was said was nothing less than the truth. Sookie, on the other hand, might not care much for it, so I say sternly "Pamela, you will _not_ mention to your Mistress that you overheard what was intended to be our very private conversation. She might very well have another "melt-down" if she finds out. Now, where is Bill?"

My other Lieutenant is nowhere in sight. Pam rolls her eyes, and says carelessly, "Oh, I think he's probably out fucking the first blond, buxom donor he could find. I think the sound of you two going at it was a little much for him to take. It was quite obvious he was aroused... do you know, from the looks of things, he must be nearly as "gifted" as you? Apparently, our Bill has many hidden talents."

I certainly did _not_ know, and could care less; but the knowledge that he was aroused instead of aggravated at the sound of Sookie and me having sex is an interesting one, and something I will tuck into the back of my mind to contemplate at a later time. Just now, we need to be getting on with our project. "Did you get the items I requested?" I ask her.

In answer, she points to a bag on the floor next to the sofa. Opening it, she pulls out two pairs of leather gloves, and puts on one of them. Tossing the larger pair to me, she again reaches in the bag and shows me the other items: a length of thin silver chain, a roll of duct tape, and a couple of very sharp stakes. I nod my approval, and stick the gloves in my pocket until needed. Briefly, we go over the plan; and then Pam picks up the bag, and follows me out the door of the suite. My Royal Guards are at their posts, and I order them, "The Queen is inside sleeping. Stay here with her. If anyone should come by, tell them Pam and I are inside, but cannot be disturbed. Under no circumstances let anyone know that I am not here. Are we clear?"

Both vampires nod, and I can tell that they understand the situation perfectly. After I question them about the roaming hotel security guards, Atticus informs me that they have gone by just a few minutes ago, and headed back towards the elevators. It will be some time before their next rounds, which suits me perfectly. Pam and I head towards the stairwell, and before I open the door, I order her, "Wait for 20 seconds before following me." She nods, and I crack open the door to the emergency stairs. Peeking into the stairwell, I spy the electronic security camera as it slowly tracks from one side of the landing to the other. Since I own a good percentage of the vampire hotel in Shreveport, I am well acquainted with the design of the security system. I know for a fact that the same company installed this one, and it is quite similar. After giving it a great deal of thought last night, I determined where the weaknesses are. In fact, I need to make a few calls when I get home, and have these addressed in my own hotel.

Since most of the danger to vampires comes from humans, most of the security is devised with them in mind; but these cameras will catch the average vampire as well. Fortunately, I am far from average. I am very old, very fast, and I can fly. Waiting until the camera tracks away from me, I speed through the door, levitate up to the camera, and with one hand I hold it in place, to keep it from tracking back the other way long enough for Pam to dash through the door and down the stairs. She comes to a halt before reaching the next landing, to avoid coming into view of the next lens. I let go of this camera, allowing it to track slowly back the other way, while I slide down the wall underneath its mount. From this angle, I cannot be seen, and I wait for the lens to be facing the other way before streaking down the stairs to join Pam. We repeat this procedure twice more, until reaching the level of the 26th floor, where Sabriel's room is located. This time, I will hold the camera in place long enough for Pam to slide our keycard into the electronic lock, and press her hand on the special access pad. These are special sensor locks, and will not open for anyone with a pulse, or a body temperature above 95 degrees Fahrenheit. I had actually just been about to install some of these in all of my homes, until I took up with Sookie. Once again, these are in place to keep unauthorized humans from entering the vampire floors. The largest risk of being seen is by random vampires returning to their rooms, and will come once we enter the hallway; but there is no way around it, and I am counting on luck being with us. Pam signals that she is ready, so we begin... and a few seconds later we are safely standing in the deserted hallway of the 26th floor.

Having earlier determined the precise location of Sabriel's room on a hotel map, I know that there is a service area almost directly across from her door, where the vending and ice machines for the human companions are set up. Pam and I dash for the shelter of that area, and none too soon, either. I hear the ding of the elevator at the other end of the hallway. A moment later, I hear the faint squeak of wheels, a sharp knock, and a voice say, "Bellman!" Carefully, I levitate myself upwards, and peek around the corner to see what is happening. There is a hotel employee with a luggage cart standing patiently in front of Sabriel's door. It appears that Sabriel is about to move to another location, and I am just in time to catch her before she gets away. The door opens, and the bellman pushes the cart inside. I had not really intended to kill any humans, but it is this man's poor luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I motion to Pam, and she follows me across the hall, and through the open door. As soon as I cross the threshold, I see that neither Sabriel or the cowboy are in the room. Its only occupants are a small Asian man and the bellman. Instantly, I recognize Sabriel's day human, Khan. Although Sabriel despises all humans, she always keeps a witch or a warlock in her employ and this is her current one. Not having much use for witches in general, I never could abide this sniveling little worm in particular, who was always both jealous and terrified of me at the same time. Right now, he looks quite startled to see me, and the color drains right out of his face. Quickly revising my plan, I give the warlock a flat stare, and then ask bluntly, "Where is Sabriel?" Perhaps she is merely changing rooms within the hotel. I can kill these two here, and then go find her. It is too bad about the human, but the warlock will be a bonus as far as I am concerned.

Recovered from his shock at seeing me, Sabriel's human gives me a rather sly look, and replies, "So, you come to visit my Mistress, just like old days, eh? Well, Your Majesty, she no wait for you no more... she got better fish to fry! She go with Queen Sandy to the Royal Residence, as _her_ guest."

This news is quite unexpected, and I take a moment to think it over. I can hardly get to Sabriel inside the Royal Residence without a great deal of planning, and certainly not in the small amount of time left before dawn. Obviously, my plans for Sabriel will have to wait. If I kill these two men now, it will only put her on her guard; so reluctantly, I realize I need to let them go. Coming up with a good excuse as to why I am here, I say coldly, "Sandy is quite welcome to her. I was only coming by to give her a message, which you can deliver. I wanted to make sure she understands that I never want to see her anywhere near me, or especially near my Queen, ever again."

Khan gives me an unreadable look, his slanted eyes glittering, and then says, "Sure, sure, Your Majesty, I tell her."

Without saying another word, I turn and leave the room. Pam follows me out, and then asks, "Now what?"

"Now we go back to our room, and wait for another opportunity," I tell her. We are both frustrated, but there is no help for it. Since there is no longer any need for stealth, at least we can take the elevator back up to our suite, which we do. The Guards report no visitors, and once inside the suite, there is still no sign of Bill. Although there is still some time left until dawn, I bid Pam goodnight, and head back to my bedroom where Sookie is still sleeping peacefully. To settle my mind, and to help pass the time until dawn, I pull a book from my luggage and try to read for a bit. Somehow, it fails to engage my brain, which is still whirring with the evening's events. Eventually, I give up, undress, and crawl into bed with my Bonded. Spooning up behind her warm, soft body, I kiss her smooth shoulder, and breathe in her special fragrance.

Thinking over the earlier unpleasantness, I realize that perhaps I should have gone ahead and told Sookie about Sandy's Proposal during our discussion. If she was so upset over learning about one old lover, though, I am not looking forward to her reaction when she finds out about this much more serious issue. Pam was right, I should have told her in the very beginning. I have learned my lesson about keeping secrets from my Bonded. I decide that I am not going to wait until we get home. I am going to tell her tomorrow night, at first dark. Surely after our discussion tonight, she knows exactly how much I adore her; and maybe she will not be _too_ upset... at least, I sincerely hope not. I never want to see or feel her that distraught, ever again. Tenderly, I kiss my Bonded's beautiful golden hair, and whisper, "Du är mitt liv, Sookie." I am content to just lay here with my wife in my arms, and listen to the beating of her heart until the sun takes me under.


	21. Chapter 21

_Author's Notes: I hope everyone has had a happy holiday season so far. I for one am relieved that another Christmas has come and gone. I am sorry about the delay in posting, but I just flat ran out of time. Hopefully, I will get caught up with my writing (and my sleep) soon._

_**** If any of you speak or read Welsh, I could use some help with translations! Send me a PM if you are willing._

**Chapter 21**

**Sookie's POV: Las vegas, Saturday (Coronation)**

After our very intense lovemaking, I had fallen into a deep, refreshing sleep. The next day, it was well after noon when I opened my eyes. All the tension from the prior week seemed to have left my body, leaving in its place a feeling of complete contentment and happiness. My sweet vampire had gone out of his way to make me realize how silly I was to have thought he was interested in an old flame. It was inevitable that over time I would probably have to face lots of other females who had once had sex with him; but as he rightly pointed out, I was the only woman who ever had or ever would carry a piece of his very life force within me. I did feel very, very special... not to mention lucky.

I rolled over and snuggled up to my resting vampire. His big cool body felt so good to me! I pressed my lips to his muscular shoulder, and let my intense love for him flow through me. I must have put more umph into it than I had intended, because almost immediately I felt/heard … _I love you, too, my Angel.... _and then it faded out. I smiled in delight. I really had not intended to disturb his rest, but it was really cool to know we could do it even when we weren't being threatened.

I lay next to him for quite awhile, just savoring our closeness. I closed my eyes, and thought about our fantastic love-making of the prior night, and especially how wonderful it had felt when his fangs punctured my skin. I shivered with pleasure at the memory. I had missed that so much! Eventually, though, I had to get up for the usual reasons. Since I wasn't planning on going out just yet, I just slipped on a robe and pulled my hair back into a casual ponytail. Looking in the mirror, I was glad to see that my eyes were only slightly pink from my major crying jag of the night before; furthermore, I was sporting a very distinct set of fang marks for the first time in months... which made me grin like an idiot at my reflection. As long as I had been taking Eric's blood regularly, they were almost always gone in a couple of hours. Eric was always very particular about my skin being "flawless," but this time he was just going to have to live with them. Right now, I was ridiculously proud of those tiny holes; and I couldn't seem to keep myself from running my finger over them, to reassure myself that they were still there.

On the way back through the bedroom, I bent down and picked up a pair of Eric's jeans and a black t-shirt off the floor, where he had obviously dropped them before coming to bed. That vampire! He was so used to having maids, that he had a tendency to be somewhat messy. For example, his tuxedo pants were also lying in a heap by the side of our bed... huh. Two pairs of pants? I guessed he must have gotten up and dressed again, after I was asleep. I could see a book lying open on the arm of a nearby chair, so he must have stayed up and read for awhile. That was fairly normal, but he usually didn't bother getting dressed to do it. My vampire was extremely comfortable in his own skin, and loved to lounge around as naked as a jaybird... which was usually just fine by me! I was folding the jeans to put them away, when a pair of black leather gloves fell out of the pocket. I picked them up, and stared at them. A tiny little bell went off in the back of my head. Why on earth would Eric need a pair of gloves in the middle of a warm desert? What had my vampire been up to last night after I was asleep?

A terrible thought floated through my mind. Even though I had not gotten around to telling him about her attempt to glamour me, Eric had seen how upset I had been over Sabriel... surely to goodness he wouldn't have taken things to an extreme, and done something to her. That would be just... just... well, honestly, that _would_ be just like a vampire. As much as I disliked her, being a pain-in-the-ass old girlfriend wasn't exactly a reason for being sent to your final death. Also, I knew that one vampire killing another was frowned upon, even if the one doing the killing _was_ a King; and I would hate for him to get into trouble. Taking the gloves into the bathroom, I examined them closely in the light. I gave a sigh of relief when I could not detect even a smidgen of blood, gore, or ash. Obviously, I was letting my imagination run wild. There was probably a completely innocent explanation for those gloves, and I would have to remember to ask the Viking about them later. Maybe after last night, he would be less inclined to be so danged secretive... although, he was still a thousand-year-old vampire, and being secretive was a deeply ingrained part of his nature. I was not so naïve as to think he was _ever_ going to tell me absolutely everything.

I laid the gloves on his nightstand, and was just going into the living room to get a coke out of the minifridge, when a light knock came at the door. I opened it, and one of the Royal Guards came in holding an enormous arrangement of flowers. He said, "These were just brought up from the front desk, ma'am. What would you like for me to do with them?"

"Um...please just put them on the table over there, thanks."

He did, then bowed and left. I went to admire the beautiful arrangement, which was mainly made up of some rather spectacular orange lilies, accented with a few other flowers. A little envelope was attached, and on the front was written SOOKIE. I opened it up, and pulled out the card. It was not signed, but had a big heart drawn in the middle. How sweet! I needed to remember to thank Eric for them later. Added to the huge bouquets of roses he had already given me, the suite was positively overflowing with beautiful flowers.

It was still early enough that I could have rounded up Cooper and gone out for awhile, but I found that I was content to just stay in the suite with my vampires. A few years back, I would have probably found it a little creepy to be the only live person in a room full of dead people, but now it just felt... normal. Somewhere along the way, these three vampires had become my family; and honestly, I was more comfortable here among them than in a whole room full of live humans_**. **_They loved me and cared for me like no one but my Gran ever had, and I loved them all right back. Unexpectedly, the words of the Queen of Oklahoma drifted back through my mind. She had told Eric and me to keep the members of our nest close. At the time, I had objected, because I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. I wasn't about to be shared in a sexual way, and I knew without a doubt that my Viking was much too possessive to ever allow that, anyway. But, like Wanda pointed out, maybe sometimes nests defy the rules. Maybe in our case, "nest" was just another word for "family"... and that definition was one I _could_ live with.

Thinking back on the way she had stared at Bill when she had made that statement, I realized with a shock that Wanda must have been able to sense our strange, unconventional Bond. I suddenly had an overwhelming desire to see my dark vampire. I went to the door to his room, fully expecting it to be locked; but the knob turned easily in my hand. The room was completely dark, so I switched on the light since I knew it couldn't possibly wake him. There he was, my darkly handsome vampire Bill, laying on his side with the pillow tucked under his cheek. I went and sat by his side, and ran my hand over his smooth, muscular shoulder. I picked up his limp, cool hand and held it in mine, and sat staring at his face. My thoughts ran back over the evolution of our relationship, and the changes in my life that had taken place because of it.

This was the vampire that had started it all, the one who had taught me to love and then broken my heart... although I now sincerely believed that Bill had never intentionally set out to hurt me. Looking back, I realized that maybe it was Fate itself that had continually put up roadblocks to our relationship. It fact, it was Bill that had eventually led me to my soul mate; and for that I would always be grateful. For the last several months, Bill had been there for me at every turn, and I knew that he meant what he said last night. He truly believed that Eric and I were Fated to be together, and that he was meant to share in our destiny somehow. He had accepted his place as my close friend and as someone that would always be bound to me by choice as well as by blood. Equally important, though, when Bill had made it clear to Eric that he was accepting the offer to be his Lieutenant, something between the three of us had finally shifted and settled into a comfortable place. For once, I had been able to feel _both_ of their emotions, and oddly enough, they were similar: they both felt a sense of completion, like the last piece of a puzzle had fallen into place; and then, they had both relaxed. Bill had finally accepted Eric as his true King and my rightful mate, and Eric had publicly shown his trust in Bill by making him his Lieutenant. Somehow, I knew that from now on, things between the three of us would be much easier.

In thinking about how well I could tell exactly what Bill had been feeling, it suddenly occurred to me that Eric was not the only one who had been holding back information. I had been guilty of exactly the same thing that he had done to me. For weeks, I had very carefully avoided being in a situation where Eric would realize just how deep the blood tie between Bill and myself had become. I never lied about it, I just never brought it up. I had told myself that I was doing it just to avoid trouble... but I hadn't appreciated being "protected" from the truth, and now I figured maybe he wouldn't either. I decided right then and there that I was going to tell the Viking all about it, as soon as possible. I wanted everything to be out in the open from here on out.

Suddenly, my tummy began to rumble, and I knew I needed to get something to eat. Giving Bill's hand a squeeze, I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. I got up and headed back to the living room, remembering at the last minute to turn the light out on the way out of his room. After hunting up the room service menu, I gave them a call. When the voice on the other end answered, I gave my order, and was slightly discombobulated when the voice said, "Yes, Your Majesty. We'll have it up right away." At first, I thought the man had mistaken me for Sandy (which was crazy because she would still be at rest), and then I gave a nervous chuckle when I realized that he really _was_ talking to me. So far, only Eric's vampires had ever called me that, and even then it always took me a minute to adjust. I was just so American that the whole King-Queen just seemed so... weird. The very notion that I, Sookie Stackhouse Northman, former barmaid and town crazy-person, was the Queen of anything, still seemed pretty funny.

In any event, I went and fetched my notebook from our bedroom (of course, I had to stop and give Eric a few pats and kisses on the way), and then I curled up on the sofa and worked on my plans for Fangtasia until my food came. For once, I was actually starving, and ate every bite. It was amazing how much better I felt since Eric had given in and fed from me. Great make-up sex was clearly good for my appetite, and his little pep-talk had done wonders for my self-esteem as well. After eating, I went ahead and showered and dressed. I hadn't had a chance to get my hair trimmed since our wedding, and the ends were looking pretty ratty, so I had made an appointment to get it done in the salon downstairs. Even though I was sure all eyes would be on Sandy, I wanted to look my best for the Coronation.

I gave Cooper a call to remind him that it was time for me to go. In a flash, he was at the door, ready and waiting. A few minutes later, we located the elegant hair salon just in time for my appointment; but the girl at the desk apologized and said that they were running behind schedule and I would have to wait for a bit. I sat out front and talked to Cooper while I waited, and told him about discovering the ring of card-counters in the casino the night before. He was fascinated, and wondered out loud what had become of the Pit Boss. Personally, I was just as glad that I _didn't_ know. After awhile, the receptionist came to get me. To my embarrassment, Cooper insisted that he first be allowed to check out the area, so he followed the woman down the hallway with me trailing along behind. Since I still felt bad for upsetting him the day before with the whole Carson incident, though, I didn't protest.

To my surprise, the receptionist escorted us to a private room instead of a big open area with multiple stations. What a luxury! Most of my life, Gran had been the one to trim my hair, mostly because it was free, but also because it saved me from "hearing" all the catty things the women down at Tisha's Clip-N-Curl were thinking about me. Since Amelia moved in, she had taken over the job. This was going to be a real treat. Cooper took a look around, saw that there were no wooly-boogers in the room, and then informed me he would be waiting out in the lobby. His parting words were a stern reminder that I was not supposed to leave the salon without him, no matter what. I had to resist a strong impulse to stick out my tongue at his retreating back. The receptionist introduced me to my hair stylist Sue, who gave me a cape and then seated me in the chair facing the mirror. She looked me over a little critically, ran her fingers through my hair, and said, "You have beautiful hair, but I bet it's a handful to take care of. I could give you a really cute short cut and some highlights, and you could blow it dry in a couple of minutes flat."

Wow! That sounded fun, and I thought, "What the heck? I've always wanted to try my hair short." I wondered what Eric would think. I waffled back and forth, but finally decided that maybe it was too radical a change. My life had seen enough changes lately, and maybe I should wait until another time. I thanked her for the suggestion, but said no. In any event, we decided what I wanted done, but just before she set to work, the receptionist tapped on the door and stuck her head in. "So sorry to interrupt, Sue, but the lady for your next appointment is pretty mad at the delay, and wants to know how much longer it will be," she said in exasperation, "Could you please come out front and talk to this lady?"

The stylist rolled her eyes, and sighed. To me, she said, "Sorry! I'll be right back, I swear!" and then scurried out of the room. I sat back in my chair and relaxed. Closing my eyes, I took a little time to think about the evening ahead. Just thinking about my vampire sent a serious wave of longing through me, and I could hardly wait to see him. I was fantasizing about our lovemaking (again!) and was just about to the part where he bit me, when I heard the door open. I didn't want to let go of my daydream just yet, so I kept my eyes closed. I felt the girl slip up behind me, and once again I felt her fingers running through my hair. Almost to myself, I said, "Mmm. That feels good."

I just about started out of my skin when I heard a deep voice behind me saying, "It feels good to me, too, Babe." My eyes flew open, and sure enough, I could see Quinn's reflection in the mirror. He was looking as impressive as ever, and although he was smiling in a mild manner, I had to resist a serious impulse to poof away. Getting a tight reign on my magic, I stopped myself for two reasons. For one thing, I didn't want him to have that knowledge about me; and for another, if his intention was to harm me, he could have already done it. I could raise a ruckus, and Cooper would come running, but... in a flash, I realized that this might be my only opportunity to get some answers. "Quinn, what are you doing here?" I asked angrily, "How on earth did you even know where to find me?"

He gave me a rakish grin, his big white teeth flashing. "Like almost all the human women here for the Coronation, I knew you would probably be getting your hair done sometime today. I bribed one of the workers here to tell me what time your appointment was, and then to let me in the employee's entrance in the back. I had to hang around a little longer than I thought, but as you see, it paid off... I just _had_ to see you, and this was my only opportunity to talk to you alone."

Now that I was over my initial shock, I could feel my temper beginning to rise. I turned myself around so that I was facing him. "You have a lot of nerve coming here!" I exclaimed hotly, "You almost got my husband killed, and if he catches you, he's going to tear you to pieces."

The Were-Tiger pinned my eyes with his purple ones, and said, "And are you okay with that? The Sookie I knew thought killing was wrong, and especially without knowing all the facts. I told you that being around those bloodsuckers would be bad for you! You are turning into one of them."

"That is not true!" I said indignantly, "In this case, though, I might make an exception."

Quinn said, "At least hear me out before condemning me. I want you to know that I had no idea that Victor was intending to kill Eric. He was only supposed to capture him until after the takeover, to keep Eric from helping Felipe. I agreed to go along with the takeover, because I needed two things: some of Eric's blood, and a King that was willing to break your Bond. Victor told me that he was certain that after Felipe was dead, Eric would be practical enough to stay on as one of his Sheriffs, just like he did when Sophie-Ann died; and once he had sworn his oath of loyalty, Victor could control him enough to keep him from coming after us. He was only going to hold Eric long enough to allow us to get far away and start a new life somewhere else."

"Quinn! That's just... crazy! Why would you think that I would willingly go anywhere with you? I made it perfectly clear that I was in love with Eric."

He shook his head, and replied, "I could see that you weren't in your right mind. Those Bonds are made so that the vampire can control the human, and Eric was just making you believe that you loved him. I thought that once the Bond was broken, you would come to your senses, and realize that you still loved me... and you would have, too. In all the years I have been working for vampires, I have come to realize how evil they really are. I could have given you a normal life, far away from them and all their nastiness."

By the gleam in his eye, I knew that as crazy as it sounded, he really believed that it was only the Bond that kept me from loving him. He continued, "Then, when I heard what Victor said on the stage, I realized that everything he told me was a lie. He really intended to kill Eric, and keep you for himself! I tried to get in through back stage to help you, but he had men posted at the stage door that I couldn't get past... and by the time the fighting was over, Eric and his bunch had already won. I knew right away how it was going to look, and that he would be gunning for me, so... I disappeared. I managed to find shelter with a friend of my family's that lives in New Orleans until I could slip out of the city safely. For the last few weeks, I have been keeping out of sight, but I can't go on like this forever. I want to come to terms with Eric."

"So, why talk to me? Why not just call him on the phone, and work it out?" I asked, even though I knew it was unlikely that it would have done a bit of good. Vampires were not exactly forgiving creatures, and most especially the Viking.

Apparently, Quinn knew it, too. He said, "Come on, Sookie. The only way I'm going to get him off my tail is for _you_ to call him off."

Instead of saying anything, I just sat and stared at him. Did I believe his story? I supposed in a way, it all made sense. "Why would I help you, even if I could?" I asked him, "Even if you really didn't know that Victor was planning to kill Eric, you were _still _trying to come between us."

Giving me a sad look with those amazing eyes of his, he answered, "You loved me once. Everything I did was because I still loved you... Do you really want to see me killed because I loved you?"

I thought about it. If his story was true, he really was just trying to get me away from the vampires he truly thought were so bad for me, and to give me a better life. However misguided, did he really deserve to die for it? After all, he _was_ one of the few remaining Were-Tigers in the world. Almost reluctantly, I said, "All right. I'll talk to him, but I can't promise anything. How can I get in touch with you?"

"Call me at this number," he said, handing me a card with a number written in pencil on the back, "I'll be waiting. Thanks, Babe. I knew I could count on you to do the right thing." Giving me one last penetrating look, he turned and slipped back out the door. Only another minute passed, when the door flew open again, and my stylist came rushing back through. She said, "I am _so_ sorry for the delay! It's just been that kind of day!" At once, she set to work. I took the time to mull over what Quinn had said, and I was wondering just exactly how I was going to broach the subject with my vampire. Speaking of vampires, I suddenly realized that because we had gotten such a late start, obviously I was not going to make it back to our room by the time he woke. After thinking it over, I finally pulled out my phone and sent Eric a message so he wouldn't worry: _Getting my hair done. Running late. Sorry! Luv U! ~S. _I knew I would have to handle the whole Quinn thing in person, so I had had deliberately omitted saying anything about his visit. A little while later, my phone vibrated with an incoming text, which read: _Going out, back soon. B ready. Luv U 2. ~E._

After that, I tried to relax again as Sue worked on my hair, but of course all I could think about was Quinn. I was so deep in thought, before I knew it my hair was done. Putting my bad thoughts aside,I gazed into the mirror at my reflection. Because I knew Eric liked it, my hair was pulled back and up, with curls cascading down my back. I had remembered to get the stylist to put in my new combs that he had bought me, which added a touch of elegance. The stylist had done an amazing job, and I thanked her and gave her a nice tip. I went out and collected Cooper, and headed towards the suite.

Once we arrived I went in and looked around. I was hoping Bill would be on hand so that I could get his opinion on what I should do, but neither he nor Pam were nowhere in sight. Going back to my bedroom, I got out everything I would need for the evening, and transferred my ID and things from one tiny evening bag to the other, remembering to slip in my cell phone. I bathed quickly, being careful to not let my hair get wet, and then sat in front of the mirror, and took extra care in applying my make-up. I wanted Eric to be proud of his "Queen."

Once it was done to my satisfaction, I carefully slipped into the beautiful white evening gown that Eric had bought for me. I struggled a little getting everything into place by myself, but I managed; and then slipped on the strappy high heeled sandals that went with the dress. Taking one last look in the mirror, I patted my hair, and checked my make-up. From the other room came the faint sounds of piano music. The suite contained a full sound system, and I supposed that Pam or Bill had turned it on. Grabbing the little inlaid wooden box that contained my new necklace and earrings, I opened the door to our bedroom and stepped out into the living area of our suite, where I was bowled over to discover the source of the music. Pam sat at the piano, playing up a storm. I don't know why it came as such a shock that my friend could play, but it did. I didn't know a thing about classical music, but whatever she was playing was hauntingly beautiful. She was already dressed, and looked as lovely as I had ever seen her. Her sleek gown was covered in black sequins, and fit every curve of her petite figure to perfection. Around her neck was a fabulous diamond choker, and from her ears hung diamond drop earrings. She must have caught my reflection in the window, because she turned her head in my direction and watched me as I walked towards the piano. Her deft fingers never stopped moving across the keys as she gave me the once-over. Eyes glowing in appreciation, she said, "Mistress, you look quite beautiful. That gown is perfect."

"Thank you. You and my husband have good taste," I said with a smile, "That necklace is amazing!"

"Thank you. Robert gave it to me, years ago. He is just as fond of jewels as my Master."

Bill was gazing out of the window. He was as handsome as ever in his formal black tuxedo. He turned and came towards me, then kissed me on my cheek. He said, "Pam is right. Your gown is perfect, and I especially like the way you are wearing your hair. It is most becoming."

"Thank you. I almost got it cut really short today," I said casually, patting my new combs to make sure they were still in place, "Do you think Eric would like my hair short?"

The music came to an abrupt halt. In unison, Pam and Bill said a vehement, "NO!" I gave them both a look. Pam looked shocked to her core that I would even suggest such a thing, and Bill looked downright horrified. Amused at their reaction, I asked, "Why on earth not? It's very fashionable."

Of course, my old-fashioned Bill stated firmly, "Women's hair _should_ be long." At that, I rolled my eyes. Pam's take on it was, "Sookie, my Master _loves_ your hair. He would _not_ be pleased if you cut it... if you don't believe me, just ask him. And by the way, I think you like his just the way it is, as well. Even if he _could_ wear it short, would you want him to?"

"All right, point taken." I replied. My Viking with short hair? I tried to picture it, but just couldn't. His long golden hair was my favorite thing about him... right after his fabulous butt... and maybe his muscular chest... or the Gracious Plenty. Well, heck, I guess I had lots of favorite things about him!

After a minute, Pam resumed playing. I said, "Pam, I had no idea that you could play the piano. I'm impressed!"

She smiled faintly and replied, "My father was very fond of music, and insisted that his daughters all learned to play. I was always in trouble for sleeping when I should be practicing! ...but eventually, I learned to love it, just as he did. In those days, we didn't have so many things to do, and we would often keep each other amused by singing and playing musical instruments."

Bill had come to stand by me at the side of the piano. He spoke up, and said, "Yes, it was much the same for us. My mother loved to play, and taught me."

Pam gave him a look of disbelief, and drawled, "Really!"

"Really," he stated firmly. Walking around to her other side, he slid onto the bench with her. Placing his hands on the keys, he began to play something that blended right in to her music. The look of astonishment they gave each other was so funny I burst out laughing. These two had finally found one thing in common besides just being vampire, and they didn't know what to do about it! After a minute, Pam shrugged slightly, and asked him, "Do you know this? My sister and I used to play it."

Bill jumped right in, and they played a wonderful duet. After that, Bill asked her if she could play ragtime. She snorted and disdainfully said, "Of course!" as her fingers began to fly across the keys.

I leaned on the piano, and listened and smiled as they tried their best to out-do each other. At one point, they stopped long enough to argue over exactly how a particular tune went, and apparently Bill won. They went at it again, and I didn't know who was right, but it sounded great to me! During the middle of this song, the door to the suite opened, and in strode my Viking. It was the first time I had seen him that evening, and he looked wonderful. He was wearing his new white tuxedo, which of course fit him to perfection. Mr. Hsu had out-done himself. Oddly enough, I realized that had never seen the Viking wearing white before... well, except for the picture of him as Mr. January in the Fangtasia calendar. Of course, even then, he was technically not wearing white, only laying on it.... but I had to admit, it certainly suited him. His previously discussed golden mane was loose, but had a small braid down one side, the way I liked it best. From across the room, his eyes took in the unusual scene, and then came to light on me. A slow, sexy smile spread across his handsome face. Completely ignoring the other two, he came across the room, pulled me to him, and said, "You are lovely, my Queen." Bending his head, he delicately touched his lips to mine. Running one finger lightly down the side of my face, he said softly, "You were not here when I rose. We will have to make up for it later."

Just the way he said it sent shivers of anticipation through me. Sparks of energy were flying back and forth between us, and I knew without a doubt that before the night was over, I was in for some serious, mind-blowing sex. It seemed that our little talk from the night before had made us closer and more in love than ever. Somehow, I knew that his finally giving in and feeding from me was partially responsible for that feeling. Although our sex life was still great without it, something magical happened when I could feel my blood flowing into him. I couldn't even put it into words... it was just... necessary, somehow. He had given in last night, and I had decided that tonight, it was going to be me. Instead of making it better, the little drop I had tasted from two nights ago had made my craving for my vampire's blood nearly overwhelming. I no longer _cared_ what effects it was having on my body. I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to ask... but ask I would. I was going to try my best not to feel embarrassed about it, either, because he clearly enjoyed it just as much as I did.

For now, though, just the anticipation was making my little hootchie sit up and do the happy dance. Eric's fangs went from half-mast to fully down almost instantly, and his eyes began to burn with an inner fire. My heart began to pound in my chest, because I knew that look very well... it was the "I don't care what else is going on, I'm going to fuck my woman right now" look. Apparently, Pam knew it, too, because she quit playing and said rather loudly, "All right, you two. We have to be downstairs in 20 minutes in order to be seated before the ceremony begins. Master, since you are the guest of honor, it will be a great insult to Sandy if you are late."

Although I really wanted to grab him by the hand, lead him back to our room and have my way with him, Pam was right; so I figured maybe it would be more helpful if both of us had something else to think about. Holding out the little wooden jewelry box from the top of the piano where I had set it down, I said, "Care to give your wife a little help with her jewelry?"

Taking the box, Eric opened it and put in each earring. I held up my hair, to make it easier for him to put on my necklace; but before putting it around my neck, his eyes went to the little punctures that he had left there. I thought for a minute that he was going to insist on healing them. Instead, he leaned down and delicately ran the tip of his tongue over them, and then pressed his lips against them. Ah, god! I nearly melted into a big puddle right there. He straightened up, and then deftly slipped the necklace around my throat After fastening the clasp, he lightly kissed the nape of my neck, and the soft touch of his cool lips made me shiver. He turned me around and surveyed the results, and I knew he approved by the way his eyes were glowing. "Just perfect," my vampire said huskily.

I knew he was referring to what he had said to me the prior night, and I felt myself blush. The Viking just chuckled. Strangely enough, although they could not possibly have any idea of the significance of that phrase, both Pam and Bill were quite obviously suppressing grins. Huh. Eric was looking at me very intently, and a minute later he ordered, "Close your eyes and hold out your arm."

I did as he asked, and felt something cool and heavy sliding around my wrist. He ordered, "All right, open them." I did, and immediately gasped. Around my wrist was a bracelet, and not just any bracelet either... this was a thick band, covered in diamonds flashing with fire and light. The largest diamonds formed a pattern, sort of like a figure eight lying on its side. This bracelet really _was_ fit for a Queen... there was no telling how much this had cost. For once in my life, I was completely, totally speechless. My vampire traced the figure eight with one finger, and said softly, "This is the symbol for infinity, Sookie. It represents that which has no limits... like my love for you."

As sweet as that sentiment was, I was about to open my mouth to object to yet another over-the-top gift. It really wasn't necessary for Eric to keep showering me with all this fantastically expensive jewelry for absolutely no reason.... but then I got a good look at his eyes. I could see something in them that made me keep silent. My ancient vampire was much too proud to apologize for keeping me in the dark about Sabriel, and this was his own way of saying he was sorry. I would just as soon have gotten the apology, but for once I was wise enough to know when I was ahead of the game. My eyes shifted a bit to the huge floral arrangement sitting on the table behind him. Reaching up and touching Eric's cheek with my fingertips, I said, "Baby, the bracelet is gorgeous. I absolutely love it, but you know, the flowers you sent would have been plenty. Thank you very much for both gifts."

Raising one eyebrow, he asked, "The roses? You already thanked me for those..."

"No, silly. The lilies... those." I pointed at the arrangement. He turned and looked at them, frowned, and said, "I did not send those. Was there a card?"

I nodded, and produced the card. He looked it over, and then looked at Bill, who shook his head and said, "Sorry, it wasn't me."

Who could it have been? Luke?... or maybe... Quinn. I really _had_ to speak to Eric before we left, so I took his hand and said, "Eric, before we go, I need to speak to you... alone."

Much to my surprise, he said, "Actually, I was just about to say the same thing."

*****

A few minutes later, we emerged from the bedroom. Outwardly, my vampire was as cool and calm as ever, but on the inside, he was seething in a twisty, snarly mass. After I had explained to him what had occurred in the salon, we had a brief argument, but finally he had agreed to allow Quinn to go ahead with the Coronation Ceremony unmolested in return for the Were-Tiger's agreement that he would never come near me again. Consulting the card Quinn had given me, I had called him from Eric's cell phone. The issue had not been entirely settled, but negotiations through an undetermined third party would begin soon. Eric had suggested the Ancient Pythoness should be the one to settle the dispute, but Quinn had objected, saying that she was clearly biased in Eric's favor. Frankly, I had been shocked to my core that Eric had agreed to any of it, but he had. The gleam in his eye made me a little nervous, but still, I expected him to keep his word. I had noticed that as always, Eric had chosen his words very carefully. His promise to let Quinn go completely unmolested really only covered the formal activities tonight, and no longer. I wondered if Quinn had been sharp enough to catch that small detail; but I figured the Tiger was lucky to get that much of a concession.

Once we had put the whole Quinn issue to rest, I asked Eric what _he_ had wanted to tell _me_; but just then, Pam pounded loudly on the door and called out, "Master, we are going to be late! We have to go, _now_!"

The Viking seemed like he was on the verge of telling her to forget the whole thing, but then he gave a huge sigh, kissed me, and said, "I suppose what I have to say can wait until after the party. Come, my Queen, let us go." We got off the bed, he offered me his arm, and we went out to collect the rest of our little family. Flanked by the Royal Guards, the four of us hurried down to the Ceremony. It was being held in one of the ballrooms of the Eternity, which were all located on the second floor, the same level as the pool. Afterwards, the formal Ball would be held in the adjacent ballroom. Just before arriving, Eric called his guards off to one side and spoke to them in low tones as the rest of us continued on towards the ballroom. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw him taking out his money clip, peeling off some bills and then handing Atticus a big wad of cash. As soon as he was finished, both of them headed back down the hall without a backward glance. I suppose since technically they weren't allowed inside for the ceremony, he was letting them off for the rest of the evening. It looked like maybe they were headed for the casino, and I hoped Eric had given them plenty of money to gamble with. In my opinion, that Atticus needed to loosen up and have a little fun. For once, he had been smiling, so I guessed gambling was something he enjoyed.

The big double doors into the ballroom had already been shut, but on recognizing Eric, the Nevada Royal Guards bowed, and opened them for us. It was a little uncomfortable going in so late, because everyone else had been long since seated; but Eric regally strolled down the aisle, taking the time to nod at a few of the other monarchs, as if this was _his_ ceremony. I was busy trying not to trip in my extremely high heels, and fall on my face in front of a crowd.

We were escorted in and seated in a special section in front of the stage where a bank of four seats that had been roped off just for Eric's retinue. Bill was seated to my left, and Pam was on Eric's right. I had just a moment to take in my surroundings before the Ceremony began. During our walk down the aisle, I had glanced at the rest of the audience, and had been surprised and amused to see that everyone was dressed in black; all except for the monarchs, who were easy to spot in their white outfits. Finally, a vampire event where black attire was required! In contrast, though, the stage was draped with sheer white and gold draperies liberally dotted with crystals. Instead of the dark, mysterious atmosphere I was expecting, everything was well lit, causing the crystals to shimmer and wink.

Only a moment after we had taken our seats, the sound of a single loud gong rang out, and a hush fell over the murmuring audience. Almost instantly, Quinn the Were-Tiger emerged from backstage looking downright magnificent in a pair of gold-lame genie pants. From his neck hung a single thick gold chain, which just served to emphasize his huge muscular chest. His shaved head gleamed in the stage lights, and he looked very powerful and completely in control.

Of course, the very instant my vampire had sighted Quinn, the surge of his dark vampire emotions nearly bowled me over. It was a good thing I was seated, or I probably would have collapsed from the sheer intensity of it. I squeezed Eric's hand as hard as I could, and he took his eyes off the Tiger long enough to glance at me. I must have looked as pale as I felt, because immediately I could feel him trying to reign himself in. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bill start forward, and I quickly laid my free hand on his arm in restraint. Since Eric was by far the dominant vampire, and my also Twice-Bonded, I could only feel his extreme emotions and not Bill's right at that moment; but I figured I knew what was on my dark vampire's mind anyhow. I saw Bill glance over a Eric, who gave him a curt shake of the head in warning. I was a little relieved, because it looked like the Viking was going to keep his word, and not interrupt Sandy's Ceremony with a very messy public shredding. Bill reluctantly sat back in his seat.

Before he said anything, Quinn very deliberately glanced over at Eric and gave him a flat stare. In turn, Eric gave his very best vampire King glare right back at Quinn, and honestly I was amazed that the big Were was still able to stand afterwards. It was clear to all present that these two were barely able to resist trying to kill each other at any minute. I had fully expected Quinn to appear a little more humble, since it was only by Eric's good graces that he was able to be on that stage at all; but then I realized that it just wasn't in the Were-Tiger's character to cow down to anyone in public. After a long pause, he finally tore his eyes away from the Viking and in his big, booming voice, welcomed all the guests to the ceremony. Then, with a dramatic sweep of his hand towards the double doors of the ballroom, he announced, "And now, the formal ceremony for the Coronation for the Vampire Queen of the Nevada Territories shall begin." The Were-Tiger bowed low, and backed offstage.

The ballroom doors burst open, and a line of beautiful, muscular vampire dancers ran in. In true Las Vegas tradition, both males and females were very scantily clad, and what little they did have on appeared to consist of tiny scraps of gold lame, crystals, and a few strategically placed feathers. They gyrated their way down to the stage, and then gave an absolutely outstanding dance performance. Since I had no preconceived ideas of what this ceremony would be like, I had decided to just try to relax and enjoy it as much as I could. Eric was still holding my hand, and he glanced over at me during the dance performance once, and gave me a smile. I was glad to see that he was at least making an effort to relax, even though his emotions were still roiling. I couldn't very well complain, either. At least he had not blocked our Bond again. I was still a little upset about finding out that he could even do it. Even though he claimed he could "only blunt it a bit," I found the idea very disturbing.

In the middle of the dancing, the doors opened again, and a group of drummers (also scantily clad) came slowly up the isle, keeping a stead beat. Directly behind them, came four stunningly beautiful vampire women, scattering a path of white rose petals. Rather cattily, it crossed my mind that Sandy had been watching too much late night TV. This all reminded me somehow of the big scene in "Cleopatra" where she enters the city of Rome, cheered on by a cast of thousands. In any event, behind the rose bearers was something quite startling but very unique. Two handlers came in calmly walking alongside two enormous white tigers, who were making low chuffing noises. The dancers had by now disappeared backstage, and the drummers took their place along the sides, all the while keeping up a steady beat. The rose ladies laid a thick steam of petals all the way onto the stage, and then vanished behind the draperies. The tiger handlers took their wards up on stage, and then made them perch on two elaborately carved marble platforms which were placed on either side of center stage. Oddly enough, a moment after they passed, I felt an immense jolt of anger from my Viking... and then I realized they must have made him think of Quinn. Once the tigers were in place, the drums fell quiet for a moment, and again, the sound of the gong rang out. The doors opened one last time, and in came Sandy, seated on an ornately carved and gilded throne. It was fastened to an elaborately decorated platform, which was carried by four muscular, completely naked vampire males. Yep, just as I suspected, Sandy had a thing for "Cleopatra," all right.

The drums had taken up a slow cadence as they made their way up the isle. As they passed, a flush of embarrassment pass through me,. Still, I could not help but admire the nice bodies of the vampires men... Wow! Those guys looked good! Since I was sitting between the two of them, I could tell that both of _my_ vampires were not all that happy with my reaction... I started to feel guilty, but quickly realized that the admiration of a perfectly formed male body was a fairly normal reaction in a human girl with 20/20 vision. Vampires obviously _did_ view nudity differently, but that didn't mean that I could or maybe ever would! All too quickly (at least in my opinion), the vampires arrived in front of the stage, set the platform down, and knelt down before their Queen (too bad... I had been sort of hoping for a low bow instead). Regally, Sandy rose from her seat. Her dress was absolutely magnificent. It was white, trimmed in gold, and had an elaborate train. What must have been thousands of tiny crystals were sewn in patterns all over the gown. In addition, the new Queen was positively dripping in extremely ornate diamond, pearl, and gold jewelry, which literally must have been worth a fortune.

After leaving the platform, Sandy walked up the rose covered steps onto the stage, and then turned to face the audience. From the wings emerged a vampire male, and even though I had never met him before, I was willing to bet that he was a vampire King. I was beginning to recognize the look... danger and power barely concealed under a cool exterior. Honestly, this one was fairly short, and not all that handsome as far as vampires go; but the air of confidence and power he exuded made him quite attractive. Eric leaned his head towards mine, and said softly, "That's California... apparently a friend of Sandy's."

Huh. The King of California proceeded to ask Sandy some questions like, "Do you, Sandy Seacrest, lay claim to the Nevada Territories.... yada yada yada...."; pretty much exactly what I expected. Then, from the wings of the stage, another vampire came out bearing an elaborately embroidered pillow. On the pillow sat an ornate gold ring. The ring bearer knelt by Sandy and California (whatever his name was) and offered the ring. California took it from the pillow, held it in the air, and recited some incantations in what I assumed was Latin, but could just as well been Swahili for all I knew. He laid his hand on Sandy's head, said another incantation, which she then repeated after him. He held out the ring to her, and she took it and placed it on her own finger.

With that, the gong sounded once more, and the doors opened again. Down the aisle came three ethereally beautiful young humans, dressed in shimmering, sheer golden gowns. There were a set of female twins with ash blond hair, and one golden-haired male. They made their way slowly up to the stage, and once there stood in a little line in front of Sandy. One by one, Sandy called them up, bit them on the neck and fed a little from each. It was all I could do to keep from squirming in my seat, I was so uncomfortable; but I wasn't about to embarrass Eric, so I sat very still. He gave my hand a little squeeze. This time, it was Bill who leaned leaned over and whispered in explanation, "Virgins."

Oh, right. Where in Las Vegas (or maybe anywhere) had Sandy managed to find three beautiful virgins over the age of twenty-one? Or even eighteen? Then I remembered that it was actually possible, since I had been a virgin myself at twenty-five... but I was definitely an oddity. As soon as Sandy had finished with the last one, the King of California turned to the audience, and said, "May I present to you the new Queen of the Nevada Territories, Sandy Seacrest."

There was a thunderous round of applause, and Sandy just stood there looking somewhat smug. Turning her head in our direction, she looked directly over at Eric, and gave him a nod. He very regally nodded back, thus making it clear to all that he supported her. The King of California made his way off stage, and Sandy's band of merry men brought her throne up the stairs and onto the stage. It was placed between the two white tigers, who were still on their marble pedestals. They had been remarkably quiet during the brief ceremony, but had begun to make short growling sounds as if they were getting restless. Completely ignoring them, Sandy went and sat down on her throne. As soon as she was seated, Quinn again came on stage; and almost immediately the tiger on the left gave a loud, prolonged growl... he didn't sound too happy. Quinn turned his head, gave the tiger a serious glare, and a low growl issued from deep in his own muscular chest. The sound sent chills through me, and the white tiger must have felt the same way, because immediately he was quiet. I could hear the audience behind us murmuring in appreciation; but off to my right, I heard a loud snort. I turned my head quickly enough to catch Pam rolling her eyes at the display. Eric's face was expressionless, but those blue Viking eyes were glittering dangerously.

A moment later, Quinn turned back to the audience and asked all those who wished to swear their oaths of fealty to their new Queen to come forward. Reading from a scroll, he called out their names and positions as they approached. The first up were her Lieutenants, and then the Sheriffs, and after that some of what I later learned were the wealthy and influential vampires of the state. I had been dreading that part, because I had been afraid that all the vampires in the state would have to swear, and we would literally be sitting around all night. Before the ceremony, I had asked Eric exactly why vampires even bothered with all the oath-swearing business. He had said, "It is tradition. It is very important, and most vampires are in fact quite loyal to their monarchs." I rather rashly reminded him that _he_ had sworn an oath to Felipe. Those Viking eyebrows had drawn together in a serious frown, and he patiently explained that it had been Victor that had actually killed de Castro, and Sandy had been the one who had allowed it; so therefore he had not technically violated his oath... I thought that was kind of splitting hairs, but I could tell by the look on his face that it was probably better if I didn't go there... so I stopped while I was ahead. Besides, I shouldn't complain, since the butt he had saved by doing so belonged to me.

Once everybody was done, Quinn announced that the ceremony was officially at an end, and then invited everyone to step outside to watch the fireworks display in the new Queen's honor. The guests all stood, and after a good bit of rustling around, filed out to the pool area to watch the show. Being the closest to the stage, our group waited for some of the crowd to thin out before attempting to leave. To my surprise, Sandy made her way rather carefully down the steps, and over to us. She went straight up to Eric, kissed him on both cheeks, and said, "Well, I am glad _that_ is over! Everything went quite well, don't you think? Next it will be you."

"Very entertaining," Eric said dryly, "The tigers were an especially nice touch."

She gave him a wink, and said, "Oh, yes, I _know_ how fond you are of tigers. As I told you before, I was very disappointed when I was told that the magnificent Quinn was on personal leave. Of course, I knew the real reason he wasn't going to be here; so imagine my surprise when he popped up at the last minute! He told me the two of you had come to an agreement, and I knew immediately you had given in just so my ceremony would be perfect. I just had to come tell you how much it meant to me." With that, she turned her eyes on me, and said, "Isn't our Viking thoughtful?"

"Our" Viking? As Eric had taken great pains to assure me last night, he was _my_ Viking; and of course the only reason he had allowed Quinn to go on with his job tonight was because _I_ talked him into it. However, I figured that where vampire politics were concerned, it probably wouldn't hurt for Sandy to think she owed Eric a favor; so I gave her a fake smile, and said, "Yes, myhusband is very thoughtful."

"Sookie, I want to thank you for your help in discovering my little problem in the casino last night," she said, giving me a brilliant smile in return, "What a wonderful gift you have, my dear... I can see how valuable you are, and the Viking is a very clever vampire to have Bonded you. In the casino business, we are always running into these little problems, and I hope that your Bonded is willing to share you with me." With that, she turned her eyes back to Eric, and raised one shapely eyebrow in question.

Even though his emotions were already in a state from dealing with the Quinn episode, I felt a sharp spike of irritation, tinged with... anxiety? I supposed that maybe he was worried that I wouldn't care for the suggestion, and might say something politically incorrect. The Viking just stood and gave Sandy a rather flat stare, and seemed to be about to say something in reply, when Pam spoke up and said, "I hate to interrupt, but shouldn't we be getting outside? Sandy, it would be a shame if you missed your own fireworks display."

For just a minute, Sandy and Eric continued to stare at one another. Finally, Sandy tore her eyes away from his, and said brightly, "Of course! Let us go!"

Eric had already tucked my hand around his forearm, in preparation for escorting me outside. Sandy stepped forward and slid her hand around his other arm, and said gaily, "I suppose King Eric wouldn't mind escorting two Queens outside!" Through our Bond, I could feel another jolt of irritation from the Viking.

Our little group made its way down the long isle and out of the ballroom. After traveling a short way down the wide hallway, we went through a set of doors and stepped out onto the pool area. The place was quite crowded with onlookers. Just as we stepped onto the patio, I heard a faint whistling noise and a second later, the first volley of fireworks burst on the horizon. I gasped! It was just _beautiful_! Wave after wave of brilliantly colored embers covered the sky.

Bon Temps was just too small and too poor to be able to sponsor any big public fireworks displays, and so the only ones I had ever seen before this were on TV. One of my clearest memories of my father was on the Fourth of July before his death, when he set off some roman candles and other interesting things in the field to the side of our house. He had also bought a box of sparklers, and allowed Jason and me to hold them by their stems as they burned. My mother watched anxiously as I twirled mine around and around, afraid that I might burn myself. My dad had just laughed, and said that his special little girl was much too smart for that; and then he gave me a breathtakingly beautiful smile; the one that I would see in my dreams of him for the rest of my life. My father was an absolutely gorgeous man, and now I understood that it was the fairy in him that made him so irresistible. I remember being completely enthralled with the brilliant sparks flying from the tip of the little rod he lit for me. It had been a sweet, magical moment, and even now the memory made my heart swell and tears come to my eyes.

Eric must have felt it, because he quietly disentangled himself from Sandy. He stepped behind me, wrapping me up in his big arms. Leaning his head down, he whispered in my ear, "What is it, my angel? Is something wrong?"

Smiling, I shook my head, and softly replied, "No! I've just never seen anything like this... it's so beautiful!"

My vampire smiled indulgently, and kissed the top of my head. "If my Queen enjoys fireworks so much, I will be certain to add a display to my own Coronation festivities," he promised, and hugged me a little more tightly to him. As we stood and watched the fantastic fireworks display, we both relaxed and let the waves of love flow back and forth between us through our Bond. It was another totally magical moment; and I knew that no matter how long I lived, I would never forget my complete happiness at that precise point in time.

Almost immediately after Eric had stepped away from Sandy, I noticed that Pam had inserted herself between the two of them, and was now standing directly to Eric's right. I suppose thinking about my human family made me feel sentimental. Suddenly, I wanted my _new_ family around me, so I reached out and took Pam's cool hand. She glanced at me in surprise, and I gave her one of my best smiles; then I tugged a little on her hand, pulling her closer to me. Eric slipped one of his arms from around me, and put it around her. Bill was standing a little off to my left, and I just couldn't bear to leave him out, so I held out my other hand to him. At first he hesitated, and I could see him glance at Eric. Since he was standing directly behind me, I couldn't see my vampire's reaction, but I guessed he must have given his permission, because Bill suddenly stepped a bit closer and took my hand. Now I was completely surrounded by my vampires, and as I watched the rest of the magnificent fireworks display, I realized that I was utterly happy and content. If nothing else, I felt like the Queen of this little family, and for someone like me, that was an indescribable feeling.

I wished like crazy that all my vampires could share the sense of joy and contentment that I was experiencing right then. No sooner had the strong sentiment passed through me than I felt my magic rising within me, and something deep within me told me that it was my gift to bestow if I wanted... so I let go, and let it flow out of me and into them. Of course, I felt a wave of pleasure coming back from Eric, but he was sort of used to my magic... the real reactions came from the other two. Because I was touching Bill, I could feel his total shock at the magic that had just flowed through him, but then I could feel that my little gift had done what I had wanted it to do. I was pretty proud of myself. My magic had been pretty unpredictable since we got back from New Orleans, and although I had not exactly planned this, I had actually had a point where I could have stopped it, or let it go. I knew that was a step in the right direction. Because I did not have the ability to feel Pam's emotions, I turned to see her reaction, and was tickled at her expression. She looked both shocked, and a little bit in awe. Her fangs had come down, she was smiling, and her eyes had taken on a lovely glow. I don't think I had ever seen my friend at such a loss for words, but she stammered, "Sookie... that was... that was just..."

"Magical," Eric said softly, and then added proudly "Amazing, isn't she?"

In answer, Pam just squeezed my hand, and said, "Amazing doesn't quite cover it."

Somewhat belatedly, I realized that maybe I shouldn't have used my Fairy magic in such a public forum, and glanced around nervously. Scanning the crowd, it appeared that for once everyone was watching the fireworks, and not paying our little group a bit of attention. Even if they had, I supposed that they would really have no way of knowing what had transpired, because it was all internal... but still, I reminded myself to be more careful in the future. Sandy was the closest vampire to us, and she was looking towards the sky, an absolutely neutral expression on her face. In fact, while I was looking at her, "California" (I still had not found out his actual name) sauntered up to her and spoke in her ear. He took her arm and tugged a little. The new Queen resisted a minute, and then laughed and allowed him to tow her off in the other direction.

Not long afterwards, the fantastic fireworks display came to an end. When the last ember fell to earth, the crowd groaned a little in disappointment, but then began to filter back inside towards the ballroom. Our group was close to the door, and so we were some of the first back inside and to the ballroom where the party was to be held. It had been decorated similarly to the stage at the Ceremony: very glitzy and as Eric would probably say, "totally Vegas." Luckily, it was not nearly as brightly lit, and was actually very romantic, with low lighting and candles burning everywhere. We found a table that was relatively near the dance floor, and sat down. The band was already beginning to play, and in contrast to the nightclub's very contemporary selection, this group was apparently going to play actual ballroom-type music.

There were buffets and blood fountains scattered throughout the room, as well as a row of scantily clad donors lined up along one wall. Eric took a look around and said, "Lover, I want you to eat something. Go select what you want. I will get a waiter to bring our drinks."

I did exactly as he suggested, and in no time was back at the table with a plate full of tiny little hors d'oeuvres that looked absolutely yummy. An amazing sight was awaiting me at the table. All three of my vampires were laughing together, each of them looking as carefree as I had ever seen them. Huh. Both Eric and Bill jumped up to help me with my chair. What the heck had gotten into these guys? They were all three staring at me with rather sappy grins, almost like the drunks at Merlotte's used to look.... Oh, Holy Cats! I had knowingly passed some of my happiness to them, but I had never expected it to work _this_ well! My vampires were... lit!Wow! I had to hide my smile behind my linen napkin.

Even if he _was_ in a good mood, I knew that Bill was probably still pretty sensitive to watching me eat; so I looked at both him and Pam, and said, "Um... I know you guys are probably hungry. Why don't you go grab a bite while I eat?" I didn't exactly mention the word donor, but I figured they knew what I meant. I still was a little uneasy about the whole thing, but obviously it was something I was just going to have to get used to eventually... I might as well start now. In fact, like a worried mother, I began to wonder if drinking all that synthetic stuff was really all that healthy for them... surely fresh was better... Suddenly, I snapped myself out of my reverie, and realized that now all three vampires were looking at me with identical expressions of shock on their beautiful faces. Suspiciously, I asked, "... what?"

Smiling broadly, Eric answered, "You were obviously thinking out loud. I was just a little surprised by your musings... however, you are correct. For relatively young vampires such as ours, fresh is definitely better. Now, Pam, Bill... obey the Queen, and go feed... before she changes her mind."

My dark vampire stared at me intently, as if he had never really seen me before; and then gave me a heartbreakingly beautiful smile, the kind that used to make my panties wet when we were lovers. He never said a word, but jumped up, bowed in our direction and sauntered off towards the donor wall. Pam just grinned, gave me a big wink, and said, "I hope they have a brunette A negative... enjoy your dinner, Mistress."

Luckily, my chair was facing away from the donor wall, so I didn't have to watch. I wasn't anywhere near ready for that just yet... and maybe never would be. Eric scooched his chair a little closer to mine, and said, "Now, my thoughtful Queen, I have a desire to feed you myself. Let me see... this looks like salmon. Did you know, when I was a boy, I ate this all the time? We ate a lot of herring, too." Picking the bite-sized morsel up by his long fingers, he delicately placed it in my mouth. Since he hardly ever mentioned his human years, I was both surprised and happy that he seemed relaxed enough to bring it up... and then realized it was due to the soothing effects of my magic. Bit by bit, he feed me almost everything on the plate; all the while telling me about the Viking diet, including the fact that his all-time favorite thing to eat had been reindeer steaks. Yuck!

Eric had already managed to get me a glass of champagne, so without waiting for him to ask. I took a big sip and then leaned in to kiss him. He very delicately ran his tongue along my lips and then kissed me deeply. Oh, boy! That vampire could _kiss! _My hoochie was fired up in no time, and I was going to ask if he could have another bottle delivered to our room for later. After I had given him several tastes of the champagne, he asked me to dance. He stood, offered me his hand, and led me out to the dance floor. The band was playing a slow dreamy tune, and he pulled me in close and off we went. He rested his cheek against my hair; and unbelievably, I could hear my Viking actually humming along with the music. Oh my goodness! I was completely and totally floored by that miraculous event. I had never once heard him hum, or sing, or anything like it... maybe I had overdone the "happy" magic a little!

I rested my head on his broad shoulder, and we continued to twirl around the floor. I could see that Pam and Bill had both made their way back to our table, and had been joined by Stan and Deanna. Pam was positively glowing, flashing her dimples flirtatiously at Deanna, who looked a little stunned at the transformation. Bill looked in my direction, smiled a relaxed, totally un-Bill-like smile, and winked at me. Even from the dance floor, I could see that he looked pink and happy, so obviously the donor had been to his liking... and for once, I was glad. Seeing him reminded me, though, that I had vowed to tell Eric all about Bill and me, as soon as I could. Maybe now was a good time to do it, before the magic wore off. Taking the plunge, I said, "Baby, there's something I want to tell you. I have been avoiding this for weeks, but it just isn't right for you not to know. Okay... you know that I am completely and totally in love with you, right?"

He stopped dancing for just a minute, looked at me, and saw that I was quite serious. Just as seriously, he replied, "Yes, my Lover, I do. Now, what is this big secret?" We began dancing again.

"When we had our Second Bonding ceremony in New Orleans, you know the part where all prior bonds were supposed to be broken? Well, it didn't quite work out that way... you know that tiny little Blood Tie that I had with Bill?" Uh oh. I could feel him stiffen slightly. I plunged ahead, "You know how our Bond got stronger, even when it wasn't supposed to? Um... the same thing happened with me and Bill. I know you may not like it much, but I figured that you needed to know the truth. I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before."

At my announcement, a tiny little jolt of jealousy and possessiveness ran through him, but to my surprise it was quite mild, and he seemed to recover quickly. We kept right on dancing, and he was silent for awhile. I almost wished that I could hear his thoughts, but at the last minute, I stopped myself. Finally, he stopped and looked down at me. His lovely blue eyes were a little sad, and he said, "I am glad you finally told me. Exactly how strong is it?"

"Like I said, not nearly like ours. It's pretty much like it was before, just more intense. If you are anywhere near, I can usually only feel you. He isn't... inside me all the time, like you are. I miss him if I don't see him for awhile, but nothing like the intense longing I have for you when we're apart. It's more like our first Bond."

"To be honest, I wondered at the time exactly what had occurred, but... I suppose I was afraid to ask," he admitted, "I am not exactly thrilled, but I am not exactly surprised either. I need to think about this a little more... but for now, I want you to quit worrying. Luckily for all three of us, I _do_ know how much you love me."

"Eric, Bill told me last night that he truly believes we _are_ Fated. I think he feels that he somehow shares in that destiny."

A far-away, thoughtful look came over Eric's handsome face, and he was quiet for a long time. Finally he said, "Yes, I think perhaps he may be right. I doubt that something as unheard of as a secondary Bond could possibly be accidental. In any event, nothing has really changed, except that my Beloved wife has finally learned to trust her husband enough to tell him things he should have known weeks ago."

The last part was said with a little twinkle in his eye, and I knew he wasn't mad at me at all.

I was so relieved! He was being so calm and practical! Now, for the second thing I wanted to get out in the open... I started to say, " Honey, I want to..." just as Eric opened his mouth at the same time and said, "Sookie, there is something I..."

We both stopped speaking. With a smile, the Viking said, "You go first."

I started over, "Baby, there's one more thing that I wanted to talk to you about. After last night, I realized I how stubborn I've been about taking your blood. I... I... well, if it's all right with you, maybe later I could have some?" I knew my face was as red as a beet with embarrassment.

Through our Bond, I felt a sudden burst of elation, love, and lust, in equal proportions. He hugged me tightly to him, and said, "Oh, Sookie, I thought you would never ask." Before I knew it, his fangs had come down, and he had pierced his forefinger. A fat drop of dark red blood welled up on the tip, and he said, "Indulge me. I want to feel some of my blood in you right now." He put his finger in my eager mouth, and as before, I gently licked and sucked at the tiny wound. Instantly, I could feel the magic in that one big drop of his ancient blood rushing through my body. He removed his finger, and leaned down to kiss me deeply, the sweet, rich taste of his blood lingering on both of our tongues. The love and desire was careening back and forth between us, and once more I wondered exactly how much longer we had to hang around at this party before we could politely go back to our room. As if he read my mind, he said, "We do not have to stay late, but I would like to show off my beautiful Queen a little longer, if she is agreeable... although, judging from the show of fang in the vicinity, I think we have plenty of attention right now."

He started us dancing again, and as we floated past the tables surrounding the dance floor, I glanced around; and sure enough, every vampire within spitting distance had fangs flashing and eyes glowing. Instead of being at all embarrassed, Eric seemed to be preening a little... of course. I sighed. My Gran would have been horrified. She had always maintained that public displays of affection were not ladylike, and I figured that would include licking blood off a vampire's finger and then doing my best to screw him right on the dance floor. I was just going to have try harder to maintain a sense of decorum, since I was now a "Queen," and should probably be setting an example. To make matters worse, I realized that once again, I was being a little hypocritical. Was there really any difference between me taking Eric's blood in front of God and everybody else, and Pam and Bill taking advantage of a willing donor? Not really.

While these conflicting thoughts were tumbling through my head, I happened to catch sight of the last vampire on earth I wanted to see... Sabriel. She was looking as glamorous and sexy as ever in a long, slinky black evening gown that was slit in all the right places. Even from across the room, I could see the fabulous diamond earrings and bracelet she was wearing, and I wondered with a pang if Eric had given them to her. He had not gone into any specifics last night, which suited me just fine. I was insecure enough without all the gory details. It was too bad I could not give myself a dose of my own magic, because in spite of Eric's pep-talk from the night before, just the sight of his former lover gave me a nasty shock. She was staring a hole in us, but with absolutely no expression on her gorgeous face. No doubt she had been witness to our little display... and frankly, instead of being embarrassed, I was glad. Eric and I were both married and Twice-Bonded, so there should be nothing wrong with me taking his blood, in public or anywhere else.

In fact, I guess that little drop was enough to give me some of my Viking's self-confidence, because my next thought was _So the slinkly little 'ho thought she was going to lure him away from me, huh? We'll just have to see about that! _Luke's advice from the prior evening came floating back through my head, something along the lines of "never let her see you sweat." I lifted my chin a little, and plastered a smile on my face. However, my inner turmoil had made its way to Eric, and he immediately followed the direction of my gaze to see just what was upsetting me. He took one look at her, and then stared down into my eyes. "Remember what I said, Sookie," he commanded, those blue eyes blazing, "I _never_ loved her. _You_ are my one and only love, and always will be." Once again, he stopped in the middle of the dance floor, and this time, he gave me the softest, most tender kiss imaginable; and then he raised my hand to his lips, palm up, and kissed the bands of my wedding rings. My loving husband then gave me a loving smile. "Come, my Queen," he said, offering me his arm, "Let us re-join our friends."

He escorted me back to our table, where we were warmly greeted by Stan and Deanna. Our group sat and chatted about our opinions of Sandy's Coronation, and the other events of the past couple of days. The vampires gossiped freely about all the other vampires in attendance, just like a bunch of old ladies at a church social. Other couples came and went; we all took turns dancing; and in general, had a pretty fun time. At one point, Bill asked me to dance, and so off we went. I could feel Eric's eyes on us the entire time, but no jealousy... more like curiosity than anything. Once we were out of earshot, the first thing Bill said was, "I saw Eric giving you some blood. I am relieved to see that everything is back to normal."

"Thanks. Listen, Bill, I guess I had better tell you... I told him about us... about our bond. He seems okay with it, though."

For a moment my dark vampire was quiet, and then he said, "Honestly, I think that's for the best. Is that why you wanted to see me earlier? I knew you had been in my room earlier today... I could smell your perfume the moment I woke."

Embarrassed at having been in his room without an invitation, I said, "I'm sorry, Bill. I shouldn't have intruded. That was wrong, and I swear I won't do it again. And the worst part of it is, I really didn't want anything... other than to sit with you awhile. Crazy, right?"

"Don't be silly, Sookie. As my Queen, you have every right to come into my room... but besides that, as my friend and... what shall we call it?... nearly-Bonded, you can sit with me anytime. It was actually very pleasant to wake to your scent again." He was silent for a few minutes, and then said formally, "I want to thank you for earlier. I will treasure the incredible gift you bestowed on me forever. You are truly an amazing woman, and you _deserve_ to be our Queen."

I could tell he meant every word, but still I rolled my eyes, and said teasingly, "Oh, yeah, I make a totally awesome vampire Queen. If only the bar rats at Merlotte's could see me now. Do you think that Maxine Fortenberry would have a stroke, or what?"

At that, he had to laugh right along with me. We continued to dance and talk until the music changed and then we returned to the table. Not long afterward, I had to go to the ladies' room, and so Deanna and I went together. She was done a little sooner than me, and she called out that she would meet me by the the dessert table just outside the hallway to the restrooms. Just as I had exited the ladies' room door, I was nearly run down by a little oriental man, apparently in a hurry to get to the men's room. When we collided, he managed to knock my little evening bag right out of my hand. It popped open, its few contents spilling out on the floor. Immediately, the little man bent to retrieve it, saying, "Oh lady! So sorry! You hokay?" He deftly shoved everything back inside my bag, all the while apologizing profusely. I assured him I would survive. He stood, handed me back my purse, and then scurried on down the hallway. Shaking my head, I continued on my way, and met up with Deanna. As luck would have it, she seemed to be deep in conversation with none other than Luke. They both turned to me with big smiles, and Deanna said, "Sookie, I think you have met my friend, Luke."

"Oh, yes, Sookie and I are old acquaintances, aren't we?" the handsome vampire replied.

Smiling, I said, "How are you tonight, Luke? Did you enjoy the ceremony?"

"I suppose so, but just between us, I am glad this is the end of the festivities," Luke admitted, "In fact, I am happy that I ran into you. I was just about to leave, and I wanted to say goodbye."

Since the party was no doubt going to continue until the wee hours, I was a little surprised that he was leaving so soon. I gave him a warm smile and said, "Goodbye, Luke. It was nice seeing you again."

He bent over my hand and kissed it, and for the first time his lips lingering on my skin just a minute longer than was absolutely necessary. Even though his long dark hair had fallen forward and I could not see it, I could tell he was inhaling my scent; and this time when he looked up at me I could see that his eyes had dilated slightly. Uh oh.

Luke gave me a piercing look, and said slowly, "That is an enchanting perfume you are wearing... may I ask what it is?"

Thinking quickly, I used the same excuse that Eric had once given Felipe. "Eric bought it for me in the Virgin Islands," I said quickly, "I think the secret ingredient is a couple of drops of Fairy blood."

While this exchange was taking place, Deanna was looking back and forth between the two of us, trying to figure out what was going on. Fortunately, it appeared that Luke was going to be gentleman enough to drop the whole issue, whether he believed me or not. He raised one perfectly shaped dark eyebrow, and drawled, "Really? I must say it suits you perfectly, my dear. Now, I will bid you adieu until we meet again... which I am hoping will be sooner than later. Deanna, I will see you next week..." With that, he bowed to us both, and headed for the door.

Deanna watched his retreating back, sighed blissfully, and said, "Now _that_ is a vampire. Mysterious, rich, and sexy as hell. Too bad Stan just about has a conniption every time I speak more that two words to him."

Even though it was absolutely none of my business, I had to ask. "Deanna, Luke said he would see you next week...?"

The beautiful actress laughed and explained, "I start work on a new film next week. Luke is heavily invested in the industry, and has a large percentage in this project. This will be our second film together."

"If Stan is so jealous of Luke, why does he allow it?"

Deanna picked up a luscious looking little petit four and took a bite, rolling her eyes in pleasure. She swallowed, and then said, "Allow it? We aren't married _or_ Bonded. He really has no say over what I do or don't do, and for now I intend to keep it that way. When Stan finds out about the movie deal, he'll blow his stack, but he will eventually come to his senses... and I dearly love good make-up sex, don't you? "

I thought about the night before, and said, "It's too bad you can't just have the make-up sex without the fight."

Deanna just laughed, and said, "Two intense, passionate people are bound to butt heads from time to time.. . _I _think it is just part of loving! Listen, Sookie, I'm really going to miss you! If you and Eric are ever coming to Austin, call first to see if I'm home. I'd love for you to come stay with me. I have a place in L.A., too, but I'm guessing the Viking is going to do his best to keep you out of California.... for obvious reasons."

If I hadn't seen a glimpse of Stan's true nature the night of the battle in New Orleans and again just last night, I would never have believed that he was either passionate_ or_ intense, but clearly under that mild accountant-like exterior he was both. "Thanks! If you are ever in Louisiana, I would love for _you_ to stay with us... in fact, Eric is having his own Coronation really soon, and I imagine Stan will be staying with us at the Residence in New Orleans. Do you think you will come?"

"Well, it depends on the new shooting schedule, but hopefully, yes," my new friend told me, "I love New Orleans!" She put the last bite of the tiny cake in her mouth, and said, "After tonight, it's back to starving myself... oh, well."

Deanna dug a card out of her purse with her number on it, and handed it to me. I slipped it into my evening bag. She linked her arm through mine, and we started back to the table. Eric turned his head at my approach, and as I went passed him to take my seat, he reached out and pulled me on to his lap. He whispered in my ear, "You are a bad, bad girl. I saw you talking to that pest Luke again... you love to tease me, don't you?" He then blew in my ear and nibbled a little at the lobe, and of course I could feel that he wasn't really mad at me at all. I shivered in pleasure, and then leaned in and whispered in _his_ ear, "I _am_ a naughty girl. What do big, bad vampires do to naughty girls?"

"Hmm," he murmured thoughtfully, running his big hand up and down my exposed back, "I believe a spanking might be in order..."

"Let me guess," I said teasingly, "I suppose I would have to pull down my panties, and lay across your lap to get this spanking?"

The corner of his mouth twitched up, and his eyes began to glow, but he said very seriously, "Why, yes, that _is_ the usual procedure."

"Oh... I see. Well, that sounds like it might hurt a little. Will you kiss it better afterwards?"

That got the full Viking grin. He was just about to reply, from behind me, I heard, "Oh, my, I can see the lovebirds are at it again." It was our hostess, Sandy, trailed by one of her Lieutenants..

Looking me directly in the eye, she said, "Sookie, my dear, please forgive me for borrowing Eric for one last bit of business. It shouldn't take long, and then we can all get back to celebrating. The evening is young!"

She said it very politely, but something in the back of her eyes was making me very nervous. I slid off of Eric's lap and into the seat next to his, and said, "Of course."

For a minute, I thought Eric was going to refuse. He had been in a wonderful mood, ever since the fireworks display, but now he was irritated all over again. Finally, he took my hand, kissed it, and said, "I want another dance with my beautiful Queen as soon as I return... and this time when I get back, I hope I do not find her with Luke." He gave me a wink, to show me he was just teasing. Standing, he glanced across the table, and said, "Pam, come with me. Bill, keep the Queen amused in my absence."

Sandy stepped over, took his arm, and off they went. Bill, who was sitting in the seat next to me, silently watched them leave the room, and then asked me to dance again. I accepted, and we spent the next little while twirling around the dance floor. Once we got back to the table, I was really thirsty, and of course there was not a waiter in sight. Bill, ever the gentleman, went off to fetch me a new drink. Everyone else was still dancing, and so I decided to get out my little compact and check my hair, to make sure my combs were still in place. The minute I opened my evening bag, though, I realized that my cell phone was missing. At first, I thought maybe I had just left it in the room, but it seemed like I distinctly remembered shoving it in the bag earlier. Crap! I was very, very fond of that phone, since my Viking had been the one to give it to me and it matched his.

After a moment of thinking about where it could be, it dawned on me that the phone must have gone flying out when I had dropped my purse in the hallway. The little oriental man must have missed it when he picked everything else up. I glanced over at Bill, who was still standing at one of the bars across the room, patiently waiting on my drink. I really wanted my phone back! I figured if I hurried, I could dash over to the hallway to look for it, and be back before anyone knew I was gone. Rapidly crossing the room, I entered the hallway and started looking along the floor for my phone. There was no sign of it, but there was a narrow table along one wall not far from where my little mishap had occurred, and I realized that my phone could very well have slid underneath. Looking under that table in my tight evening gown was going to be quite a trick, and I thought about calling Bill to help... but no one was coming, and I _really_ wanted my phone back, so I knelt down and peered under the table. Darn it! No phone. Where could it be?

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of someone coming down the hallway, and I started to scramble to my feet. Before I had made it all the way up, a huge hand grabbed my arm and roughly hauled me to my feet. "I've been looking for you everywhere," said Quinn urgently, "I have to talk to you, right now."

He had changed out of his genie pants, and was wearing a pair of black slacks and a silky black shirt. There was a faint flush to his skin, and his eyes were burning with some intense emotion. He looked... dangerous. I took a full step away from him, and then said angrily, "Quinn, you are breaking your agreement. If Eric catches you, he is going to kill you, and I won't be able to stop him."

"I don't care! I absolutely have to tell you this!" he exclaimed, "Just before the ceremony started tonight, I was talking to Sandy. She was quite excited to see me, and seemed to think I was there because Eric had wanted to make her happy by settling our differences so that I could perform her ceremony. Her last comment to me was, 'Now that you and the Viking have made up, it looks like your services may be needed to perform another important ceremony quite soon.' I thought she meant Eric's Coronation, which of course was absurd; but I didn't fell like getting into the whole thing, so I just let it go.

Then, just a few minutes ago, I went to Sandy's office to let the staff know I was leaving, and to pick up our check. I saw Eric and Sandy and their Lieutenants going in to her office... and right behind them was Thomas Reynolds, the Royal Marriage negotiator."

He said it like that was supposed to mean something to me. I shrugged and said, "So what? Is Sandy going to marry California? They looked pretty chummy earlier."

"No, Sookie. Sandy's secretary was in the outer office, and has been a friend of mine for years. She told me who is in negotiations with Sandy, and it isn't California... it's Eric. Apparently, the negotiations have been going on for weeks, but he's been holding out for more money."

I laughed and said, "Oh, come on, Quinn, that's crazy. Eric has more money than God, and besides, he's _already_ married!"

"I just _knew_ that son of a bitch was keeping you in the dark!" Quinn said, "Under vampire law, a King or Queen can marry in spite of any prior marriages to humans. Eric is about to marry Sandy and he hasn't even had the guts to tell you it was even possible! I _told _you! He can use that Bond to make you feel whatever he wants, to keep you so dumb and happy you wouldn't ask any questions. Vampires are cruel and evil, every last one of them."

Instantly, my head began to swim, and my heart was pounding like I had just finished a long distance race. As if from a distance, I heard Quinn saying, "Now, will you come with me? I can get you away from him right now, and we'll figure out what to do about that Bond later." I stood frozen in place, Quinn's words were echoing in my head. All I could think was that surely he was mistaken. It simply could not be the truth. Eric would have told me. He loved me. He did.... he.... The room began to spin, and I thought for a minute I was going to pass out. "Come on, we've got to get out of here, before he catches us," Quinn insisted, and then he must have seen that I was about to fall, because he grabbed my arms, gave me a slight shake, and said anxiously, "...Sookie? Are you all right?"

Suddenly, from the end of the hall, I heard Bill shout, "Take your filthy paws off of her, Quinn!"

Bill must have been able to feel my distress, and come to help me. In a flash, my vampire was pulling me away from Quinn and inserting his body in between us. Hissing, he bared his fangs at the Were-Tiger. Obviously in full-out attack mode, Bill looked completely deadly. Immediately, I could see Quinn begin to ripple, and it was obvious he was just about to change into his tiger form. I yelled, "Stop it! Both of you!" They both hesitated just long enough for me to say angrily, "Bill, Quinn says that Eric is going to marry Sandy. It isn't possible... is it?"

Even though my own emotions were in an awful state, I could still feel shock from my dark vampire. Hesitantly, he answered, "While it is true that it is possible, I have heard nothing of any such alliance."

So it _was_ possible! Through gritted teeth, I snarled, "Why didn't you tell me? I trusted you! God, will I never learn? I should have known better!"

Quinn said, "He's lying! He's Eric's Lieutenant, he _had_ to know!"

"Shut up, Tiger, before I rip your tongue right out of that bald head of yours!" Bill hissed, and then said to me, "Sookie, I never told you because it never occurred to me that the subject would ever come up. I don't believe that Eric would put your relationship at risk, even for political gain. He loves you too much. I _know_ you can feel it... even _I_ can."

Instantly, the whole Sabriel situation flashed through my mind, and I was reminded of how good Eric really was at concealing things from me. The Viking had been practicing deception for more than a thousand years, which made him an absolute master at it. Tears of anger and humiliation flooded my eyes, and I said bitterly, "Eric can still hide things very well when it suits him. All right then, Bill Compton, if I can't count on _you_ to tell me the whole truth, I guess I had better get it from the horse's mouth!"

Abruptly, I whirled around and stormed down the hallway. Behind me I head both tiger and vampire cry out, "Sookie, wait!" At that moment, I could care less if they tore each other to pieces. I had more important things on my mind. I practically ran through the Ballroom, and out the double doors. The minute I was out in the main corridor, I stood still for a moment, and tried to feel my Bonded. I could tell he was near. Oh... he was out by the pool! I found the nearest door that led to the pool area and flung it open. Bill must have decided that following me was more important than fighting with a tiger, because I realized that he was trailing closely in my wake. I could see that only one of the cabanas was lit, and knew without a doubt that was my vampire's location. I had just started across the cool-decking, when I felt a tidal wave of pure lust coming through our Bond. What in the _hell_ was Eric doing? Bill was right behind me, was close enough that he had undoubtedly felt at least a portion of it coming through me. He said urgently, "Sweetheart, no!" I could feel his clear intent was to stop me; and so, almost without thinking, I popped from one end of the patio to in front of the cabana.

I reached out a trembling hand and jerked back the filmy netting, just in time to witness the most horrible scene I could have possibly imagined. The vampire who had sworn his fidelity and his undying love for me just the night before, was firmly planted between the legs of a very naked Sabriel. They had clearly been feeding from each other, and no doubt fucking. I could see my vampire's blood smeared on her perfectly shaped lips, and some of hers was dripping in twin rivers down his chin. Sabriel turned her beautiful raven head in my direction, and smiled triumphantly. My heart felt like it was literally being ripped from my chest. The pain was so severe that I could no longer breathe, and instantly tears begin to roll down my face. Bill slid up behind me, and managed to wrap his arms around me, just before my knees gave out.

Even in his lust, Eric must have felt me; because at that very moment he raised his head and looked me directly in the eye. His own eyes were so dilated in their passion, they were almost completely black. His mouth red with Sabriel's blood, he started to speak; but whatever it was, I just couldn't hear it. In that one instant, I knew that Quinn had been right all along. The Bond was nothing more than a way for the vampire to control the human, and make her believe anything he wanted. Everything that Eric had ever told me had been based on a lie, with Bill and Pam to back him up. I had been a trusting little idiot, and now at last I was seeing them all for what they really were... manipulative, lying, evil creatures. With one last cry of complete anguish, I popped myself away from that terrible place.


	22. Chapter 22

_Author's Notes: I knew when I posted the last chapter I was going to stir the pot, but I had no idea it would be to this extent! You guys! By now, you should know what a hopeless romantic I am, and that our Viking would never willingly betray his Bonded like that on purpose. Furthermore, I am not cruel enough to keep you wondering for long, so I am posting the Viking's half of this chapter right away. It won't resolve the situation, but it will answer some burning questions. I want you to all take a deep breath, and try to relax. I pinky swear that everything will work out for our Lovers in the end... so with that assurance, PLEASE try to enjoy the journey...._

_**** Also, if I did not respond to your review personally, I apologize. I thought perhaps you would prefer me to use that time to get this edited right away! Just so everyone knows, this story is not written randomly. I pretty much know exactly where I am headed, from the start. Each pair of chapters is written together, and so I just needed a little more time to get this one edited... if I have left a few errors in my rush to get it posted, please excuse me._

**Chapter 22**

Eric's POV: Las Vegas, Saturday (Coronation)

My eyes fly open just before first dark, and I am alone. I was fully expecting my Lover to be firmly snuggled to my side, naked and ready for our special time. I cannot help but experience a sharp jab of disappointment to discover that she is not, a feeling that is closely followed by a touch of unease. After last night, I would have thought nothing could have pried Sookie away from me, short of a nuclear blast; but after consulting our Bond, I know that she is somewhere in the hotel. Apart from being quite irritated about something, she seems to be fine. I check my phone for messages, and I find her text: _Getting my hair done. Running late. Sorry! Luv U! ~S._

Ah! That explains her irritation. This evening is certainly not starting out the way I planned. I was going to make love to Sookie, and then, while she was still relaxed and cuddled in my arms, I was going to explain to her about Sandy's proposal. I confess to a slight sense of relief at this small reprieve; but I am still determined to tell her, as soon as possible. However, I have no choice but to wait until later; so I relax for a minute, and allow my mind to replay the major events of last night. For some reason, my mind seems sharper than it has in days, and thoughts and images flicker through my head at lightening speed. The meeting about the Fairies... the mysterious words of the Queen of Oklahoma... the frustration of missing Sabriel... and most importantly, the argument with Sookie. When it comes to remembering the awful emotions coming from my Bonded at the height of her distress, I shake my head in wonder. How can such a tiny little human body contain such strong feelings? If Bill still had the ability to feel them, he would no doubt think that _I _was the one that needed to be protected! I fervently hope that she never has cause to feel like that, ever again.

Eventually my thoughts roll around to the highlight of the evening. Although I really had not intended to, I gave in to our combined desire for me to feed. Once the ambrosia of Sookie's sweet blood passed my lips, I had to struggle to keep from feeding deeply, and even then I took more than I intended. However, for the first time in days I am not really hungry; and although I wish that Sookie was here, the overwhelming, nearly burning desire to have sex with her is diminished. I can feel her life-force inside of me more strongly than I have in days, and just now, I am... content. Perhaps my feeding from her has repaired whatever damage I did to our Bond by feeding from the drainers. Most importantly, though, I believe I was finally able to make Sookie understand how much I adore her and that no other woman will ever take her place in my affections.

Right now, I find myself wanting to do something to please my Bonded, to make her as happy as she has made me. I want to give her a gift. What could possibly make up for those horrible emotions she was having last night? I suppose I could give her the sunrise necklace, but I want to save that for later, when I can present it to her properly. No, I want it to be something else... something as beautiful and unique as she is. Ah! She will be wearing the new jewelry tonight that I just bought for her, but she does not have a bracelet to complete the set. If I hurry, I think I have enough time to make it to the jewelers and back before the Ceremony, and still have plenty of time to have our talk. In fact, I believe I saw something suitable when we were buying her solitaire the other evening.

First, I need to let Sookie know that I will be out for a short while, so I reply to her earlier message; then, I jump out of bed, and head to the shower. I want to leave plenty of time for our talk after I return, so I go ahead and put on my white tuxedo. Once dressed, I walk to the living room, where I find Pam heating a bottle of blood. She has obviously not been up for long. She is wearing a short pink bathrobe and is sporting a head full of those round things women use to put curl in their hair. They always look suspiciously like some sort of torture device to me, so it is no wonder that Pam looks so out-of-sorts. Carefully, I say, "Good evening."

In return, she eyes me rather critically. "Sit down," she says grumpily, "I need to do something with your hair."

Immediately, I respond, "I do not have time... I am going out to buy a gift for Sookie."

Giving me a glare, she growls, "Nonsense! This is a Coronation, and you should look your best. Now, sit down!" She thrusts the now warmed bottle of blood at me, puts another one in the microwave, and stomps back towards her room to get a brush. Sighing, I sit. After nearly two hundred years experience, I know that there is no arguing with the woman this early in the evening; and besides, she is right. I _do_ want to look my best tonight. Although I am not particularly hungry, I take a sip of the blood while I wait, noticing instantly that this bottle tastes just fine. Hmm, curious. A thought skitters across my consciousness, but before I can capture it, Pam returns bearing a whole basket of hair products. Among other things, nature blessed me with good hair, and I have no need of such feminine things. Eying the basket with disfavor, I state firmly, "You have five minutes, and no more."

Giving a dramatic, prolonged sigh, my child puts down the basket and gets to work.

******

Ten minutes later, I leave the suite, taking Atticus with me. I called ahead, so the car is waiting at the door for us; and in a relatively short amount of time, we have made our way to the jewelry store. I was hoping the human who waited on me before would be on duty, since he seemed quite knowledgeable. Instead, there is an attractive, elegantly dressed young woman, who comes out to greet me. Taking in my attire, she smiles saucily and says, "Let me guess. You forgot the wedding ring, and need one in a hurry."

It takes me a second to catch her meaning... I suppose I _could_ be mistaken for a groom on the way to a wedding in this outfit. Realizing that she is just teasing me, I reply, "No. I want a bracelet that I saw here the other evening... over here."

I walk to the case, and look for it, but it seems to be gone. I describe it, and the girl thinks for a minute before informing me that particular piece has already been sold. Frustrated, I begin a quick search for something else suitable. "If you tell me what you want, perhaps I can help you find it," the girl says, giving me an appraising look.

"Obviously, I am looking for a bracelet," I respond, "I want it to be... very special. Significant." That is jeweler-speak for "expensive." The saleswoman's eyes shift to Atticus, who is attired in a black suit, black tie, and a pair of reflective black sunglasses. The cut of his suit emphasizes his broad, muscular build, and that, along with his size and general demeanor, make him look exactly like what he is... a bodyguard. Sookie amusingly calls this look, "Men-In-Black Chic," and teases Atticus that his earrings aren't "regulation." Since the movie to which she is referring is a vampire favorite, we both "got" the joke. My guard is not known for frivolity, but I actually saw the corner of his mouth twitch up when she said it... which for him, is the equivalent of falling on the floor laughing.

Man in a custom-made tuxedo... significant jewelry... bodyguard. Once she mentally adds two and two together, I can literally see the dollar signs rolling around behind this female's eyes. Instantly, her body language changes, and her interest in me becomes obvious. I find this rather amusing. Most women find me attractive for other reasons... being vampire, being handsome, having a great physique... money is way down the list. Of course, as Pam pointed out earlier, I am rosier tonight than usual, so perhaps this one has not yet realized I am vampire. For centuries, I was forced to try and appear as human as possible, and became quite adept at it. One of the best things about being "out" is no longer having to maintain that facade; but apparently, old habits die hard.

In response to my statement, the girl flashes me a sexy smile and says,"Of course. Let me show you a few things." She escorts me around the store, pointing out various selections. All the while, she is trying to flirt with me, and getting no response. Finally, I see a bracelet that is a possibility, and so she pulls it from the case. As she hands me the piece, she manages to brush her hand over mine... and the minute she feels my cool skin, I can see the heat rushing into her eyes. A little breathlessly, she exclaims, "Oh! You are... are you... a vampire? I've never met a vampire before."

So I am her first vampire, eh? And not just any run-of-the-mill vampire, either... the silly little human does not even realize that the first vampire she comes in close contact with is a King. Just for my own amusement, I snap my fangs down and give her a dangerous smile. As intended, this startles her. She steps back and her eyes open wide.... but instead of being frightened like any human with any sense at all would be, she just stands and stares. After a moment, the scent of her arousal wafts in my direction. Never taking her eyes off my fangs, she subconsciously touches the side of her neck. "I think I have just what you are looking for in the back," she says huskily, "Something very special."

Her hand snakes across the counter, and her fingers lightly stroke the back of my hand. Although this girl is quite attractive, and not long ago I would have surely taken her up on her offer, now I am really not the least bit tempted. I am just about to tell her that I am not interested, when from behind me I hear a male voice saying sharply, "Cynthia! I believe it is time for your break. My dear Mr. Northman, I am so happy to see you again. What can I find for you this evening? Another gift for the lovely Mrs. Northman, I expect?"

It is the human who sold me Sookie's diamonds the other evening. "Cynthia" opens her mouth to protest, but he gives her a look that brooks no nonsense. Reluctantly, she heads towards the back room, but takes her time and makes sure to give me a lot of hip action on the way out. He shakes his head at her retreating figure and says, "Cynthia is new here, and I believe you are her first vampire client. I apologize for any misunderstanding. Now, I see you are interested in bracelets. Do you have something special in mind?"

"Yes, I want something very special for my wife. She will be wearing it with the set we bought here earlier... but I want this to be something unique."

The man thinks for a minute, and then he says, "I believe I have just the thing. It just came in this morning... let me get it for you." He goes over to a special little hatch, which he opens; and then he removes a bracelet from the window display. He hands it to me (being very careful not to touch me), and says, "Notice the design... I am sure you are aware that is the mathematical symbol for infinity. This whole line is actually designed and made by a vampire. That symbol is worked into most of her pieces."

The piece itself is quite beautiful, and I find the symbolism appropriate. "It will do." I tell him, and hand him my credit card.

******

Not long afterwards, I am back at the suite. The whole trip has taken slightly longer than I anticipated, but Sookie and I should still have time for our talk. Atticus holds the door open for me, and I step inside and take in the rather amazing scene before me. Pam and Bill, who maintain a very cool relationship at best, are sitting side-by-side at the piano, pounding out a ragtime tune. Sookie is leaning casually against the piano, and the three of them seem to be having a wonderful time. As astonishing as this sight is, my attention is quickly focused on my Bonded. She is positively stunning in her white evening gown, her golden hair pulled up with her new combs and then cascading down her bare back. The welcoming smile she gives me is every bit as radiant as the sunrise she once shared with me, and an intense feeling of love for this incredible creature rolls through me. Tonight, she is every inch a Queen; elegant, regal, and extremely sexy. I am very, very proud that she is mine, and mine only. I go to her, give her a greeting and then a sweet kiss, wanting nothing more than to convey all the love and regard I have for her. However, the minute she is in my arms, and I feel her warm lips yielding to mine, I suddenly realize how passionately I want her... how much I crave that miraculous connection we have when we are one. Even if I could not feel it, I would be able to tell by the look in Sookie's eyes that she feels the same way. I can even detect the faint but delicious scent of her arousal, which of course stirs me up even further. Perhaps if we hurry, we will not be too late...

Just as I am about to sweep Sookie into my arms and head for our bedroom, the music stops, and I hear Pam sharply reminding me that we must be downstairs in 20 minutes. Identical sighs of frustration come from my Lover and me. Obviously trying to distract us both, Sookie suggests that I help her put on the jewelry I bought her to go with her gown, and she hands me the box. After first sliding the earrings into the tiny holes in her earlobes, I get out the necklace and undo the clasp. She holds up her curls, so I can slip the thin chain around her neck... and instantly, my eyes are drawn to my rather distinctive fang marks. Like everything else on my body, my fangs are quite large, and leave fair-sized wounds. Normally, I would take great care to heal them, because I cannot bear marks on my Bonded's beautiful skin. Just now, however, the twin punctures are a visual reminder of the intimacy and passion of last night; and I find I want to leave them alone. Perhaps after the party tonight, I can persuade Sookie to finally take some of my blood, and they will vanish on their own. Belatedly, I realize that I should have offered her some last night, for surely she would have given in the heat of that intense moment, just as I had.

Just now, I cannot seem to keep myself from running my tongue over the little wounds, which naturally sets of my desire to feed again. However, I sternly remind myself that I really do not need it. We got into this mess in the first place because I was careless, and overindulged my passion for my Bonded's blood. I am so old, I do not actually require more than a mouthful of real blood each day, or slightly more synthetic blood. Mostly feeding so often is just habit, or in this case, flat out greed. I plan on phoning Dr. Ludwig directly after the party, to set up a visit for tomorrow night, as soon as we arrive back in Shreveport. Now that I have taken the edge off my hunger for Sookie's blood, I can certainly get through one more night. For now, I content myself with merely kissing her neck, and I feel a shiver of pleasure run through her body. Once I have finished fastening the clasp, I stand back and admire my handiwork. My Queen looks wonderful, and I tell her so.

Now is the perfect time to present her with her gift. I tell my Beloved to close her eyes, and hold out her arm, which she very obediently does. I slip the bracelet out of my pocket, and on to her slender wrist. Once Sookie opens her eyes, she takes one good look at her new gift; and for a moment I think she is going to balk, just like the old days... but much to my surprise, she just stares at the flashing diamonds, and says nothing. As I explain to her the significance of the symbol, a slow smile spreads across her face, and when she looks up, I can see in her eyes that she understands what this gift means. I am sorry that I allowed her to be insecure about our love, even if it _was_ unintentional. We are going to be together for many, many years, and during that time it is inevitable we will have other disagreements and misunderstandings... but my love for her is a constant, unmeasurable in its depth. I never want her to wonder about that one point... it is a given.

My angel reaches up and gently touches my face with her fingers, and she says, "Baby, the bracelet is gorgeous. I absolutely love it, but you know, the flowers you sent would have been plenty. Thank you very much for both gifts."

Flowers? What flowers? I ask her, and she points out a huge arrangement of orange lilies sitting on a table. I wonder exactly who it is sending flowers to my Bonded. Sookie shows me a card, which is only signed with a heart. A heart... grrr. I give Bill a questioning look, but he flatly denies being the sender. Now I really _do_ want to get to the bottom of this mystery. I...

Before I can follow through with that thought, Sookie grabs my hand and gives it a little tug. Rather urgently, she says, "Eric, before we go, I need to speak to you... alone."

Time _is_ running short, and I still need to tell her about the Proposal; so I respond, "Actually, I was just about to say the same thing."

My Bonded drags me in the direction of our bedroom, carefully shutting the door behind us. She makes me sit on the side of the bed, and then takes a seat beside me. She takes on of my hands in hers, looks me squarely in the eye, and says sternly, "Now, before I start I want you to promise me that you will not move off that bed until I'm finished."

By the look on her face, she is quite serious. Several questions flash through my mind. What is it that is so confidential she cannot tell me in front of Pam and Bill? What on earth could be making my Lover have such strong, conflicting emotions running through her? Why is she asking me to make this promise? I do not give my word lightly, and therefore I must think about whether or not I want to agree to her terms. Finally, I say, "Very well, I give you my word. What is it?"

She seems to hesitate, clearly searching for just the right words. Finally, she blurts out, "This afternoon... while I was out having my hair done... um... Quinn came to see me."

WHAT! Quinn is here, and he was close enough to Sookie to harm her, and I AM JUST NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS? What was she THINKING! Where in the HELL was her guard? As for the Tiger, it is clear that he is baiting me, by flaunting his ability to access my Bonded during the daylight hours. This flagrant disrespect WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! It is high time that my vampires and I go out on a hunt, and this time, I fully intend to bring back a tiger skin! I begin to rise, to call my forces to me, and formulate a plan. Sookie hangs onto my hand and says sharply, "Eric! You promised! Now, SIT BACK DOWN!"

She is tugging on my hand with all her might, which is the equivalent of a gnat trying to bring down a bull elephant. If she were not my Twice-Bonded, I could easily kill her with a single swat of my hand. Trying to stop me from going after my rightful prey is a very, very foolhardy thing to do. Finally, though, her words do begin to penetrate my mind. I _did _promise, and so with extreme reluctance, I sit back down, and try to reign in my temper. She proceeds to tell me all about her encounter with the devious Quinn. Of course, I realize immediately that his story is patently absurd. Does he really think I am stupid enough to believe it? Sookie is kind-hearted and innocent enough to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I am neither of those things. I fully _expect_ him to lie to save his own skin. However, there is a much larger issue currently getting under _my_ skin. Coldly, I tell her, "Quite clearly you retain some affection for this man, since you are negotiating on his behalf."

"That's not true!" my Bonded protests stoutly, "You know how much I love you! I just think maybe we judged Quinn without all the evidence being in. You wouldn't want to kill someone by mistake, would you.? ...okay, maybe that was a poor choice of words. _I _wouldn't want to be responsible for someone's death, if he really wasn't guilty. And don't try to tell me that's not what you've had planned all along... I know you better than that."

Well, she certainly has me there. No matter what she says, I have no intention of being trusting _or_ forgiving in this case. Various options flash through my head at the speed of light. If I go after him now, it would mean missing the ceremony, and for political reasons that would be a poor choice. Even if I _do _manage to find out where he is holed up, I am extremely angry right now, and will no doubt tear him to shreds the minute I lay eyes on him. For all his previous transgressions, added to this last insult, he deserves something a bit more appropriate.... slower, and infinitely more painful. Obviously, I need to have him captured and transported back to Louisiana, where I can take my time and get as creative as I like... and after a thousand years of practice, I am very, very creative, indeed. The Tiger will soon discover that compared to what I am capable of, his experiences in the Pits were a mere walk in the park. He certainly picked the wrong vampire to annoy.

Very well, how best to accomplish this? It is best to let Quinn think he has succeeded in fooling me. I will agree to let him officiate this ceremony, thereby lulling him into a false sense of security. It goes without saying that Sookie can never learn of this plan, or she will try to talk me out of it; so I cannot use Pam or Bill for this particular project. Sookie would notice their absence immediately, and question me about it. Instead, I will have my guards follow the Tiger as soon as the ceremony is over, and the minute he sets foot out of the hotel, they can capture him. Hmm... that leaves the problem of storage and transportation. I wonder where I can obtain a cage big enough for a full grown tiger in the middle of a desert on short notice... Well then, if not a cage, the next best thing would be a large metal box, chained shut. It will have to have air holes poked into it, though... the last thing I want is for him to succumb to something as unexciting as a lack of oxygen, before I can have my fun with him.

Suddenly, I know the perfect thing... a travel coffin. Most of the new ones have a layer of fire-proof metal built in, which supposedly helps protect the vampire in case of fire (although I have always been skeptical of such claims). In this case, it would certainly ensure the Were-Tiger inside could not break, claw, or chew through it. These days, nearly all funeral homes readily sell these, off-the-rack, so to speak. As for transportation, I know for a fact that Stan brought his own jet, and I imagine he would be more than happy to drop off a "package" for me on his way back to Dallas. Problem solved.

From years of practice, this whole plan has only taken a couple of minutes to put together. Sookie is still watching me anxiously for my reaction to this news. I must be very careful, because although I have no qualms whatsoever about using whatever means necessary to deal with Quinn, I will _not_ lie to my Bonded. Slowly, I say, "Sookie, obviously you believe Quinn's story. Because _you_ asked me, and for no other reason, I will allow Quinn to perform his duties tonight. In return, I will expect his promise that he will never attempt to speak to you again. If he does, _nothing_ will stop me from killing him."

Sookie looks a little surprised that I have given in so easily, but quickly recovers. She digs in her tiny little evening bag, pulls out a card and her cell phone, and places a call. After a couple of rings, I hear the deep voice of the Tiger saying, "Hey, Babe. So what did he say?"

The mere sound of his voice raises my hackles, and the fact that he has the temerity to call MY Bonded "babe" makes me reconsider the wisdom of waiting another minute to chase him down and take care of this thorn in my side once and for all... but Sookie comes and sits on my lap, and slides her free arm around my neck. She rubs her cheek soothingly against mine before replying, "Cut it out, Quinn! My name is Sookie Northman, not Babe! Let's get to the point. Eric has agreed to let you go on with your job tonight, _if_ you promise you will never, ever attempt to speak to me again."

Obviously, Quinn does not realize that I can hear every word perfectly well. "Oh, come on, Ba... I mean, come _on,_ Sookie!" he exclaims, "_You_ don't want me to make that promise, do you?"

"Yes, Quinn, actually I do. I am married, and I love my husband. You have done nothing but try and come between us. I think its best for everyone concerned if you _didn't_ ever talk to me again," she states coldly, "This is non-negotiable. Now what is it... yes or no?"

There is a moment of silence, before I hear a muttered, "You are going to regret this... but have it your way. From this day forward, I promise that I will never speak to you again, not even if you beg. Now, what about from here on out? I want this to be settled, so I can quit looking over my shoulder every night."

At that, I take the phone and say smoothly, "I propose we let the Ancient Pythoness settle the matter. She is the logical choice."

"Get real, Eric!" the Were retorts, "She's a vampire! I know exactly who she'd side with! No, I insist on a truly neutral party. I'll think of someone, and get back to you. Now, do I have _your_ word that you won't try anything tonight?"

"I give you my word that I will not attempt to harm you at tonight's activities. I further state that this dispute may be settled at a later time, by a mediator to be chosen later." I am very careful to use the word "may" instead of "will," because in reality, it will never get that far. This will be settled _my _way, on _my _terms, long before he ever has a chance to think of a suitable mediator. Typical of his kind, he is not smart enough to actually _listen_ to the words, and glean their true meaning. Instead, he foolishly rushes ahead, saying, "Fine. I suppose I will be seeing you at the ceremony. I expect you to keep your word, vampire." With that, he disconnects.

Since Sookie is still sitting on my lap, she could hear every word. She gives me a big hug and a kiss, and says, "I am proud of you, baby. That was really very civilized. Now, what was it _you_ wanted to tell _me_?"

No sooner are the words out of her mouth, than a loud rapping comes at out bedroom door. Pam shouts through it, "Master, we are going to be late! We have to go, _now_!"

I glance at my watch, and realize at once that she is right. I am torn between making good on my vow to tell Sookie about the Proposal, or getting to the Ceremony on time. Instantly, I decide that if I do not appear, Sandy really _will_ be insulted; but more importantly, Quinn might think that I am after him, and take evasive measures. Honestly, I have already waited this long to tell Sookie and nothing has happened so far. So few people even know about this Proposal that it is still as unlikely as ever that someone will mention it to her.... so I decide to roll the dice, and wait until later. "I suppose what I have to say can wait until after the party," I say with a sigh, "Come, my Queen, let us go."

When Sookie and I emerged from our room, my Lieutenants had been wearing identical blank expressions, so I have no way of knowing if they overheard any of what transpired. The four of us collect the guards, and head downstairs. Just before getting to the ballroom where the Coronation is to be held, I pull aside my Royal Guards. I motion to the others to keep on going, and that I will catch up. Once Sookie is out of earshot, I explain exactly what I want them to do, and hand Atticus enough cash for the purchase of a coffin, as well as bribe money in case it is needed. I find it somewhat amusing that a portion of what I won in the casino last night will be used to finance this little project. Once my guards have gone, I hurry to catch up with my party, just as they reach the doors to the ballroom. It seems that we _are_ late, but of course since I am the guest of honor they are more than happy to seat me anyway. As the four of us are escorted down the aisle, I glance around to see who all is present, taking the time to acknowledge some of the other monarchs. My entourage is seated in a special section near the stage, and almost immediately after we settle in, the program begins.

A gong rings, and at once the Were-Tiger steps on stage. He is wearing one of those ridiculous outfits of his, which makes him look like something out of _1001 Arabian Nights Does Hollywood. _Upon seeing him in person, my temper flares nearly out of control; but a moment later, it sinks in to my brain that Sookie is squeezing my hand. I glance at her to see what is the matter. Her face is as pale as any vampire's, and I see a light sheen of dampness on her brow. At once, I realize that Bill was not exaggerating in the slightest. It really _is_ difficult for my fragile little Bonded to withstand my dark vampire emotions when I let them go unchecked. Immediately, I reign them in as much as I am able, given the circumstances.

Almost simultaneously, I lay a restraining hand on Pam's arm, to keep her in check, lest she take it into her head to attack the Tiger outright. I see a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye, and I realize that just now, Quinn's biggest threat is not Pam or me, but Bill. He is just about to launch himself towards the stage. Sookie tries to stop him, but now he takes his final orders from me. He glances in my direction, and I indicate that I do not wish for him to go any further. Reluctantly, he sits back in his seat.

The minute the Were-Tiger makes it to center stage, he casually glances around the audience until his eyes light on me. He has the audacity to give me a cool stare. I have a serious urge to fly straight onto the stage, and wipe that smirk right of his face (right along with the rest of his head) in front of everyone. However, I quiet that urge by reminding myself of the pleasures to come if I just show a little patience. I get through the next few minutes by visualizing just what I am going to do to him. My favorite mental picture is of him in chains, minus a few critical body parts, screaming... In the orient, dried and ground tiger penis is highly valued among humans as an aphrodisiac, and brings astonishing sums. However, since it is sold by the gram, I doubt Quinn's would bring enough to be worth much; so I think I will save it for my tailor, Hsu.

That thought is enough to make me smile, and snaps me back to the present. A vampire dance troop is apparently just finishing up their performance. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, I must have missed a part of the ceremony. Some drummers come up the aisle, followed by a set of females throwing out rose petals. Once they have laid down a path, the doors open, and in come two human men leading a beautiful pair of white tigers down the aisle. The minute they pass me, I get a good whiff of their earthy scent, which oddly enough smells very familiar. Where have I come across that odor recently? Suddenly, the answer springs into my mind, and once again I am absolutely furious. QUINN HAS BEEN AT MY HOUSE! His was the "cat" smell I picked up outside the back gate of Valhalla, the night we were outside swimming! Seething inside, I vow to make his torture as long and agonizing as I possibly can.

While I struggle to get my emotions in hand yet again. Sandy comes down the aisle on a platform borne by four nude vampire males. As they pass, I take note of the flush of embarrassment that shoots through my Bonded, but then I get an unpleasant shock when I realize just how much she is admiring their physiques. Sookie normally reserves that expression for when she is looking at _me_, and I want to keep it that way. _Grrrr._ I suppose from now on, I had better get my mind off Quinn and pay more attention to my Bonded.

Now that Sandy has made her appearance, the real ceremony can begin. The King of California comes out, and proceeds to do the honors. Once he is finished with the incantations and presentation of the ring of power, another gong sounds. In march a line of three virgins, two of which are the twins Sandy offered to me yesterday. Since they had retained their untouched status, they must have been last minute additions to the program. For the first time tonight, I wonder exactly what transpired between Sabriel and Sandy. I suppose I should take the time to find out. Those two putting their heads together is definitely _not_ good. Sandy makes a huge production about feeding from her three virgins, and this brings to mind a dilemma I am facing with my own ceremony. In a traditional Coronation ceremony, the incoming monarch always feeds from a virgin, but I have promised Sookie I will not drink from others. Beyond making her unhappy, I now know that to do so weakens our Bond. This is an issue about which I will have to make a decision, and quite soon. I wonder if either Robert or Wanda can offer any advice on the subject. I make a mental note to find out, as soon as I get back to Shreveport.

Once Sandy is done feeding, California announces, "May I present to you the new Queen of the Nevada Territories, Sandy Seacrest."

At that, Sandy gives the audience a brilliant smile, and then turns to face me. This moment is the sole reason for my presence here tonight. I need to show everyone concerned that I support her new position, and that I have no intention of trying to regain Nevada. She nods at me, I nod back. Internally, I give a sigh of relief. My obligations to this Queen are now at an end, and I can take my own Queen and the rest of my entourage back to Louisiana where we belong. I have had enough of the desert, and heartily hope that I have seen the last of Nevada. To finish up tonight's ceremony, we have to bear witness to the swearing of oaths. Although slightly tedious, I am still interested to see this part, because sometimes it is possible to tell from their demeanor exactly who is enthusiastic in their support, and who might be less than thrilled. I always like to tuck these tidbits of knowledge into the back of my mind, to be brought out later if needed.

Once again, the treacherous Were-Tiger takes the stage, to call up those pledging their allegiance by name. One of the white tigers is acting up, and Quinn makes a great show of putting it in its place. Ha! Let him have his little moment of glory, for it shall be his last. I alternate between watching him, and watching the vampires kneeling at Sandy's feet swearing their oaths of fealty... finally, at long last, the ceremony comes to an end. During this entire event, Sookie has been still, the perfect example of a regal Queen. I could feel her discomfort as Sanding was feeding, but her facial expression never let on that it was bothering her. Once she let go of my hand, her only movement was to trace her index finger around the diamonds forming the infinity symbol on her new bracelet, over and over. Now, I can feel her relief that the ceremony is finally at an end.

We stand and wait for the crowd to disperse somewhat before heading outside for the fireworks display. Unfortunately, this allows Sandy time to make her way down the steps and come over to talk to us. When she gets close enough, I look her over very carefully. Roland had said that certain changes take place during the ceremony, and I want to see if I can detect any difference in Sandy. By all outward appearances, she seems exactly the same. However, that is probably not a good indicator, since obviously most of them must be internal. I would dearly love to ask her some pointed questions, but decide she might take that as a sign that I am interested in her. Better to let sleeping vampires lie. Sandy comes to me, and gives me a continental greeting, "Well, I am glad _that_ is over!" she exclaims, "Everything went quite well, don't you think? Next it will be you."

Politely (if not exactly truthfully), I tell her how entertaining it all was, especially the tigers. She just laughs, and goes on about how wonderful it was of me to allow Quinn to officiate, _in order to please her_! If she only knew the real reason... She ends her statement by saying, "Isn't our Viking thoughtful?" When the jolt of Sookie's anger shoots across the Bond, I realize exactly how much Sandy's words have irritated her. I am totally expecting a sharp come-back from my Bonded, when instead she amazes me by giving Sandy a smile and saying coolly, "Yes, my husband is _very_ thoughtful." Obviously, my mate is a quick study, and is learning to play in the political arena. With a little guidance, she will be an awesome partner, and together we will be quite the team. Right now, I have never been prouder of her.

Next, Sandy surprises me, by thanking Sookie very graciously for her help in uncovering the card-counting ring. Unfortunately, she ruins it by adding, "...and I hope that your Bonded is willing to share you with me."

Sandy looks at me expectantly. I know she means that not only does she want Sookie for her telepathic gifts, but she actually wants me to share her sexually... and then, from the gleam in her eye, I get the uneasy feeling that she is just about to open her mouth and bring up the Proposal. Ye gods! My mind begins rapidly calculating the odds of me escaping this without Sookie having another melt-down, and the answer is: slim to none. On the other hand, perhaps this might be a blessing in disguise. If it _does_ come up, Sandy herself will have to tell Sookie the truth: that I formally rejected the Proposal, and flatly refused even to begin negotiations. Surely after last night, Sookie knows _exactly_ how much I love her, and is strong enough to withstand this. Sandy locks eyes with me, clearly waiting for me to make the next move. Perhaps I _will_ be the one to bring it up, and get it over with....

As if she can read my mind, my child says abruptly, "I hate to interrupt, but shouldn't we be getting outside? Sandy, it would be a shame if you missed your own fireworks display." It is clear she read my intent, and is providing a diversion. I have no idea why she stopped me, but since it turns out that she has been right all along, perhaps this time I should follow her lead. Sandy herself seems to realize that this might not be the best time to press the issue, because she says, "Of course! Let us go!"

Unfortunately, it appears that she is not done aggravating me. Sookie has already taken my arm, in preparation for going outside, when Sandy slides her hand around my other arm, and says, "I suppose King Eric wouldn't mind escorting two Queens outside!"

The woman irritates me so.... I have to work hard to suppress a growl. Nonetheless, I rather reluctantly do end up escorting two Queens outside to the pool area. We apparently made it just in time for the first volley, because almost immediately the sky is lit with brilliant multi-colored bursts. I casually glance at Sookie, and instantly become entranced with the play of light across her lovely features. She is obviously completely mesmerized by the display; but suddenly, through the Bond pours some strong emotion with which I am unfamiliar. It is a mixture of love, pride, longing, and sorrow, all rolled up into one. I think the humans call this feeling... bittersweet. Whatever it is, I want to share it with her; and so I remove my arm from Sandy's grasp, and slide over behind my Bonded. I slip my arms around her small form, and hug her to me. In her ear I quietly ask if something is wrong.

A hauntingly beautiful smile crosses her face, and Sookie explains that this is her very first fireworks display, and she thinks it beautiful. If she finds them this enthralling, I will certainly have to add one to my own Coronation festivities, and I tell her so. In response, she relaxes back into my arms, and I feel her love flowing into me. As my Lover and I watch the brilliant sparks exploding across the clear desert sky, we are in complete harmony with each other. All the frustrations and dark emotions of the night up until recede into the background, and all I care about is enjoying this wonderful moment with my Bonded.

Much to my surprise, Sookie reaches out to Pam, who is now standing to my right. It is obvious that she wants to include Pam in our little cocoon of happiness, and so I slide one arm around my child and hold both of my women close. Sookie then holds out her other hand to Bill, who looks a little startled at the gesture. He glances at me, and I only hesitate a moment before giving him permission to touch his Queen. Just now, I would do anything to make this wonderful creature happy. Bill gently takes her small hand in his much larger one, and stands somewhat awkwardly to our side. I am sure we make a most interesting picture to any vampire who might be watching.

A few moments later, the second miracle of my long existence happens. It begins when I unexpectedly feel the force of Sookie's magical energy rising up within her. This time, it is stronger than I have ever felt it, except for the night we made our Second Bond. Suddenly, I feel her magic flowing through my mind and body. For just a moment, my entire body feels... alive, as alive as Sookie is. After it passes, comes the strongest burst of joy and contentment that I have felt in over a thousand years. My mind is calm and clear, and all the dark, twisted forces that live within me are quiet for once. I am even further stunned to realize that Sookie has passed this same unbelievable magic into Pam and Bill. I can tell at a glance that the two of them are completely, totally awed... as well they should be.

All my child can manage to say is, "Sookie... that was... that was just..."

"Magical," I say proudly, providing the proper word. "Amazing, isn't she?"

"Amazing doesn't quite cover it," Pam answers quite truthfully.

The angel who provided this miracle says nothing, but gives us all a sweet smile. Bill has not said a word this entire time, but I think it is because he is still too overwhelmed to speak. As the fireworks continue to burst in the sky, we three vampires huddle even more protectively around our most precious treasure, sharing her life and happiness. As the last ember falls to ground, I know that we are all sorry for this special time to end. I am fully expecting that the minute I am not in direct contact with my Bonded the gift of her Fairy Blessing will be over. Much to my surprise, however, even when she is not touching me, I can _still_ feel its aftereffects... I am filled with happiness, and in fact find myself wanting to laugh for no reason. Taking her arm, I lead my spectacular fairy-wife inside, as carefully as if she were made of spun glass. My Lieutenants follow in our wake; and I am amused to see that for once, Pam has taken Bill's arm and they are smiling at each other in a companionable way. This might very well be a miracle on its own!

Once inside the main ballroom, I select a table close to the dance floor, and fairly near one of the long buffet tables overflowing with human food. I want my Bonded to eat, not because she needs the calories, but because I know it is pleasurable to her. I have no idea exactly what she likes, so I ask her to go select what she wants while I get her drink. She gracefully heads towards the buffet, and the three of us vampires stand together and watch her as she goes. Pam playfully pokes Bill in his side, and says, "Well! No wonder you wanted to keep her to yourself for so long! I have never felt anything remotely like that! Wait until I tell Robert! I _told_ him he should have told the King of Ireland to forget it, and come with us!" She follows up this statement with a peel of laughter.

Instead of being angry to be reminded of his loss, Bill shakes his head in wonder. After looking around to make certain no one can overhear our conversation, he responds, "Sorry to say, Sookie didn't have her magic then. She only got it early because of Eric's old blood, and their Bond. Even if I _had_ Bonded her, I doubt it would have had the same effect. I'm much too young. Did you feel the same thing I did? Like you were alive again, just for a minute? Wasn't it amazing?" I do not believe I have ever heard this normally stoic vampire say so many words in one statement. For him, this is positively babbling.

"Yes! That's it exactly!" Pam exclaims enthusiastically. They look at each other, then expectantly at me. They look... giddy. How funny! I think Sookie's magic has made my two Lieutenants quite intoxicated. It is a good thing I am so old and more in control of myself.

"Yes, I felt it as well," I affirm, and then say sternly, "Now, it goes without saying that no one must _ever_ know about this gift, except for Robert. Do you have any idea how hard it would be to protect her, if any of the others knew?" Both of them nod solemnly, and then all three of us break spontaneously into chuckles. All the other vampires wanted Sookie for her telepathy... if they only knew! My Bonded is a treasure beyond compare, and she is ALL MINE! HA!

A waiter comes by with a tray of champagne, and I take a glass for Sookie. I can hardly wait for her to get back, so I can take some from her lips... as she would say, yum! We take our seats a few minutes before our little miracle-worker returns to the table, plate filled with attractive little bits of food covering her plate. Once she is comfortably seated, she glances at Bill and I feel a tiny wave of discomfort and sadness pass through her. To my surprise, she says to the pair of them, "Um... I know you guys are probably hungry. Why don't you go grab a bite while I eat?"

For a minute, I think that Sookie is merely being thoughtful enough to give them an excuse to leave the table, so they do not have to watch her eat; but then, she gets a far-away look in her eyes. So softly that only a vampire could hear it, she mutters, "All that synthetic stuff just couldn't be very nutritious. What if it turns out to be bad for them? Surely fresh blood is better..." It is obvious she is unwittingly thinking out loud. Knowing exactly how much our feeding habits disturb her, I find this statement to be nothing short of astounding. She is actually giving them her blessing to go find a live donor! Clearly her affection and concern for Pam and Bill have outweighed her own squeamishness. Slowly but surely, my Queen is finally giving up some of her small town, human ideals, and is learning to live comfortably among us. I find this a very satisfying step in the right direction, and I am very, very pleased.

Once Sookie snaps out of her reverie, she doesn't seem to realize that she has given voice to her thoughts. With great satisfaction, I tell her, "You were obviously thinking out loud. I was just a little surprised by your musings... however, you are correct. For relatively young vampires such as ours, fresh is definitely better. Now, Pam, Bill... obey the Queen, and go feed... before she changes her mind." Sookie blushes charmingly at having been caught out.

Once the others have left, I finally have my Beloved all to myself. In spite of the fact that our souls are actually intertwined, it occurs to me that she really knows remarkably little about me. Suddenly, I have an intense desire to share some of my life with her, and not the part since the darkness descended... that can wait for another time. No, tonight I want her to know something about my real life, something human, that she can relate to... such as food. I want to be the one to give her nourishment, as I did the night of our engagement, so I tell her I want to feed her. As I place each morsel in her mouth, I tell her all about the things I used to eat, things I have seriously not thought about in centuries. All the while, she watches me with a look of wonder on her face, as if somehow she cannot quite envision me actually eating. Once the last bite is consumed, she very deliberately takes a long sip of her champagne and then leans in for me to have my little taste. Ah! Tonight, the essence I receive from her warm lips is especially good, and I beg for more.

Eventually, I ask Sookie to dance, and lead her out to the dance floor. We are quite conspicuous as one of the few bright spots swirling around in a veritable sea of black-clad vampires, and it is impossible not to notice all the admiring glances coming our way, As I spin my lovely Queen around the room, I relish each moment of this delicious happiness she has gifted me, knowing full well that it cannot last much longer. After the band has played a couple of faster paced numbers, the next selection is a slow, dreamy tune. Sookie rests her cheek against my chest and sighs. I can tell there is something on her mind, and after a little prompting from me, she finally blurts out, "When we had our Second Bonding ceremony in New Orleans, you know the part where all prior bonds were supposed to be broken? Well, it didn't quite work out that way... you know that tiny little Blood Tie that I had with Bill? You know how our Bond got stronger, even when it wasn't supposed to? Um... the same thing happened with me and Bill. I know you may not like it much, but I figured that you needed to know the truth. I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before."

What? She and Bill _still_ share that strange tie, the one that by all rights should have never been formed in the first place? She is MINE! A sharp stab of jealousy pierces me, until a minute later the soothing effect of Sookie's magic descends like a blanket and calms me again. Because of it, it seems that just now I can think over this situation rationally and calmly, but it still makes me quite sad to know that my Bonded did not trust me enough to tell me of this before now. I need to know more, so I say, "I am glad you finally told me. Exactly how strong is it?"

Sookie explains that it is very close to our first Bond. Deep down, I suppose I knew it was a possibility, but I never asked... I honestly thought I would be able to tell. Part of the shock of this revelation is that Sookie was _able_ to conceal this from me. Because I am vampire, obviously I should be the dominate partner in this Bond by far, and I should have been able to tell that she was being evasive. It is quite unsettling to find out that perhaps we are on a more equal footing than I realized... although after this last display, it is becoming crystal clear that Sookie is much more magical than anyone could have guessed. Perhaps... someday soon she will be strong enough to be my true equal, in every way. That thought is both frightening and exciting. For a vampire, having control is extremely important, and yet... the thought of having such a formidable mate and partner is exhilarating. Together, we really _will_ be invincible.

As for Bill, my memory drifts back to the night I became King, not long after the formal Second Bonding ceremony. Bill and I were sitting in the courtyard of the Royal Residence, when Sookie came back downstairs to fetch me. I remember noticing at the time that I could no longer feel Bill's emotions at all, and presumed that their tie had been severed. When Sookie appeared, Bill had taken great care not to look directly at her, almost as if he were afraid of what might happen if he did. I imagine he thought I might just kill him outright if I knew, and at that point I certainly might have. Still, he has proven that he intends to serve me loyally in spite of this tie... or even perhaps because of it. Sookie is bound to me, he is bound to her... it ensures that he will _never_ leave us.

Furthermore, there is no question that Sookie's love for me is true and deep. Their tie can never approach the mystical, sacred nature of our Second Bond. We are bound as tightly as two souls can be, and it is both permanent and unbreakable... so, I really have nothing to fear. I can see in my mate's eyes that she is worried about how I am going to react to this news, and so I try to reassure her. In response, she says, "Eric, Bill told me last night that he truly believes we _are_ Fated. I think he feels that he somehow shares in that destiny."

This is a very interesting bit of information, and one that causes many things to begin to make sense. I thought perhaps Bill had given up his pursuit of Sookie because he recognized that it was futile. I was clearly the superior vampire in every way. I now see it that was because he could _feel_ Sookie's intense love for me, and also because he heard and accepted the truth in the prophesy of the Pythoness. Obviously, he thinks that his normally impossible tie to Sookie is part of that destiny. Hmm. I wonder if he could be right? That notion triggers the memory of several other tidbits that I had tucked away to be contemplated later. The individual events float around in my head like pieces in a kaleidescope, attempting to form a pattern: that odd feeling that Bill's acceptance as my Lieutenant was both right and necessary; the way Wanda had insisted that we _do_ have a nest, although perhaps not a traditional one; her firm statement that sometimes Bonds defy the rules, and the way she pointedly looked at Bill when she said it; Pam's unprecedented affection for Sookie, and her willingness to protect her, even if it meant defying her Maker to do so; the way that Bill's scent is now familiar, and no longer sets off my instinct to keep him away from my "human"... among our kind, this usually only happens among nest mates; and finally, Wanda's warning to keep our nest close, because we may be in need of their protection and support

It seems that there is only one possible solution to this puzzle. I suppose in a strange, untraditional way we _have_ formed a type of nest, with Sookie being the nucleus. I know one thing for certain without having to be told by Wanda. To share my Bonded sexually with others really _would_ damage what is obviously a very special, very magical Bond. As Bill pointed out, it is the addition of my rare and ancient blood that allows Sookie's magic to be as strong as it is... and if tonight's demonstration is any indication, as she ages there is no telling how powerful she may one day become. For that reason alone, we really _must_ protect the purity of our Bond... and it makes it even more important for me to get her to take some of my blood, as soon as possible. As for the other members of our "nest," like Bill, I think perhaps maybe he and Pam _do_ have a role to play in our destiny. I think that my Bonded and I need to sit down and have an in-depth discussion about this whole issue, and soon. To let her know some of what I am thinking, I respond, "Yes, I think perhaps he may be right. I doubt that something as unheard of as a secondary Bond could possibly be accidental. In any event, nothing has really changed, except that my Beloved wife has finally learned to trust her husband enough to tell him things he should have known weeks ago."

Now that Sookie has been so honest with me, I feel that it is finally time to unburden myself as well. Just as I open my mouth and begin by saying, "Sookie, there is something I..." she also starts to speak. Immediately, I wonder what _else_ she is about to confess to, and so I allow her to go first. Somewhat shyly, she says, "Baby, there's one more thing that I wanted to talk to you about. After last night, I realized I how stubborn I've been about taking your blood. I... I... well, if it's all right with you, maybe later I could have some?"

My beautiful, fascinating, maddening Bonded blushes charmingly as she says it. This is completely unexpected, but absolutely the best news I could have wished for. Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, "Oh, Sookie, I thought you would never ask." That sounded more like a love-sick teenager than a thousand year old vampire, but I do not care! Before she can change her mind, I use one sharp fang to pierce a finger. A large drop of blood wells up on the tip, and because I know she very well might balk at taking any in such a public manner, I tempt her by saying, "Indulge me. I want to feel some of my blood in you right now." To my great delight, she willingly opens her mouth and I place my finger gently in her eager mouth. Her warm, soft tongue dances around the puncture, licking, licking... ah! She closes those perfect angel lips, and sucks gently, which is both unbelievably erotic and intensely pleasurable. I feel my blood inside her, warming us both with its magic, weaving us together; and the love and devotion I feel for this amazing creature threatens to overwhelm me. I know without being told that my Lover is more than willing to go back to our room, and let me love her, but I decide to delay that happy event for just a while longer. Surprisingly, I find that I want to stay and have some fun with Sookie and our friends; and also, I want to show off my fantastic Queen to all those present.

We continue to dance, caught up in a cocoon of happiness. Off to one side, I catch sight of the King of Mississippi talking seriously to Bill, who is shaking his head negatively. Although I cannot hear it, I can guess what the conversation is. Russell is doing his best to lure Bill away from me. I smile to myself, secure in the knowledge that it will never happen. I am just about to point this amusing scene out to my Bonded, when I feel a jolt of dismay and unease coming from her. Glancing down at her face, I see that something has caught her eye. I follow her line of sight, and see Sabriel on the other side of the dance floor, watching us intently. Obviously, she just witnessed me quite willingly giving Sookie my blood, something I always adamantly refused to give her. Although I had not planned this, I am fiercely glad that the little troublemaker has seen this incontrovertible proof of my devotion to my Bonded. Immediately, I reassure Sookie of my love for her, and very deliberately kiss her with great tenderness and affection. I want to comfort Sookie, and at the same time make it clear to Sabriel that she will never be able to compete with my rightful mate, no matter what she does.

My Queen and I return to our friends, and proceed to enjoy ourselves, firmly putting the odious specter of Sabriel out of our minds. Stan and Deanna are constantly bickering, but in a very humorous and companionable manner. It is obvious that this actress has captured the Texas King's affections, and I wonder if he will go so far as to Bond her. At one point, Sookie and Bill go out for a dance. As they twirl around the room, I once again marvel at the fact that I can see him holding her in his arms (although in his very Southern, courtly way) and not be crazed with jealousy, even after discovering that they still share a tie. It fact, if I was still capable of feeling pity, I might extend it to Bill. It is clear now just why he was aroused instead of furious at the sounds of our love-making last night. Being so near, he could no doubt feel all of Sookie's intense love and passion... which, given his feelings for her, must have been equally gratifying and excruciating. I just shake my head in wonder at how this one woman has swept into all of our lives, and turned everything completely upside down... and I would not have it any other way.

A little later in the evening, Sookie and Deanna excuse themselves to go take care of their human needs. I happen to glance up a few minutes later, and catch sight of the two women standing near a buffet table, talking to that insufferable nuisance, Luke. I have to stifle an urge to go retrieve my Bonded, but instead I just watch the scene unfold. The conversation is a brief one, ending in Luke bending over Sookie's hand and kissing it. Luckily for him, I feel no arousal in my Bonded, at all. Being supremely confident of my place in her affections, I was not _really_ worried, anyway...

Once she returns to the table, I cannot help but tease my little vampire charmer about her would-be suitor. Without missing a beat, she teases me right back. In no time, she has me completely aroused, and ready to take her back to our room. I am just about to describe to her exactly what I intend to do to her when we get there, in graphic detail, when I hear Sandy's voice over my shoulder saying, "Oh my, I can see that the lovebirds are at it again."

What in HELL can the woman want now? The new Queen partially answers that question by turning to Sookie, and saying, "Sookie, my dear, please forgive me for borrowing Eric for one last bit of business. It shouldn't take long, and then we can all get back to celebrating. The evening is young!"

My very first reaction is to say no. I have completely fulfilled my obligations to her, as far as I know. However, at least Sandy showed my Queen the respect that she deserves by asking so politely. I stifle the urge to sigh. I have no idea what this could possibly be, but if it is important enough for her to conduct business on the night of her Coronation, I suppose I will hear her out. Taking Sookie's hand I kiss it, and say, "My Queen, I will return shortly. In the meantime, Bill will keep you company. Pamela, please come with me."

Sookie says nothing, but nods her head. I turn and go with Sandy, and Pam falls in behind us. We go out of the Ballroom, and down a broad hallway. It occurs to me that I still do not know what prompted Sandy to invite Sabriel to stay at the residence. "Sandy, I understand that you gave Sabriel a room at the Residence last night," I say rather bluntly, "I had no idea the two of you were such great friends."

"What's the matter, Viking?" Sandy says slyly, "Afraid the two of us might be comparing notes? Well, let me set your mind at ease... it was strictly a trade. I let her stay at the Residence, in return for her letting me borrow the Cowboy for a couple of hours. My goodness, that boy is gifted! If I was human, I would be quite exhausted!"

Much to my relief, we have now reached Sandy's business office, so perhaps I will not have to listen to any more boring (and no doubt exaggerated) details of Sandy's sexual exploits. I glance around the room. There is a waiting area with a secretary's desk, and then a much larger inner office, which contains a very modern seating area at one end and a huge glass topped desk at the other. Sandy sits down on the sofa and gestures for us to be seated. As we are settling into our seats, the negotiator that she had previously sent to Shreveport enters the room, and instantly I realize what all this is about. Anger flashes through me. I thought I had laid this matter to rest a week ago! I very nearly get up and leave before a word has been said; however, I _never_ want this subject to come up again. I decide to stay, and settle the matter once and for all.

"You remember Thomas Reynolds, don't you?" Sandy say smoothly, "Thomas, please be seated."

Addressing me, Reynolds begins by saying, "Queen Sandy realizes that perhaps now that you have seen her kingdom firsthand, you might be more amenable to a Royal Marriage."

Politically speaking, it would still be foolish of me to make an enemy of this Queen if I can avoid it, even if I what I would _really_ like to do right now is stake her. Looking at her directly, I say politely, "Sandy, I am honored that you think enough of me to offer... again. However, I still respectfully decline. I wish to make no alliances at this time."

She leans forward, and says, "Eric, let's be frank. I am prepared to offer you some serious percentages in the casinos. Also, I am beginning to understand that you really _do_ love your little telepath. I can see that she is much more... special than I thought. She has turned out to be quite useful here, and I would gladly pay you a substantial fee for the continued use of her telepathic services. Also, I am willing for you to bring her along on our conjugal visits. As you know, I am quite broadminded." She winks at me.

Choosing my words carefully, I respond, "Sandy, let _me_ be frank. I know that you are facing opposition here, and are looking to me to back up your claim. My territory has been through a great deal in the past year, and we have just now regained our full strength. I am not willing to put that at risk. Therefore, my answer is still no."

Somewhat surprised at this answer, she asks, "So, your refusal isn't just about your keeping the little human happy?"

Rather frostily, I reply, "I am unaccustomed to having to explain myself... to anyone. I was merely giving you my reasons out of respect. While the reason I just cited is accurate, it is equally true that I already have a Queen, and do not intend to take another."

Sandy gets a rather sly look on her face, and says, "Humans are so fragile, Eric... so many things can happen to them."

Did this Queen _really_ just threaten my wife? No longer caring whether I make an enemy or not, I stand, pulling myself up to my full height. I give her my best glare, and say icily, "I do not respond well to threats. Let there be an end to this. My answer is unequivocally "no." You wanted this alliance for my strength... take great care that it is not directed at _you_."

Sandy looks a little startled, and also stands. I think she realizes that perhaps she has made a tactical error, because she says soothingly, "Come now, Eric, I was only joking! Let's be friends! Just think it over... the offer still stands."

I turn to Pam, and instruct her, "Pamela, please stay and see that the proper documents of refusal are drawn up. I will sign them later. Sandy, if you will excuse me, my Queen is waiting for me to dance with her."

Fuming, I take my leave.

***

I take a few minutes to walk around the hotel, to let off some steam before going back to the Ball. After I have managed to calm down, I am walking across the common area when I see the tiny form of the Healer, Dr. Ludwig talking to a couple of vampires near the elevators. Just as I approach, the vampires turn and walk away, leaving the doctor standing by herself. I have no idea what she is doing here, but this is the perfect opportunity to see if she can tell me what to do about Sookie's weight loss. I approach her, and say, "Dr. Ludwig, it is good to see you again."

She gazes up at me, and says, "Ah, Northman. I suppose congratulations are in order."

Politely, I say, "Yes, thank you. If you don't mind my asking, aren't you a little out of your normal territory?"

Never one to mince words, she snorts, and says, "You vampires have no common sense. One of the Texans let his human girlfriend get alcohol poisoning while he stood around and watched. She very nearly died before he called me in. Thought I'd stay for the Coronation, and get in a little gambling while I'm at it."

Getting straight to the point, I say, "Doctor, I wish to speak to you about my Bonded, Sookie."

"A consultation, eh?" the Healer responds, "Well, seeing as how you're Royalty now, I suppose it would be poor form to refuse. Don't just stand there towering over me, Viking; you are going to give me a crick in my neck. Here, let's sit down."

She indicates a nearby pair of chairs in an alcove, and we each take a seat. She sighs, and says, "Much better. Now, what about her? She's the little telepath from Bon Temps, correct? I heard about your Second Bonding."

"Yes, and I also married her," I answer her, "For the last few weeks, it seems that she has no appetite, and has been losing weight. She has also been out-of-sorts and crying more frequently. I am quite worried about her. Do you think it could be something serious? I want you to examine her, as soon as possible."

Dr. Ludwig peers across the table at me as if I am mentally deficient. Very sarcastically, she asks, "Viking, how old are you, really? Someone who claims to be over a thousand years old should know something about human women. You have taken this poor child, removed her abruptly from her home, married her, Second-Bonded her, and subjected her to God knows what vampire nonsense. I can imagine what her eating and sleeping habits have been for the past several months. And you wonder that she has lost a little weight? I'm surprised she hasn't lost her mind!"

Stung by the healer's tone, I say stiffly, "I have tried to take good care of her. I even stopped feeding from her so that she could recover, except for a couple of tiny sips."

"You did what?" she exclaims incredulously, "And have you stopped giving her your blood, too?"

Rather defensively, I answer, "Actually, she got the crazy idea that my blood was responsible for her lack of appetite... so she refused to take it. I have only managed to get a few drops down her in the couple of weeks."

She shakes her head in disgust, gives me a glare, and then says in exasperation, "You are a fine pair of babies. Did one of you think for an instant to just pick up the phone and call me? Of course not! Vampires are know-it-alls! Now, King, let me tell you something... all you have done is made the situation infinitely worse! Oh, yes! You are Twice-Bonded, therefore she _needs_ your blood, and you _need_ hers, and frequently! Those "sips" and "drops" are probably all that has kept her from becoming quite ill. No wonder she has had no appetite! The lack of blood exchange is one of the leading causes of the Bonding Sickness! Under normal circumstances, her body should produce as much blood as you need, without any ill effects to her health. My medical advice is for you to go get your wife, have some hot sex and a few decent blood exchanges, and she will quit crying and feel more like herself. When you get her home, get her on a regular schedule for a few weeks, make sure that she eats well, and once she settles down she will gain her weight back in no time."

I sit back in my seat, stunned. Could it really be that simple? Sookie had told me something very near that more than a week ago, and I had not listened. Incredulously, I ask, "Dr. Ludwig, are you certain?"

She gives me another withering glare."Yes! Yes! Of course I'm certain. I imagine _you_ have not been immune from the Sickness either. Feeling a little fuzzy headed? More irritable than usual? I'll wager you have just about fucked that little girl to death this last week, haven't you? That's the Bond at work, trying to repair itself. _Most_ vampires can't resist feeding while having sex. You really _must_ have an amazingly strong will, to be able to overcome the siren call of that Bond." With that statement, she looked a little impressed, in spite of herself.

Quite honestly, sex is just about _all_ I could think about this last week, right up until last night, when I had that little sip... Why had I not realized what was happening? I am a stupid, stupid vampire! Looking back, I realize that I _have_ been feeling the effects of the sickness. Just as Dr, Ludwig speculated, I have not been able to think very clearly, and I _have_ been more irritable than usual. I now suspect that the reason the bottled blood was beginning to taste so foul was to make me crave my Bonded's blood even more... which is exactly what happened. This Bond is strong magic, indeed.

"Now, Viking, for my payment for this consultation, you may repay me in kind," Dr. Ludwig says, "I am quite curious to know if you have seen any effects from having a regular diet of fairy blood."

Since we have gone to great lengths to conceal Sookie's heritage, I wonder how on earth the Healer knows anything about it. She must have accurately read the question on my face, because she states, "Remember, I tasted her blood after the Maenad attack."

Ah. I hesitate a moment, and then reply, "As long as I am feeding from her regularly, I seem to be somewhat immune to the fairy smell. However, as I have said, I have taken very little from her in the last couple of weeks; and when she had been with her full-blooded cousin for the day, I very nearly lost control just from the residual scent."

Rubbing her chin, she looks thoughtful. "Immune to the fairy smell, eh? Well, I find that extraordinarily interesting," she says, "In any event, apart from some very rowdy sex, I doubt the Bond would allow you to seriously injure her. A Twice-Bonded vampire and fairy... what a pair!"

I remind her, "She is mostly human."

Dr. Ludwig snorts, and responds, "If I am not very much mistaken, she is something a bit more than the run-of-the-mill part-fairy, isn't she? I am quite familiar with that line, and it is very powerful. I can't wait to see what happens as she ages... especially if by some remote chance she has the Essential Spark. The combination of your rather unique bloods should have some extremely interesting effects. Now, I want to make it over to the casino and do a bit of gambling, and I presume you have a fairy to catch." Her eyes are now twinkling. She jumps down from her chair, and turns to go, her parting words to me thrown over her shoulder, "Go find your Queen, Viking... and the next time something goes wrong, call me immediately!"

A feeling of joy and relief washes through me. I cannot believe that I have denied myself the pleasure of my Bonded's blood for nearly two weeks, and all for nothing. She _needs_ my blood, as well as I need hers. I cannot wait to tell her. In fact, I cannot wait to bed her, and have a mutual blood exchange, just as the good Doctor ordered. The very thought of the taste of her blood is making me hard as a rock. Immediately, I jump up, and start off in the direction of the ballroom. Just as I am about to reach the doors, my cell phone vibrates with an incoming text from Sookie. I check the message and it reads:

_Meet me at the pool. ~S._

I smile to myself, wondering what my Bonded is up to now. I cannot wait to see her, so I hurry down the hallway and make my way to the nearest doorway to the pool area. I am completely resolved to tell her about the Proposal, right away, and this time _nothing_ is going to distract me until I get it out. I want there to be no secrets between us, ever again. Now, how best to approach this? Should I get her in a good mood by telling her about Dr. Ludwig's information first, or should I follow up with that in case she is upset by the news of the Proposal? Deep in thought, I step out onto the patio area, and briefly admire the way the jewel-like pool looks almost magical with its glowing underwater lights. I had been much too preoccupied during the fireworks display earlier to give it more than a cursory look. No wonder my Lover has chosen this spot for a little rendezvous, it is quite romantic. I glance around, and can see the little cabanas set around the area. Only one is clearly occupied, though, because there are soft lights coming from the interior.

In a flash, I cross the patio, and pull back the filmy netting of the cabana to enter. Once inside, I receive an unpleasant shock when, instead of my wife, I find Sabriel. She is reclining on one of the huge cushioned lounges, holding a cocktail glass of blood in one hand. As I enter, she smiles at me, and sits up. My former lover is holding what appears to be Sookie's phone in her other hand, and she says breezily, "I borrowed your Bonded's phone. I didn't think you would come, otherwise." She tosses me the phone. I reach out, snatch it out of the air, and shove it in my pocket. Clearly, this is another attempt to capture my attention, and this time, she has succeeded... but perhaps not in the way she intended. We are quite alone, and concealed from casual view by these curtains. Quickly, I begin to calculate how many people might have seen me stepping outside just now. To keep her from figuring out what I am _really_ contemplating, I pretend to be annoyed, and say what she is no doubt expecting, "Sabriel, exactly what is it that you want from me? I have made myself perfectly clear."

Surprisingly, Sabriel replies, "After the last few nights of seeing you and Sookie together, I have come to realize that you actually _do_ love her... I just want to say goodbye. I have decided to go back to Brazil. Enrique is begging me to come home, so I am going back to him. I am sorry for being such a bitch."

Quickly, she rises, picks up a bottle, and pours some blood into an empty glass. She offers it to me, and says in French, "I brought some Royalty, just for this occasion. I want a last drink with you, to toast your relationship with your Queen, and mine with Enrique. Let us part as friends."

The beautiful vampiress gives me a brilliant smile, and raises her glass in a toast. Anyone looking at her right now would think she is the most sincere vampire in the world. Sookie has a saying to fit this exact occasion... it is something like, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." I do not believe this act of Sabriel's for an instant. Exactly what game is she playing now? Just as my mind starts to spin with possibilities, it suddenly occurs to me that it really does not matter. She is not going to be around long enough to cause me any more trouble, in any event. Very well, if she can pretend to be repentant, I can pretend to accept her apology. Rapidly, I begin to plan. I spy a little wooden end table, whose spindly little legs will serve admirably as stakes. I am going to lull her into relaxing, and then send the worthless bitch to her final death. In light of my new "Tell Sookie Everything" policy, I am going to have to tell my Bonded what I have done, but perhaps considering everything, she will not be _too_ put out with me.

Giving my victim a cool smile, I say, "I am glad you have come to your senses. I want you to know that I _do_ love my Bonded, very much. She is everything to me, and I will never allow anything... or anyone... to come between us." I put the glass to my lips, and am in the motion of tossing it back in one gulp, when through our Bond, I feel an incredible amount of emotion coming from Sookie. It is so complex, it is hard to decipher; but it seems like anger, shock, and... hurt? Whatever it is, it is completely clear that she needs me right away.

The blood from the glass is already in my mouth so I swallow... and immediately realize that what just went down my throat was pure, unadulterated fairy blood. As if from a distance, I can hear Sabriel begin to laugh as the intoxication begins slamming through me, taking control of my body and my mind. Vampire instinct takes over, and an overwhelming lust rolls through me. Completely crazed with blood-lust, I dart forward to catch the fairy in front of me. Before it can escape, I seize it, sink my fangs into its neck, and begin to feed. Using my fangs and one hand and a knee to hold it still, I use the other hand to rip away its clothing. I fumble at my trousers to let loose my painfully engorged cock, and try to maneuver the fairy into position so that I can fuck it. Before I can insert myself, I hesitate a fraction of a moment. In the furthest recesses of my addled brain, there is another strong force shouting out a warning. Something is not right, something is amiss... this fairy tastes all wrong, very bitter. _My_ fairy tastes nothing like this... my fairy... my... ah! I feel a sharp pain in my own neck, and feel the fairy sucking on me, taking _my_ blood! But it is _not _my fairy... my fairy has blunt teeth, not sharp ones... Fighting my instinct to keep feeding, I remove my fangs from the fairy's skin. I shake my head sharply and try to clear it.

I struggle mightily to regain control, but feel the fairy wrapping her hands around my cock and guiding me back towards her entrance. Reality is gradually starting to reassert itself. My tip barely grazes the wetness of the fairy's center, and the feel of it is all wrong. With a shock I realize that instead of being hot, it is cool. In fact, her whole body is cool... That is _definitely _not right! This is really is _not_ my fairy! Instead of pushing myself into this one, I jerk back, but the fairy clings to me tightly. I grab her arms and am just about to disentangle myself from her grasp, when I feel the most incredible emotion ripping through my body, and my mind. It is pain, pure and simple. I have never felt anything approaching its intensity; it is as if my chest is being ripped in two...

In that very instant, my head clears. I glance down and see Sabriel, who is lying naked beneath me on the chaise lounge, her lips smeared red with my blood. Horrified, I jerk my head up and look for the blue eyes that somehow I already know are transfixed on this awful scene. Sure enough, my Bonded is standing at the entrance to the cabana, with Bill's arms wrapped around her, obviously supporting her weight. Tears are streaming down her face, and the minute our eyes met, I know exactly what is about to happen. In a terrible voice, she cries out, "It was _all_ a lie!"

I shout, "Sookie, please! Wait!" But it is too late. In the blink of an eye, she is gone.

Sabriel laughs, and tries to pull me close again. She says, "Come on, Viking... go ahead and put it in! You know I can fuck you much better than that human bitch!"

I roughly break myself out of Sabriel's evil grasp, and roar, "NO!" Stumbling away from her, I shake my head violently to clear away the last vestiges of the horrible intoxication. To my surprise, Bill lunges towards me, fangs bared. He shouts at me, "What in God's name do you think you are doing? You are a complete _fool_! Why would you do this to Sookie? Why?"

Threatened, my temper flares and I rise up to my full height, and let out at warning growl. Through gritted teeth, I snarl, "It was a trap! Sabriel gave me pure fairy blood!" For a moment, I think Bill is going to attack me anyway. In my present state, it would be an instant final-death wish for such a young vampire to even attempt to take me on... but slowly, my words seem to sink in, and he begins to back down.

Sabriel is still lying naked on the chaise, her evening gown laying around her in shreds; but the passion on her face has now been replaced with a thoughtful look. It has finally occurred to her that Sookie has left the scene by magic. "So I finally get it!" she cries triumphantly, "She's part fairy, isn't she? Oh, my god! No wonder you like fucking her so much! How appropriate!"

I stoop and pick up the glass that I dropped earlier. Much more calmly than I feel, I hand it to Bill and say, "There is still a drop in the bottom. For some reason, it has no smell, but taste it and see for yourself."

He sniffs it, then tentatively puts out his tongue and touches it to the tiny drop left in the glass. Immediately, I can see his eyes dilate. He nods to me, and confirms, "Yes, pure fairy, all right... and obviously enchanted"

Our eyes lock for a moment, an unspoken sentiment passing between us. In unison, we both turn to stare at the culprit. She looks back and forth between the two of us, appraising the situation. True to her reckless nature, Sabriel opens her stupid mouth and says, "Come on, baby. Your little fairy's gone, for now. You can chase her down later. The night is still young. Why don't you and Billy Boy and I have a threesome?"

As the enormity of what this female has done to me sinks in, A horrible, black, icy anger begins to rise within me... and it feels wonderful. This time, I have no intention of reigning it in. The little wooden stake that I had been planning on using earlier would be much too fast and merciful for this one. My fangs come down; and giving Sabriel a smile as cold as the grave I once rested in, I say, "Sabriel, you have always claimed that you enjoy pain. Prepare to be ecstatic." At the last minute, Sabriel seems to sense her danger, and jumps up and starts to move towards the entrance. Hissing, Bill blocks her way....


	23. Chapter 23

_Author's Notes: First, let me say thanks for the outpouring of reviews on these last few chapters, even if my backside is still smoking after chapter 21! LOL! A special welcome to all the new reviewers. _

_****I am posting this chapter as a New Year bonus, which makes three really long, very intense chapters in a little over a week. It may be a little longer before the next update, just because I still have lots of work on that section of the story before it is right. Just know that I'll have it out as quickly as I can.... I know how hard it is to wait for updates! _

_*****I wish each and every one of you a splendid, awesome, exciting New Year! Here's to 2010! Woo Hoo! _

_***** Warning! This chapter is fairly angsty (although not nearly as bad as the last two) so some of you might want to wait until the next chapter comes out, then read them together._

Chapter 23

Sookie's POV: Saturday (After the Coronation)

When my ears quit ringing and I came to my senses, I realized that I had popped myself down to the lobby of the hotel. Luckily, there was no one in the immediate vicinity to see me when I materialized. My entire life had just come crashing down around me, and I was so distraught I could not think straight. I hovered indecisively in a corner, unsure of just what to do. All I could think about was getting as far away from my lying, cheating husband and his aiding-and-abetting buddies as I possibly could. However, that was easier said than done. It was true that I could grab a taxi to the airport and get on an airplane going anywhere in the world... for a short while. In making that Second Bond, I had well and truly screwed myself royally. I could make it a week, or maybe two at the outside... and then I would either have to be near Eric, or die.

In addition to the issue of the Bonding Sickness, there was another huge problem with just disappearing. Even if everything he had ever told me about our relationship and our Bond was a complete and total lie, I knew for one thing certain: Eric Northman was an extremely possessive vampire who considered me his property, and he was not about to let me get away from him easily. He would literally hunt me to the ends of the earth, anyway, so there was really no point in running very far. Everything considered, there was only one place where I could be safe... and that was my Gran's old farmhouse, in Bon Temps. Since Eric had never lived there, I could still rescind his invitation and keep him out. I could have Amelia ward the place against _all_ vampires... and that was exactly what I was going to do, the minute I got there. I would figure out what to do about the Bonding Sickness later.

Then came the problem of getting home without getting caught. Eric was a very, very smart vampire, and he would no doubt go through the very same mental exercise that I had, and come to the same conclusion. It was going to be a race to see who could get to Bon Temps first, him or me. My immediate problem was to figure out how to get there. Popping that far was out, so that left the more traditional modes of transportation. I could rent a car and drive, but that would take forever. I could find the bus station, but that would take even longer than driving. That left flying. My evening bag was still clutched in my hand, so I opened it to get out my cellphone to call about flights. It wasn't there, and for a minute I wondered if I had left it in the room earlier; but I just didn't have time to worry about it right then. Looking around me, I spied the front desk, and I figured that they must know all about flight and things; so I wiped the tears off my face as well as I could, and then started in that direction. Sure enough, a very helpful young woman looked online and found a couple of flights back to Shreveport. Unfortunately, the first one didn't leave until 6:00 a.m. which left several hours before the flight. I was willing to bet that Sandy would be happy to loan her "fiancé" some troops, and so the Viking would no doubt have vampires at the airport looking for me, at least until sunrise. I would just have to keep out of sight until after 5:30 or so, and catch a flight home after that.

I thanked the woman at the desk, and was just about to slip out of the hotel and into the stream of tourists out wandering the street until I could decide what to do, when from behind me I heard a masculine voice say, "Sookie? What are you doing?" I froze. From the sound of that low, smooth voice, I knew that it was Luke, and that he had overheard me asking about flights. Oh... crap. I sighed, and slowly turned to face him.

Luke had changed out of his tuxedo, and into a pair of chinos and a dark blue button-down shirt. His long dark mane was flowing loose over his shoulders. He was carrying a briefcase in one hand, and a navy sports coat hung over one arm. A valet followed close behind him, pushing a cart that contained several bags. I remembered that the handsome vampire had told me earlier that he was leaving soon, and he must be on his way home. Luke took one good look at my tear-stained face, and then turned to the valet and told him, "Go on and load the car. I will be out in a minute."

The tall dark vampire took my arm, and pulled me over to a more secluded spot. It would take a fool not to see that I was completely beside myself, and Luke was clearly no fool. "Let me guess," he said, "You had a fight with the Viking."

I said nothing. It was really none of his business, and besides, if I opened my mouth I would start crying again. Luke stared at me for a beat, awaiting my answer, and then asked, "You were asking about flight times. I take it that you are making an escape... are things really all that bad?"

"Pretty bad," I replied bitterly, "Look, I really need to get going."

He looked me up and down, and asked, "Like that? In a revealing evening gown, and no luggage? You _are_ making an escape. Fortunately for you, my favorite pastime is rescuing damsels in distress. Come with me."

Luke put a firm hand on my arm and practically dragged me toward the front door. I started to protest, but then reconsidered. He was a vampire, and therefore a lying, cheating snake in the grass, like all the rest of them, and absolutely not to be trusted. However, I could see the long black limousine waiting for him at the curb, and maybe he could at least take me to one of the other hotels and drop me off on his way out of town. Without another word, he put me into the limo, slid in after me, and firmly shut the door. The valet that had been with him jumped into the front with the driver, and immediately the long vehicle began rolling forward down the drive. The minute the car began to move, I said stiffly, "Thanks for the ride, Luke. If you could just get the driver to let me off at one of the other hotels, that would be great."

"Are you sure?" he asked, "Let me propose an alternative. It is clear that you need some time to think this situation through, whatever it might be. Why don't you come home with me, to the coast? Now, I know what you are thinking... I know what you've probably heard all about me and my "reputation," but I promise, I would never take advantage of you. You could stay as long you like... or at least, as long as the Bond will allow you. Oh, and I must add... my home is completely impregnable, by militant Vikings or anyone else. You would not have to fear him there."

His lovely blue eyes were ringed with long dark lashes, and they looked so guileless and sincere... which automatically meant I could not trust him as far as I could throw him. "I really appreciate the offer, Luke, but no," I said wearily, "I really just need to get home, and as quickly as possible. There are plenty of flights just after dawn."

The vampire snorted, and said, "All right. I should have known you were too much of a lady to follow a strange vampire home. However, I have another offer. Let me take you to Shreveport."

I had no idea what he was talking about, and I guess he could tell it by the look on my face. He laughed and said, "On my airplane. I was headed back to Carmel, but I can just as easily have the captain head for Shreveport... or wherever else you had in mind to go."

For some reason, I had thought he was driving, which was dumb. Other than knowing that California was one state over, I had no idea how far away he lived. I shook my head, and said, "Shreveport is in the opposite direction, and several hours out of your way. We might not even get _there_ before dawn, much less get you back to California."

Charmingly, he smiled and said, "Nonsense. I have my own light-tight bedroom on board. I can rest all the way back to California, and never know the difference. Please, Sookie, I insist. I swear, I will not even talk to you if you do not feel like talking."

Suspiciously, I shook my head and I said, "Why, Luke? Why would you do this for me? You hardly know me."

Momentarily, a shadow passed over his handsome face. He was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "You remind me of someone that I once loved very much... and I would have wanted someone to help her in similar circumstances. Although, I must say, I would never have given her cause to leave me in the first place. That Viking! He's always been so hard on the ladies."

At that, another tidal wave of grief and anger came crashing over me, and tears begin spill down my face. "I am sorry, Sookie," he said gently, "That was thoughtless of me."

He reached out a long finger and caught one of my tears, and before I could stop him, he of course popped it into his mouth. Instantly, his eyes dilated and his fangs slid out. I had never seen him with his fangs down, and in that moment I could see why so many women had fallen for him. He absolutely radiated sensuality. Even in my overwrought state, I had an urge to reach out and touch the tips of those lovely white fangs. He was looking at me very intently, and I wondered if for once, I was half-way to being glamored. In that one brief moment, I almost wished that he could do it, too, and put me out of my misery. Somewhat hoarsely, he exclaimed something in a foreign language, which sounded strangely like the one that the Queen of Oklahoma had spoken to me; but then in English Luke said, "I suppose subconsciously I knew it all along. Oh, Sookie. Now I know why you remind me so much of her... you _are_ Fairy, are you not?"

If he could tell by that one tear, there was really no point in denying it. I nodded. He sighed heavily, and said, "If only I had met you sooner..."

When he said it, I could hear that trace of an accent in his speech, and I idly wondered where he had come from and how old he really was. Although he was of course youthful in appearance, by looking carefully into his eyes I could see the same thing I saw sometimes when I looked in Eric's... a weariness caused from having seen so very many years. I knew then that what Bill had told me was true. Luke really _was_ older than my own ancient vampire.

Just as he made that last statement, the car had come to a halt. I glanced outside and could see that we were already at the airport. We had pulled up next to a private jet sitting out on the ramp with its engines running. It was about the same size as Robert's but very different in appearance. The Knight's airplane was all white with blue accents, and looked like any other private jet. You would never know it belonged to a vampire just by looking at it. Luke's was painted gloss black, with some amazing flourishes in gold and red. It was the most distinctive paint job I had ever seen. On the tail were letters spelling out VMP1. He could see me looking at it, and he smiled and said, "Not very mainstream, I know. I am proud of being vampire, and do not care who knows it. Now come, let me take you home to Louisiana."

I hesitated. This was probably a really bad idea, but it solved lots of problems and it would get me back to Bon Temps sooner than any other way. My desire to get back to Gran's was nearly overwhelming; and so finally, I wiped my tears away with my hands, and said, "All right. I accept."

Eric

Staring down at the remains of Sabriel, which mainly consist of a diamond necklace, earrings, and bloody chunks much too small to regenerate, Bill shakes his head and says, "I never could figure out what you saw in her."

Struggling to regain my composure, I state bitterly, _"_I _knew _I should have killed her days ago, when we were alone and I had the chance."

He gives me a dark look. "So you _were_ seeing Sabriel again?" he asks angrily, "Surely you knew that it would break Sookie's heart if she found out?"

If he hadn't just shown his loyalty by helping me dispose of this problem, I would never even think about replying. However, I say, "No, I have had nothing to do with her, except to tell her to stay away from Sookie. In fact, I warned her more than once that this would be the outcome if she tried to come between us. She just would not give up."

Still staring at the ground, Bill says, "All right, that explains Sabriel. What about Sandy? Why didn't you tell Sookie about your plans to make a Royal marriage?"

Stunned, I ask, "What? Where did you hear that?"

"From Sookie," he replies grimly, "who learned it from none other than our friend Quinn. That is why she was looking for you, to confront you about it." He finally looks up and meets my gaze, and his eyes are blazing with anger. "I wish you could have seen your Bonded's face when she learned that her husband of less than two months was about to marry again, all without telling her a word about it, he says, in that chilly voice of his, "It was the most painful thing I've ever witnessed... up until a few minutes ago, when she caught you with Sabriel. _That_ was nearly unbearable."

Instantly, I remember that sharp wave of anger and distress that I had felt coming through our Bond just prior to tossing back the blood. I am completely taken aback to hear that Sookie has learned of the Proposal, and that she obviously thinks that I was going to go through with it... not to mention my anger that it was that completely treacherous Were-Tiger that told her. This is the worst possible news! Heatedly, I say, "While it is true that Sandy proposed a Royal marriage, I have flatly refused.... more than once. I have been guilty of nothing more than trying to keep Sookie from learning about things that would be sure to upset her."

He looks at me in total disgust. Voice dripping with disdain, he says sarcastically, "This, from the vampire who forced me to tell her the truth about why I was in Bon Temps, even though you knew how much it would injure her? It seems that _you_ are not above lying when it suits you."

Frostily, I say, "I was not lying, I was just trying to protect her."

He narrows his eyes, and says just as coldly, "Listen to me, Eric. Sookie does not take it kindly when you hold things back that she ought to know, whatever the reason. To her, withholding information is the same thing as lying. I learned the hard way that she is not the kind of woman who wants to be protected from the truth, but would much rather face it directly. If you know anything at all about her past, then you know that she has very good reasons for distrusting people. You, however, were different... from the very first, even when you gave her very little reason to do so, she has always trusted you... even when I did not. Over time _I_ came to believe that despite appearances, you are an honorable vampire, or I would not be working for you; but after all this, I question whether _she_ will ever learn to trust you again... and to her, trust is everything."

Even though I know he is right, I snarl,"How _dare_ you lecture me about my own Queen?"

In spite of the fact that I am his King, and have just demonstrated that I could obviously tear _him_ to shreds in minutes, he looks me directly in the eye without flinching. He says coldly, "How dare _you_ make the same foolish mistake that I did? She deserved better, from both of us."

As much as I hate to admit it, he does have a point. However, I say abruptly, "I am wasting time discussing this, when I should be looking for Sookie. Do you think we can get out of here without anyone noticing?"

At that, Bill looks me up and down with a critical eye, and then says, "Not a chance. The next time you plan on shredding an old lover, don't wear white."

For the first time, I look down at myself, and realize that I am completely covered in gore. Upon looking more closely at Bill, I see that he has caught a great deal of spatter, too, although since he is wearing black it is not nearly as noticeable. I am thinking seriously about doing the exact same thing that I did last night: flying down to the next level of the hotel, and taking an elevator back up to our suite. I am sure that is where Sookie has gone, since I know her magic is not yet strong enough for her to go too far. Just as I am about to suggest it to Bill, I hear the unwelcome sound of a door opening, and the voices of other vampires coming out to sit by the pool.

It seems that my luck is not getting any better as the evening progresses. The group is being led by none other than Sandy. From across the patio, she recognizes us, and as if our last rather contentious meeting had never happened, says teasingly, "Well, hello again, Eric... Bill. What are you two doing out here all by yourselves? Up to no good, I'll wager..." Then, as she comes closer to us and gets a better look, she says, "Well! _Seriously_ up to no good, I see!" She reaches out a playful finger, scoops some of the blood off of my cheek, and plops it in her mouth. She says in surprise, "Oh, my! That's... vampire blood. Eric, you naughty vampire, who have you gone and killed now?"

Even though I am a King, I will still have to offer this Queen an explanation since I am in her territory. I am heartily beginning to wish that I had accepted when the Ancient Pythoness had offered Nevada to me. Still, I am about to answer her, when Bill pipes up and says smoothly, "The vampiress Sabriel was enraged when my King turned down her unwanted advances. She attacked him, and he was forced to defend himself. I was witness to the whole event. We were just about to come get you, to explain what occurred."

Sandy raises one well-groomed eyebrow, and says wryly, "Indeed? It seems that your King is just as good at turning down advances as he is proposals. Well, as long as you are willing to swear that she attacked him... I never cared much for the little bitch myself, and I would really hate for any unpleasantness to mar my Coronation party; so let's just forget it ever happened, shall we? Randy, go inside and find someone in maintenance, and tell them to bring a bucket, a shovel, and a hose."

With that, she wiggles her fingers at her band of friends, which includes the King of California, and says gaily, "Come, everyone, let's move down to the other end. I just loath the smell of freshly shredded vampire..." and she leads them off towards the group of seats at the far end of the pool. Thankfully, that whole explanation took much less time and finagling than I had expected. Since I might very well need him to help me with explaining all of this to Sookie, I say, "Come, Bill. Let us go find my Bonded."

Although it seems like forever, she has really only been gone for a little while; but I am quite anxious to find her and comfort her. Bill was right, the pain I felt from her at the cabaña was very nearly unbearable, and I can tell that she is still horribly upset... although she must be calming down somewhat, because the feeling of serious distress seems to be fading. Perhaps she has come to her senses, and realized that I love her too much to be unfaithful by choice; Bill can attest to the fact that I was trapped into it, and that in reality nothing more serious happened than I had a few sips of Sabriel's rather bitter blood. Then, once she understands that I have already turned down Sandy's Proposal, she will forgive me for that little omission, too. I really shouldn't be so worried, I know how forgiving she is, but... that earlier pain was truly the most excruciating emotion I have felt in centuries, and judging from the feelings currently coming through our Bond, she is not much better right now. I decide that maybe I need to hurry, and get to the room as soon as possible.

I stride rapidly into the building and then straight to the elevator, Bill following closely behind me. Fumbling in my pocket for the keycard, I locate it and then insert it into the special slot that allows access to the penthouse floor. As the elevator rises, I become more and more uneasy. Instead of being able to feel my Bonded more intensely as I get closer to our room, the feeling is getting weaker, and I am suddenly afraid that she is not in our room, after all. As soon as the doors open, I practically fly down the hall to the doors of the suite. Since I had assigned my Royal Guards the task of capturing Quinn, they are not at their post at the door. The minute I step inside the suite I am completely dismayed to learn that my suspicions are correct. Sookie is not here, and after a quick search of our bedroom, I feel that she has not even been here. All of her clothes and things are still exactly as she left them earlier.

Now, I am beginning to get worried. Where could she be? I stand still for a minute, and try to hone in our Bond. Now that I am really concentrating, I can tell she is not close. Bill is standing quietly by, and I hear him say, "She's gone, isn't she? I can't feel her at all."

Fighting to remain calm, I nod, and reply "I think she is not even in the hotel. Go downstairs, and ask questions. See if anyone has seen her."

Bill nods, and leaves. I flip open my cell phone, and start to call Sookie on the remote chance that she will answer, but then I remember that _I_ have her phone. Sabriel threw it at me, and I put it into my pocket. Instead, I phone Pam, who is still at the party and blissfully unaware of the disaster that has befallen me. I tell her to meet me in the lobby. I do not want to waste time changing clothes, but I must. Moving as quickly as I am able, showering and dressing takes only a couple of minutes, and I use the time trying to get my rising panic under control. I force myself to calm down, and think logically and coolly. I know Sookie. What is she thinking? Where would she go?

If I know my Bonded, she is completely overwrought and not thinking clearly. She mistakenly believes that she has been betrayed in the worst possible way, and is obviously hurt and furious. In the past, Sookie has always chosen to run away from personal conflicts, and right now she is liable to do anything to get as far away from me as she can. She is dressed in a very revealing evening gown, and only carrying a tiny purse, so she may not have any money, identification, or credit cards. It has been my experience that women frequently do not carry such practical items... they merely carry completely useless things such as a lipstick or compact. I sincerely hope that for once she is as impractical as the rest of her gender, because in this one instance that works in my favor. Without funds, she has no means of leaving Las Vegas, and will eventually have to return to the hotel.

I glance around our bedroom, and spy that enormous handbag that she usually totes around, and decide to see if her driver's license and credit cards are inside. I open the bag, remove the notebook that she has been using to make plans for the expansion, and peer inside. Ye Gods! I am shocked by the amount of items contained inside this one bag. She actually carries all this around with her on a routine basis? Whatever for? Instead of rummaging around inside it as I have often seen her do, I take the more expedient route of just pouring the contents out onto our bed, and sift through it all. Looking through the amazing assortment of items, one thing becomes clear... she must have her identification and credit cards with her. This is bad news, because now I know that she does _not _have to come back here. Those credit cards I gave her have no limits, and she can use them to buy an airplane ticket anywhere in the world. However, I have a feeling that she would never think of going anywhere but back to where she feels the safest... home, to Louisiana.

Standing, I realize that she is probably already at the airport, and waiting on a flight. All right, then I am wasting my time here, and need to get to the airport to look for her. I hurry downstairs to meet up with my vampires. The minute I get off the elevator, I see Pam and Bill standing by the fountain. The two of them turn to look at me, and by the looks on their faces it is obvious that something is amiss. I stride across the room, and come to a halt in front of them. Pam looks very worried, and Bill seems to be struggling to maintain his composure. I wonder uneasily just what he had learned that could cause the normally cool vampire to look this way. Wasting no time, I ask, "What have you learned?"

Bill replies, "I asked at the desk. She came by, and inquired about flights back to Louisiana." Ah, just as I suspected... she is just trying to get home. We can intercept her at the airport, and even in the unlikely event that she has managed to already board a plane, at least I know where she is headed. I nod at him to continue. As Bill speaks, I can hear the barely controlled anger in his voice as he says, "There is more. The desk clerk says that just as Sookie was turning to leave, she was greeted by a vampire who had just checked out of the hotel. He spoke to her briefly, and then they got into a limousine and left together. Eric... it was Luke."

Sookie

Not very much later, the jet was in the air and headed to Shreveport. Luke had escorted me into the airplane, and got me comfortably seated before going to tell the pilots about the change in destination. While he was gone, I had glanced around the interior of the airplane. There were captains chairs and little tables like the ones in Robert's plane, but that was where the similarity ended. The entire interior was done in black, with accents in red and gold. Instead of being creepy, it was really extremely elegant, and sort of mysterious, just like Luke. There was a partition about half-way back, with a door in the middle. I presumed this led to the bedroom that he had mentioned. I wondered where the travel coffins were kept.

We had taken off almost immediately, and the minute I felt the airplane lift off from the ground, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Luke had taken the seat opposite mine, and not long after take-off the valet that had been with him at the hotel came back to offer us drinks. Luke said, "Sookie, this is Paul. Paul, I think what Mrs. Northman needs is a hot towel for her face, and a cognac. I will have some of my special blend, please."

Huh. Another bossy male vampire, who could have guessed? I said rather crossly, "I have never even tried cognac. How do you know I'll like it?"

"Even if you do not, it will be good for you, and help settle your nerves," Luke replies calmly, "Think of it as medicine."

I crossed my arms, and sighed. In a flash, Paul had returned with a steaming hot towel, and our drinks. I used the damp towel to remove what was left of my make-up, and the warmth of the towel pressed against my face made me feel a fraction better. I handed the towel back to the valet, and thanked him, and then picked up the cognac. Luke watched me carefully as I took a large sip, and then I gasped and coughed. It was like drinking liquid fire! Wow! I could feel it all the way down, but then a delicious warmth began to steal through my body. This time, I took a much smaller sip. He smiled, and said, "That is right, my dear. That is a very old, very rare cognac, and you should take your time and savor it. Some things are too special to be rushed." His eyes were glowing just a little as he said it... and I knew his words had a deeper meaning, but I was just too distraught and exhausted to have enough energy left to play mind games. I just sighed again, and took another sip. The vampire sat back, and said nothing for a time, his eyes watching my every move. "Would you like to tell me what happened to upset you so?" he asked eventually.

Momentarily, I closed my eyes. The last thing I wanted to do was share my humiliation and pain with _anyone_, much less this particular vampire. In a low voice, I said, "I really, really appreciate the ride home, more than I can say... but if you don't mind, I would rather not talk about it." Unfortunately, my voice cracked a little when I said that last part, and tears started sliding down my cheeks again. I took another sip of the cognac.

Luke pulled out a snowy white handkerchief, and handed it across to me. He sat back, and said, "I understand perfectly. Would you rather I not talk to you at all? I was quite serious when I offered earlier."

I realized that if he _was_ quiet, I was just going to keep replaying that horrible scene in my mind, over and over; and I seriously wanted to avoid thinking about it until I got home. After I was safely in my Gran's old house, I could face it, and fall apart, and then start to pick up the pieces... but until then, I needed to keep my mind occupied, or I might collapse completely. I said, "No, I _want_ you to talk to me. Tell me about... your house in Carmel."

I think he understood that I just wanted him to distract me. He started to talk, and I could tell that he loved his home by the way he described it. I knew it was unlikely that I would ever see it in person, but it really did sound wonderful. All the while, I sipped my drink, and when my glass got low, Paul came and brought me more. It _was _like medicine. Soon, I felt much calmer, and the sound of Luke's beautiful low voice was so soothing, that I closed my eyes and rested my head on the back of my seat. I just loved the way his voice sounded, it made me think of warm caramel....zzzzzzz.

_I was walking along the long corridor leading to our hotel suite. I came to the big double doors, and the Royal Guards were standing on each side. I asked to be let in, and one of them said, "The King is busy with his Queen." I said, "No, he couldn't be. I am the Queen." He looked at me with pity, and said, "You are not vampire, and can never be a true Queen. However, you may enter, and see for yourself." He opened the door, and I slipped through. I heard laughter from our bedroom, and so I walked in that direction. _

_As I stepped into the bedroom, I could see Eric sitting up in the middle of the huge rumpled bed, propped up by many pillows. He was completely naked, and the neon bands of lights in the room reflected off of his sculpted muscles. His long hair was slightly tousled, and he looked at me and gave me that slow, sexy smile of his. I was just about to go to him, when Sandy came from out of the bathroom. She was also naked, and she went over and slid into the bed next to him. He put his arm around her, and pulled her close. I was just about to open my mouth and tell her to get the hell away from my husband, when Sabriel came gliding into the room. She was also naked, her tall trim body beautiful and perfect. She climbed across the bed, and laid her head across the Viking's lap. He stroked her long black hair back away from her face. All three of them just stared at me. I said, "Eric, what are you doing? I am your wife!"_

_Sandy spoke up and said, "No, you are the telepath, I am the wife." Sabriel chimed in and said, "...and I am the lover. There is no room for you in this bed, little human!"_

_Finally, Eric spoke, and said, "No! She does have a place here. She is very, very special...just wait until you taste the fairy in her blood!" At that, they all looked at me hungrily, and their fangs came down. I knew I was in horrible danger, and was just about to run, when Eric commanded, "Come to me, Sookie." As hard as I fought against it, I could feel his total control over my mind and body... and before I knew it, I was moving towards the three hungry vampires on that bed...._

With that, I woke from my nightmare, my heart pounding away in my chest. I could feel a long cool body stretched out next to mine. What a relief! It had _all _been a bad dream, and I was in bed with my vampire, and everything was fine. I could feel him stroking my face soothingly, and it felt so good that I just lay still for a moment. Then, I heard him whisper, "Shhhh, my darling, you are safe with me." I could hear the accent in his low voice, and it was so lovely, but... it was the wrong accent! My eyes flew open and I could see two blue eyes peering down at me, but instead of the sapphire blue ones I was expecting, they were the dark blue of the ocean, and ringed with dark lashes.

Reality came crashing back. If I hadn't been so completely exhausted, emotionally and physically, I probably would have jumped off that bed in a heartbeat, but as it was I just lay completely still. There I was, trapped in a compromising position with a strange vampire with no way of escaping, and I had no one to blame but myself. If he was going to bite me without my permission I wished he'd just do it and get it over with. I sighed heavily, and asked, "Luke, where am I?"

Instead of biting me, he kissed my forehead, and said gently, "You are in the bedroom compartment of my jet. You fell asleep, and I carried you in here. You were so restless, I was afraid to leave you by yourself; so I stayed to watch over you. A moment ago, you began crying out in your sleep, so I woke you."

I lay there, staring up into his mesmerizing blue eyes. They were so old and deep, I felt like I could lose myself in them completely. Once again, I caught the faint scent of his cologne, the one that reminded me so much of my great grandfather, and it seemed so... comforting. It seemed almost strange that I could not feel Luke's emotions, and that I had no way of knowing what he was thinking. One thing I _did_ know. Luke wanted to make love to me, but he was waiting for me to make the first move. The fact that he found me so desirable was salve on my wounded ego, and there for a brief moment, I admit that I thought about saying, "What the hell? What's good for the goose is good for the gander!" and letting the handsome, suave, and mysterious vampire have his way with me. It was sure to take my mind off my troubles, and also it would serve the Viking right, the cheating SOB. However, my Gran did not raise me to be a tramp, and besides, I had sworn off all vampires forever; and so I rolled away from him and sat up. I looked around the tiny bedroom. It was so neat and compact that it reminded me in a way of the cabin of the _Starlight,_ the sailboat Eric and I had lived aboard during our honeymoon. Just the thought of that magical time made my eyes well up again, so to get past it I asked the first question that came to my head. "Luke, where do you keep your travel coffin?"

The handsome vampire lay stretched out on his side, one arm tucked under his head, and his long dark hair spilling across the pillow. He replied, "I have come to loathe travel coffins, and never use them anymore. I would much rather just rest in my snug little bed here until sunset. I am never in that much of a hurry to get anywhere. None of that transport nonsense for me."

It sounded like his existence was a lot more orderly than most of the vampires I knew. I said, "Speaking of being in a hurry to get somewhere, how close to Shreveport are we? Will we make it before dawn?"

A slow, sensual smile crossed his face, and Luke said, "It is _already_ dawn. We should be in Shreveport quite soon."

Shocked, I exclaimed, "If it its already dawn, how come you aren't already at rest?"

He winked and said, "I have many talents, Sookie, and also... I am really quite old."

I almost asked him just _how_ old, but decided it was really none of my business."Can I open the door with you in here?" I asked.

Amused at my concern, Luke said, "Yes, of course. The front cabin has a double door system. In fact, unless you want to lay back down with me, you should probably go take a seat. We should be landing very soon."

I took his advice, and went back to the front cabin and buckled myself back into my seat. Surprisingly. Luke followed and took his seat as well. He sat in silence, just staring at me. I could feel the plane angle down, and felt the slight bumps as the wheels touched the runway. The jet finally slowed down, and then began to taxi up to the private terminal. As we came to a stop, Luke stood, and said, "Here we are, safe and sound. I wish I could see you all the way home, but I am afraid I cannot. However, while you were sleeping I took the liberty of arranging for some transportation for you. A car is waiting on the ramp." He fished a small card out of his pocket, and held it out. He said, "If you should ever wish to contact me, this number will find me."

Taking the card, I said, "Luke, I don't know how I can ever thank you for going to all this trouble."

"Would it be too much to ask for a small kiss goodbye?" the vampire asked, with a sultry smile, "I fear it may be some time before I see you again."

I thought seriously about refusing, but honestly, I guessed it was not much to ask for flying a girl half-way across the country. I nodded, and he stepped closer. The tall vampire pulled me to him, and I turned my face up to his. He brushed my hair back away from my face, bent his head and gently touched his cool lips to my forehead; and then, as lightly as a feather, he kissed my lips. Before I knew it, though, it had gone from a soft goodbye kiss to something else entirely. One thing about it, old vampires really know how to kiss... and that smell! He smelled good enough to eat! I was still in my evening dress, and his hand ran slowly down the bare skin of my back. His touch sent shivers through me... Suddenly, I snapped back to my senses. I pulled back abruptly, completely horrified at my reaction. Jesus Christ, Sheppard of Judea! What on earth was wrong with me? I had officially sworn off _all_ vampires, no matter how sexy... and besides, for now at least, I was still a married woman. To cover my serious confusion, I said, "Um... I guess I had better go. Thanks again for the ride."

Luke laughed, and said, "I would gladly fly you anywhere in the world for another kiss like that. I imagine that you will soon be going back to your Bonded, Sookie; and for once, _I_ am quite jealous."

*****

A little over an hour later, the limousine pulled up in front of my old farmhouse and the driver came around and let me out. I thanked him, and walked up to the porch. It was still early in the morning, and there was a slight chill to the air. Before he had let me off the airplane, Luke had insisted on loaning me one of his shirts to wear over my very revealing evening gown. Unbelievably, he seemed to dislike the idea of me going home alone with the warm-blooded driver of the limousine without me being more covered. Vampires! All the same! As the long black car turned and headed back down the driveway, I fished the extra key from its hidden location, and let myself in the front door. I stepped inside and looked around. It looked exactly the same as it always did, but for some reason, it seemed... empty. Amelia had only moved out a few days ago, and as expected had left everything spotless; but already the house was getting a feeling of stillness, as if it had been abandoned for months instead of just a couple of days.

Now, I was glad I had Luke's shirt. I was chilled, and thought about turning on the heat, but I knew that by noon it would be plenty warm in the house. I hugged my arms across my chest, and thought about changing into something warmer... and then it hit me. All of my clothes had been moved to Valhalla, and Amelia had taken all of hers... I had nothing to else to put on. I would have to drive to town later, and buy something at Walmart, but I wasn't up for it just now. Suddenly, I remembered that my brother Jason had sometimes kept some clothes in a dresser in his old bedroom. I headed upstairs, and searched through the drawers. All I found was an old, rather ratty pair of jeans, and a mis-matched pair of socks, but that would have to do for now. I went back to the bathroom, and removed my very expensive necklace, earrings, and bracelet, and placed them carefully in my tiny purse. I then removed my white evening gown, and hung it from a peg on the back of the bathroom door. I guessed that after last night, my days of wearing stuff like that were officially over.

I turned on the shower and waited for the water to heat up.... and waited.... and waited. Obviously, I had gotten totally spoiled by the very modern plumbing at Valhalla. I sighed. This bathroom had been good enough for me my whole life, I reminded myself sternly, and it was just fine now. Once the water had finally gotten hot, I stepped in and let the water run over my body. I tried my best not to remember one shower in particular, featuring a very sweet, lost Viking... suddenly, all the shock and grief and humiliation that I had been holding at bay for hours came out in a huge rush. The pain was almost intolerable, and I bent over in agony. Huge sobs racked my body, and I rested my head against the cool tile as my tears fell into the swirling water at my feet and flowed down the drain... just like the rest of my life.

I cried for a long time, until finally the water began to flow cold. Shivering, I rapidly soaped up and rinsed, and then stepped out of the shower. I pulled one of the rather thin old towels out of the nearby basket, and dried off as quickly as I could. I pulled on the pair of old jeans, and of course they were much too big for me, but they would have to do. I was just slipping Luke's shirt back on when I noticed a small monogram on the pocket, LJL. Huh. If Luke had a last name, I had never heard it. I had slipped the small card he had given me into the pocket of the shirt, and now I got it out and looked at it. It had the same initials engraved in the middle and a phone number under that. Nothing else was on the card...Hmm.

Replacing the card back in the pocket of his shirt, I dug through the drawers in the bathroom until I found an old hairbrush of mine, and a scrunchie. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail. Luckily, I had left a new toothbrush still in its package in the medicine cabinet, and some toothpaste, so I was able to brush my teeth. I peered at my reflection in the mirror, and wished I hadn't. I looked (and felt) like crap warmed over. I wandered into the kitchen, and out of habit looked in the refrigerator. There were a few sodas, but that was about it. Amelia had cleaned all of the perishable food out before she left. I opened the pantry, and fortunately there were still plenty of canned goods stacked inside, as well as some jars of Gran's preserves that I had intended to take home with me. Although I was not really hungry, I knew that I needed to eat, so I opened a can of tomato soup and heated it on the old gas stove. I ate most of it... and then went and threw it all up a minute later.

Shivering, I went into the living room, and pulled out my faithful old quilt, the one that Eric had once told me was hideously ugly. I huddled on the sofa and wrapped myself in it. In spite of having slept on the airplane, I was completely and totally exhausted, and before I knew it, I was fast asleep.

Eric

At first, I seem unable to process Bill's words; then their meaning begins to penetrate my consciousness, and hits me full force. She...did....WHAT? My Bonded _left _with LUKE? Rage at the entire situation overwhelms me, and I put my head back and ROAR. This absolutely can not be happening. Of all the vampires that could have come to her rescue, it had to be _him_! Dark thoughts fire rapidly through my brain, one right after the other, and not one of them good. Could it be mere coincidence that the first vampire she sees after leaving me is Luke? I have now found them alone together on more than one occasion. Has he already seduced her before tonight, and she is just going home with her new lover? No, no, that would be impossible. She has been with me almost every minute during the night; and also, because of our Bond, I know that up until a few minutes ago she loved me quite passionately.

However, I also know that right now she is hurt, angry, vulnerable, and quite naive; the perfect combination for a vampire like Luke, who is an absolute master when it comes to the seduction of women. He will know exactly how to appeal to her in her confused, heartbroken state. No doubt he will play the kindly friend who only offers help, with no strings attached. The minute he gets her alone, it will begin. He knows full well that we are Twice-Bonded, and that she will have to return to me or face the Bonding Sickness; but he probably does not care about that. If he holds true to form, he has no interest in keeping her, but only wants to bed her and feed from her, just to show me that he can.

Unfortunately, she really could have not picked a more worthy adversary for me. He is allegedly older than me, and just as wealthy. He does not fear me in the slightest... even though I am a King, I am not _his_ King, and therefore have no real power over him whatsoever. Suddenly, I have an overwhelming desire to smash something, and I look around the hotel lobby for something... anything on which to vent my horrible anger; but then, Pam lays a calming hand on my arm. She says sharply, "Eric! Do you want to go on a rampage, or do you want to go find your Bonded before she takes off for who knows where? Don't you need to get to the airport?"

My child's words snap me right out of my fit of temper. Suddenly, I realize that I am acting like a newly-made vampire, running around crazed and out of control. If I am to succeed in recovering my wife any time soon, I need to go about this as coldly as if I was planning a battle. I should have already realized that Luke would be flying her out of here on that ostentatious black jet of his, and then I might never find her. Reigning in my raging emotions, I issue orders, "Pam, stay here and get our things ready to return to Louisiana. Bill, come with me."

I stride out of the hotel, and immediately take to the air. I would have brought Pam with me, but she cannot fly, and I do not want to take the time to drive. Flying is infinitely faster, and it only takes a few minutes to get to the private terminal that caters to wealthy vampires and their airplanes. As we approach, I see no sign of Luke's black jet on the ramp, and I have a sinking feeling that I am already too late to intercept them. Bill and I land, and go inside the terminal. Bill goes directly to the front desk, and makes inquiries. He comes back, and by the look on his face the news is not good. "Well, she is definitely with him," he reports, "We only missed them by a few minutes. I asked where the plane was headed, but they wouldn't tell me... it is considered "confidential information".

Coldly, I say, "I do not care _how_ you do it, but find out where that plane is going. I am going to arrange for a charter." He gives me a curt nod, and heads back to the front desk.

I could probably borrow Sandy's jet, but that would mean explaining why we need to leave so soon, and I have no intention of letting her know that anything is amiss. I pull out my cell phone, and call Annubis Air. At first, I am assured that getting a charter ready to leave before dawn is impossible. Instead of wasting anymore time with underlings, I demand to speak to whoever is the highest authority available. After a few minutes, a calm feminine voice answers, and I immediately get to the point. I tell her just exactly who I am, and what I need...and that price is not a consideration. After a few minutes on hold, she comes back and tells me that a suitable airplane will be made available and ready to leave before dawn. She says, "We at Annubis Air value your business, Your Majesty, and will be glad to accommodate you at any time. In the future, please just ask for Judith, and I will see to your needs personally."

Disconnecting from that call, I next phone Pam, and tell her, "Luke's jet took off earlier with Sookie on board. Bill is finding out where they are headed. I have arranged for a charter, but the only plane available on such short notice will only hold two travel coffins. Send Bill's and mine to the private terminal as soon as possible. You will be in charge of getting our things and the rest of the entourage back to Lousiana tomorrow night."

She asks "But Master, who will oversee your transportation and security once you arrive? Shall I send the daytime Royal guards?"

Thinking for a moment, I say, "No, keep them with you. I am going to get Sookie's Were to come with us." We discuss a few other details of the return trip, and then disconnect. Immediately, I phone the guard, Cooper. After a few rings, he answers rather sleepily, "Uh... Cooper here."

"This is Eric Northman. There has been an incident, and I need to leave Las Vegas before dawn. Pack your things, and meet me at the private terminal at the airport as soon as possible. You will be accompanying me on this trip."

He absorbs all of that, and answers, "Yes, sir. Is Sookie all right?"

"That remains to be seen," I answer curtly, "Just get here as soon as you can." I hang up before he can ask any more irritating questions that I cannot answer. Just as I snap the phone shut, I see Bill walking back towards me. "I glamoured the manager to get one of his buddies to trace down the flight plan," he says, "They were headed to Carmel, California."

I have been to Luke's house in Carmel. It is quite spectacular, and sits high on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Luke has always bragged about how impregnable it is, but I may prove to be a little more adept at storming the castle walls than the run-of-the-mill cuckolded vampires he is used to. Immediately I begin mentally planning my approach, when Bill finishes his statement, "However, an amended flight plan was filed just before take-off... for Shreveport. Eric, it looks like he's actually taking her home."

What? They are headed to Louisiana? Honestly, I was expecting just about anywhere other than that. After thinking it over, I decide that my very first instinct was the correct one. Sookie is heading home, and it is possible that Luke is merely providing the means to get her there. I heartily hope that is the case. In any event, he now has at least three hours alone with her, and the thought of that is enough to drive me crazy.

The next two hours are agonizing. While I am waiting for the airplane to be readied for departure, I pace; but with every minute, my ability to feel Sookie's life force through our Bond gets weaker and weaker, and after a couple of hours it disappears altogether. This same thing happened when she traveled to New York without me, and I found it unpleasant then. Now, it is nothing less than torture. Pam has come to keep me company while I wait, and she sits calmly and watches me as I do my level best to wear a path into the floor of the lobby. She left an army of hotel maids in the suite packing our things, so everything will be ready for her departure the next evening. I have every intention of keeping this whole incident as quiet as possible, and with any luck, Sandy will never learn about any of this.

Suddenly, I remember that I have Sookie's cell phone in my pocket. I pull it out, and check the incoming call log from the last few days. It looks like the only calls she has received were from Pam, Bill, myself, Amelia, the decorator Daniel, and one number listed as Unknown. I look back through the lists of her texts, and see the ones from me, but then I see one from the same "unknown" number. I select that one, and see a string of hearts appear, but no name. Something about that is familiar... then it occurs to me. The card that came with the flowers also came signed with a heart. Could the text and the flowers both be from Luke? It seems... somehow not like him. If not him, then who? Quinn? There is nothing else out of the ordinary, so I snap the phone shut and return it to my pocket. Somehow, this discovery shakes me even more. It seems that my little fairy has many things going on in her life of which I am unaware, and I do not care for it in the slightest.

Cooper and Bill are outside overseeing the loading of the travel coffins. As we wait, Pam says practically nothing, and I suppose she is holding back a sharp lecture beginning with the words, "I told you so." However, just before she returns to the hotel, she surprises me by pulling my head down, and kissing me on the mouth. Laying one small hand gently on my cheek, she looks me in the eye, and says softly, "Eric... go find our Sookie." With that, she turns and heads out the door without a backward glance.

Only a few minutes later, our plane departs for Shreveport, and Bill and I climb in our coffins for the day. I am trusting Cooper to see to our transportation back to Valhalla when we reach Shreveport. For once, as I lay in my coffin, I pray for the sunrise to come soon, to put me out of my misery for a few short hours.

Sookie's POV

At first, I had a restless sleep, filled with nightmares. As predicted, the house got warmer as the day progressed, and eventually I tossed off the quilt. Eventually, I settled into a more restful sleep, and began another dream:

_I stood at the huge expanse of glass, which looked out over the dark ocean. I could only see the water when the lightening flashed from the coming storm. Soon, the wind picked up and began to howl and suddenly the rain began, coming down in sheets. As the storm raged around the house, I could hear, but not see the waves crashing against the jagged rocks at the base of the cliff far below. In the glass, I could see the reflection of the dancing flames from the enormous fireplace along the northern wall. I could also see the reflection of the tall, dark-haired vampire as he slipped silently up behind me. He handed me a delicate crystal glass, filled with what I knew was a very old, very rare cognac, and then he stood beside me. I took a sip from the glass, and stared back out the window, feeling safe and secure inside his house. The violence of the storm eventually subsided, leaving a more gentle and steady rain. The vampire said in his lovely, warm voice, "Quite soothing, is it not?"_

_Luke took the glass from my hand, and set it down. He took my arm, and turned me around to face him. I could smell his lovely, comforting scent. His beautiful white fangs slid down, and I had the overwhelming urge to feel the sharp tips. He was staring hungrily at my lips, and said, "I love the taste of cognac. May I?"_

_He leaned in and ran the tip of his tongue just along my bottom lip, and with that, I was lost. I stepped into him, slid my arms around his neck, and kissed him for all I was worth. I indulged my desire to touch his fangs, and when I ran my tongue over them he moaned low in his throat and pulled me tighter. I seemed to be wearing a black evening gown, and as he ran his hand down my bare back, I shivered. Releasing me from his embrace, he took my hand and led me towards the fireplace. There was a beautiful, thick oriental carpet lying in front of the hearth, with many pillows piled on top. Without saying a word, he reached up, pulled the straps of my dress over my shoulders, and began to slide the garment off of my body. In spite of the warmth of the fire, I shivered again, and my exposed nipples became hard._

_Soon, the dress was all the way to the floor, and I stepped out of it. I was completely bare, but also completely unashamed. I knew by the way he was looking at me that he thought I was beautiful, and perfect just the way I was. I realized that I had never seen him naked, and somewhat shyly reached out and began to unbutton his dark blue shirt. As each button came undone, I could see more and more of his muscular chest, which was covered in soft, dark, very masculine curls of hair. I slid the shirt off his arms and then ran my hands over the hardness of his chest. He said nothing, but his eyes were glowing with just as much heat as the embers in the fireplace behind him. Then, my hands wandered lower. Boldly, I unzipped his pants, but then was suddenly overcome with shyness. My hands drew back, and I closed my eyes. _

_Luke seemed to know what the trouble was, and removed his trousers for me. Soon, he stood completely naked before me, but I knew that I should not look, that somehow it was wrong for me to see him... and that if I did, nothing would ever be the same. In a low voice, he said, "Look at me, Sookie."_

_Slowly, I opened my eyes. He was every bit as magnificent as I knew he would be. He drew me to him, and then gently pulled me to the floor. The silk of the thick carpet beneath me felt wonderful on my skin. He ran his elegant, perfectly shaped hands down my body, and then leaned in for more of those sensual, slow kisses. Even though his hands were cool, every where he touched me seemed like it was on fire. My breasts were suddenly aching to feel his dark kisses, and so I arched my back so that he would know what I wanted. He kissed each one in turn, and then drew one nipple into his mouth, and began to suck and nip. After a few minutes of that, his hand began to wander down my body, and finally slid between my legs. Although I was by now burning for his touch, I hesitated... but then opened them just enough for him to have access to my folds. He ran one finger through them, ever so gently, and the minute I felt his touch in that most intimate of places, I gasped._

_Just that one touch, and I knew that I both wanted and needed him inside of me. He seemed to know that it was time, and so he slid his body between my legs. I could feel him positioned at my entrance, and I wanted nothing more than to be one with this magnificent vampire, if only for a short while. He looked down at me, his dark blue eyes filled with passion. He began to slide himself inside me, and although I somehow felt that it was wrong, I moaned with the pleasure of our first joining. Once he was fully inside, he began to move with a slow, steady pace. It felt wonderful, but something was missing, something important, and suddenly I realized that although I could feel him physically, I could not feel his spirit within me. It made me very sad to know it was because we had no Bond, and never would. _

_Nonetheless, he was giving me a great deal of physical pleasure, in the expert way that only very old vampires know how to do; and although he delayed it as long as possible, eventually I was nearing my climax. I longed for his bite, and I knew that **he** would never refuse me that indescribable pleasure. I rolled my head willingly to one side, to allow him better access, and he began to nuzzle me and scrape his fangs across my skin, just the way I liked. For once, I didn't have to beg. Hungrily, he bit... and the feel of those sharp fangs penetrating my skin was enough to set off an intense orgasm. As my blood flowed into his mouth, he groaned in pleasure, and then I could feel him as he came inside me._

_Afterwards, we lay cuddled together. He had tenderly wrapped me in his shirt to keep me from getting chilled. In his warm, sweet voice, he said, "I have been searching for you for centuries, Sookie. It is time that you come home to me, where you belong."_

"_But Luke, you know I can't stay," I replied sadly, "I can never be yours."_

_He looked down at me with those beautiful, ancient eyes, and in them I could see both loneliness and hope. "In another lifetime, you **were **mine, and now you have come back to me. I have been so lonely without you! I will never let you leave me again."_

_In confusion, I said, "No...no, I am Bonded to another, and it is permanent."_

_He shook his head, smiled gently and said, "You are Fairy, my darling. Your magic made the Bond, because you wished for it. You also have the power to break it... if that is truly your heart's desire."_

_Deep down, I knew without a doubt that if I stayed, this dark, beautiful vampire would cherish me, and care for me, and keep me safe forever. **He** would be faithful, and never betray me. However, there was one big reason that I could not stay, even if I **could **break the Bond. Although I had just shared my body and my blood with another, I knew without a doubt that my path was already chosen, and I was Fated to be with the Viking. Even though he no longer loved me, and perhaps never really had, it didn't matter. I loved **him**, and always would. With regret, I said, "I'm sorry Luke, but... I don't love you."_

_Calmly, hre replied, "You **will **come to love me, someday..." _

What finally woke me was a huge clap of thunder. It startled me out of the dream I had been having, of which I could only remember bits and pieces. The rain began to come down, and it sounded like a downpour. I was too tired to even be scared of the storm. Even though I was fully awake, I still felt totally and completely exhausted. I lay on the old sofa, and stared up at the old wallpaper on the ceiling. When I was a little girl, I could spend hours amusing myself by imagining faces and shapes from the random swirls in the paper, and then make up stories about them. In fact, I was particularly fond of "finding" fairies up there... and Gran would just shake her head, and tell me that I had better be careful; because someday I just might meet a fairy, and they were lots of trouble. At the time, I thought she was teasing. Too bad she hadn't warned me about vampires instead.

As I lay there, I decided I should really at least attempt to face the disaster that my life had become. However, every time I tried to get right down to it, my mind would skitter off in a different direction. It was if I could get right up to the edge of the pool, but couldn't quite make myself dive in. Every time I got too close, my heart would start pounding and I would get sick to my stomach. Finally, I decided that I just wasn't ready to face it yet, and maybe I needed to do something else for awhile.

I made myself sit up. The very first thing I needed to do was call Amelia and ask her if she could come put wards on the yard to keep vampires away. Thank goodness I had never had the land-line disconnected! I called her cell, and after a few rings I got her voice mail. It said, "Hi, this is Amelia. My _wonderful_ boyfriend has taken me on a surprise trip to Cancun to celebrate, and we will be gone a week. Leave a message, and I'll call you when we get back. Adios, muchachos!"

Oh... crap. That meant that the yard was going to be left unprotected, and even worse, my girlfriend couldn't come over and help me sort this mess out. I thought for a minute, and decided that the next thing I needed to do would be to go to Walmart, and get some clothes and some groceries. I hauled myself off the sofa, and went to find my tiny little evening bag that I had left in the bathroom. I opened it, and put my ID, credit card, and the little bit of cash I had in the pocket of the old jeans. I went to the kitchen and found the set of keys to my old car that I had left hanging there when I moved out. The only shoes I had were the extremely high-heeled evening shoes I had been wearing earlier, so I rummaged around on the back porch until I found a pair of old flip-flops that I used to schlep around the yard in.

The rain had slacked off, so I dashed out to the car, pulled open the door, and dove in. Brushing my now damp hair out of my face, I stuck the keys in the ignition, and twisted. Nothing happened, not even an errr...errr....errr sound. I knew what that meant. Dang! I slapped the steering wheel hard with the heel of my hands. Since the car hadn't been started in a couple of months, I should have known that the battery would not be working. As I sat there and thought about my next move, the rain began to come down faster and faster, until it became a real deluge. Great! Just frickin' great! I sat there for quite awhile, but finally decided to make a dash for it.

The minute I stepped out of the car, I realized my mistake. The rain had pooled right under the car, and I stepped out into a huge puddle of water, soaking the bottom of the only pants I had. I ran back to the house, and made it to the back porch. I stood there dripping... and then realized that I could just as easily have "poofed" myself from the car to the house. Well... hell. I just wasn't thinking straight. I stomped back into the kitchen, where I kicked off the flip-flops, shimmied out of the wet pants and hung them over the back of a kitchen chair. I went to the bathroom and retrieved a towel to dry my damp hair. I had taken my blow-dryer home... er... to Eric's house, and so I was just going to have to let it dry on its own.

I sat on the side of my old bed, and wondered what to do next. I thought about calling Jason, but decided that was the absolute last resort. I knew if I called Sam, he would drop everything and come help me, but I also knew that this time of day was very busy for him, getting everything ready for the dinner service. Also, Traci would no doubt take a dim view of her boyfriend rushing out to help me, and I didn't want to get him into any more trouble. Suddenly, I remembered that there was something that Jason called a "trickle charger" in the shed, that he used to charge up batteries in the past. I didn't know if it would work or not, but it was worth a shot. The minute the rain let up, I would go outside and hook it up to the car; and by in the morning, I would be ready to go. I was really too distraught and exhausted to do anything today, anyway, and I was going to need what little strength I had left to face the coming night.

I only had a couple of hours until sunset, and the last thing I wanted to do was get caught outside of my house after dark. It was literally the last place on earth I had that was safe from vampires. I had originally thought that Eric would not have enough time to arrange for transportation back to Louisiana until after sunset tonight, but because of our Bond I knew he was already back. I wondered if he could even manipulate that component, along with everything else. In any event, I figured that at some point during the evening, I could expect a visit from the Viking or one of his sidekicks. The main thing was to rescind their invitations, immediately. Eventually, they would give up and go away. I had no idea what would come next, but I would just have to figure it out one day at a time. One thing was for sure, I was never going to believe a word out of any vampire's mouth, ever again. And to think, I had wasted my precious magic on three low-down, no account vampires! Grrr.

The rain never did let up, and for the next couple of hours I just sat in Gran's old rocker by the window, rocking slowly back and forth and watching it rain. I was completely miserable and not just because I was dreading the inevitable onslaught of the vampire contingent. Oh, no... the real pain came from realizing that in spite of everything that had happened, I was _still_ longing to be with my Bonded. How sick was that? What in the world was I going to do? How did my life go from being so fantastic to this state of utter disaster in only one day?

As if in answer, the awful vision of Eric and Sabriel together floated through my mind, and the resulting pain was so excruciating that I just couldn't deal with it. I slammed a lid on that whole line of thought. Perhaps tomorrow I could face it, but not right now. Obviously, I had other things to worry about...the sun was just dipping below the horizon. Quickly, I went all around the house locking every door and window and made sure all the blinds were drawn. After that, I sat back down in Gran's chair, and just stared at my feet. I had no idea how long it would be, but I figured I wouldn't have long to wait... and of course, I was right.

Long before I could hear the rumble of the Corvette's engine, I knew the Viking was coming. I could feel his emotions, which seemed to be anxiety, longing, and love, but of course I was only feeling what he wanted me to feel. I tried my best to ignore them as well as I could, which was pretty easy since my own emotions were running riot. _I_ was furious, heartbroken, frightened, confused... and in spite of myself, longing to see him.... which made me furious all over again. The minute I heard the car, I added panic to that mix.

I heard the tires scrunching down the gravel of the drive, and finally the big engine was quiet. It was still pouring down rain, but I heard a car door open, and almost immediately I heard a knock on the front door. I steeled myself for what was to come. Of course, even without looking I knew it was Bill out there. Before he could say a word, I stated loudly, "Bill Compton, I rescind your invitation! And I rescind Eric Northman's invitation...and Pam's...and every other vampire I ever knew! Now, go away!"

As if I had never said a word, he said calmly, "Sookie, it is Bill. I would like to speak with you."

Even louder, I said, "For a vampire, you have terrible hearing. Your invitation IS RECINDED! Now, go away! And take the Viking with you!"

In his calmest, coolest voice, he said, "Sookie, you know I love you, and would never hurt you. Please, hear me out."

Quite bitterly, I said, "Bill, do you know how to tell when a vampire is lying? Well, I'll tell you, it's when his lips are moving! You are ALL lying, cheating rat bastards, and I wish I had never laid eyes on any of you! Now, get the HELL OFF MY FRONT PORCH!"

"You don't understand," he said patiently, "If you would just listen, I..."

Now I was getting mad. I yelled furiously, "What about "go away" don't you understand? I will _never_ listen to a word you have to say, ever again!"

Now I could hear the frustration in his voice, as he shouted back, "Come _on_, Sookie, _please_! Just hear me out!"

"I am going to my bedroom, and turning on the radio so that I can't hear you, and you can't come in, so you might as well just leave!" was my response.

A minute later, I heard him stomping off the porch, and I sighed in relief. He had really given up a lot sooner than I figured he would. I heard the car door slam, and a minute later, I felt a burst of irritation from the Viking. Ah... crap. Sure enough, not a minute later I heard the doorknob rattle, and then a boom... boom... boom as he pounded on the front door. Loudly, Eric said, "Sookie! Come open the door! This is ridiculous. You MUST listen to me!"

The tone in his voice implied that I belonged to him, and I had best do what he said. As far as I was concerned, he had lost the right to call me "his" when I found him fucking that vamp tramp. Angrily, I yelled, "Go away, Eric! I do NOT have to listen to a word out of your lying mouth! I rescinded your invitation... so just go on back to your skanky 'ho girlfriend!"

Through the Bond I felt a burst of anger; and the next thing I knew, my front door splintered inward and crashed to the ground. The Viking was towering in the doorway, looking huge and extremely dangerous. He gave me a piercing look, and immediately I could see and feel his temper rising, and a wave of possessiveness poured through him. Those deadly fangs popped out, and not in a good way. Seeing him looking like that scared me badly, but I tried not to panic. Rationally, I knew that he couldn't harm me, because he couldn't pass the threshold... that is, until he did. Unbelievably, he stepped into the shambles of my front hallway, and in a deadly cold voice said, "We are too closely bound for that to work anymore. You are _mine_, and you _are_ going to listen to me."

Oh... shit! Now I knew I had _nowhere_ safe to pop to, so I turned and ran toward my bedroom, in a blind panic. I could hear him following closely behind me, and he called out, "Sookie, stop this nonsense immediately! You really have no where else to go... you know quite well you will get sick if you are not with me."

I had run out of options, so as a last resort I did the only thing I could think of... I cried out, "Claudine! Help!"

Not a second later, Claudine popped into my room. She was barefoot, dressed in a pair of shorts and t-shirt, and was holding a TV remote control in one hand and a bag of chocolate chip cookies in the other. She looked at me, and then at Eric, and asked me uncertainly, "Sookie, what is wrong?"

Although I had never planned on sharing my pain and humiliation with a soul (except maybe Amelia) I burst out with, "Everything he ever told me turned out to be a big fat lie. Our Bond is worthless, because he can manipulate it to make me feel whatever he wants... He cheated on me and he is going to marry Sandy, and now he's come to get me, because he thinks I'm his "property"...and I can't stop him! Anywhere I go, the Bonding Sickness will kick in, and I'll have to come back, or die! I'm... just... so... fucked!" To my great embarrassment, I started to cry.

Of course, the big, scary vampire in the room opened his lying mouth and denied everything. Claudine looked at me first in shock, and then pity. That was the last straw! I could feel my magic swirling up inside me. To Eric, I said bitterly, "I really wish that _I_ could close our Bond the way _you_ do... then you could never manipulate me into believing you again."

Instantly, I felt a horrible searing pain inside me, and then... nothing. I couldn't feel Eric's emotions, or my own. I felt absolutely nothing. It was if a cold blanket had descended over my heart. As if in slow motion, I saw the surprise and shock come across the Viking's face as he realized I had just managed to close off our Bond. He yelled, "No! Sookie, what have you done?" and started to dart towards me. I felt a slight ringing in my ears, and the now familiar whoosh, and I knew my fairy godmother Claudine had popped me to safety.

Eric's POV: Sunset

It is not yet sunset, but I wake. Immediately, I am somewhat comforted to find that I can feel Sookie again. I know that she is not near, though. I had been hoping that she would come home to Valhalla, but clearly she did not... at least, if she did, she did not stay. Finally, I can feel the sun go down, and I reach down and press the tiny lever that releases the lock to the coffin lid. Raising it silently, I sit up and look around. I can see that Bill must still be resting, but he should wake shortly. Cooper is stretched out on one of the living room sofas, dozing.

The Were has clearly done his job well, and I intend to see that he is rewarded. It is extremely rare that I will allow _anyone_ near me while I am resting, but it was the only way I could get home this quickly. Although I did not go into details, I did tell him that Sookie and I had a disagreement, that she had gone home without me, and that I needed to get back to Louisiana as soon as possible. I could see by the look on his face, he knew exactly what _that_ meant...my wife was mad as hell, and I had better get home and apologize.

Strictly speaking, he should not be asleep while he is guarding me; but of course there are more guards outside the house, so really he is more or less off duty. However, while I am waiting for Bill to wake, I decide to teach the Were a lesson about sleeping on the job. I climb out of my coffin silently, and go over and stand next to his sleeping form. Stealthily, I reach out to remove his gun from inside his jacket. Just as I am about to slide my hand beneath the fabric, however, a strong hand flashes out and grabs me by the wrist. Opening his eyes fully, Cooper grins, and says, "Looking for something, Boss?"

Ah, he is faster and more alert than I gave him credit for... a very desirable trait in a guard. Standing straight, I say, "Just making sure you are on your toes. I take it the trip was uneventful."

He yawns widely, and says, "It went fine. I asked at the gate, and the day guards say that Sookie has not been home."

That news is not good, but also not unexpected. Once I heard that she was headed to Louisiana, I had guessed she was trying to get home, but not here... to her home in Bon Temps, where she would feel the safest. The lid to Bill's coffin is rising now, and he sits up and then climbs out. Pam had brought him some clothes to the airport last night so that he could change out of his blood splattered tuxedo; so he is wearing a pair of slacks and a dark-colored shirt. Without having to be told, he states flatly, "She's gone home to Bon Temps."

In confirmation, I nod, and say, "Let's go. Cooper, you are dismissed until further notice."

Bill follows me out to the carriage house, where we jump into the Corvette. I fire up the powerful engine, and before long we are speeding towards Bon Temps. The night is a rainy one, and the roads are slick. Bill breaks his silence to ask, "Do you think that Luke is still with her?"

The very idea makes my temper begin to rise, but I quickly get a grip on it. I need to be completely cool tonight, and in control of this situation. I answer, "It is possible, but I doubt it. I can't see him staying in that cubbyhole in her closet, can you?"

He snorts, and says disdainfully, "Him? Not a chance. I doubt he goes to ground anymore, either. There are no vampire hotels in Bon Temps, so he couldn't be staying anywhere very close."

We both contemplate the possibilities. Even if he _is_ still in the area, we should still arrive well before he does. Bill says, "Maybe I should be the one to approach her. She may not be as angry at me, and more inclined to listen."

Although I want to be the first one to see her, he may well be right. "Very well," I agree, "You may explain what happened, and then I will come in and confirm it. She may still be angry that I omitted to tell her a few things, but at least she will not continue to believe that I was deliberately unfaithful."

He nods, and then lapses back into silence. The trip takes very little time, and soon enough we are pulling off onto the long gravel drive leading up to her old farmhouse. I know that she is inside, and can feel her extreme emotional distress now accompanied by a rising sense of panic at my arrival. I try to send her love, and calm, but she is probably much too consumed with her own emotions to be able to feel mine.

I remain in the car and watch as Bill gets out and dashes up to the porch through the pouring rain. He knocks at the door, and from inside the car I cannot quite make out what he is saying over the din of the downpour. Finally, I _can_ hear it when he shouts, "Come _on_, Sookie, _please_! Just hear me out!"

A minute later, he shakes his head in frustration, and comes running back out to the car. Climbing in, he says, "Obviously, she wouldn't let me in. She rescinded my invitation, and yours. She will not listen to anything either one of us has to say. She also said that _all _vampires are without exception lying, cheating rat bastards and wished she had never laid eyes on any of us. I guess that means she is still upset."

Of course, I can already _feel _just how upset she really is, but even if I could not, just hearing that my little Belle was cursing would have provided that information. Somehow, the fact that she will not even _listen_ to anything I have to say makes me unexpectedly irritated; and for her to try to rescind the invitation of her own Bonded... how dare she! Then, it hits me. We _are_ Twice-Bonded, and we each quite literally carry a portion of the other's essence within ourselves; therefore, she no longer has the ability to rescind my invitation. It just will not work. Ha! She is MINE, and she will listen to me whether she wants to or not!

I jump out of the car, run up to the porch, and try the door. It is locked, so I pound on the door, and shout, "Sookie! Come open the door! This is ridiculous. You MUST listen to me!"

She shouts back, "Go away, Eric! I do NOT have to listen to a word out of your lying mouth! I rescinded your invitation...so just go on back to your skanky 'ho girlfriend!"

At her words, my temper flairs. Enough of this nonsense! With one sharp push of my hand, the door splinters, and falls inwards. Sookie is standing in the hallway that leads from the entry hall back to her bedroom. She is barefoot, dressed only in a man's shirt. My eyes are instantly drawn to the tiny logo embroidered over the pocket LJL. She is wearing nothing but _Luke's_ _shirt_! My temper rises at least ten more notches, and a wave of pure jealousy rolls through me. My vampire instinct to show my Bonded just exactly to whom she belongs is almost overwhelming, and my fangs slide out immediately. As I step over the threshold, her eyes widen in shock. "We are too closely bound for that to work anymore," I explain coldly, "You are _mine_, and you _are_ going to listen to me."

She turns and sprints down the hallway, towards her old bedroom. The fact that she is running from me makes it even harder to control my vampire urge to catch and subdue her, but I am absolutely determined to control myself. I stride after her, calling, "Sookie, stop this nonsense immediately! You really have no where else to go... you know quite well you will get sick if you are not with me."

In response, I hear her cry out, "Claudine! Help!"

As I round the corner and step into her old bedroom, I hear a distinct "pop!" and Claudine the Fairy is suddenly standing next to Sookie. She looks back and forth between the two of us, and it only takes her a second to see how angry we both are. She says uncertainly, "Sookie, what is wrong?"

Sookie says bitterly, "Everything he ever told me turned out to be a big fat lie. Our Bond is worthless, because he can manipulate it to make me feel whatever he wants... He cheated on me, and he is going to marry Sandy, and now he's come to get me, because he thinks I'm his "property"...and I can't stop him! Anywhere I go, the Bonding Sickness will kick in, and I'll have to come back! I'm... just... so... fucked!" With that, she bursts into tears.

Heatedly, I retort, "_None_ of that is true! I did _not_ cheat on you. And I can_not_ manipulate our Bond, except to blunt it..."

Even though the tears are still pouring down her face, she suddenly stands very straight. I can see and feel the force of Sookie's magic rising within her, and I am afraid that she is about to poof away again, but instead she says in a cold voice, "I really wish that _I_ could close our Bond the way _you_ do...then you could never manipulate me into believing you again."

Immediately I feel something inside me tearing, and then... nothing. I am disoriented for a moment; and then realize that I can no longer feel Sookie's life force inside me, even though she is standing not ten feet away. Unbelievably, she has just shut down our Bond! Shocked to my core, and quite distressed, I shout, "No! Sookie, what have you done?" and I lunge for her, to hold her and beg her undo whatever it is she has just done. As soon as I begin to move, I realize my mistake. Claudine has no doubt misinterpreted my sudden movement as an act of aggression, because I hear another "pop!" and she is gone... and this time, she has taken Sookie with her.

In the words of my Bonded... I...am... so... fucked!


	24. Chapter 24

_Author's Notes: Many thanks for the awesome reviews. You guys keep me pumped up! **** Thanks to my friend Daisy, who helped me with the translations in this chapter!  
_

_**** This chapter is a little slower than the last three, so you can have a chance to get your breath..._

**Chapter 24**

**Sookie **

When the wooshing in my ears stopped, I opened my eyes and looked around to see just where Claudine had taken me. I had half-way expected to end up at her house in Monroe, but instead, we were standing in the middle of the woods, and not just any woods... these were _my_ woods. Unless I was very much mistaken, Gran had brought me here to this very spot for more picnics than I could possibly count. There was no mistaking the enormous oak tree with the sideways growing branch right next to the little stream that passed through our place. This was at the remote end of our property, many acres away from the house, but still... flying, Eric could be here in about one minute flat. "Claudine, this is not nearly far enough," I said anxiously, while scanning the night sky for incoming vampires, "Can't we go to your house in Monroe?"

My fairy godmother replied calmly, "Sookie, Eric is a King. There is nowhere in the state where one of his vampires could not find you; and with his contacts, maybe nowhere in this entire country. No, I can think of only one place to take you. It is a risk, but I see no other choice. Hold my hand, and walk with me. I only hope this works..."

Whatever it was, I hoped it worked, too. I grabbed Claudine's hand and prepared to follow her wherever she wanted to go. Much to my surprise, she only took about five more steps to the middle of the clearing. She raised her hand, palm out, and made sort of a "wax-on, wax-off" kind of gesture. Immediately, the air in front of us seemed to quiver, like the picture on my old TV sometimes did. She said, "Come on." and we stepped through...

...into another a place I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams. On the the other side, we were still in a forest, but it was no longer the woods around my house. The trees were simply enormous and instead of the dark green leaves I was accustomed to, these were a mixture of delicate blues, greens, and purples. They all seemed to shimmer in the soft, glowing light. In fact, all the colors here were lighter and softer, as if seen through a mist. With a start, I realized that although it had been pitch dark in Bon Temps, wherever we were it was daylight. Glancing up, I caught a glimpse of the sky through the canopy of trees, and it seemed to be a pale blue-lavender color, but I could not see the sun at all. Unfortunately, before I had time to take it all in, Claudine grabbed my hand again and said, "Hold on, one more time." and woosh...

… we materialized into a huge room. It was completely unlike anything I had ever seen before. The floors were inlaid stone, and there were columns of marble rising up to the vaulted ceiling, which was at least eighteen feet in the air. The ceiling itself was delicately painted with beautiful designs. Something was unusual about those marble columns. Letting go of Claudine's hand, I walked a few steps closer in order to get a better look. I was absolutely bowled over to discover that the colors in the stone swirled slightly... it was fairy stone! I reached out a trembling hand and touched it lightly, hardly believing my eyes. My very first thought was _Toto, we are definitely not in Kansas anymore. _Even though I was pretty sure I already knew the answer, I asked Claudine, "Where are we?"

"I have brought you to the one place I know that is completely safe from vampires. This is the home of our grandfather the Prince, in the Portal," she replied. She peered at me intently for a moment, and then asked worriedly, "Sookie, are you all right?"

No, I was most definitely not all right. Whatever had happened during that last minute back in my bedroom seemed to have shut my careening emotions down completely. Now all I felt was a dull ache in the region of my heart and slightly sick to my stomach. Even my mind was numb, and I hoped that I could keep track of everything that my godmother was saying to me. I said faintly, "Besides the fact that my life is completely screwed up, I am fine. Claudine, this place is huge. Niall really lives here?"

"He resides in this Palace when he is in the Portal. Actually, he spends a great deal of time here, because it is convenient to move between your world and the Fairy Realm."

Trying to get my mind to process things was a struggle, but there was one question that I need to get clear. I asked, "...and is the entrance to the Portal on my farm?"

"There are many, but yes... there is one on your farm," Claudine replied, "Haven't you ever wondered why there are so many supernatural beings clustered around Bon Temps? There is a great outcropping of magical energy there. It was no accident that your Fairy grandfather ran across your grandmother... he had just come out of the Portal when he saw her and instantly fell in love with her."

I shook my head to try and clear it. Normally, I would be really anxious to learn more about it, but right now I was already on overload. "I thought I was supposed to be a big family secret," I said tiredly, "How are you going to explain me being here?"

Claudine looked a little worried, but said, "You should be perfectly safe as long as you do not leave the Palace. No one here would dream of betraying Niall." By the look on her face, I wondered if she was going to get into trouble for bringing me here; however, I was so desperate for a safe place to stay that I decided not to bring it up, in case she changed her mind. "Now, come with me," she said, "Let us see if the Prince is here."

My cousin again took me by my hand, and lead me from one enormous space to the next. Each room was more breathtaking than the last. The entire place was light and airy with lovely murals on the walls and ceilings. Eventually, we came to a more normal sized room. It appeared to be a sort of office, because it contained an ornate wooden desk on one side and a sofa and chairs on the other. Beyond the desk area was an enormous set of elaborately carved wooden doors, which were closed. At the desk sat a man. Not just any man, either, but a stunning full-Fairy male. He stood, bowed to Claudine, and spoke to her in the most beautiful language I had ever heard. It rolled from his lips like water rippling over smooth pebbles. Of course, I had no idea what they were saying, but for some reason it seemed so... familiar, and comforting. I had the most curious sensation that if I was to just let go and let it flow through my mind, the meaning of the words would suddenly become clear. Suddenly, it occurred to me that I actually _had_ heard this language before... from the Queen of Oklahoma, and also a few words from Luke. Now I was more confused than ever.

The man Claudine was talking to cast a somewhat startled and extremely curious glance in my direction, but asked me no direct questions. Considering that I was a mostly human girl dressed in nothing more than a man's shirt, I thought he showed remarkable restraint. Claudine said something back to him in the same beautiful language, and then turned to me and said, "Sookie, this is Ieuan. He is Niall's... I guess you would call him a secretary."

Politely, I said, "Pleased to met you, uh..."

"Ieuan," he said, laughing a wonderful Fairy-laugh, "Don't worry, in English, my name is John."

While I was here, I wanted to try and fit in as best I could. I might as well start by trying to say his name the way it should be said, so I gave it a try. Much to my amazement, his name rolled right off my lips, and sounded just like he had pronounced it. In return, he gave me a surprised but delighted smile. "Sookie, Niall is not here just now, but Ieuan is going to inform him that we are visiting," Claudine explained, "Now, come with me, and I will get you settled."

I followed her down another vast hallway, idly wondering if I should leave a trail of breadcrumbs behind me. Eventually she stopped, clapped her hands together sharply, and said a single word, "Aderyn."

Immediately, before us appeared a small woman. I could tell right away that she was some type of Supernatural being that I had never encountered before. She was only about four and a half feet tall, and all of her features seemed slightly too large for her face. Her eyes, nose, and mouth were all quite large, but the most startling thing about her was her ears. They were similar to a Fairy's, but larger and even more pointed. Her hair was a very mousy brown color, but her eyes were a startling shade of green. It was no wonder I had never seen anyone like her before. There was no way this creature could ever pass for a human in a million years. She gave me a piercing glance, bowed low to both of us, and said something to Claudine in their strange, melodious language. Claudine turned to me, and translated by saying, "Aderyn said, 'Beautiful daughter of the Royal House, you are most welcome'."

Startled, I asked, "Did you tell her I was a relative?"

"No, I didn't have to. Her family has been bound to ours for centuries, and they can tell a member of our bloodline automatically. She or any of her kin will serve you in any way they can."

Not wishing to cause offense, but wanting very much to know the answer, I asked cautiously, "Bound... like, a Blood Bond? Are they slaves, or something?" This was a subject about which I was understandably sensitive.

"Vampires are the only beings that create Blood Bonds, Sookie; nonetheless, there are many types of Bonds in the Supernatural world. Aderyn is an Elf, which is really just a lesser type of Fairy. Her people originally lived in the forests of your world, but their magic was very limited and weak. Because of their appearance, it was hard for them to blend in among humans, who would catch them and kill them if they could. They were on the verge of extinction, when a member of our family brought the last of them here, to the Portal. That Prince, who was Niall's grandfather, got the other Fairies to agree to allow the refugees to live here permanently, and they have been here ever since. In Aderyn's case, her family has been in service to ours ever since those early days. We provide for them and protect them, and in return they serve us faithfully and with great affection. In that way, we are bound."

Aderyn had been listening intently to this exchange, a slight smile on her lips; and her large green eyes glowing. Claudine continued, "None of them speak any English, Sookie, but it will not matter. While you are here, whatever you wish will be done, quite literally. You can say it out loud if you want, but you are a Brigant; and therefore any servant in this house can just automatically tell what you want, and will provide it for you if they can."

Bewildered, I asked, "But how will they communicate with me?"

She just smiled, and said, "I think you will see that they can make themselves understood quite well. Aderyn is the matriarch of her family now, and is in charge of the household staff. She will assign a member of her family to care for you while you are here. Now, let us get you settled."

Again, she said something to Aderyn, who bowed and made a "please follow me" gesture. She led us down another long, broad hallway, and then opened a tall set of double doors and passed into a room. Claudine and I followed her into what turned out to be a bedroom suite. It had its own little sitting room, a large airy bedroom, and a marvelous bath made almost entirely out of carved pink fairy stone, with elaborate golden fixtures. The faint swirling in the stone was a little disorienting at first, but then I realized how hypnotic and soothing it was. In fact, I would like nothing better than to have a long, hot soak in that perfectly enormous tub, and maybe I could sort out what was happening to me.

The minute that thought crossed my mind, Aderyn smiled broadly and at once leaned over the tub and turned on the tall water taps. She then selected a jar from several that were displayed on a nearby shelf, and tossed a handful of what appeared to be bath salts into the running water. Instantly, the most heavenly aroma rose from the steaming water. She went and retrieved several huge fluffy towels and placed them on the side of the tub. Claudine chuckled, and said, "Well, it seems that you are longing for a hot bath, and I don't blame you. There is nothing better than a long soak in a tub to put things in perspective. You will hardly be able to wear that shirt around the whole time you are here, so while you are in your bath, I will see to getting you some suitable clothing"

Aderyn sidled closer, and then made a gesture as if she was going to unbutton my shirt for me. "Uh... no, thanks," I said politely, "I can do that myself."

The little elf stopped immediately, dropped her hands to her sides, and hung her head. She looked completely and totally dejected. I looked up at Claudine in surprise, and said, "What? Did I say something to hurt her feelings?"

"Well... it is both her job and her privilege to care for you, and that includes grooming you. If you do not allow her to do it, it is almost like an insult, and very upsetting to her. Some humans would call it "losing face." I guess I should mention that Fairies and Elves do not view nudity in the same way as humans do, so you should not feel embarrassed for her to see you unclothed."

Gee, where had I heard _that_ before? However, I could see that I had really hurt the little elf's feelings, and my mind was in such a muddle I just didn't have it in me to protest. I sighed, and said, "Well, I guess, when in Rome... all right, Aderyn, go for it."

The smile she gave me in return was brilliant, and reminded me a little of the waitress Julie's smile... it lit up her entire face. The little elf said something soothing in her language, and then began to unbutton my shirt. "You are in good hands," Claudine said, "Enjoy your bath. I will return shortly." The next thing I knew, she had popped herself out of the room.

After allowing Aderyn to slip off my shirt, I twisted my hair up into a knot so it would stay dry; and then I removed my own panties (I had to draw the line somewhere) and stepped into the hot water. I laid back, and let out a huge sigh. Intellectually, I knew that I had been through a horrible ordeal and should probably be screaming and crying and gnashing my teeth; but instead, all I felt was... numb, and vaguely ill. I really just wanted to be alone for a few minutes, and try to get a grip on reality. Immediately, Aderyn said something else in her language and made a gesture, and somehow I knew what she said was _I'll leave you to soak for awhile, and then I'll be back._ I nodded, and closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the marble. I felt her tucking a rolled towel under my neck as a cushion; and the next thing I knew, she was gone.

For a long time, I just lay in the fragrant steaming water and soaked. Even though I had wanted to be alone to think, I just couldn't seem to do it. My mind was just total mush, and honestly I couldn't string two coherent thoughts together. Finally, I decided to go ahead and get bathed and out of the tub. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, Aderyn appeared again, and in her hands was a sea-sponge and a bar of soap. She knelt at the side of the tub, and began to give me a bath. Now, most humans are completely unaccustomed to having someone else bathe them past the age of about five; but of course, the last couple of years of my life had been spent hanging around with vampires, who for some curious reason seemed absolutely wild about bathing me. Consequently, I suppose it just didn't seem all that strange. In fact, it felt... right, like she had been bathing me every day of my life.

Aderyn was very gentle and methodical, and my bath was very soothing. Once she was done, I climbed out of the tub, allowed her to dry me and wrap me in one of the huge towels. She gestured for me to follow her, and she led me to a small dressing area. She pulled out a little padded bench and I knew that she wanted me to sit down. From another shelf, she pulled down a crystal jar. After opening it, she proceeded to rub some of the creamy substance it contained into my skin. It was sort of like a moisturizer, and made my skin feel wonderful. It had a clean, light, yummy fragrance to it, and with a start, I realized that it smelled like Claudine. Next, out of the pocket of her apron, she pulled a hairbrush, and she proceeded to let my hair down out of its knot and brushed it until it was smooth. Again, I found this to be very soothing. Pulling some pins from her pocket, she twisted my hair up on top of my head and pinned it into place. I wanted to look in a mirror and see what she had done... and then realized that there were no mirrors anywhere in the bathroom at all. In fact, I couldn't remember seeing a single one in any of the rooms I had been in. How odd!

Just as I was about to attempt asking Aderyn about it, Claudine popped back into the room. Over her arm was draped a long, flowing gown of the most amazing fabric I had ever seen. It almost looked like silk, but had a slightly different sheen and texture. It was almost white, but there were slight hints of other colors swirling around _inside_ the white, and the entire garment seemed to shimmer. She also had a pair of delicate flat sandals dangling from her hand. She handed these things to Aderyn, who took them and nodded in approval. The elf lightly tugged on my arm until I stood. Reaching up, she unwrapped the towel from around my body in preparation for dressing me. The minute it came off, instead of looking away, Claudine gave me a good once over, and then exclaimed, "My goodness, Sookie! Haven't you lost some more weight?"

From nowhere appeared a small step-stool, on to which the little elf hopped, and then she proceeded to slide the gown down over my head. Once it was through the opening, I replied, "A little." To change the subject, I asked, "Why are there no mirrors?"

"I knew you would notice," Claudine replied with a twinkle in her eye, "As you have seen for yourself, all fairies are quite comely, and they always have an inborn sense of exactly how they look. In the Portal, they all have elves to groom them, so really, mirrors are just considered... unnecessary. Trust me, Aderyn would never let you leave this room without you looking your very best. Now, cousin, I was just about to eat dinner when you summoned me, and I'm hungry. Will you join me for dinner?"

In spite of the fact that I had hardly eaten a thing all day, I was not hungry in the slightest; but I felt that it would be rude of me to make her eat alone, so I said, "Sure. Lead the way." I followed my cousin back through the winding halls, and again I wondered how I would ever find my way around without a guide. I was hoping to find little maps with a big red arrows labeled "You are HERE" and pointing to my current location, but I never ran across any. Eventually, we entered what was clearly the dining hall, because it contained a table that looked like it would seat at least twenty people. There were two huge fresh flower arrangements near the center, which were made up of blooms completely unfamiliar to me. Idly, I wondered if they only grew in the Portal.

"Let's sit together down at this end," Claudine said, "I just hate yelling during dinner."

We went and seated ourselves, and a moment later an elfin male appeared. He looked very much like Aderyn and I was pretty sure they were related. He bowed to us, and out of his mouth came a veritable stream of the lovely Fairy language. Claudine translated, "He says welcome, and wants me to tell you his name is Celyn. He is honored to serve a daughter of the great house of Brigant."

I gave him as much of a smile as I could muster, and said to him, "Thank you, Celyn."

"I'm starving. Celyn." Claudine told him, "I would like a big thick steak, a baked potato, and a salad."

Celyn nodded, and then looked at me expectantly. I said, "Uh... what are my choices?"

Claudine laughed, and said, "Whatever you want. Just ask, and watch."

"Well, to be honest, I am just not very hungry. Why don't I just sit here while you eat?"

Frowning slightly, she said, "I suppose I understand that you might not be hungry just now. Well, at least have something to drink while I eat. Celyn, just a drink for Sookie. Something healthy."

I expected him to take our order back to the kitchen (wherever that was) and then return to serve it later. Instead, he merely held out his hand, and in it instantly appeared a tray laden with Claudine's dinner and my drink. With a flourish, he proudly began to serve Claudine's meal on the most delicate china I had ever seen. "As I told you, elves do have a _little_ magic," my cousin explained, "One of the reasons they love being in the presence of Fairies is that they can kind of "piggyback" off of our energy, and it makes their magic a bit stronger. Like all Supernaturals, they have different things they are good at... Celyn's talent is producing any kind of food you can literally image. It comes in quite handy for large dinner parties, I can tell you. Niall took Celyn to the human world once, just so he would know what human food was supposed to look and taste like."

Hm. I wondered if they had an elf whose talent was cleaning the dishes after those dinner parties. Celyn served me a large drink in a beautiful crystal goblet, and I lifted it to my lips and took a sip. Wow! Even though I was not hungry, the drink he had provided was really tasty, and soon I took another big sip. Claudine had already launched into her steak, and for the most part we just sat in companionable silence while she ate and I sipped. Before I knew it, my glass was empty and so was her plate. It always amazed me how much that girl could eat and never put on an ounce!

In any event, as soon as we were finished, Celyn re-appeared. Claudine and I both thanked him for our dinner. We got up from the table and left the room before I got to see if he could pop the dirty dishes out, or he had to carry them to the kitchen for washing, or what. Claudine took my arm, and said, "Come, cousin, let us go for a walk. I want to show you the gardens."

Now, when we had left Bon Temps, it had been full dark outside. When we stepped though another enormous set of French doors into the beautiful soft diffuse light outside, it finally sunk in that it was still daytime in the Portal. I had no idea how far it was, or even where it was. I asked, "Are we in a different time zone here? It's daylight here, and at home it was dark."

Amused, Claudine said, "The Portal is half-way between your world and the Fairy Realm. It shares some aspects of both. It is _never_ nighttime here... which is why it is completely safe from vampires."

Even though my mind was not working at its full capacity, those words sank in. "So, when do you sleep?" I asked curiously.

"When we are in the Realm, we Fairies have no need of physical bodies," my godmother explained, "When we are in your world, the body we are using is subject to most of the same laws of nature that humans are. We require food and sleep there. In the Portal, we _choose_ to sleep or eat because we enjoy it, not because it is actually necessary. Fairies _love _to sleep, because we love to dream... so we sleep whenever the mood strikes us."

As we talked, we were slowly strolling around an outdoor area that I thought of as a patio because I wasn't sure what else to call it. It was a large area made of white fairy stone with a balustrade around one end. It had large planters filled with blooming plants of all descriptions, most of which I had never seen before. At either end, steps led down to a sloping lawn which was bordered by completely amazing flower gardens. We took our times wandering around the gravel paths, and after a time Claudine asked, "Sookie, will you tell me what happened?"

Since I was so numb, I managed to get through the entire story of my betrayal without so much as shedding a single tear. Once I got to the end of my sad tale, I just lapsed into silence again. Claudine had said not a word throughout my story, and finally I glanced at her to see how she was taking it. Her eyes were glowing with anger, and she exclaimed, "I should have known better than to let you trust a vampire! And to think, I actually encouraged you! I am the worst godmother on the planet. I have no idea what to do to pry you away from him. However, once the Prince gets here, maybe he will know what is to be done."

I sighed heavily, and said, "I figure I have about a week before the Bonding Sickness gets so bad that I have to go back."

"Don't be so sure, Sookie. Time works differently here in the Portal. Niall will know what's best, you'll see. Our Prince is very wise, and very powerful."

Suddenly, I found that I was so exhausted that I could hardly stand. Seeing a nearby garden bench, I sank down on it. "Sookie, I can see that you are tired," Claudine said worriedly, "I think the best thing for you is sleep."

She took my hand, and the next thing I knew we were back in the beautiful bedroom I had seen earlier. I looked at the bed, which was huge, and covered in a lovely cream-colored comforter made of some silky fabric. There were bed curtains hung around in a more sheer but matching fabric, and the whole effect was...ethereal. I wanted nothing more than to climb into a nightie, and sleep in that wonderful looking bed for about a week. The moment that thought crossed my mind, Aderyn appeared before me with another gown in her hands. This one was as light as gossamer, and shimmered in the pale light of the room. She spoke to me in her language. I was so tired, instead of listening to the individual words, I just let them pour across my mind like water. Somehow, I knew she was saying M_y Lady,_ _let me help you get undressed and into bed. _I just nodded, and the next thing I knew, gentle hands were slipping one gown off and another on, and then I was being tucked into bed. I was awake just long enough to see Aderyn pulling closed the heavy drapes that hung from the huge arched windows, and the room fell into darkness. Looking up, I could see that the ceiling in this room was painted with tiny stars just like the night-time sky at home; and now that the room was dark they even glowed and twinkled just like the real thing. Claudine sat on the side of the bed and held my hand. Soothingly, she said, "Sleep now, Sookie, and tomorrow things will seem better." I closed my eyes, and almost instantly I fell asleep.

*****

**Eric's POV: Bon Temps**

Stunned and disoriented, I stand completely and utterly frozen. Giving my head a sharp shake to clear it, I try to absorb the fact that Sookie has not only called on her Fairy godmother to take her to some unknown location, but that she was able to quite deliberately close off our Bond with her magic. A horrible feeling of pain, frustration, and pure fury courses through me. For once, I completely lose control of my vampire emotions, grab the nearest item to me and throw it as hard as I can... and then the next closest thing, and the one after that... until, as if from a distance, I hear a voice shouting, "Eric, stop! Do you want her to come home and see this?" Something in that statement seems to penetrate the wall of rage fogging my brain. When I finally manage to regain my senses, I find myself standing in the tattered remnants of Sookie's old bedroom. Through what was once an exterior wall, I see Bill Compton standing just outside the bedroom, calmly surveying the damage. It is still raining and he seems to be getting soaked, but he does not seem to notice. When he finally glances up, the look of pity in his eyes is almost enough to start off another fit of rage. "I thought I'd better stop you before you destroyed the entire house," he says kindly, "Sookie is really fond of this place, and I'd hate for her to come home and find nothing but a pile of rubble."

Still unable to speak, I merely let out a growl in response. Poking his head through the gaping hole, he takes a good long look at the disaster around us and shakes his head in dismay. He then looks me square in the eye, and asks, "She left, didn't she?"

I give him a glare, but then nod reluctantly. "When that dresser came flying through the window, I guessed as much," says Bill, "Now, you can throw another tantrum if you want, or you can calm down and help me find your wife."

Through gritted teeth, I manage to get out, "Claudine took her."

Although he never changes expression, I know that he understands exactly what bad news that is. Claudine is a full-blooded Fairy with none of the distance limitations of Sookie's magic, and therefore they could literally be anywhere. "Claudine lives in Monroe, and that is most likely where she has taken Sookie," he says thoughtfully, "I think at this point the best thing you can do is give Sookie some time to cool down, and then call Claudine and explain what really happened. Sookie will listen to her."

Doubtfully, I respond, "Even if they _are_ in Monroe, Claudine has never been my biggest fan."

Compton says, "True, but she loves Sookie and wants her to be happy. Once she realizes that this has all been a series of misunderstandings, she will do what she can to put Sookie's life to rights."

Although my first impulse is to fly to Monroe and try to find them without delay, Bill is probably right. Sookie needs some time to calm down. I am a vampire of action, though, and I have no idea what I am going to do to keep myself occupied until then. Turning his head, he gazes at the back yard and the trail of debris now scattered across it. Stepping a little closer to the gaping hole, I realize the true extent of the damage I have just caused. Calmly, Bill says, "I suppose we should secure the house against the rain. The damage is too extensive to repair tonight, but I have a few sheets of plywood at my house. I will return shortly."

Absently, I nod. As soon as he leaves, I take a rather guilty look around what is left of the room. There is not much left unscathed. Idly, I wonder why Sookie has not bothered to move anything but her clothes to our house; and then I realize that we have been there so little since our marriage that she probably still does not consider Valhalla her home. I see many knickknacks and other decorative items intermingled with the remnants of the furniture and the wall. Anything outside in the rain is probably beyond rescue, but perhaps some of the items inside can be saved. I begin to pick up anything intact, and make a neat pile near the door. Everything else, I toss into a heap to be hauled away. There is a fairly large chunk of the old chest-of-drawers left, and I pick it up to move it aside.

Underneath, I discover a treasure trove of things that are completely unharmed. Among other things, there are several old letters and cards still in their envelopes; a small white book; an extremely tattered soft furry thing wrapped in a tiny blanket with pink and blue spots on it; a couple of old notebooks; and a large old book of photographs with crumbling black edges. There is also a small wooden box, and inside is an odd assortment of items: a delicate lace-edged handkerchief embroidered with the letter A; an old carved fishing lure, its hooks rusty, wrapped in a larger, more utilitarian handkerchief; and a small lock of hair tied with a dainty pink ribbon. The hair is so blond it is almost white, and it is extremely fine and soft. None of these items seem worth anything except for the photographs, and I very nearly throw them onto the pile of trash; but then, I hesitate. If Sookie has bothered to store them, perhaps they hold some hidden meaning.

While puzzling over the rescued items, I realize that Bill may understand their significance since he is so much younger than me, and has maintained a fairly close connection to humans. Only a moment later, I see him standing just outside the hole in the wall, setting down several sheets of plywood. "Come, have a look," I say, and gesture for him to join me; but he merely stands there in the rain. Shaking his head, he says rather sadly, "Sookie rescinded my invitation. I can't enter."

Ah! It never occurred to me that Bill would not be able to come inside. I think the situation over for a minute. Theoretically, even though I have not lived here since our Bonding, this is half my house, too. Because of our Bond, I actually carry a part of Sookie's soul inside me, which was why I was able to enter without an invitation earlier; therefore, I should be able to bid Bill to enter in her stead. Suddenly, though, a horrible thought flits across my mind. Although Second Bonds are supposed to be permanent, what if Sookie's fairy magic was able to do the impossible and actually sever the Bond? No! ...no. That possibility is so dreadful, I absolutely refuse to believe it. There is really only one way to tell, though, and that is to "man up" and get on with it. As a vampire, I have never done such a thing before, and it seems quite strange for _me_ to be the one to issue an invitation. Formally, I say, "Bill Compton, you are welcome to enter my home."

Somewhat hesitantly, he puts one foot over the threshold. Nothing happens, so he comes all the way in. A sense of relief pours through me, since this obviously means the Bond is not broken, merely closed. Turning back to my little pile of items, I say, "I found these things unharmed. Are they worth keeping?"

Kneeling beside me, Bill touches each thing in turn. "Unlike vampires, humans are quite sentimental," he explains, somewhat unnecessarily, "These things look like they have absolutely no value, but I will wager they are quite important to Sookie." He picks up the small book, and opens it to the front page. There is spidery handwriting which reads: _To Sookie, Always follow the Golden Rule! Love, Gran._ Bill explains, "This, for example, was perhaps Sookie's first bible, given to her by her grandmother. Adele was killed before you had a chance to meet her, but she was a very special woman. Sookie adored her." He lays that down, and picks up the little furry thing wrapped in the small blanket. He unwraps it, and says, "This is a toy. I think they are called "stuffed animals." Judging by the long ears, I imagine this was intended to represent a rabbit. Children often carry them around and also sleep with them for comfort. This must have been Sookie's favorite, when she was a small child."

It looks nothing at all like any rabbit I have ever seen, but Bill seems quite certain. He pokes around a bit more, passes over some of the other things, and then picks up the lock of hair and strokes it gently with one finger."My wife did this to our children's hair, too, so she would not forget what it looked like when they were infants," he states. His expression does not change, but I can tell by the look in his eyes that he is quite sad to be reminded of them. I am reminded again of how young he really is. He lays the tiny lock of hair in my hand, and says, "This must be Sookie's hair, from when she was a baby." Touching the soft strands, I marvel that this actually came from my Bonded when she was so little.

The next thing he selects from the pile is the book of photographs. "Almost certainly the family photo album," he states with authority. Opening it, he reveals that the first page is filled with sepia colored pictures and tin-types. Bill points to one, a rather stiff portrait of an aged man and woman. He says, "This was the Stackhouse that built this house. I knew him in my human life... but he was much younger then." He flips through the pages. On the very last two are pasted photographs of a baby who is wrapped in what appears to be the same tiny blanket that I just rescued. There are several other pictures showing the child as she grew...and I realize with a start that these were all photographs of my Sookie. Now they have my undivided attention, and I study them intently. In one, she is being held by a startlingly handsome young man whom Sookie resembles quite strongly. He is standing next to a lovely young blond woman, and a small boy that must be Jason. From this picture, I can see that my Beloved was a very petite child, thin and fragile, with beautiful light blond hair and enormous blue eyes.

Bill taps on another photo, one of her sitting on the lap of a middle aged man who is gazing at her fondly. Although she is grinning for the camera, I fancy that I can see a rather haunted look in her young eyes. "This man was her Uncle Barlett," Compton explains with complete distaste, "He was a pedophile, and was already starting to molest her when she was about this age."

What! Sookie has never mentioned this awful fact to me. A fierce rush of anger at what had been done to such a helpless child shoots through me. I growl, "...and is this man still living?"

Bill gives me a dark smile, and with great satisfaction says, "Oh, no...I saw to that immediately."

I nod my approval. At least one good thing came from Bill and Sookie's relationship. This one fact explains so many things, and I most heartily wish that I had known about it before now. It makes me wonder what other things that Bill knows about my Bonded that I do not, but now is clearly not the time to be distracted by side issues. I return my attention to the book in front of me. There are a couple of shots of Sookie and a very attractive gray-haired woman. Sookie keeps a tiny framed portrait of this same woman next to our bed, and so I know that it is her grandmother Adele. There are also several photos of Sookie's brother Jason. I ask Bill, "Do you think it is possible that the Fairy took Sookie to stay with her brother? Do you know where he lives?"

"I know where he lives, but I doubt Sookie would go there," he responds, "She is obviously angry with him."

"True. I asked her why he was not at our wedding, and all she would say is, 'I don't want to talk about it', and got that balky look on her face. I thought it strange at the time, since he is her only remaining human relative."

"I heard a few rumors around town that they had an argument one day in Merlotte's over her marrying you... but that's all anyone would tell me," my Lieutenant admits, "I think there must be more to the story, though."

Surprised, I ask, "They argued...over her marrying _me_? To what could he possibly object? I have provided much better for her than he ever did. I have made her a Queen! Did he object because I did not pay him a bride-price? There was no dowry, so I thought it unnecessary."

Bill shrugs slightly, and says, "If I had to guess, it would be because you are vampire. "

Ah. I suppose it is because I am undead, and cannot give her children. As her brother, he _would_ have a right to object to that... although Niall did not bring it up even once. This argument with her brother is yet another thing that Sookie has not bothered to share with me, and it makes me quite sad to realize she felt she had to conceal things from me. I am still quite curious about the details of the argument, and when she comes home, I intend to...

In mid-thought, I realize that I had better worry about recovering her first. I turn my attention back to the album. The very last photograph pasted in the book shows a slightly younger and thinner version of the Sookie I know now, wearing a most unattractive flat, square hat with a tassel hanging from one corner. Bill explains, "I believe this would be when she graduated from high school."

Somehow, this photo album makes me realize how little we really know each other in some ways, while so intimately in others. I always assumed that there was really no rush to find out all the tiny details, since we had so very many years ahead of us, but now... Without warning, an intense wave of longing for my Bonded washes through me. Looking at all these items that she obviously holds dear is only making things worse, so I take the book from Bill's hands, and shut it firmly. "There is a box in the trunk of the Corvette," I tell him, "I will take these things home, for safekeeping."

He takes my keys and heads outside to fetch the box. While he is gone, I find myself drawn to Sookie's old bathroom and wander in that direction. It is horribly in need of updating, and I guiltily realize that perhaps I should have already made good on my promise to Sookie to make this house more habitable for both of us. Walking to the shower, I touch the new curtain and in spite of the direness of our current situation, I have to smile. Now that I can remember all the events that happened while I was cursed, I know exactly what became of the old shower curtain. It was demolished during what was certainly the best shower of my existence. For a moment, I am lost in thought, remembering every tiny detail of the first time I ever made love to my wife.

The resulting burst of feeling is nearly overwhelming. This will never do! I must get these useless emotions under control, right away. When turning away from the shower, a sparkling item on the edge of the old sink catches my eye. It is Sookie's evening bag. Immediately I pick it up, and open it. Inside I find her identification and credit cards, a small amount of cash, a lipstick, and something wrapped in a very dainty handkerchief. Pulling it out, I open the tiny parcel, and find the jewelry that I just gave her to wear to the Coronation: necklace, earrings, and bracelet. Staring down at the gems in my hand, it occurs to me that there is something very significant missing... Quickly, I search the bathroom. I already know what I seek was not in the shambles of the bedroom. Rushing thought the rest of the house at vampire speed, I scour every surface until I am sure. I come to a halt in the living room, trying to think if there was any place I missed, when I look up to see a vampire hovering in the open doorway.

It is the half-witted vampire, Bubba. In his soft Tennessee accent, he asks carefully, "Mr. Eric, have you lost something?"

"Yes... no. I was looking for Sookie's wedding rings, but they are not here," I report with enthusiasm. This is the one piece of good news I have had since this disaster befell me last night. She must still be wearing them! If she was determined to leave me forever, she would have taken them off and left them with the rest of her jewelry, I am sure of it. There is hope!

In confusion, Bubba says, "Aren't they on her finger? Isn't she with you? She's _supposed_ to be with you... she's the Queen!" He peers down, takes in the pile of splinters that used to be her front door, and looks quite alarmed. "Did something bad happen? Mr. Eric, did you and Miss Sookie have a fight?"

From behind me, I hear Bill say soothingly, "Of course not, Bubba. The Queen is off visiting a relative for a couple of days. There was just a little... accident before she left. It would be best if someone could stay here at the house while it is being repaired, and I thought of you. There is a nice little cubbyhole upstairs to rest in during the day."

Although Sookie had never mentioned it, I could tell the Witch Amelia was no longer in residence, since I had included the upstairs in my hurried search of the house. Even though it makes me slightly irritable that Compton was once again privy to information about my Bonded's life that I was not, nevertheless I am glad that he had the forethought to call Bubba in to house-sit. "Eric, you have to invite him in," Bill reminds me.

"Bubba, you may enter my home," I say immediately. His eyes as big as saucers, the dark-haired vampire steps through the doorway. Bill leads him back to the bedroom, and I soon hear hammering as they begin securing the bedroom against the rain. Taking a seat on the stairs, I stare guiltily at the mess in the entry hall, and replay the brief but devastating meeting with my Bonded in my head. I freely admit that in the heat of he moment, I handled the whole thing very poorly. When it comes to Sookie, it seems I am incapable of making a _good_ decision. Something about being in love seems to make all rational thought disappear, to be replaced with nothing but raw emotional reactions... completely unsuitable behavior in a vampire of my age and stature. It makes me wonder why humans so avidly pursue this state. I almost wish that I could go back to my carefree days, when I was knee-deep in fangbangers that required zero emotional attachment. Things were certainly much easier then.

The minute that thought crosses my mind, though, I know it to be a lie. As agonizing as this current situation is, I would never willingly go back to my lonely existence. I truly cannot envision a future without my Bonded in it. One thing is certain, though. I need to proceed with more caution than I did tonight. I cannot risk her running again. If Sookie _is_ in Monroe, I will have to be very, very careful how I approach her. To myself, I mutter, "What is best to do now?"

"I used to ask myself that all the time," Bill says, having come silently into the hallway. I had been so deep in thought I had not even heard him approach, "Even when I was human, I never had much luck understanding women."

Reluctantly, I ask, "What did _you_ do when you and Sookie were having a disagreement?"

"My solution was to back away completely and give her time to miss me. It almost never worked," he admits, "Breaking down doors appears to be equally ineffective. Perhaps something between the two extremes would be best."

Obviously, he is as clueless as I when it comes to relationships with women. Robert would be the one to ask, but I cannot quite bring myself to admit to my brother that I have made such a mess of things. Pam should be back in Shreveport soon, and perhaps she can offer some advice. Surely Dear Abby has addressed similar issues. Very well, then. I suppose I will head to Fangtasia, and await her arrival. The drive over will be good for me, and help me clear my head. To Bill, I say, "Stay here and finish up. I am going to Shreveport."

He gives me a sharp nod, and I head through the open doorway and out to my car. The rain has finally come to a stop, and the sky is beginning to clear. From the side-yard, I can clearly hear Bubba singing the chorus to "Suspicious Minds," and it makes me wonder exactly what he and Bill have been discussing. Wincing, I get in the Corvette and see that Bill has already loaded the box of Sookie's possessions in the passenger seat. I fire up the engine, roll slowly down the long gravel driveway, and then accelerate as I reach the pavement. The slickness left from the rain makes the car fishtail slightly, requiring quick action on my part to correct my course and bring the car back to center. It serves to remind me of how important it is to always be in control. I am not some foolish young vampire with no sense, and no resources. I am Eric Northman, King of this territory. I am well over a thousand years old, and have survived all that time by my wits. I _will_ take control of this situation with my Bonded. I _will_ win her back. I will.

Holding the steering wheel tightly, I push the gas pedal sharply to the floor, and the Corvette rockets into the night.

*****

In record time, I am striding down the hallway at Fangtasia. The drive over helped raise my spirits a bit, and being back in my own bar helps also. As I enter the bar, I get a couple of surprised looks from the staff. Apparently I have beat Pam and the rest of the entourage back. The bar is as crowded as ever, and instead of going to my office, I make the decision to sit out front and wait for Pam. The patrons might as well get their money's worth and get an increasingly rare look at the Main Attraction, as Sookie teasingly calls me.

Taking my seat, I glance around. The usual contingent of fangbangers is in attendance, as well as the Area vampires required to be here tonight. I even see a few vampires that are here by choice. Now that I am King, I have noticed that more and more, the vampires of the Area are turning up at Fangtasia just to see and be seen... Hm. Normally, I might invite them over, just for conversation, but tonight I am most definitely not in the mood for idle chatter. From behind the bar, Felicia is watching me, and I can tell by the puzzled look in her eye that she is wondering where Sookie is. I suppose it is inevitable that there will be talk, but as long as I can persuade my Bonded to come home in the next day or two it should die down soon, with no one but my personal retinue knowing what has transpired. This is very much our extremely private business, and the fewer who are privy to the gory details, the better.

It feels odd to be sitting out here without my Queen at my side as she should be, and another serious wave of longing ripples through me. Luckily, before it gets too intense, I see Pam crossing the floor in my direction. A sense of relief floods through me. I gesture for her to take her customary chair, and she slides into the seat next to mine. Immediately, she leans towards me and asks, "Well?"

As concisely as I can, I tell her what occurred by saying, "As I had suspected, Sookie went back to her house in Bon Temps. Bill and I went straight there after first dark. She rescinded all of our invitations, immediately. Bill tried to talk to her, but she refused to listen. She would not even listen to _me_, and to get away from me she called her cousin Claudine to take her away. We suspect they are now at the Fairy's home in Monroe. I am letting Sookie cool off until tomorrow night."

Several expressions cross my child's delicate features as I relate this information. The last is a frown. Pam narrows her eyes, and asks suspiciously, "If she rescinded your invitation, then why did she need Claudine to get her away from you?"

"As it turns out, Sookie can no longer rescind my invitation, because of our Bond. I... well, I accidentally knocked down the door and let myself in. It startled her... and she ran from me."

For just a moment, my child sits in stunned disbelief, and then she launches into me, "You... did... WHAT? Eric! You _accidentally_ knocked down the door? Tell the truth! I know you and doors! You lost your temper, didn't you? You _broke_ down the door, and then you went charging into her home without an invitation! Whether you needed one or not is beside the point, you were denying her the one place she felt safe!"

Although she really should not be speaking to her Maker in that tone, I sit still and take my medicine. I am guilty on all charges. From the looks of things, Pam is merely getting up a good head of steam and there is obviously more to come. Sternly, she inquires, "Besides knocking down her door and coming inside, what _else_ did you do? Sookie is not one to run unless threatened."

Reluctantly, I admit, "She was wearing Luke's shirt and nothing else. I am afraid I lost my head and reminded her rather forcefully that she was mine, and that she was going to have to listen."

"Nothing but Luke's shirt!" Pam exclaims, obviously surprised enough by that bit of information that it stops the coming lecture cold. "You don't think he was able to... surely he wouldn't... Sookie is yours!_" _she sputters indignantly, her eyes lapses into silence for a moment, and then says more slowly, "Well, given his reputation, I suppose I can understand your reaction... but that's Luke. What about Sookie? We all know how much she loves you."

I sigh heavily, and respond rather morosely, "She _did_ love me, up until last night. If you could have seen the look in her eyes when she found me with Sabriel... what if she _did_ have sex with Luke, in retaliation?"

Pam thinks this horrible possibility over, and finally shakes her head. "I doubt it. I think Sookie takes those human wedding vows very seriously. Beyond that, she's much too loyal. Think about it... even when she knew quite well that Bill had betrayed her with Lorena, she still went to his rescue, and even managed to keep from having sex with you _or_ the Were Herveaux in the meantime... and if I know you, you were giving it your best shot. What about you... you don't _really_ believe she fucked Luke, do you?"

After a few minutes of thinking it over very carefully, I admit, "No, I suppose not. You are right, Sookie is too good a woman for that, no matter what she thinks I have done." I lapse back into silence for a moment, then blurt out the worst of it, "Pamela, she was so upset, she closed our Bond. Apparently she thinks I can make her feel false emotions through it. How can I ever make her believe me, if she does not have faith in my feelings for her? Infidelity aside, she may never trust me again, for any reason."

"She was able to close the Bond?" my child asks, sounding completely shocked. Then, "Well, after having felt the power of her magic firsthand, I suppose I should not be surprised. That _is _a problem, all right." She sits rather glumly for a moment and then says, " Master, I am famished and can't think straight when I am hungry. Let me get us some bloods while I think this through."

Pam motions to a waitress, and a short while later the girl brings two bottles of TrueBlood. This is one of the waitresses that has been here the longest, and she gives me a saucy wink. I used to feed from this girl on occasion, and although I have never actually had full-out sex with her, I had allowed her to give me oral pleasure once or twice. Uneasily, I now wonder if I should have disclosed that information to Sookie, but honestly it meant less than nothing... I cannot possibly even remember all the females that fall into this category.... but I suppose I will worry about that later. I realize that I have not fed since last night, and oddly enough even now I am not really very hungry. Pam takes her bottle and begins to drink it right down. I take a tentative sip of mine and immediately notice that it tastes just slightly off, and after one more sip I set the bottle aside. Immediately the conversation with Dr. Ludwig runs back through my mind. Since I seem to be unburdening myself tonight, I tell Pam about what I had learned about the Bond. I finish by saying, "... and so, even though I fed from Sookie two nights ago and she has had a couple of drops of my blood, we are still subject to the Bonding Sickness. According to the doctor, she _needs_ my blood just as much as I need hers... and no doubt distance will now begin to compound the problem. As long as we are apart, it can only get worse."

Suddenly, Pam loses her look of irritation and it is replaced with one of concern. She says worriedly, "I can't bear the thought of Sookie being as ill as she was in New York. Robert was _minutes_ from turning her. If you had not arrived when you did... At the time, I did not think that it would necessarily be such a bad thing. Now that I know her better, I know how much she would have hated it. Having all that wonderful light within her turn dark... No. Master, you really _must_ convince her to come home. Even if she does not believe you about what happened, surely even she will not be so stubborn as to risk dying to keep from coming back to us."

I find the thought that my Bonded would only return to me to keep herself alive is extremely distasteful. The very idea of it is enough to send me into another tailspin. What if I cannot convince Sookie that I was trapped into the situation with Sabriel, and that I did not actually have sex with her? What if this unfortunate series of events has been enough to destroy my wife's love for me? Can I bear it if she comes home but does not love me anymore? My child and I stare at each other, each wondering exactly the same thing. Unexpectedly, Pam takes my hand and puts it to her lips, then says gently, "Master, you know we are just being silly. You are the oldest, smartest vampire I know, and I have faith that you will find a way to make Sookie understand. Remember, you are Fated to be together... and besides, no matter what has happened, I know that your Bonded loves you deeply enough that not even this can destroy it."

My child is not given to tenderness, and her gesture and her words move me deeply. I suppose my little fairy has come to influence all of us, and I realize that her loss is not only my own. Pam's words _do_ cheer me up a bit. Once again I realize that maybe I am over-reacting. I must have confidence in my own abilities. I _will_ set this straight. Even if my Bonded does come back under less than favorable circumstances, I was able to win her affections once and I will do it again if necessary. Pam hit on the crucial fact... Sookie and I _are_ Fated, and still have a prophesy to fulfill. This is just a momentary set-back.

Standing, I indicate to Pam that I want to move this conversation back to my office. I need to at least check my emails and call the Sheriffs. Just as we reach my office door, I ask her, "Oh, by the way, when will the Were-Tiger be delivered?"

Her answer is a sheepish, "Master, about that... I am sorry to tell you there was a slight problem... Quinn managed to escape again..."

The second door of the evening is instantly reduced to splinters.

*****

I make it home not long before dawn, timing it that way on purpose. After the resulting chaos due to my tiny fit of temper, the rest of the evening had been spent dealing with Kingdom business, which of course must be dealt with no matter what else is happening. It was actually good to be able to have something to distract me from my troubles. Fortunately, there were several items requiring my attention. I thought about staying at the Shreveport house, but found that I could not resist coming home to Valhalla. I pull up in front of the house and grab the box of Sookie's things. Once inside, I place the items in the safe, and then carefully close the concealing panel.

Heading straight downstairs, I remove the snapshot of Sookie in her bikini from the breast pocket of my jacket and prop it carefully on my bedside table. I retrieved it from the desk drawer where I normally keep it, and brought it home with me. I pull my cell phone from my pocket, and plug it into the the charger that is on our dresser, and then remember that I still have Sookie's phone in my other pocket. I plug hers in next to mine, and oddly enough it soothes me to see the matching phones sitting there side-by-side, as they always do when she is home... Going to the bathroom, I shower and let the steamy water run over my body for a long time. Glancing in the closet, I see that Bobby has retrieved our things from the airport, and already unpacked everything. After drying off, I crawl into our bed and lay on my back, stare at the ceiling and try to let my mind relax. Finally, I roll over and stare at the photo of Sookie instead, and seeing her posed so sexily with the sunlight glinting off her golden hair makes me remember every detail of our wonderful honeymoon. The entire trip was perfection, except for that one fight over the shifter, Shaun... compared to this rift, that disagreement seems so minor now. All I had to do then was... oh! I called to her, through our Bond, and apologized!

Even though our Bond seems completely closed, perhaps it is not. Even _I_ cannot manage to shut it down completely. It is certainly worth a try, so I lay back and concentrate just as hard as I can. I visualize her beautiful face in my mind, and I think/feel: _Come back to me, Sookie. I love you, and I cannot bear for us to be apart. Please!_

At first, there is nothing... and then, for just a brief moment, I feel her. I cannot hear her, but I can _feel_ that she is horribly lonely and very frightened... but at least I know I have made contact. Immediately, I put every ounce of effort in my body and mind into thinking/feeling: _You have to trust me, Beloved. We are one. Please, come back...._

Unfortunately, at that crucial moment, the sun pulls me under.

**Sookie**

I had no idea how long I slept before I began to dream:_ I was walking along an uneven road. It was pitch dark with damp mist swirling up all around me. There were absolutely no landmarks of any kind, and I didn't have any idea of which way I needed to go to get home. I walked forward for a few paces, stumbling a little in the darkness, but soon became afraid that I was headed in the wrong direction; so I turned around and tried to go back. Suddenly, I realized that I couldn't go back, because now I wasn't sure where I had come from. Confused and afraid to move in any direction, I stood frozen in place._

_From out of the darkness, I heard a voice calling to me. It was a voice I recognized, a lovely, deep voice with just the slightest hint of an accent in it. It was my vampire, and he was calling to me. He said, "Come back to me, Sookie. I love you, and I cannot bear for us to be apart. Please!"_

_Eric's voice sounded so sad, it almost broke my heart. I wanted very much to go to him, but I just didn't know which way to go. I whispered, "I'm lost, and I don't know the way back. I'm afraid!"_

_This time when he spoke, it sounded fainter, and he said, "You have to trust me, Beloved. We are one. Please, come back...." And then, I knew he was gone, and I was alone again. Where was my Bonded? I had to be with him! I had to! I started to run forward, desperate to find my way back to him..._

I woke, crying out in my distress. Claudine's hand had been replaced with a masculine one. My great grandfather was perched on the side of the bed, staring at me rather intently. The drapes had been pulled back, and the room was filled with a lovely soft light. For a moment, he did not speak, and I could feel his healing magic pouring through me, removing the terror of my dream and replacing it with calm. Instead of making reference to my nightmare, he merely smiled and said, "Welcome to my home, child. I am sorry I was not here when you arrived."

"I'm sorry I came uninvited," I said, brushing away the tears from my cheeks with my free hand. "I hope Claudine isn't in trouble for bringing me here."

"Nonsense, child, this is your home. You are always welcome here. However, I must ask you to stay within the confines of the Palace grounds, for your own sake. As long as you are within those boundaries, you will be safe, and it is most unlikely that my enemies will ever learn of your presence in the Portal."

Sitting up, I said, "Thank you for letting me stay. Where is Claudine? Did she tell you what happened?" It was less embarrassing for her to say it than for me to tell him myself.

"Yes, she did," he said, patting my arm, "She had to get back to her job today, and said to tell you she's sorry she couldn't stay. She did exactly right to bring you here. I understand your need to get away, and come to terms with this turn of events."

In despair, I said, "I will have to go back in a week, because of the Bonding Sickness."

"Time does not exactly work the same way here as it does in your world, my dear. The Bonding Sickness should have little effect on you as long as you are here. However, the minute you step back through the veil, it will return. We need to discuss this in greater detail. Will you join me for breakfast?"

There was absolutely no chance of me eating a thing. Regretfully, I said, "I... I'm sorry, but I'm just not very hungry."

He studied me intently for a beat, and said, "Hmmph. We will have to do something about that. Aderyn!"

The little elf instantly appeared, and she gave him a deep curtsey. He ordered, "Help my great-granddaughter dress. Bring her to the east terrace for breakfast." With that, he gave my hand one last pat, and disappeared. Apparently nobody bothered to _walk_ anywhere around here. Aderyn just smiled, and chattered away in the lovely but strange Fairy language. The night before, I had been so tired I had imagined that I understood what she said to me. As she spoke now, I tried my best to make sense of the words, but to no avail. It was only when I quit trying, and just let the words flow through my head that I suddenly knew what she was saying to me... _the Lady Claudine left some clothing for you. Come with me, and I will help you to dress. _Startled, I wondered to myself if I was just supplying the most likely meaning to her words, or if that was really what she has said. Out loud, I said in English, "I wish I could understand you."

Aderyn gave me a brilliant smile, and in Fairy said, "You are a true daughter of this house, and you can understand me just fine. Now, you mustn't keep the Prince waiting_."_

How was it possible that I could understand a language that I had never heard before in my life? It just wasn't possible, and yet... it seemed I could. Things were definitely getting stranger by the minute. I was waiting for a big white rabbit wearing a top hat and a pocket watch to come waltzing by. Aderyn pulled back the covers, and I climbed out of bed. I finally got a good look at what I was wearing, and realized two things. One, it was the most beautiful nightgown I had ever seen. It was made out of some gossamer-like fabric, completely sheer and embellished with delicate gold-threaded embroidery around the neckline and hem; also, like fairy-stone, the color in the fabric seemed to swirl and shimmer. Two, my great grandfather had seen me wearing this completely revealing garment without batting an eye, or seeming to be embarrassed in any way. I guessed Claudine was right. Fairies really must _not_ view nudity the same way as humans. Any human grandfather I ever heard of would have been downright horrified to have seen that much of his granddaughter, once they were past the age of six or seven.

Once I was up, Aderyn guided me back to the bathroom, gave me a quick bath, and dressed me in a really nifty new outfit. It was a kind of pantsuit, with baggy genie-style pants and a loose tunic top. This was made out of a fabric similar to silk_,_ and was a pale blue. She spent some time on my hair, and I really wished I could see what she had done to it. It seemed so strange not to be able to see myself... but then I realized that I really didn't much care _what_ I looked like. Once I was dressed to her satisfaction, she began to lead me through the Palace, to the east terrace to join the Prince for breakfast. On the way, in English I asked her, "Aderyn, Claudine said you would assign a family member to look after me. Who will it be?"

In Fairy, she replied, "You are a very special woman, and have special requirements, so I am going to see to you myself. I will allow my daughter Morwenna to assist you as well. You will meet her later."

We soon stepped through some doors out onto a lovely terrace, overlooking a beautiful reflecting pool. There were several birds paddling around that looked almost exactly like swans, except that they were pale pink. The Prince was sipping something from a delicate china cup, and he took in my appearance and said, "Most becoming, Sookie. Claudine has always had excellent taste. Please have a seat."

I slid into the seat across from him. Much to my surprise, Aderyn spoke directly to Niall. In Fairy, she said, "Your Grace, I think you should know that the Lady Sookie now understands Sylvan. It was almost immediate."

Giving me a surprised look, Niall asked me in Fairy,_ "_Ydy hyn yn wir? Ti'n gallu deall beth fi'n gweud?"_Is this true? You can understand what I say?_

In English, I replied, "Um... yes, sir. How is that even possible? From the first time I heard it, it seemed familiar, and by the time I went to bed, I could understand it. No one can learn a language that quickly! It's completely impossible."

He laughed in delight, and said, "As with all Fairies, our Sylvan language was born within you, Sookie, just as your magic was. You only needed to hear it spoken to activate that part of your brain. You took to it a little more easily than most with human blood, but I feel it is further proof that you possess the Essential Spark."

So, the Fairy's language must be called "Sylvan." Bewildered by this startling turn of events, I asked, "Why can I understand it but not speak it, then?"

Niall's reply was, "It is similar to the way in which human children understand their language long before they are ready to speak it... but I daresay, if you spend enough time here, you will soon be speaking Sylvan fluently."

I hated to argue with him, but it seemed pretty unlikely. To the elf, he said, "Aderyn, I want you to make it clear to everyone that my great-granddaughter is not just a daughter of this house, but a Queen in her own right, and should be addressed as such. She is the Twice-Bonded of a very powerful vampire King. However, it is essential that her presence here remains a closely guarded secret. Will you see to it that everyone understands?"

Aderyn's huge green eyes got even larger, and they began to glow. A slow smile crept onto her face, and she said, "Yes, Your Grace. I will see to it immediately." She bowed low, and promptly disappeared.

Somewhat crossly, I said, "Why did you tell her all that? I'm not really a Queen."

"Sookie, you _are_ a Queen," Niall said firmly, "You must learn to accept your title, and be proud of it."

In surprise, I said, "I thought Fairies of all kinds looked down on vampires. Why would anyone here care if I am married to one of their Kings?"

"While it is true that there is some animosity between the races, we certainly recognize their Royalty," the Prince answered quite seriously, "I would never make the mistake of underestimating the power of one of their Kings, and particularly your Bonded. I think once Northman settles in to his new role, he will be a force to be reckoned with."

I said bitterly, "I may not be his Queen very much longer... especially if he marries Sandy. There can't be two Queens, can there?"

Suddenly, a dangerous gleam come into his eyes, and the Prince said coldly, "Technically, yes... but I am surprised that I have heard nothing of this Proposal. I have been keeping a rather close eye on your affairs. I assure you, I would have had something to say on the subject. I find it quite disrespectful to you _and_ to me. I fully intend to speak with the vampire about this, and make certain that it never happens. However, even if this political marriage were to occur, you will _still_ be Northman's Twice-Bonded and Queen of Louisiana; and nothing can change that."

After being such a gullible little idiot, whatever tiny shred of dignity I had left would be entirely gone if I had to sick Niall on Eric to keep him from marrying Sandy. Firmly, I said, "No! Promise me you will not speak to Eric about _anything_! I don't _care_ about being a Queen. I never wanted it in the first place."

Somehow, my protest seem to amuse my great grandfather, because the anger seemed to leave him and his shoulders relaxed a bit. His blue eyes began to twinkle, and with a slight smile on his handsome face, he reminded me, "No, but you _did_ want to be Twice-Bonded. In fact, if memory serves, it was due to your own magic that it occurred."

Oy! At that, I blushed, and tried to push the memory of that fantastic night from my mind. However, it did bring up the million-dollar question. "Great grandfather, you're obviously very powerful. Can _you_ break the Bond?"

Niall sat in silence for a moment, tapping his long elegant fingers on the table. Finally, he said, "Not even _I_ can break it without killing the vampire. That would have been quite simple when he was a mere Sheriff. Now that he is King, it is not as easily accomplished. There would be serious repercussions... but if that is truly your wish, I will try to find a way."

A sharp stab of fear pierced my heart."No!" I said quickly, "No, I don't want you to kill him. Is there any other way?"

"No, I am afraid not," he replied seriously, "The Second Bond is very powerful magic, and quite permanent. If you go back to your world, you will have to go back to Northman or face the Bonding Sickness. Of course, you can stay here in the Portal, for the rest of your life if you wish. However, without your Bonded's blood, your lifespan will be considerably shorter, and it is possible that your magic may not be as strong."

Big deal. I had never expected to have any magic at all and had lived most of my life with out it just fine; furthermore, I had never really gotten my mind around all that "you will live a lot longer" stuff, anyhow. And besides, without my vampire, what was really the point? Almost to myself, I said, "I haven't had much of his blood in a long time anyway."

"What!" Instantly, Niall's eyes narrowed into glittering blue slits. He said sternly, "The vampire refused you his blood? I'm afraid I really _will_ have to speak to him. That was one of the primary reasons that I allowed your marriage to him in the first place." Now he looked really angry. I had actually told Claudine about the whole blood thing more than a week ago, but I guessed she had honored my request not to mention it. The very last thing I needed was Niall and Eric butting heads, so I explained, "It wasn't his choice, it was mine. I refused to take it. Please, if you care about me, promise me that you will not talk to Eric! Please!"

"Very well, if you insist, I promise," he said somewhat reluctantly, "But tell me, why on earth did you refuse to take your Bonded's blood? You know it is good for you."

"I thought maybe it was causing me to lose weight. He had stopped feeding from me, too, because he thought it was harming me. The whole thing turned into a big mess, but I thought we had it all worked out, when... when..." I lapsed into silence.

"...you discovered his infidelity. I see," said my great grandfather. He sat and stared off into the distance for a moment, deep in thought. Finally, Niall sat back in his chair, and said gently, "You know, you could choose to forgive him. Sookie, as much as I hate to remind you of this, he _is_ vampire and you knew what that entailed before you married him. You have been expecting him to go against his very nature. Is being sexually faithful all that important in the grand scheme of things? Does it really matter if he takes nutrition from others? It is hard to council you in this matter, because we in the Supernatural world measure fidelity much differently. I truly believe that he _does_ love you, and holds you in the highest regard. Perhaps that is enough of a foundation to have a life together."

Painfully, I said, "If that had been our deal from the beginning, that would be one thing. I never would have married _or_ Bonded him, if he hadn't promised me that he would be faithful. Beyond that, I know now that I can never, ever trust him. What kind of a marriage is that?"

Niall gave me another of those piercing looks of his, which seemed to look into my very soul, and said, "Sookie, my child, I am going to ask you a hard question, and one you may not be able to answer just yet. Do you still love your vampire?"

Although that curious veil that seemed to be holding my emotions in check was still present, I knew that just under the surface, there was a well of grief and pain that was so deep there might be no bottom. If I took the lid off long enough to examine my heart and learn the answer to that question, I might very well drown. Just the question itself was enough to make me feel a rising sense of panic, and all I could manage to choke out was, "I don't know."

As if to himself, Niall said reflectively, "I am quite sorry things have come to this pass. I truly thought that you were a Fated couple, and had a love that would span the ages. In fact, my wedding gift to you..." His voice trailed off, and he was quiet for a moment. He sat in thought for a few moments, then he turned his lovely old eyes back on me. He said, "This is my advice. Stay here for as long as you like. You clearly need some time to heal, before you can make any rational choices. I will keep the vampire at bay in the meantime. For now, you can begin to help yourself recover by eating something."

My stomach was in such a knot, there was absolutely no chance of getting a bite down. "I'm sorry," I said politely, "I am just not hungry."

Sternly, he said, "Nonsense. You need nutrition. Celyn!"

Instantly, the little male elf appeared beside the table. "My great granddaughter needs to have her appetite tempted," Niall said to him, "I will leave the selection up to you. I will have the same."

The little elf got a thoughtful look on his face, and then his large golden eyes began to glow. He smiled, and then on his tray appeared a few plates which he proceeded to serve to both Niall and myself. On the plate he laid in front of me were two delicate crepes filled with some type of filling and drizzled with a crème sauce, along with some fresh chilled fruit on the side. Niall leaned forward slightly until he could touch my arm, and as he stroked it I felt some of his healing magic flow into me, Suddenly, I was ravenous, and before I knew it I had eaten every bite. I finally sat back and couldn't quite believe I had gotten all that down.

Smiling in satisfaction, Niall said, "There now. You have more color in your cheeks already. Let us have no more unpleasant talk. I want to show you my favorite garden, and then I will tell you some stories about our family."

...and that is exactly what he did.

*******


	25. Chapter 25

_Author's Notes:First, I want to ask you all to please bear with me. The updates are coming slower than usual because I am extremely busy at work, and also because some of the last reviews have knocked me off stride more than just a little._

_As you all know, this is only my second story, and I wanted to challenge myself a bit, and therefore wanted to explore the true depths of Sookie and Eric's great romance. I have to admit to you all that I did not anticipate how deeply this turn of events would effect some some of you. The problem with the "serial" format is that the reader can't thumb ahead a few pages and relieve some of the tension by seeing that our lovers do come out of this ordeal stronger and more in love than ever. _

_After reading the reviews, I had a huge choice to make. Do I hurry through this critical part of the story, which brings about some needed and very important changes to Sookie's character (and to some extent, Eric's too) in order to make the readers happy? Or do I continue on the original path, and get it down right? I finally decided to stay the course and make the story the best it can be. For all of you who would rather not read anything sad, believe me, I do understand. Believe it or not, these chapters are very, very difficult for me to write, since I love them being together. (Ask my husband. I've been a royal PIA to live with since I started this part.) _

_This story will be MUCH more light-hearted and more suspense-oriented in the second half. I will even go so far as to tell you that you can expect a resolution to this current situation in Chapter 29 (or possibly 30, depending on the final length of each chapter). Some of you might want to hold off reading until then. I hope you don't, though, because you will miss some really cool stuff. By the way, while our lovers are still having problems, this chapter is not all that heavy... and it does contain some pretty good lemons! _

_~ BTB_

_P.S. The song that is playing in the bar later is "Breathe" by Faith Hill. I do not claim these lyrics as my own, I am just borrowing a line or two for the story._

Chapter 25

Eric's POV

As always, the next evening, I wake just before sunset. The moment my eyes fly open, I remember that brief spark of contact with my Bonded just before the sun rose at Valhalla and sent me to my slumber. Immediately, I try again, but unfortunately this time I get no response. The feeling that Sookie had heard me was vague at best, and perhaps it was just wishful thinking on my part... but no. I am certain I felt her, but perhaps she is sleeping just now and unable to "hear" me. I will have to try again later. To help satisfy my longing for her, I bring Sookie's pillow to my face, and inhale deeply, but of course Juanita has changed the linens and there is nothing of her scent left. Tossing it down, I roll out of bed, and head to the bathroom. I go into our closet to pull out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt to put on after my shower. Idly, I notice the new suit I had worn in Las Vegas hanging on the back of the closet door, where Bobby had left it after unpacking our things. There is a note attached in his handwriting asking Juanita to take it to the dry cleaners. I had instructed Pam to throw the white tuxedo away, knowing from experience that those sorts of stains will never come out. Something about that suit rings a bell... Oh. I go and stick my hand in the pocket, expecting to pull out the small box that holds Sookie's sunrise necklace. Instead, the first thing that my fingers touch feels like... lace. I fish out a wispy pair of Sookie's blue lace panties. I remember now, I took them off her in the limousine, and kept them as a trophy. I close my eyes, and replay that wonderful, erotic ride in my mind. I hold the tiny scrap of fabric to my face, and inhale. Although very faint, her smell is still there... her favorite perfume, combined with her very special fairy scent. Ah... her clothes. They carry her scent! I bound up the stairs, and rush to find the housekeeper. She is in the laundry room, tossing pieces of clothing into a large machine... I think it is a washer, but may be the dryer; I am unclear on which one is which. I command sharply, "Stop!"

She freezes and gives me a rather shocked look. She must have heard the seriousness of my tone, though, because she asks rather uncertainly, "Sí, Patrón? What can I do for you?"

Abruptly, I ask her, "Sookie's clothes...have you washed them?"

She looks startled that I would ask such a question and for some reason seems quite uncomfortable, but has obviously been well trained. Eyes downcast, she doesn't waste time asking questions, but promptly answers, "Sí, Patrón. In fact, this is the last load." In her hand is the very last item, the one that she was just about to put in when I stopped her. It is Sookie's white nightie, the one she wore in Las Vegas. It does not appear to be wet, so I must have stopped Juanita just in time. Without explanation, I cross the room, take it from her outstretched hand, and then leave. It is only once I have returned to my chamber that I realize that the little housekeeper must have been looking at me so strangely because I had forgotten to put on any clothes. For some unfathomable reason, humans are always so sensitive to that sort of thing.

Sitting on the side of the bed, I tentatively put the soft, smooth fabric to my face and inhale deeply. Instantly, I am rewarded by a satisfying whiff of Sookie's wonderful scent. It is heavenly, and instantly I find myself with a raging hard-on. Ah, this will never do! Instead of sitting around here with this poor substitute, I need to be on my way to retriev my little fairy from her cousin's house in Monroe. As I sit and stroke the small white garment, I think... should I call first and try to talk sense into Claudine? Or would it be best to show up unannounced? This time, I need to remember to show some serious restraint, no matter how hard it is. I have no wish to frighten them again, and need to show them both how calm and reasonable I can be. I will be the most charming vampire they have ever seen. Carefully folding the little panties inside the nightie, I stow them in my bedside table drawer. I quickly shower and dress, shove my money clip and cell phone in my pockets, and at the last minute, I take Sookie's phone as well. If she proves stubborn tonight, maybe I can persuade her to take it, and then agree to some further conversations with me. As long as the lines of communications are open, I know I have a chance to repair this mess. If I can only talk to her, I _know_ I can make her see the truth. Even without the Bond open, I _know_ she still loves me... she is still wearing my rings.

I have just turned out of the gates when my phone rings. It is Bill, who asks concisely, "Still no word?"

"No. I am headed to Monroe now."

"Do you want me to accompany you?" he asks, "I have discovered the location of Claudine's living quarters and have printed a map."

"No, I feel it is best if I do this alone," I reply, "Just give me the directions. Go to Fangtasia, and help Pam with any Kingdom business. Arrange for the repairs to Sookie's farmhouse... and also, begin the hunt for the Tiger. This time, I want no excuses."

After giving me directions, he says, "Eric... good luck." With that, he disconnects.

*****

A couple of hours later, I pull into the parking lot what appears to be a very upscale condominium complex. After a brief search, I locate her unit. Her car is parked in front, so I am hopeful they are here. I park in the empty spot next to hers and start to get out, but I hesitate. Perhaps I should call first, and speak to the Fairy. I had gotten her number at the time of Sookie's shooting, and so I pull out my own phone, scroll down until I locate her name, and then hit send. After a couple of rings, it goes straight to voice mail. At the beep, I say, "Claudine, this is Eric. I wish to speak to Sookie. I am sorry for startling the two of you yesterday, that was never my intention. I am in Monroe, and would very much like the chance to explain what happened in Las Vegas in person. This whole thing has been nothing but a horrible misunderstanding." Suddenly at a loss for words, I rather lamely finish by saying, "Call me back."

After disconnecting, I wait for a few minutes to see if she will return my call. I try my best to be patient, but finally cannot wait any longer. I get out of the Corvette, and head up to the front door. A porch light is burning, and there is some light spilling out of one of the windows. I ring the bell and wait. Nothing. Next I try knocking. Again, nothing. This time, I knock slightly louder, and call out, "Claudine, please! Just let me talk to her!" No response at all. Perhaps they are not here, after all. Having our Bond closed is driving me insane... I cannot tell if Sookie is near or not. I try a couple of more times, and just as I am about to give up, go back to the car, and wait for them to come back, I see the door to the next apartment over opening up, and a human woman emerges.

Even in the dim porch light, this female is short and extremely unattractive. Obviously middle-aged, she has her dyed-orange hair pinned up in round things which are partially concealed with a hideously ugly scarf. A pair of horned-rimmed glasses perch on her stubby little nose. She is seriously overweight, and unfortunately wearing a tight garment made of some soft stretchy fabric. As she walks, everything rolls and jiggles in a most fascinating manner. On the one occasion I had accompanied Sookie into Wal-mart, there had been a similarly garbed woman just in front of us. Sookie had taken one look at the female as she had undulated away from us, and whispered to me, "Wow! That looks like two cats fighting in a bag!" I suspect my Bonded would have a similar comment right now. The woman peers at me suspiciously, and in a raspy voice demands, "What the _hell_ is all the racket about?"

I am unaccustomed to being questioned by humans, my temper flares immediately at her tone... but I realize that perhaps this woman can tell me a few things. With any luck, she may not even realize I am vampire. Concealing my true emotions, I take a step back out of the light, and flash her my most charming smile. "I am looking for Claudine. Have you seen her?"

The woman gives a loud sniff, and says in a surly tone, "Even if I knew, why would I tell you? I don't know you from Adam. You could be a serial killer, for all I know." (With dark amusement, I realize that she is accurate in that assessment, since technically speaking, I suppose I _am_ a serial killer.) She continues, "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"My name is Eric, and my wife is Claudine's cousin,," I explain,"I think she is staying here, and I need to speak to her."

"So leave a note or something... just quit making so much racket."

So much for charm. Stepping closer to her, I stare her directly in the eye. After just a moment of looking into my intense gaze, her eyes begin to glaze over just a little. Some humans are very susceptible to our glamour, and this is apparently one of them. Soothingly I ask, "What is your name?"

In that unpleasant voice of hers, she replies, "Melba."

"Well, Melba, I would very much like to know if you have seen Claudine or my wife since yesterday evening," I tell her softly, "You would like to tell me that, wouldn't you?"

Suddenly compliant, she says, "You _bet_ I would, you long drink of water, you! You want to come in?" She gives me a big wink, and giggles. The sudden transformation from curmudgeon to coquette is startling, and if I was not in such a bad mood and so anxious to find Sookie, it would be quite amusing.

Shaking my head, I say firmly, "No. Just tell me what you know."

"I saw Claudine leave for work this morning and then come home tonight at her regular time," she tells me obediently, "See? That's her car out there. I haven't seen anybody with her lately. She comes and goes a lot, though, and she has the strangest friends! It's a good thing she's so sweet, or I might not like her so much. Sometimes when she goes out of town, I water her plants. She always brings me nice presents when she comes back, too!" This last bit she offers enthusiastically, and then she sidles a little closer. She touches my arm, and then says, "Ooo! You are cool! Hey! Are you... one of them vampers? Are you sure you don't want to come in?"

Keeping eye contact, I reply, "No. Now, Melba, if you sometimes water Claudine's plants, does that mean you have a key? If so, wouldn't you like to let me in, so I can wait for my wife?"

Conspiratorially, she says, "Actually, I _do_ have a key. Let me get it." She bounces inside, and is back in a flash. Without further ado, she unlocks Claudine's door, and yells inside, "Claudine, honey! It's Melba! You home?" There is no answer, and it is clear that no one is inside. She steps through the door, and I very much want to go in but need an invitation.

"Melba, ask me to come inside," I order. She blinks a couple of times, but then willingly does what I ask. Taking a step through the door, I take a quick look around. This is the first home of a Fairy I have ever been inside, and I confess I am somewhat curious. The unit is much more luxurious on the inside than it appears from the outside, tastefully decorated with beautiful and obviously costly furnishings and artwork. However, the best thing about the place is the smell. Judging from the strength of it, Claudine was here and not very long ago, either. Unfortunately, it makes me a little light-headed, and I get an erection... which makes me furious. That instinctual reaction is partially what got me in to this mess to begin with, and with an effort I clamp it down. Oddly enough, what I do _not_ smell is Sookie. I want to check out the whole place, and see if I can catch any of my Bonded's scent at all.

Not wanting the neighbor to snap out of her glamour too soon, I pull her around by the hand as I explore the apartment. She follows me willingly, and once even reaches out a bold hand and pats my bottom. "Nice!" is her comment.

Sighing, I ignore her as I look around the bedroom we are currently in. Obviously this is Claudine's room. Some of the dresser drawers are slightly ajar, and judging from all the empty hangers it looks like some clothes are missing from the closet. I see no sign of any suitcases. It looks like perhaps Claudine has gone on a trip. I check out the guest room next, and there is no sign or scent of Sookie. I can only conclude that she has not been here. Where has Claudine stashed her? Are they together now? How am I ever going to find her? Melba has now graduated to hugging herself tightly to my arm. She tugs at it, bats her eyes at me, and suggests, "What's say you and me try out that nice guest bed there? I bet Claudine won't mind!"

I know for a fact Sookie would be extremely annoyed with me for killing Claudine's neighbor, so I do not even think about it... at least, not seriously. Shaking her loose as gently as I can, I command, "Melba! Now, look at me! Good girl. I want you to go home and go to straight to bed. You will sleep well, and tomorrow you will not remember meeting me. Now, go."

In a dazed voice, she says sleepily, "Okey-dokey, Eric the vamper. Good bye!" With that, she heads down the stairs and out the front door. I follow her, taking the time to lock Claudine's door. I take the keys back to Melba's and find her front door standing wide open. Shrugging, I toss the keys through the door, and they land on a chair. I pull the door shut, and head to my car.

After sliding into the Corvette, I sit in silence for a few minutes and try to absorb this disappointing turn of events. Obviously, Claudine has anticipated that I would show up here, and has taken evasive measures. She and Sookie could be anywhere. I can only hope that she checks her voice-mail soon, and responds. My sense of frustration is acute, and I can feel my irritation beginning to rise, but I do my best to tamp both of those emotions down. After my conversation with Dr. Ludwig, I know that without a blood exchange soon, the Bonding Sickness will be worsening. Any distance between Sookie and me will make it progress even faster. Like Pam, I can not bear for Sookie to be so ill again. I must find her, and soon, before the Bonding Sickness makes me unable to think and act clearly. I was already feeling its effects in Las Vegas, and although I had a decent amount of Sookie's blood a couple of nights ago, I can already feel the fog descending again.

In order to find her, I must put myself in Sookie's head. She is not really the type of girl to go far. No doubt, Luke would have been more than happy to take her anywhere she wanted to go, and yet, she came straight home. Who else in the area might possibly know where she is? A thought floats through my head, and I pull Sookie's phone from my pocket. Flipping it open, I scroll through her list of phone numbers. It is shockingly short, and only three stand out as possibilities. The most obvious is her former roommate Amelia, and I dial her first. I get voice-mail, informing me that she is in Mexico, and will not be back for several days. The second is Sookie's other cousin, Claude. Sookie is not all that fond of him, but maybe Claudine has talked her in to staying with her twin. Although his club is located in Ruston, I do not know where he lives. I try to call him, but it goes straight to voice-mail. I leave a brief message, but really have no expectation that he will return my call. Flipping open my own phone, I call Bill and set him to locating Claude's home.

I find I am too keyed up to sit still any longer, so I turn on the car and head west. After I have been on the road for awhile, Bill calls back. He says, "I can't seem to find where Claude lives. Apparently, that is by design. Even for a Fairy, he seems a little paranoid. You of course know where the bar is located, but this is Monday and it is closed. I already tried calling, but no one answers."

The third candidate on my list is the worthless shifter Merlotte. If I had not already sent Bill to Fangtasia, I could have him do some reconnaissance around the shifter's place. I decide that since I cannot do anything in Ruston until tomorrow night, I might as well go to Bon Temps and pay the shifter a little visit myself. I tell Bill of my plan. He agrees that it is worth a try, and in fact offers to meet me there. We will probably arrive at about the same time.

*****

A bit less than an hour later, I pull the car into the gravel parking lot of Merlotte's. For a Monday evening, the lot is fairly full. I pull into an inconspicuous spot near the side of the building and get out. Nothing much has changed since the last time I was here, which was several months ago. Before going inside, I want to check out the rest of the premises. Silently, I drift around the building and then over to the shifter's living quarters. I glide up on the porch and try to peer inside the windows, but the blinds are all drawn. Much to my disappointment, there is not the faintest whiff of Sookie, and somehow even with the Bond closed I feel as if I would be able to sense her presence if she were inside.

I head inside, and as usual, the minute I enter, a brief silence settles over the patrons. Somehow, although they seem to accept Bill as one of their number, and I am now married into one of the local families, I am obviously still regarded with suspicion... which is fine with me. Before long, they resume their conversations, and soon the din is back to its former level. Glancing around, I see no sign of Merlotte. I select the closest free booth, which offers me a view out a large window. The table is situated near the jukebox, where a bleached-blond woman is busily stuffing in money and making her selections. An unfamiliar waitress comes up to the table, and asks me what I would like to drink. I order an O positive TrueBlood, and tell her I wish to speak to Merlotte.

The waitress nods, and heads back to the bar. The blond woman's music has begun to play. It is a country and western tune, which is not exactly my favorite genre; but while I am waiting I idly listen to the song. For some reason, even this ridiculous song is making me irritable. It seems to be about a woman who believes her boyfriend is cheating on her, and so she retaliates by vandalizing the poor man's prized car. Hmph. I wonder if she has even bothered to make certain he is actually guilty before doing so. Honestly though, I would much prefer Sookie to use such direct tactics instead of running away from me... if there is one thing a vampire understands quite well it is violent reactions, and I can easily replace the car. As a warrior, I much prefer dealing with things head-on, and this frustrating game of chase is driving me completely crazy. Once we have mended this misunderstanding, I must somehow get it through my Bonded's beautiful but stubborn head not to resort to this again. Nothing can be resolved if one of the parties is missing in action.

By now, the waitress has returned with my blood. She carefully slides it across the table, and announces, "Sam will be right out." I can tell she is curious about me, but also very cautious. She asks if she can get me anything else, and then goes to service her other tables. I take a sip of the blood, but once again it's taste is off, and honestly I am not really all that hungry anyway. The music now has changed to another tune, and this one features a woman who is going to stand by her man, no matter what... unlike my wife, who runs at the first sign of trouble. Now this music is _really_ getting on my nerves. Grumpily, I wonder if these humans really listen to this sort of thing all the time? No wonder they all seem so surly and depressed!

Fortunately, my musings are interrupted by the shifter, who saunters up to the table in a very casual fashion.. He knows full well that as King of this territory I am due a great deal more respect, but for now I am willing to let that slide. On the drive over, I very carefully considered exactly how to approach this conversation. This is a very delicate situation. I need to figure out exactly what Merlotte knows without tipping my hand first. If he does not already know that Sookie has left me, I would much rather not let out that information. The Supernatural grapevine being what it is, it would be all over the state by dawn. However, the first thing out of his mouth is, "Hey, Eric. How's it going?" He looks around rather expectantly, and asks curiously, "Where's Sookie? In the ladies' room?"

Over the years I have had a number of dealings with this shifter, and he is not particularly given to being devious. I can tell by his expression that he really has no idea why Sookie is not with me. Smoothly, I reply, "No, she is not with me tonight. A few days ago, she passed along your information about the selling of vampire blood in Bon Temps, and I am here to see what you had to say in person. Have you learned anything further?"

"Not really," he answers, but something about the way he says it makes me think that perhaps he knows more than he is willing to tell. Now my curiosity is piqued. I sit back in my seat, fold my arms across my chest, and give him a serious stare. He holds my gaze for a fraction longer than I thought he could, before he amends it to, "Well, nothing concrete, anyway. I told Sookie I would keep my eyes open, and I swear, I will let you know if I can back any of my thoughts up with facts." At that, he gets a stubborn look on his face, and I fear I would have to resort to strong tactics to get anything further out of him... which might turn out to be counter-productive. Also, damaging him would definitely make Sookie even more irate than she already is, if that is even possible. Just as I am about to question him a little further, anyway, his eyes shift towards the front door. Although his face does not change expression, I can tell by the way his body tenses that something is up.

I turn my own head slightly, to see what Merlotte finds so interesting. The door has opened, and Sookie's brother Jason struts inside. Slowly, he scans the bar. If he were vampire instead of a lowly bitten were-panther, I would say he is sizing up the available prey, which in this case seems to be every unattached female in the bar. I am struck by how handsome a man he is, and for the first time realize how much of a family resemblance there is between him and his sister. His golden hair is a little darker than hers and his eyes a different shade of blue, but the structure of the face is similar. Even if he did not inherit the spark of magic that Sookie did (or the intelligence), obviously he did get the innate ability to attract females that all fairy males possess. A cocky smile on his lips, his eyes stop and assess each unattended female as potential targets... that is, until they light on me.

Quite obviously I am not an expected or a welcome sight. Jason is not as deeply tanned as he was the last time I saw him, and just now he loses what color he does have. He stands rooted to the spot for just a minute, and then seems to gather his wits about him. He strides forward, coming to a stop just in front of my table. "Where's my sister?" he demands rather belligerently, "What's she doing to Gran's house? I went by there today, and it's a wreck!"

Is this young human _really_ using that tone with me? Instantly, my temper flares. I do not care if he _is_ Sookie's brother, I am not going to tolerate such blatant disrespect. I am just about to teach him a lesson in respecting his betters, when Merlotte tries to intercede by saying sharply, "Jason! For heaven's sake, shut up!"

Sookie's brother is several inches shorter than me, and his eyes track mine as I slide out of the booth and pull myself up to my full height. He ends up staring up at me, and I think it finally dawns on him that perhaps he might have irritated the wrong vampire. He swallows hard, and takes a big step backwards. "What your sister does with that house is none of your affair. It belongs entirely to her," I say coldly, "But I do have something that I want to ask _you_."

Instantly, tiny beads of sweat pop up on his face, and if anything, he gets a shade paler than before. "I understand that you and Sookie had an argument just before our marriage," I continue, "Would you care to tell me exactly what was said?"

For a moment, he just stares at me blankly, as if that was not the question he was expecting. If anything, he seems a little relieved. He clears his throat, and answers, "That's between her and me, Eric. Why don't you just ask Sookie? I thought she _had_ to tell you everything, since she is your Bonded." He says the word "Bonded" with a slight sneer.

I am old enough to recognize a diversion when I see it. However, he has touched a nerve, and so I growl, "Our Bond is unique and sacred, Stackhouse, and not to be disrespected by someone without the capacity to understand it. Do not try my patience too far. Also, do not count on your sister to always be able to intercede on your behalf."

He blinks a couple of times, and then the insult finally sinks in. He starts to turn an interesting shade of red, and I can tell I am about to see the male version of the famous Stackhouse temper. By now, I am spoiling for a fight, too. Unfortunately, Merlotte has been a barkeeper long enough to recognize a fight brewing and skilled enough to try and diffuse it. He steps up next to me, and crosses his arms across his chest. The shifter gives the were-panther a stern look, and says, "Jason, I think you better go get some fresh air and cool off. Go on, now."

Fuming, Jason exclaims, "Son of a BITCH!I can't believe you are siding with a vampire, Sam, Especially Mr. High-and-Mighty, here! He stole your girl right out from under your nose! What's wrong with you?"

Now irritated, Sam says, "Jason Stackhouse, I asked you to get out of my bar politely. Remember the last time I had to throw you out? Do you want Eric here to help me? Now, get!" There seems to be an underlying message to his statement, and one Jason must understand. He puffs up his chest a little, but finally spits out, "Fine! I'll just give my business to another bar, one that ain't so fond of big arrogant dead guys!" Turning abruptly on his heel, he walks stiffly out of the bar, and a minute later I can here an engine gunning and a truck skidding on the gravel as it fishtails out of the parking lot.

Sam just shakes his head, and says, "He can be a real asshole sometimes. It's hard to believe he and Sookie came from the same parents. Now, if you want to wait a minute, I did write down the license plate number of the guy I caught with some V in the bathroom. He's not a regular, but he does live around here, I think. I think it may still be on my desk. I'll be back in a minute."

Still seething from the encounter with Sookie's brother, I sit back down and begin to brood. So far, this evening has been another total disaster, from the word go. I have been all over Northern Louisiana, and not gotten one step closer to my Bonded. All I have to show for my time so far is the glamouring of one seriously unattractive woman and having a ridiculous confrontation with my wife's idiot brother. There is nothing further I can do until tomorrow night, when Claude's strip club opens. The jukebox is still playing, and this time the song is very melodic, sung by a woman with a rich, honeyed, soothing voice. I begin to really listen as she sings a love song. Somehow, the lyrics begin to penetrate my brain, and I listen carefully. She seems to be singing a song that I could have written to my Beloved:

_All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze  
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms  
The whole world just fades away  
The only thing I hear  
Is the beating of your heart_

The song goes on until the last words:

_I can feel you breathe  
Just breathe _

Without warning, a fierce wave of longing for Sookie washes through me, and I have to fight for control of my emotions. How can a mere song evoke such intense feelings from a vampire such as me? I am suddenly anxious to get out of this redneck bar, with its saccharine country and western music. What could possibly be taking the shifter so long? At least the song is finally over... that is, until a stocky redneck weaves his way over, and punches in a number, and the exactly the same song begins to play again.

Oh, no. I absolutely cannot stand to hear that again. I rise and take the two steps required to reach the machine. As politely as I am able, I say to the man, "That song just played. Play something else." The drunk looks up at me bleerily, and says belligerently, "That there's my fav-rite song! I just payed to play it... twice! And there ain't a thang you kin do about it, you non-breathin' sum-bitch!"

Instantly, my restraint snaps. A surge of dark emotion sweeps through me, and before I know it, I pick up the jukebox and heave it through the nearest window. The redneck himself is next.

Several more come to his aide, and soon they join him. They are laying in a heap on top of the broken shards of the window, groaning, when Merlotte rushes back into the bar, a slip of paper dangling from one hand. He runs over to the hole, sticks his head out and surveys the mess. It is obvious that none of the rednecks are seriously injured, but still he exclaims, "Jesus, Eric! What the hell happened?"

Plucking the slip of paper from his fingers, I reply, "I did not care for the song."

The shifter begins to sputter, but before he can find any words, the front door flies open and Bill dashes inside. He rushes over to my side, and asks urgently, "Eric, what's going on? Were you attacked?"

"No." Pulling my money clip from my pocket, I peel off a pile of cash and hand it to Merlotte. "By a new machine. Get some less depressing music. There will be someone here tomorrow to repair the window."

Looking at Bill, I command, "See to it. I am going home."

With that, I take my leave, and head for Valhalla.

*****

After the short trip home, I park in front and head straight for my library. I phone Pam and relay what had occurred in Monroe, and get an update on what is going on at Fangtasia. I instruct her to field all calls from the Sheriffs and anyone else unless it is extremely urgent. She sounds a little surprised, but of course agrees. Glancing around, I see Bobby has unpacked my things from the trip, and has placed my laptop on my desk. I sink into the comfortable chair behind it, open the computer and turn it on. While I am waiting for it to boot, I glance around the room. There are still books and things that I brought from the other houses lying around in boxes and stacks, waiting to be arranged. The computer is still not ready, and there is nothing all that urgent I need to do anyway, so I rise and begin to put my things away. Something about the mere act of creating order in this space is soothing. Time passes quickly and before I know it I am levitating up and slipping the last volume on the highest shelf and then settling gently back to the floor. I look around with satisfaction. When she comes home, Sookie will be proud of the way this room is taking shape. It still needs some artwork, though.

Returning to my desk chair, I finally get around to checking my email. After discarding the obvious junk, I begin opening each one in turn. About half-way down the list, I find a reminder from the photographer that we still have not ordered any wedding pictures. I hesitate briefly, but then plunge in. I slowly scroll through each shot, reliving that fantastic evening. Oddly enough, instead of making me sad, seeing the radiant happiness on the face of my Beloved cheers me up considerably. I am especially fascinated with one candid shot in which we are we are dancing. We are staring into each others eyes, and the photographer has captured the look of total adoration on my bride's lovely face. These photographs have served to remind me just how much Sookie really loves me, whether she knows it right now or not. The kind of love we share is deep and true, and not easily destroyed. After viewing these pictures, I feel much better, and happily place our order.

As luck would have it, the very next email is from Sookie's dress designer in New York. He has sent me three different designs for her Coronation gown. Momentarily, I feel a twinge of unease. What if she has not returned by then? Although her presence is not absolutely necessary for the ceremony to occur, I would not think of going through this very important event without my Queen at my side. Even though she is my Twice-Bonded, she is not vampire, and therefore it is extremely important for the vampires of my territory to witness her inclusion in the ceremony. I suppose I am worrying for nothing... I am confident that she will have returned long before then, and all will be well. Even if I cannot find her myself, her relatives will be forced to return her soon, to forestall the Bonding Sickness. I will have a chance to explain, and even if she is still angry with me, the blood exchange will help to restore her trust in me. I will never forget that miraculous moment in which the Bond was repaired in New York. In that pure and mystical moment of re-connection, our souls become perfectly intertwined, leaving no barriers of any kind between us. She will understand once again that we really _are_ one, and that she can indeed trust me. I would never willingly hurt her, because it would be exactly like hurting myself.

Again reassured, I stare at the designs for the gowns and quickly discard two. The third has possibilities, but it is not nearly elaborate enough, and I want it to be perfect. I wish I had a printer here, so I could play with the design and get it just right. Searching through the desk, I find empty drawers, and realize that we have never followed through with the idea of setting up an office here at Valhalla. Glancing around to see if I can locate a scrap of paper of any sort, my eyes come to rest on Sookie's purse. Bobby has left it sitting on a small table next to the sofa. I retrieve it, and the first thing I spy is the small notebook that my Bonded carts around everywhere. It is typical of everything Sookie. She must have purchased this right after being informed that she was about to become an extremely wealthy woman. Instead of choosing a decorative lady's journal from an expensive stationery store, she opted instead for a 99¢ spiral bound notebook from the corner drug store. Not fancy, but convenient, functional, and very practical. After a little more rummaging, I locate a pen as well. Returning to my desk, I am just about to open it, when something on the cover catches my eye. Up in the top corner, in her neat schoolgirl script, my wife has written _Sookie Stackhouse Northman_. The last name is in a different colored ink, and is clearly a later addition. For some reason, it makes me smile.

Instead of just thumbing though the book and locating a blank page, I carefully turn over the cover and see what is inside. Glancing through the book, I am a little surprised to see that not only does it contain lists and sketches, it also has lots of written notes about all kinds of things, almost like a diary. Although curious, I decide to wait to read it later, when I can give it my full attention, and so I set it aside without removing any pages. The design of the dress will just have to wait until tomorrow night. Quickly, I fire off an email to Bobby, giving him instructions for exactly what is needed in the way of office supplies for Valhalla. Once that is done, I open a few more emails, answering or discarding them. The next one I come to is from Rasul, and the message reads:

_Your Majesty, _

_These were sent to me by a photographer at the Erebus Parade. I thought you might like it. Please give my regards to the Queen._

_Your humble servant,_

_Rasul_

I click on the first attachment, and a photograph fills the screen. It is a picture of Sookie at the parade. She is sitting on her throne, dressed in her red-and-gold Bonding gown. She looks absolutely stunning in that costume, and I am happy that someone got some pictures of her on the float. I click on the next attachment, and the next photo opens. If I had breath, it would have been taken away. It is a close up shot of Sookie. She is facing slightly away from the camera, and the flames from the torches create a wonderful play of light and shadow across the planes of her face. She looks mysterious, erotic, and devastatingly beautiful; and yet, curiously innocent, an amazing and intriguing combination. I reach out a hand, and lovingly touch the screen. Even with her golden hair and blue eyes, in her red and gold gown she reminds me of the some of the gorgeous brides of India.

Mesmerized by the picture on the glowing screen, I allow myself to slip into that state that Sookie refers to as "downtime." What humans often do not realize is that in spite of what they may think, we vampires are not the unfeeling creatures of the night they think we are. All of our senses are heightened, and we see, feel, and hear things to an amazing degree. We are constantly bombarded by sensory input, and have adapted by learning to shield ourselves from it mentally, and sometimes physically. When we "power down," it shuts out most of the outside stimulus and allows our minds to rest. In this suspended state, we are still able to think and also to dream. During our true periods of rest during the daylight hours, vampires really _are_ dead and do not dream... although now that I am older, that is not always the case with me. Just as I have periods of wakefulness, I sometimes can remember tiny fragments of dreams. These are more frequent since the Second Bonding.

Right now, I direct my inner thoughts to this image of my Beloved. It has triggered many of the feelings that in my waking state I try to overcome, because I know it is an archaic way of looking at things. I pride myself in trying to be as progressive in my thinking as I can, but sometimes I cannot seem to help myself. One of my fondest recurring fantasies is that I had met Sookie when she was younger, _before_ she had met any other vampire... and so I allow my mind drift off in pursuit of that thought. In the resulting dream, she _is_ subject to my influence, and I _can_ glamour her and make her submit to me without a lengthy, frustrating chase. She is completely innocent and untouched, and since I am the first to love her both emotionally and physically, there will never be any competition for her affections. In this marvelous fantasy, she knows and accepts her rightful place as my Queen without a single argument It ends with her snuggling into my arms in our hidden chamber, and it is clear that she will be content to never leave my side, forevermore. Ah, what a perfect dream!

Once I come back to my normal waking state, I marvel at exactly how powerful that particular dream had been. It was vivid and intense, as if I really _was _with her... and the odd thing is, I still feel ... connected to Sookie, as if our Bond is not completely shut. Suddenly, I realize that a tiny bit of her life force is swirling around in my mind and body. It is nothing more than a delicate flutter, but that feeling is incredible! Instantly, I try to call to her again, but there is no response. I savor each minute of that wonderful feeling, until it eventually fades away... but that brief connection was enough to renew my sense of hope. All is not lost, by any means. Excited by this turn of events, I get up and pace around the room. I wonder exactly what has just occurred. Was Sookie herself lifting the veil? If she was very far away, I could not have felt her, could I? For the thousandth time, I wish I knew more. I _must_ find out whatever there is to know about our Bond, as soon as possible. It is too close to dawn to pursue it tonight, but perhaps a call to Wanda or Robert should be on the agenda for tomorrow evening. Even if my trip to Claude's is successful and Sookie comes home tomorrow, I _still_ need to understand this Bond.

Dawn is not far away, so I scoop up Sookie's notebook and head downstairs to our bedroom. After showering, I slip into our bed, taking the little spiral notebook with me. I pile up some pillows, settle in, and open the cover. The first page has lists of things to be done for our wedding, doodles of her dress and flowers, and off to one side, she has charmingly tried out her new married name in various ways: _Mrs. Eric Northman... Sookie Northman... Mr. & Mrs. Eric Northman_... Something in my chest goes thump. I smile, and turn the page. There were only a few brief notes about her trip to New York, including one that said: _Boy, that Robert is a hottie. But of course no one can measure up to my Viking. _My favorite comment about our wedding day: _If I had a thousand years to plan another wedding, it could never be as perfect as this one._

Next are pages of observations and notes from our honeymoon, as if she was reminding herself about every tiny detail: _Eric swam down to the bottom and brought me up the most amazing shell. It still had the conch inside, alive! I made him put it back, so it could go back to its family. I wonder if it has lots of little baby conches to take care of? How do conches make love, anyway? Does Mr. Conch leave his shell, and sneak into visit ? ... I love the way Eric looks in the moonlight. Last night, he held me and told me stories about his life. It makes me feel so special, to know that he loves me enough to share those things... _So, she was not bored by all those old tales at all, but very interested in knowing all about me. Last night in her bedroom, I realized how little I know of _her_ life, with the exception of the few things she shared with me while I was cursed. Before we were a couple, Sookie used to accuse me of being arrogant and self-centered. Maybe I am, just a tiny bit. I have been attempting to make her fit into my life and my way of doing things, without even knowing much about her and the things that are important to her. When she comes home, I vow to myself to do better.

After the honeymoon pages come her take on the situation in New Orleans, along with sometimes scathing but accurate descriptions of the vampires there. Some of them make me laugh out loud: _That smarmy Victor! I feel like I need a shower every time I see him. I bet when he was human he was a peeping Tom! Creepy Felipe is not nearly as slimy, and is really quite handsome, except for that silly Zorro cape. _I note with satisfaction that she is careful not to reveal anything of our plans in writing. Then comes her take on her meeting with Luke: _What a hunk! Obviously he was fishing around for some response from me, but really, I wasn't born yesterday, and besides... I just got back from my honeymoon!!! What kind of a girl does he take me for? Anyway, I have the most handsome, exciting, spectacular husband and lover on the planet, why would I possibly think about anyone else?! The look on Eric and Bill's face was priceless, though... _And then, after the battle: _To watch the Viking in full-out battle was completely amazing, although a little hard on me because of our Bond. Thank God Bill was there to absorb some it! I always thought the phrase "poetry in motion" was silly, until I saw __him swinging that huge sword. Is there something wrong with me that I wasn't completely sick __at the sight? No wonder all the other vampires seem to ready to accept Eric as their King. I could not imagine someone any more fierce, more confident, or more regal than he was last night. Sometimes I still wonder what someone like him ever saw in someone like me. I wonder how this works... he is King. Does that make me a Queen? I guess it doesn't really mean any thing, since I'm not a vampire, but I will do my best not to embarrass Eric in any way._

The next pages had to do with the aftermath of the take-over, the staffing of the Royal Residence, and after that the decoration of Valhalla. There were several pages about her ideas for the gardens of our home, along with sketches and some penciled in lists of plants. It is clear that she is putting a great deal of thought into every detail. The very last pages were full of notes, lists and sketches of her ideas for the expansion of Fangtasia. Her comments on the trip to Las Vegas: _Eric took me to see Phantom of the Opera. It was wonderful! He is the best husband in the whole world, and I love him more and more every day. What on earth took me __so long to figure it out? _Oddly enough, there was not a word about either Sandy or Sabriel. The very last notation was: _Eric proved to me last night how important I am to him. I hadn't realized how much I had been worried about that, in the very back of my mind. I feel so much better now. He really loves me!!!! I am the luckiest girl in the world! _Several very ornate hearts are doodled around the edges of that page. There were only a couple of blank pages left in the little book, and I assume at that point she had intended to buy another cheap notebook and continue forward in the new one. Laying the book on my chest, I sigh. Reading Sookie's thoughts to herself has been an amazing insight into her heart and her mind. Somehow, I feel as if I know her much better than I did before I started. Now I wish she _had_ written this on the finest paper stock available, so the pages would last for centuries. She probably does not think so, but they are indeed something to treasure. Perhaps she will allow me to provide the next book, when this one is done.

One thing is crystal clear. The woman is mine, heart and soul, and I do not believe even something as cataclysmic as this event can destroy something so strong. Although entirely unintentional, I _have_ managed to damage her trust, and it is entirely up to me to find her, repair that trust, and convince her to come home where she belongs. Whatever it takes, I will do it.

Laying the precious notebook on my nightstand, I slide open the drawer and remove the two garments that I had stowed there earlier. I turn off the light, and lay back. As I wait for the sunrise to take me, I rub the satiny fabric over my face and breath in my woman's delicate scent. It comforts me, and somehow reassures me that we will be reunited soon. The hardest thing to bear just now is the silence; and just before the dawn pulls me under, the refrain of that haunting song drifts through my mind:

_I can feel you breathe  
Just breathe _

**Sookie in the Portal**

For the rest of the day, I spent a great deal of time with Niall. He proudly escorted me around some of the palace, stopping briefly to point out portraits of family members and telling me little bits about each one. After dinner, we again strolled around the grounds, and he showed me a couple more of his "favorite gardens"... except that I think they were _all_ his favorite. The Prince clearly loved flowers and plants and obviously put a lot of thought into the spectacular designs. I think more than anything, he was trying to help me keep my mind active, and not have a chance to brood too much. He seemed to think I should take a couple of days to settle down a bit before making any choices, and he was probably right. I really couldn't seem to make my mind think much about it, anyhow.

At one point, I asked Niall if Claudine was coming back, but he said that he'd sent her off on a short vacation. Since I was in the Prince's safe hands here in the Portal, my fairy godmother was free to leave the area with a clear conscience and take a well needed rest while I was gone. I did get tired pretty easily, and so not long after our walk, I excused myself and went to my bedroom. I was pretty proud of myself for not getting lost on the way there!

As soon as I arrived, Aderyn popped in and helped me into my nightgown, and then brushed my hair for a long time. She told me with authority that my hair required at least a hundred strokes twice a day, and I had to laugh. I explained to her that up until today, my hair had never had more than about ten strokes, period, and that was when I wasn't in a rush to get to work. The shocked look on her little face was priceless, and in spite of myself, I had to chuckle. After rubbing some yummy-smelling creams into my skin, she tucked me in, pulled the curtains closed, and the room fell dark. In no time I was fast asleep, and almost immediately I began to dream.

Oddly enough, though, this time I wasn't even a player in my own dream:_ I could see the Viking, who seemed to be sitting in a bar. In the crazy, mixed up way of dreams, though, instead of Fangtasia, he seemed to be in Merlotte's. The really nutty part was that he was sitting near the jukebox, apparently listening to country and western songs. Now I knew for sure it was a dream! As far as I knew, Eric never listened to that sort of thing. My old friend Sam came over to his table (it was so good to see his kind, sweet face!) and sat down and began to talk. A minute or two later I could see my brother Jason come in. He went over to Eric's table, and it was clear that he an Eric were not seeing eye to eye on something. Eric got that really dangerous glint in his eye that meant he was just about to let go of that vampire temper of his,and Jason got red in the face and puffed out his chest. What an idiot! The Viking could kill him with one little swat! _

_Luckily, somehow, Sam managed to calm them down. Jason left and Sam got up and disappeared down the hallway, but Eric stayed in place. After a minute, the song on the jukebox changed to one of my favorite tunes. It seemed that Eric was actually listening to the words, but near the end, Eric got the strangest look on his face. Not long after that, a redneck went over and played that same song over again. Eric got up and spoke to the man, and a minute later, picked up the jukebox as easily as if it was a matchbox. Rotating slightly at the waist, he tossed it straight through the nearest plate glass window, and then tossed the redneck out after it. The noise it made was awful, and instantly most of the crowd in the bar turned, got one good look at the huge, totally enraged vampire, and instantly began to scatter like a __frightened covey of quail. A few of the other of the men in the bar headed for Eric, their intent __to harm him clear..._

I jerked awake, heart pounding, and instinctively reached out to my vampire to make sure he was safely resting next to me. Feeling no huge cool body next to mine, I rolled over and opened my eyes to look for him before remembering where I was and why I was there. In spite of myself, a wave of loneliness and longing for my husband pierced me. I lay in the dark and tried my best not to think about Eric... without much success. I tossed and turned, and tried to settle into a more comfortable position. Finally, I gave up and just stared at the ceiling. I wished I had a book to read until I could fall back to sleep; and before I knew it, Aderyn was standing by my bed, holding out a book and a hot glass of milk. I thanked her as I took them from her and then apologized for disturbing her. She just smiled and said, "It is my pleasure, Your Grace.I hope you like the book." It turned out to be _Jane Eyre_, one of my favorites.

Reading the familiar story was very soothing, but it took me a long time to fall back asleep. Eventually I managed to drift off, and some time later I started to dream. This time, the dream was extremely vivid and intense, like I was really living it._ In it, I was a much younger version __of myself. I was working my first job away from home, as a barmaid at a joint in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It was the middle of the week, and late enough that most of the tourists had stumbled on back to their hotels. The remaining patrons were mostly locals, and there were not many of them, either. The heavy front door swung open, and a group of three people came in. _

_There was a petite blond girl of about twenty, a handsome dark-haired man who looked to be about thirty, and a very tall, broad-shouldered man with long blond hair, who was perhaps twenty-five or so. They were all clad in black from head-to-toe, which was not at all remarkable in the Quarter and this bar in particular. What **was** unusual was how gorgeous they all were, and I idly wondered if there was yet another movie being filmed in the area. It was obvious from their pale complexions that they had not spent much time in the sunny South. I watched as they picked the last booth in the very darkest corner of the bar, and slid into their seats. It was not my station, and so I turned my back and continued to take care of my few remaining customers. As I made my way around the bar, I couldn't help but notice that the big blond man was openly staring at me. As a barmaid, I was pretty much used to being stared at, but something about the way he was looking at me was different... almost as if he was very hungry, and I was a nice, juicy steak. For a split second, our eyes met. The attraction I felt for him was immediate and intense. I felt like I had been struck by a bolt of lightening and it quite literally left me breathless. He gave me a slow, devastatingly sexy smile, and then casually turned back to his friends._

_Obviously I had misinterpreted his stare. Why on earth would a man like that be interested in a girl like me anyway? Maybe he thought **I** had been staring at **him**. Embarrassed, I felt the heat begin to rise in my cheeks, so I turned my back to the group. Just then my boss came up and told me, "Sookie, it's really slow, so why don't you go on home? Amelia can take what's left of your tables."_

_Even though I needed to keep working because the rent was due soon, I was really tired. I had worked a double shift, and my feet were killing me, so I thanked him and went to the back to hang up my apron, use the restroom, and grab my purse. On my way out, I waved at my roommate Amelia, indicating I'd see her at home later. I noticed that the group of three was gone, leaving their obviously full glasses of red wine sitting on the table. However, I could see some bills lying there, too, so at least they hadn't stiffed my friend._

_I slipped out the door, and sighed as the humid night air surrounded me like a heavy glove. It was late summer, and even as late as it was, it was still hot as hell; and I knew that by the time I got back to our apartment, I would be ready for a long, cool shower. I started down the street towards home, which was a pretty long walk from the bar. It wasn't in the best area of town, but it was all Amelia and I could afford, and at least I didn't need a car to get around. My old clunker had barely gotten me to New Orleans in the first place. I couldn't afford the repairs to get it running again, and I had sold it to the guy at the repair shop for three hundred dollars. I really didn't think it was worth that much, and it was obvious he just gave it to me because he felt sorry for me._

_By that time of night, the streets were practically deserted. I was so tired, I was walking very slowly, concentrating on not stumbling over the uneven pavement of the sidewalk. I had chosen a rather dark, dimly lit street to go down, knowing that it was not the safest route, but it **was** the quickest, and my feet were just killing me. About half-way down the block, I had the strangest notion that someone was following me. I glanced back, but saw no one. Still, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. After a few more steps, I could hear the sound of steps behind me, and so I decided it was definitely time to pick up the pace._

_Hurrying now, I tried to remember what was ahead of me, but I thought that there were only a few businesses that were closed at night and several residences with shutters closed tight against the normal noise and bustle of the street. I knew my best bet was just to keep walking, and hope to run across one of the many policemen that patrolled the Quarter at night. Coming to a corner, I made the decision to turn left, and head back towards the bars. In my haste, I had chosen a street even more deserted and dark than the last one, except for the light from a flickering gas lamp attached to a wall near the end of the block. The steps behind me were getting closer, and I took long enough to glance back over my shoulder. Sure enough, I could make out the shadowy figure of a man, who immediately darted back into the shelter of a doorway. It was so dark that I could not make out what he looked like, but that furtive move let me know that I was in serious trouble._

_I turned and began to run towards the light. Now I could see that it was hanging next to one of the old wrought iron gates that usually guarded a path into one of the brick courtyards of the residences. From experience, I knew it would be locked tight, but maybe I could shout at the people inside the house to call the police. Just as I was about to reach it, a man stepped around the corner. He was holding a set of keys in his hand, and he began to casually unlock the gate. Thank God! I was just about to shout out for help, when I realized with a shock that it was the tall blond man from the bar. He must have heard me running towards him, because his head jerked my way, and instantly he seemed to take in the situation. Quickly, he finished unlocking the gate, and gestured for me to go past him to the safety of the walkway. I dashed past him, and he came in right behind me, swinging the gate closed with a distinctive clank. It was very dark in the little passageway, lit only by what little light was coming from the gas lamp outside, and by a small amount of glowing light coming from the courtyard at the other end. _

_With a shock, I realized that I might very well have jumped out of the frying pan into the fire. There I was, locked into a small dark place with a huge stranger, who could turn out to be Jack the Ripper, for all I knew. He turned to me and said, "Are you all right? Would you like for me to call the police?"_

_His voice was deep and melodious, with just the tiniest hint of a foreign accent. His words made me relax a bit. Now that I was standing next to him, I realized just how large this man really was. He was at least 6'5," and obviously very fit and muscular. He was gazing down at me with a neutral expression on his handsome face, and even in the gloom of the passageway I could see that his eyes were an intense sapphire blue. In answer to his question, I found my voice and replied, "Um... I guess not. By the time they get here, he'll be long gone, and I can't even give them a good description. I would like to call a taxi, though. Do you have a cell phone I can borrow?" Amelia and I shared a cell phone, and it was her day to have it. I really hated to spend the money on a taxi, but figured that was my only option. I also needed to call Amelia before she left work, and warn her to do the same._

_The man said, "I'm sorry, but I left my cell phone in my room, but you are welcome to come with me while I fetch it."As gracefully as a cat, he slid past me in the little passageway, and I obediently followed behind him towards the courtyard at the other end. I had not been in New Orleans for very long, and was so busy working that I had not met too many people. This was the first private courtyard I had ever seen, and so once we were out in the open, I looked around with interest. For the Quarter, it was quite large, and had a huge flowing fountain in the center. Much to my surprise, there were several people standing or sitting in the open area. Strangely enough, every one of them was clad in black, and they were all very attractive people. As the man and I came into sight, they stopped talking and stared at us intently, until the tall man gave them a careless wave of his hand. After a moment, they all went back to the conversations they had been having. I felt a little better about being there, though, since obviously nothing was going to happen to me with all of these people around. Behind me, I heard the clang of the gate we had just come through, and the dark-haired man who had been with my rescuer in the bar earlier came through the passageway behind us. He gave a curt nod to the tall blond man I was with, and then went over to join the others in the courtyard._

_The blond man led me over to a door, where he proceeded to open a very complicated-looking electronic lock. Just to make conversation, I asked, "Do you live here, or are you just visiting?"_

_He swung the door open, and gestured for me to enter. "I live here when I am in town," he answered, "I travel a great deal, and have homes elsewhere."_

_Wow! It sounded like this guy must have some money, to have more than one home. Once again, I wondered if he was an actor, or something. I thought about asking him, but decided I didn't want to appear too nosy. After all, he was merely being a good Samaritan, and he really wasn't obligated to tell me his life story. Curious about all the others, I said, "So, is this building cut up into apartments? Do they all rent here, too?"_

_With a faint smile, he said, "No, actually I own the whole building. Those are just... friends of mine. They are welcome to rest here when they are visiting."_

_That was certainly an odd way of putting it, but from that slight accent, I figured English must be his second language. I stepped past him into the room, which seemed to be a sort of suite. The first area was a sitting room, luxuriously furnished with obviously expensive antiques. Through an open doorway I could see what appeared to be a bedroom. He followed me inside, and shut the door firmly behind him. It was a little hot inside the room, which was odd because most people in New Orleans would have an air conditioner cranked up full-force on such a hot night. After my panic, I was sweating to beat the band; so I rummaged in my handbag, pulled out a tissue, and began to mop my face. Immediately, he said, "Oh, I suppose it is a little stuffy in here... I am sorry, I do not have air conditioning. Let me open the windows." He went over, and threw open the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the courtyard._

"_You have had a fright," he stated firmly, "You should have a drink, to settle your nerves." Moving smoothly across the room to an antique breakfront, he picked up a crystal decanter filled with an amber liquid. Deftly pouring a dollop into a small crystal glass, he brought it over to me. Holding it out, he said, "This is brandy. I think it will do you good." I nodded, and took the glass from his hand. My fingers brushed across his, and for such a hot, humid night, they felt deliciously cool. A little sizzle of energy passed between us, and for the first time I could see a faint look of surprise cross his features. For a moment, he stood and gazed down at me with those fabulous eyes of his, and it was all I could do to keep from reaching out and running my fingers along the strong line of his jaw, and then down the contours of his muscular neck. I had an overwhelming desire to touch that place on his chest just at the top of his shirt, where some very masculine chest hairs were peeping out. Suddenly, he looked slightly smug, as if he knew exactly what I had been thinking. What was wrong with me? To cover up any awkwardness, I stammered, "Um... can I use your phone now?"_

"_Oh! Forgive me," he said at once, "Please, enjoy your drink, and then I will be glad to give you a ride home myself. I have a car here... and before you object, I insist."_

_I thought about it for a second. For one thing, if he gave me a ride home, I could save the taxi-fare, and for another, it meant that I could spend a few more minutes in the presence of this absolutely gorgeous man. There was no doubt about it, he exuded sensuality, and I bet every female within a mile radius was hot for his body... and that would now include me. In response, I said, "If you're sure it's no trouble..."_

"_I **am** sure," he said firmly, "Now, might I ask your name?"_

"_Sookie Stackhouse. I'm originally from a little place called Bon Temps, up near Shreveport."_

"_My name is Eric Northman," he said, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sookie Stackhouse. Now, why don't you have a sip of your drink?"_

_Obediently, I put the glass to my lips, and took a small sip. The fiery liquid burned my throat, but the taste on my tongue was wonderful. Eric's eyes had never left my face, and I lifted my own to meet his gaze. Instantly, I found myself totally mesmerized. There was something about his eyes, something completely sexy and yet soothing... it felt as if I could stand here all night, and lose myself in their blue depths... I had the strangest feeling that he knew me, knew everything about me, and that I could tell him anything in the world and he would understand. "That is a very good girl," he said encouragingly, "Now another sip..."_

_Suddenly wanting nothing more than to please him, I obeyed. I followed his eyes as they tracked down my face, and then to the base of my throat. In the heat, a bead of perspiration had formed there, and began to roll slowly down my chest. Just before it reached my cleavage, his hand darted out and he caught it on the tip of his finger. To my complete and total amazement, he then raised it to his mouth and licked it from his finger. I somehow found that strange gesture to be amazingly erotic, and from the way his eyes began to glow, he did, too. He reached out and took the glass from my hand. Without breaking eye contact, he set the glass down on a small table next to us. He reached out and took my hand in his, and once again I noted how cool he felt. He said softly, "Come to me, Sookie." He tugged slightly on my hand, and as if in a dream, I stepped closer. At that minute, I felt as if I would do absolutely anything in the world he asked of me. _

_He took me in his arms, and gently touched his lips to mine. At that minute, I** knew **that I must be dreaming, because I wasn't the kind of girl that men like this kissed. Moreover, due to a few downright awful things from my past, I could never seem to get close enough to any man to allow them to kiss me. Back home, among other hurtful things, I had been called "Ice Queen" and "Dyke" just because I was so stand-offish when it came to men. This had been one of the reasons I had left Bon Temps, so I could go somewhere no one knew anything about me._

_And yet, here I was, being kissed by a gorgeous man who clearly knew how. In the back of my mind, it registered that his lips were as cool as his hands, but somehow the coolness felt good... it felt... right. I didn't even feel like myself, somehow I felt... prettier, sexier than I really was, and I knew it was because this lovely man wanted it that way. Deep down inside, I wanted nothing more than to please him, no matter what it took. All my fears and inhibitions seemed to have vanished, and I found myself sliding my arms up around his neck, and leaning into him. His tongue darted and danced around mine, each of his kisses becoming deeper and more passionate that the one before. Soon he moved those talented lips around to my ear and I had no idea that someone nibbling at the lobe of something as mundane as an ear could produce such a reaction in a girl's nether regions. Heat and a pleasant throbbing sensation began between my legs._

_His cool mouth moved down, and soon he was kissing my neck and sucking on it very gently. For some reason, it never even occurred to me that I should stop him. Up until then, he had been holding me in an embrace, bot then his hands slid down my arms and began to roam. He ran them up and down my back, and then caressed the swell of my hips and pulled me closer to him. I was pressed firmly against him, and there was no missing the hard bulge in the front of his buttery soft black leather pants. Oh... my! I would have dearly loved to have let my hands do a little roaming of their own, but... I just couldn't quite let go enough to do it. After a few minutes of rather passionate kissing, he stopped and then took my hand and led me back to his bedroom. He hadn't asked, and I hadn't said yes... it was just a given that I was going wherever he wanted to take me. Once we were through the doorway, although I was still completely focused on this man, my surroundings still managed to filter through the haze that seemed to have settled on my brain. The room was intensely masculine, just like its owner. The enormous bed in the middle of the room was sitting atop a fantastic Persian carpet, and was covered in black satin sheets and pillows. There were richly woven tapestries on the walls, and a few oil paintings in ornate gold frames. Everything looked very old and very valuable._

_Eric gave me a slow, sexy smile, and then left me standing by the bed as he went around the room lighting a veritable sea of candles. Once he was finished, he came and stood by me again. He gave me another of those hypnotizing stares, and ordered,"Come here."_

_Even if I had wanted to resist, I knew I couldn't. It wasn't that I was doing anything against my will, but more like his will **was** my will. I walked to him and stood there quietly. Silently, he began to undress me. First my t-shirt, then my shorts... and then, ever so slowly, he pulled the straps of my bra down over my arms, and with one quick flick, popped open the front fastener of my bra. My breasts sprang free of their bindings, and those blue eyes began to smolder as he looked at them. He reached out one hand, and barely grazed my left nipple with his long finger. Immediately the light pink flesh tightened. A faint smile came to his lips, and he leaned forward and sucked the now taut nipple into his mouth. Oh... my goodness! If the nibbing on my ear had caused my little hootchie to be warm, that nearly made me burst into flames! Not meaning to, I let out a moan of pleasure. He just chuckled deep in his throat, and then ran his tongue slowly around the nipple, teasing it. After a few minutes, he showed the other one equal attention. The candlelight danced over his strong features, and this time I was bold enough to reach out and run my fingertips over his face. He caught my hand, and kissed the fingertips, then slipped one finger into his mouth and sucked gently. Somehow, I found that more than erotic._

_With his hands, he slipped my panties down, and then let them fall to the floor. Suddenly, a tiny voice seemed to penetrate the fog in my brain, and it said, "Sookie! This man is a stranger! What are you doing? Are you **really** going to lose your virginity to a man that you just met?" It seemed to temporarily snap me out of the trance that I was in, and I took a big step backwards. I tried to cover myself with my hands, but Eric said sharply, "Sookie! Look at me!" Slowly, I raised my eyes to his again, and a feeling of calm settled over me once more; I knew that I wanted this to happen, and in fact I had the peculiar feeling that my whole life had been leading up to this one special moment, and what I was doing was right._

_The big man led me to the side of the bed, set me down on its side, and then laid me back. After running his fingers lightly over my legs, he parted my legs with his hands, and then knelt between them. I was suddenly afraid, and my heart began to pound. As aroused as I was, I had never had a man touch me there before... not since the bad times, when I was young. Again, he gave me that penetrating stare, and as I looked into those endlessly deep blue eyes, I began to relax once more. Gently parting my golden curls with his hands, he exposed my folds, and studied them intently for just a moment. With the tip of one finger, he touched me at my entrance ever so gently; in fact, almost reverently. A lovely smile crossed his handsome face, as if what he saw there pleased him very much. He leaned forward, put his lips together, and blew. When that tiny stream of air hit that most sensitive of spots, I think I flushed from one end of my body to the other. He leaned in a tiny bit further, and I felt the tip of his tongue as it touched my nub. My entire body quivered, and then he really got down to business. He flicked, sucked, licked, and nibbled, and I jerked, writhed, and moaned in response. I was nearly out of my mind with the pleasure he was creating, and then suddenly... I could feel the tension in my body building... building... and then, wave after wave of extreme pleasure rippled through my body, my first orgasm ever given to me by a man. Afterwards, I lay panting, finally realizing that I had unconsciously wound my fingers through Eric's long golden hair. Throughout it all, his smoldering eyes had never once left my face. Now he gave me a sexy little half-smile, obviously pleased with himself. He was still fully dressed, but now he rose, and began to remove his own clothes. My body felt like jello, and I couldn't have moved a muscle if my life had depended on it, so I just lay still and watched._

_First the jacket came off (languidly, I wondered how he could stand wearing a leather jacket in the heat of a New Orleans summer), and he tossed it carelessly across a chair. Under it, he wore a black t-shirt, the kind that body-builders sometimes wear. A second later, it had joined the jacket. and my breath caught in my throat. His upper body was absolutely magnificent, smooth and muscular, with a light covering of very masculine curls across his chest, and a matching trail that led down to the top of his leather pants. I wondered how much time he had to spend in a gym to look that way. His skin was very pale, but so healthy it almost appeared to be glowing; however, I knew that must be just a trick of the light. Without a doubt, this was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. I couldn't help but let out a sigh._

_Reaching down, he pulled off his black boots. He unfastened his belt, unzipped the snug-fitting leather pants, and slipped them off, letting them drop to the floor. Obviously not self-conscious in the slightest, he stood quite still and let me admire him... and admire him I did. I had seen unclothed men in the movies, and in a few pictures, but this was my very first naked man in the flesh, so to speak. My eyes started at the floor, noting his large but nicely shaped feet: then traveled up his legs, which were long and muscular, and covered in that same soft down of dark blond as his chest;and then finally, my eyes came to rest on his manhood. I sucked in my breath sharply. My God! He was fully erect, and to me it looked simply enormous! None of the pictures I had seen had made them look anywhere near that size... could that big thing possibly fit inside a woman? Now, I really **was** worried, and it was enough to break completely through whatever spell I was under. I must have blushed, because he gave me a slow, sexy smile, and said, "What is the matter, Sookie? Am I not adequate?"_

"_Uh... yes, it looks like **more **than plenty! I mean, I don't know... I mean, I really don't have much to compare it to... " I stammered. Oh, hell! I hadn't really meant to say that last part, at all. Somewhat cryptically, he said "Of course. I should have known that." He walked slowly over to the bed, and lay down. After giving me another one of his intense looks, he said gently, "I want you to touch me." His hand captured mine, and then pulled it over to his body. Using his own hand, he guided mine along the contours of his body. He felt so... cool, much cooler than a normal person. In the back of my brain, I knew that was strange, but for some reason it felt good to me instead of weird. He slid my palm over his rock hard, sculpted chest, down his flat stomach, and then... he let go of my hand, and waited to see what I would do. I only hesitated a fraction of a second, and then I let my fingers run ever so lightly across the taut, silky skin of his erection. This time, Eric said a soft, "Ah!" For the next few minutes, I gently and somewhat shyly explored all his glorious man-parts, marveling at how everything looked and felt so very different than I had imagined it would._

_All this time, Eric lay quite still, and let me get to know his body. Finally, he could stand it no longer, and pulled me to him for some serious kissing. He alternated that with suckling at my breasts. He took his time and seemed in no hurry. Wherever this was headed, he was obviously in no rush to get there. After awhile, he rolled us both on our sides, took my face in his hands and kissed me gently. He stared deeply into my eyes, and said seriously,"Sookie, you are a treasure. I knew the minute I saw you in that bar tonight that you were still untouched... still waiting for the right man to come along and teach you the pleasures of love. You had the most beautiful, innocent glow about you. I knew right then that you would be mine, and no one else's."_

_I started to remind him that I was only here by chance, but then his words sunk in. How could he possibly tell I was a virgin just by looking at me? He wanted me to be his? What did that mean, exactly? He wanted to date me, or did he only want to have sex with me...? Still gazing into those amazing eyes, I found that I honestly didn't care about the answers to any of those questions. If I never saw him again after tonight, I would **still **be happy that I had literally run into this man's arms, and that he was the first man to ever make love to me. "It is time for me to tell you something," he continued, "You of course have heard of the Great Revelation?"_

"_Yes. Vampires, right?" I had heard all about it on the news. Ever since it had happened, it was all anyone at the bar could talk about. It was quite a shock to everyone's system, but apparently it was true. It was rumored that there were many vampires living in New Orleans, but since the reaction of the public was still uncertain, most of them were obviously keeping a very low profile. I had no idea why Eric would bring such a strange thing up just now. Still pining my gaze with his, he said softly, "I am vampire." Although by all rights I should have been terrified, I found I was quite calm. I wasn't even really sure if he was serious. He must have read the look on my face, because he gave me a little half-smile and captured my hand in his. He placed it over his heart and I felt... nothing. Oh my! He had no heartbeat! How could I possibly not have noticed that this man was a vampire? And yet, besides being very pale, and cooler than a normal person, he seemed so alive! Uncertainly, I said, "But... you are breathing. I thought...."_

_He replied, "If you will pardon the pun, it would be a dead give-away if I did not pretend to breath. I have survived many years by appearing to be human, and that is just one of many tricks I adopted. Now that you know, it will no longer be necessary." With that, his chest quit moving, and with a chill I knew it was because he really **didn't** need to breathe. His handsome face completely expressionless, he lay quite still and watched me, clearly waiting for me to say something. In the depths of his eyes, though, I could see a sadness... a weariness, that touched something deep within my heart. Without even stopping to think about it, I reached out my hand, and stroked his cool face. "I bet living like that is hard, and I'm sorry," I said quietly, "Maybe things will be easier now." _

_I think he was expecting any reaction but that one. We just stared at each other for a moment, and then I got up enough nerve to ask timidly, "Why don't you have fangs?"_

_Eric got a wicked little gleam in his eye, gave me a pirate's smile with his perfectly even teeth... and then, in a flash, two long, white, extremely sharp fangs snicked down. It was so quick it startled me, and made me jump just a bit. Oh, wow. Completely fascinated, I asked, "So, does it hurt when you bite?"_

"_It depends," he answered truthfully, "It is the vampire's gift to bestow... pain, or very intense pleasure."_

_I had no idea if it was rude or not, but I could not seem to stop my hand as it reached out, and gently touched the tip of one shining fang. It was every bit as sharp as it looked. More to myself than him, I whispered, "They are so... lovely."_

_A flame seemed to ignite in those cool blue eyes. The vampire said slowly, "You are the one. I knew it. Now, I want to make you mine... but only if you are willing."_

_With that, it was if a fog lifted. My mind became clear, and I realized exactly the situation I had gotten myself into. I was just about to give my virginity to a total stranger, who was also a vampire. Jesus Christ, Sheppard of Judea! Gran would disown me if she ever found out about this! Had this vampire hypnotized me, or something? I suddenly knew something very much like that had happened, but that for some reason, he was now giving me a choice. My mind instantly came up with a hundred reasons why this was a bad idea, and was telling me to get the heck out while I still had time. My heart, on the other hand, was telling me to stay, for one reason and one reason only: because I **wanted** to stay, and be loved by this man... this **vampire**, more than anything._

_Very softly, I whispered, "All right."_

_The vampire said, "You are a maiden still, Sookie. I saw the proof of it with my own eyes. Let me prepare you to take me." With that, he began to kiss me again, with increasing passion. His hand snaked down between my legs, and nudged them open slightly. His talented fingers searched out my nub, and began to rub it in a rhythmical way, which had me squirming against his hand in no time. Soon, I was dripping wet, and his fingers were slick with my juices. Some deep, primitive instinct was building inside me, and I wanted... I wanted... oh god! I wanted to feel him inside of me, filling me. Shyly, I put my lips to his ear and whispered, "Now?"_

_He seemed to understand that it was time, and that I was more than ready. He parted my legs a little wider and slipped between them. His big body covered mine, and it felt so... right. My arms slipped around his neck, and his hungry mouth came down to meet mine. I could feel his huge erection pressing against my center and for one brief instant, I was afraid; but then, he told me gently, "It will only hurt for a minute, my Lover. Now, are you ready?"_

_I nodded, and closed my eyes. He commanded, "No, Sookie, look into my eyes." Obediently, I opened my eyes, and the minute our gazes met, I could once again feel his influence, calming me and making me relax. Ever so slowly, he inserted his tip into me, hesitating very slightly at the entrance, and then giving a tiny push to get past the small piece of skin that was barring the way. (Luckily, my Uncle Barlett had only touched and not penetrated, apparently only able to be aroused by very young girls who were still "intact"). I gasped as it broke, and gritted my teeth as he continued to go deeper. He was just... so... big! I felt like I was being ripped in two! But then, he backed out slightly, and then began again. He took his time, all the while watching me intently. After awhile, the pain lessened, and then... it began to feel good. Soon, it felt... wonderful. So this was what I had been missing! My God! _

_As if they had a mind of their own, my hips began to move under him, rocking up to meet his slow, smooth thrusts. Apparently, it was the right thing to do, because Eric moaned deep in his chest, and began to move just a little faster. Before long, I was absolutely lost to the wonderful sensations he was producing in my body. Eventually, the glorious tension of another orgasm began to build. For the first time, Eric released my gaze and bent his golden head to my neck. He began to nuzzle me, licking and sucking in the same spot as earlier, and before I even had time to be afraid, he plunged those fantastically sharp fangs into my flesh. The pain was brief, but also the most exquisite thing I had ever felt, and I was grateful that this vampire had chosen to gift me with pleasure. Then, as my blood flowed into his hungry mouth, my mind and my body just shattered. I climaxed, my body convulsing with wave after wave of intense pleasure. Flashes of white and gold exploded behind my now closed eyelids. Before the waves subsided, the vampire let go of my neck, rose up on his strong arms and looked down on me."Look at me!" he commanded, and I instantly obeyed. Now, he no longer appeared human at all, but showed me the totally awesome, powerful, terrifying, glorious creature of the night that he really was. With each powerful thrust, he growled out, "Now... you... are... MINE!" He plunged as deeply as he could go, and then held himself tightly against me as he reached his own peak. I felt his essence as it exploded into me, filling me; and it was the single most blissful and satisfying moment of my entire life._

_A moment later, he collapsed on top of me, and we both lay very, very still as the shock waves subsided. I wondered if he could feel the wild beating of my heart against his chest. I ran my hands down his magnificent back, feeling the muscles and sinews under my palms. I felt the firmness of his butt, and I pressed there just a little, holding him in place. I wanted to stay joined with this amazing man as long as possible. Eventually, though, he rolled off of me, and I wondered what would happen next. Was our time together over? Would he just take me home now, and disappear from my life? That thought made me so sad, I wanted to cry. Deep inside, I knew without a doubt that even if I never laid eyes on him ever again, and even though he was still a stranger in every way but one, I would love this mysterious and amazing man until the day I died. _

_Instead of getting up though, the vampire cuddled me to him and kissed me tenderly. In his low, melodious voice, he said, "I am very old, Sookie, older than you can imagine. I have walked this earth for more than a thousand years, and for all that time I have been searching for my true mate."_

_A thousand years? He was right, I could not even begin to get my mind around that, but I also knew that he was telling me the truth. He continued, "It is you, Sookie. **You** are the chosen one. You were born to be my mate, and from now on, you will never leave my side. No other man shall ever touch you, and all those who owe me fealty will honor you."_

_The vampire's words both stunned and amazed me, but I never once even thought about arguing. Something inside me knew that what he said was true. I **was** born for him, and no other. I never would leave his side, no matter what. An incredible bubble of joy rose inside me, and I felt like I was about to burst. He smiled at me, and my heart just melted at the beauty of it. His hand trailed down to my mound, which he brushed lightly with his fingertips. "Are you sore, my Lover?" he asked. Boy, was that an understatement! But I was **proud** of that soreness! I just nodded. "It is to be expected, since I am the first..." and then, with just a tinge of arrogance in his voice, "...and since you have no frame of reference, I **am** considered quite large. Now, I have another little secret to share with you."_

_Another secret? I bet he was absolutely full of them, and I wondered if I would know even a fraction of them. Because of what vampires had to do just to survive, I imagined it was just in their natures to be secretive. Still, apparently he was going to tell me at least one. Unexpectedly, he reached up and pierced his forefinger with the point of one gleaming fang, and a fat drop of thick blood welled up on the tip. He quickly reached down and rubbed it on my throbbing girl parts, making certain to swirl it very thoroughly up inside me. To my amazement, the soreness vanished instantly. I bet my eyes were as big as saucers, and I gasped out loud. "Better now?" he asked. _

_Again, I nodded, afraid to speak and break the spell. Smiling, he said with satisfaction, "Good. You see, vampire blood has the power to heal. It is one of our most carefully guarded secrets. In reality, vampires are extremely jealous of their blood, and hardly ever share it. The older the vampire, the more potent the blood... and as I said, I am quite old."_

_Obviously, he had just given me a great gift, and so I said very simply, "Thank you."_

_He merely smiled at me again. Unexpectedly, a moment later, he commanded, "Stay." Gracefully he rose and vanished through another doorway. Obediently, I lay still, and a moment later, I could hear the sounds of water running. Soon, Eric came back to the bed, and without a word scooped me up as easily as if I were an infant, and carried me to the next room. _

_It turned out to be a bathroom, and a very luxurious one at that. An enormous claw-foot tub was full and steaming, and he took me to and carefully slipped me into the fragrant water. A moment later, he joined me, settling me between his legs and pulling me back against him. He reached out to a small wire basket attached to the side of the tub, first selecting a sea sponge, and then a bar of heavenly-smelling soap. As carefully as if I was made of spun glass, he bathed me very thoroughly. Once he was finished, I rather shyly turned to face him, reached out and took the sponge from his hand, and then began to scrub him. As I watched in fascination as the warm water sluiced over his sculpted muscles, I absolutely could not believe that I was here, and this magnificent creature was allowing me to bathe him. He never said a word, but lay back and allowed me to care for him, obviously enjoying my attentions immensely._

_Once I was finished, he rose from the water, which ran off his gorgeous body in sheets. He stepped out of the tub and grabbed a thick red towel from a nearby basket full of them. He quickly dried himself, and slipped on a pair of low slung black silk sleep pants. He came back to the tub, reached out a hand, and then helped me get out. Pulling another towel from the basket, he dried my off thoroughly, and then fetched a black silk robe from where it had been hanging on a hook on the back of the door. It was very large, and it completely swamped me. The letters EN were embroidered in red thread on one breast pocket, so I presumed that it was Eric's own robe, and I snuggled into it, smiling. Once again, he swooped me up in his arms, and carried me out of the bathroom. _

_I had hoped that we were headed back to his bed, but much to my surprise he continued on through the bedroom and out to the sitting area. He deftly managed to open the door to the suite, and stepped outside onto the courtyard . I was so far down the rabbit hole, it never occurred to me to voice an objection. The group of people that had been there before were still there, but now they were all standing. They watched us silently but intently, their eyes glowing in the shadowy half-light of the courtyard. With a start, I realized that they must **all** be vampires. I could even see the two that had been with Eric earlier in the bar. They stepped forward to stand in front of the others. _

_Eric set me down next to him, and took my hand. In a strong, clear voice, he announced, "This is Sookie. She is my woman, and mine alone. She is the one that the Ancient Pythoness prophesied would be my mate. Behold your new Queen." His words completely shocked me, but strangely, no one else seemed in the least bit surprised. I was a... Queen? Did that mean that Eric was... a King? The King of all the Vampires? Well, why not? He was so old, and power radiated from every fiber of his being... yes, I could see that he **was** a King. Now I really was in awe. The two from the bar stepped forward, knelt before us, and curiously, tilted their heads so that their necks were bared. I knew without being told that this was an act of submission. Eric said to me, "These are my Lieutenants. They will help guard and protect you from this night forward. Now, my Queen, dawn is approaching, and we must go to our rest."_

_Once more, he scooped me up, and strode rapidly towards the huge doors at the other end of the patio. His two Lieutenants hurried in front of us, and swung the doors wide for us to pass through. The female went on ahead of us, down a long hallway filled with magnificent paintings and antiques, until finally coming to a locked door. She punched in a code to an electronic lock, and then opened the door. I could see a dark stairway, leading downwards. Eric carried me down the stairs, and I heard the door swing shut behind us, and the faint beeps as the locks were set. At the bottom of the stairs was a magnificent lair, this time decorated in shades of dark blue, the space dominated by a huge bed. Eric laid me gently down and then crawled in next to me. He drew me into his arms, and cuddled me tightly against his big body. In that marvelous voice of his, he said, "Now, Beloved, we must rest, and tomorrow night, we will begin our life together...." And soon, snuggled as tightly as I could get to my vampire, I fell into a deep slumber...._


	26. Chapter 26

_Author's Notes: After the last chapter, I was astonished at the outpouring of support and encouragement. It made me realize that I have many readers who are willing to go along for the ride and trust me to get us safely back to a happy place. For everyone who left such positive, well-appreciated words, I thank you very, very much. I am going to grow some thicker skin, and trudge forward with the original plan (but not take too long to do it!)._

_**** Thanks to Daisy1965 for her help with Sylvan (Welsh in disguise!)_

**Chapter 26**

Sookie in the Portal

When I finally woke the next day, I lay in bed for a long time reliving the wonderful, highly erotic dream I just had. In my half-awake state I was calm enough to think about its meaning. Many times in the past, I had wondered what it would have been like if I had chanced to meet Eric first, before Bill, and if he had been my one and only lover... and I guessed the dream had been a way of fulfilling that fantasy. I had always wondered what it would be like to be glamoured, and the dream had supplied the answer to that, too. The thought floated into my brain that maybe I could lift the veil just a tad and see if I could feel what Eric was feeling. Was it possible that he was missing me, even a little? For just a moment, I let myself imagine that I could feel the amazing strength of his life-force inside me, filling me with his love and confidence.

Suddenly fully awake, I sat straight up in bed, disgusted with myself for having dreams filled with such romantic nonsense and allowing myself to care for one instant what that bad vampire was thinking or feeling. Of course, he wasn't missing me! How dumb. He was probably off gallivanting with his new/old girlfriend, doing God knows what. Unfortunately, my mind could think of several possibilities, and the vision of them together floated through my head... again. That horrible sight would probably be burned into the back of my eyelids for the rest of my life. It took every ounce of will power I possessed to make it disappear again. I fervently wished that something would come along to keep my mind off of Eric, even for a little while.

Instantly,Aderyn's daughterMorwenna appeared next to my bed. In her hands was a box tied with a pink satin ribbon and with a small card attached. She held it out shyly, and I took it from her hands and said, "Thank you." I slid the card out of the envelope, and it was stationery that I recognized. It had the royal family crest on the front, and inside was written:

_**To my lovely great granddaughter,**_

_**These remind me of your beautiful hair. They are just a small token to show you how glad I am that you have come to stay with me.**_

_**Niall**_

I opened the box, and inside was a beautiful hairbrush and comb set. Instead of silver, they seemed to be made of gold, with small diamonds forming an intricate S on the back of the brush. My goodness! They must be worth a fortune! I felt a little funny about receiving such an extravagant gift, however well-intentioned. However, it was obvious that Niall was extremely wealthy, and could well afford to hand out as many expensive gifts as he wanted. I just didn't want him to think I needed or wanted material things from him. Still, just now having someone show me that I was cared for was a balm on my tattered ego. Morwenna was smiling to beat the band, and asked, "My Lady, may I be the first to use them?"

I hesitated slightly, but then nodded; and so she took the brush and stood behind me, rhythmically smoothing out my long locks. With each stroke, it seemed that she was untangling the knots in my soul as well as my hair, and soon I felt and looked much better. In the mysterious way of their family, the little Elf seemed to realize that I needed a little extra care that day, and she spent a great deal of time fussing over me as she helped me dress. She even brought me an especially becoming dress in a cheerful buttercup yellow to wear.

At breakfast that morning, I sat down at my place and looked across the table at my great grandfather, who was placidly sipping a cup of tea. Immediately I said, "Thank you so much for the beautiful present... but really, you shouldn't have gone to all that trouble and expense for me. Just allowing me to stay here is plenty." Smiling, he patted my arm, and said, "Nonsense, child. you have no idea how much pleasure you've given me in these last few days. You are a complete delight. Let me have the satisfaction of spoiling my great granddaughter a little."

After our meal, Niall showed me his library. It was an enormous room, with a vast amount of books on shelves going all the way up to the high ceiling. He had more books than the Bon Temps public library! There was a spiral staircase leading up to the second level, which I explored with delight. There, I discovered a little alcove near a window that contained a comfortable pair of chairs just right for snuggling up with a book; and after lunch that day, that is exactly what I did.

The only disturbing incident came right after dinner that same day. Niall and I had just finished a lovely meal, when Ieuan appeared in the dining room. In one hand he was carrying a cell phone. Now, this was the only telephone of any sort I had ever seen the entire time I was in the palace, and I wondered exactly how it worked. After all, it seemed a bit unlikely that AT & T had any cell towers hanging around in the Portal. A quick mental picture floated through my head of Ieuan darting around the palace yelling into the phone, "Can you hear me now?" and for the first time in days, I had to suppress a smile. Addressing Niall, the secretary said, "I am sorry to interrupt your meal, your Grace, but there is a call for Queen Sookie."

A call for me? No one but Claudine and Niall knew I was here; and besides that, who did _I_ know that had Niall's phone number...? Oh. Eric, of course. He must have finally figured out where I was. Immediately, I felt dizzy and sick to my stomach, and I seriously wished that I hadn't eaten a thing. Almost instantly, two things happened. Aderyn appeared with a cold compress to put on my head, and Niall took the phone from Ieuan's hand and placed it next to his ear. He said curtly, "Niall Brigant speaking."

He listened for a moment, and then said, "Clearly she has no wish to speak to you at this time."

Another, longer pause; and then he said quite frostily, "...she may very well _be_ your Bonded, vampire, but she is also Fairy and _my_ great granddaughter, and as such she is entitled to stay in the Portal as long as she wishes. Frankly, there is very little you can do about it. She will contact you if and when she is ready, and not a minute before." With that, Niall snapped the phone shut and slipped it into his pocket. He sat back in his chair and contemplated me. I'm sure I was an attractive picture: sickly pale, with a dripping cold compress being held to my forehead by an Elf. He shook his head slightly, gave me a faint smile and said, "You are a brave girl, Sookie, and I know that soon you will be strong enough to face your problems. In the meantime, I am very selfishly going to enjoy having you with me. Whatever you decide to do, it is good to remind your vampire of exactly who you are."

As I sat there and tried my best to keep my meal in my stomach where it belonged, and to get the room to stop spinning, I realized that _I_ had no idea exactly who I was anymore. I wasn't still the lonely misfit waitress from Bon Temps, but right now I wasn't the wife of the great Eric Northman, either. I was a human girl staying with magical creatures I hardly knew, in a land totally unlike anything I had ever known; and obviously I really didn't belong here, in spite of what Niall just told Eric. I felt like I was in free-fall, and I had no idea how far the ground was under me.

Niall reached one elegant hand across the table and stroked my arm, and almost instantly I began to calm down and feel better. He gave me a minute and then waved Aderyn away. "Come, my dear," he said firmly, "Let us go to the library. I think it is time for me to teach you to play chess. It is an excellent way to occupy your mind."

As usual, it turned out that he was right.

******

For the next couple of days (well, I wasn't really sure how long it was, because with no nights and no watch or cell phone, I had no way of knowing how much time had passed), I did nothing but eat, sleep, and spend time with Niall. If anything good could be said to come from such a huge mess, it was that I finally got to know my great grandfather a little. Every day, we would eat together, and take long walks, and play chess. During our long walks, he would always hold onto my arm, and I could feel some of his healing magic passing into me. My appetite had come back, and little Celyn always seemed to know exactly what I was hungry for even before I did. I slept a great deal, and sometimes I slept peacefully and dreamlessly. At other times, though, it seemed that I almost always dreamed of Eric. The emotional numbness that I had experienced during my first couple of days in the Portal was gradually starting to wear off, but as a result, thinking about my vampire was excruciatingly painful. My solution was to do my level best _not_ to think about him at all. However, it seemed that although I had been pretty successful at blocking out thoughts of Eric in my waking hours, I could not stop my unconscious mind from conjuring him up.

Besides that, the hardest thing for me to get used to was having absolutely everything done for me, but eventually I was becoming accustomed to it. In the Portal, having servants constantly underfoot was just how things worked, and since I was a visitor I had no business trying to upset the apple cart. It turned out that Aderyn's daughter Morwenna was almost a carbon copy of her mother, except that she was something of a chatterbox. She took great delight in brushing my hair every night and every morning with my new brushes. She said my hair matched the gold of the brushes exactly... and apparently Elves were just as fond of gold and treasure as Fairies. I once asked her if she had ever thought about working somewhere else, and she looked scandalized. She said, "I love it here! It is a great honor to care for the Royal family. Why would I want to leave?"

The other thing that took a little getting used to was that all of the servants referred to me as Queen Sookie, or Your Grace, or occasionally My Lady. I tried to get them to call me just plain Sookie, but they just smiled and went right on using my proper title. I asked Niall to relent on his edict, but for some reason he stood firm on that issue.

I was learning how to get around in the palace. The Prince had shown me most of it himself. One morning, I had forgotten to bring the book I was reading with me, and excused myself to go back to my room to get it. Niall looked at me very curiously, and asked, "Sookie, child, why do you insist on walking everywhere? Wouldn't it be much easier to just pop to your room and get it? In fact, I have not seen you use your magic once since you arrived."

For just a moment, I stood frozen, not knowing what to say. When I first arrived, I had been too heartsick and stunned to even think about using my magic, and as I slowly regained my senses, I came to realize how silly it was for me to even try to use it. In the back of my mind, I had never really felt like a Fairy at all, and now I was here among all the real Fairies I felt more human than ever. I wanted to fit in, but I figured it might embarrass Niall to see how little magic I had compared to the rest of his family. What if I tried to pop to my room, and ended up in the middle of the reflecting pool or somewhere else unsuitable? I just couldn't bear to be viewed as any more of a loser than I already was, by him or by myself. After it was clear I was having trouble coming up with an answer, Niall sat back in his chair and regarded me for a long moment. He rubbed his chin and said slowly, "Hmm. I think perhaps I see what the trouble is. My dear child, let us take our walk."

My great grandfather took me by the arm, and led me out away from the palace to a place I had not seen before. It was a small orchard, full of small trees only about eight feet tall. They were covered in small fruits that looked very much like lemons, except that the skin was alternating green and yellow stripes. We slowly promenaded up and down the neat rows between the trees, and Niall would occasionally stop and examine a particular fruit. After awhile, he said, "Sookie, I have been breeding these trees for years. They are the only ones of their kind in existence. As you know, the juice of the lemons grown in your world are deadly to full Fairies. The fruit from these trees taste exactly like lemons, but are perfectly safe for my people to eat. I was able to hybridize these by patiently crossing real lemon trees with limes, and then the resulting trees with some other fruits from the portal, and so on; and after many centuries, these trees are the result. They are quite unique, and of all my accomplishments, I am proudest of this one. Are they real lemons? No... but to me, they are infinitely more valuable. You are like this fruit. You are a hybrid, it is true, but I believe someday you will turn out to be as important to my people as you are to me right now. You are a very special girl, Sookie, and I am proud that you are a member of my family. _You_ need to accept who you are, and be proud of it. See yourself as I see you. You are widely known as a gifted telepath. You are clever, brave, and loyal to a fault. You can see the good in people, no matter what their race. You are a Queen in your own right..."

At that statement, I opened my mouth to argue, but the Prince stopped, and turned me to face him."You can argue all you want, but you _are_ a Queen, whether you like it or not," he said sternly, "I know you think of yourself as human, but you are so much more than that. You _are_ my great granddaughter, with the royal bloodline of the Fairies in your veins. You have already shown magical abilities far beyond what anyone could have anticipated. You are so young, no one here expects for your magic to be perfect... what matters is that you are trying. If I am not very much mistaken, the more magical you _wish_ to be, the more magical you _will_ be. You have the power within you to make your life be what you want it to be... but you first have to decide what that is."

With that, we resumed our walk. The Prince had given me a great deal to think about, and his words had struck a cord deep in my heart. Obviously, Niall _did_ care about me, very much, and apparently he held me in much higher esteem than I did myself. Could I really ever overcome a lifetime of believing myself to be one thing, and then actually accept the fact that I had the potential to become something else entirely? Did I _want_ to be a Fairy, or a just an ordinary human? What did I really _want_ to be? I guess I just didn't quite know the answer to that, and until I did I was just going to hold off on the practice of my magic for awhile. Niall seemed to sense my confusion, and he patted my arm and said, "You have many choices to make in the coming days. I want you to know whatever you decide, I will still love you."

*****

After lunch that same afternoon, Niall sat back in his seat, and said, "Sookie, my dear, I am going away for a day or two on business. I am sorry to leave you here alone, especially now, but it is unavoidable. You will be in good hands and quite safe. I will return as soon as I can."

I was a little disconcerted to find that I was going to be there all alone (well, except for Iuean, and a whole bevy of servants), but of course I told Niall I understood. I knew that he was probably a pretty busy guy, and I appreciated all the time he had already taken off on my account. Not long after that, he rose from his seat and said goodbye, since he would be leaving very shortly. Before he popped out, I asked, "Is it all right for me to go walking by myself?"

"Of course. Remember, though, do not go beyond the Palace grounds." He kissed my forehead, and patted my arm for good measure, and then he poofed away. I sighed. I was really going to miss his company.

*****

After Niall left, I decided that I wasn't really up for a walk by myself, so the rest of my time that day was spent in my room reading. I would have felt ridiculous sitting at that perfectly huge dining room table all by myself, so I had a solitary dinner out on the terrace.

By lunchtime the next day, however, I was feeling very lonely and was having trouble keeping bad thoughts of certain vampires out of my head. I decided then and there that it was just because I was bored. My life had always been so active, I certainly wasn't accustomed to so much leisure time. The problem with having absolutely nothing urgent to do was that it left plenty of time for thinking... which was the last thing I wanted to do. I tried to sit down and write Amelia a letter to explain what was going on, but I just couldn't bring myself to put it down on paper... it somehow made the whole thing more real. Besides, I wasn't even sure they had mail here! Good Lord, if it cost 44¢ to mail a letter across town, how much would a stamp cost from the Portal to Bon Temps, anyway? Not long after that, I caught myself idly doodling out plans for Fangtasia's expansion... arrg! I tore the page up immediately.

Without Niall's healing magic, I wasn't as hungry as usual, so I ate a very light lunch (much to Celyn's dismay). Afterwards, I sat on the terrace for a while, and then decided I wanted to go ahead with my daily walk just to have something to do. I wandered past the formal gardens, out to the east meadow, and then kept walking until I eventually came to the edge of the misty blue-green woods on the other side. This was the farthest I had come in the time since I'd been here, and I hesitated to go into the forest alone. However, Niall had assured me that I would be safe anywhere on the Palace grounds, and I hadn't come to a fence or marker of any kind; so, I figured the woods must be safe, too. Just as I was standing around having an internal debate with myself, I saw a little movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked very closely, and sitting on a the top of a leaf of a low-lying branch was a tiny little creature with iridescent wings. In the shadow of the trees, it looked all the world like a tiny naked human female! ...or at least, that's what I thought I saw, because the minute I _really _looked, it darted off.

It only seemed to go a few feet though, and this time it settled on a tall blooming plant. I just had to see what it was! As carefully as I could, I inched forward. However, just as I got close enough to really get a good look, it flew off again. Once again I crept forward, and again it flew away. I had managed to get a little closer that time, so then I was more determined than ever. I continued to follow the little creature deeper and deeper into the forest. I was so intent on my pursuit, that I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going. Finally, the small creature came to rest on an outcropping of reddish-colored fairy-stone, and it allowed me to get close enough to actually see it. I bent down and looked closely, and sure enough, it was an exquisitely formed little female creature about six inches tall. She had shaggy pale blond hair and tiny bright green eyes. She eyed me carefully as I approached, and allowed me to get close enough to touch her... then she gave me a saucy wink and a tiny high-pitched giggle, and flew away again. Arrgg!

From behind me, a masculine voice said in Sylvan, "Don't you know better than to chase them? You will become quite lost. They have a wicked since of humor, you know."

I was so startled, I let out a yelp, and whirled around. Standing in the gloom of the forest was a tall man with dark blond hair and startling green eyes. The minute he got a good look at my face, he said uncertainly, "Sookie?"

I had no idea who this man was, but if he was here on Niall's estate and knew my name, he was probably not a threat; nonetheless, in English I asked cautiously, "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

The minute he stepped forward, I drew in my breath sharply. Immediately, I could tell that he was a full-Fairy male. He was absolutely, undeniably stunning. He seemed to radiate with an inner glow which my family members also had; but they all kept theirs to a minimum while I was around, since they seemed to think I preferred them to appear more human. This Fairy was clearly _not_ trying to appear very human. Somehow he managed to appear intensely masculine and yet completely ethereal at the same time... and his smell! He smelled like a pan full of freshly baked snicker-doodles; and my mouth began to water almost immediately. I tried to hear his thoughts, but all I got was waves of pure color, like light through a prism. I could not decipher his brain waves at all. The Fairy seemed to have recovered from his surprise, and in English he answered evenly, "My name is Rhys, and I am a good friend of Niall's. I know that he has a great granddaughter that is part human, and since I seemed to have found one lost and wandering around his forest here in the Portal, who else _could_ you be?"

A little indignantly, I said, "I am _not_ lost! I..." Taking a look around me, I suddenly realized that I had absolutely no idea where I was. I wasn't even sure which direction the Palace was from here.

"You see? Never chase a wood-sprite," Rhys cautioned, "They like nothing better than to get folks lost. Now, if you like, I can lead you back to the Palace."

Coming closer, he offered me his arm. Hesitantly, I stepped forward and took it; and the minute I did, I felt a shock of energy running between us. He smiled down at me with his brilliant Fairy-smile, and said in surprise, "You are more Fae than I remem... than I realized."

With that curious statement, he guided me back through the forest; and as we walked I asked, "What were you doing in the woods? Do you live around here?"

The handsome Fairy laughed, and to my ears it sounded as musical as wind-chimes on a summer's evening. "Yes, when I am here in the Portal I do. I believe that you live in Bon Temps, Louisiana."

Wow, if he knew that, he must be a _very _close friend of Niall's. However, his mention of Bon Temps made me remember the fact that I actually didn't live there anymore, but in a lovely old mansion given to me by my lying, cheating husband... No! I just couldn't think about that right now! I slammed the lid on that thought, and said to Rhys, "You sound like you have been there."

He hesitated a split-second before replying smoothly, "Well, there is an entrance to the Portal there... although that particular one is not much in use. Now, tell me, why on earth were you chasing that wood-sprite? Hasn't Niall taught you any better?"

"Well, no," I admitted, "That was the first one I've ever seen. Tell me about them."

"These woods are thick with them. They are very mischievous, and love to lead people astray... as you have seen. The Elven children chase them because they believe if they catch one, they will be given a gold coin by the sprite to be released. It looked to me as if you just narrowly missed getting a gold coin." His eyes twinkled when he said it.

I could tell perfectly well when my leg was being pulled. I replied, "The one I saw was naked as a jaybird. Where would she have carried anything, gold or otherwise?"

Rhys laughed again, and said, "Indeed! Why that never occurs to the children is beyond me! Now, have you run into any dragons while you were ambling about? I hear there is a rather nasty blue one who lives around the creek..."

Before I knew it, he had led me back to the edge of the meadow. He had spent the whole time teasing me (at least, I think he was kidding) about the creatures that I might run across while in Niall's woods. Once we were out in the open, Rhys said, "You should be able to find your way from here. I have enjoyed meeting you, and I hope to see you again during your visit."

"As soon as Niall gets back, I'll be sure and tell him you rescued me," I told him, "I sure appreciate your help."

The blond Fairy gave me the strangest look, and then said, "Sometimes, it feels quite good to help a stranger in need. Now as for Niall, it would never do for him to know you were lost... it will be our little secret. When is he due back?"

"He didn't say exactly, but it sounded to me like he would only be gone a couple of days. Why?"

"I just hate for you to be here with no one to entertain you. The Portal can be... a bit dull, which is one of the reasons we Fairies are so attracted to your world. It's so brightly colored, and full of life!"

I shook my head, and said firmly, "The Portal is very restful, which is exactly what I need right now. Niall has a library full of books, and I love to walk around and explore."

"I see. Well, perhaps I will run into you again. Goodbye for now." He gave me a brilliant, devastatingly beautiful smile, and then vanished back into the trees.

I just stood and stared at the spot where he disappeared for a long time. Even though I had obviously never met him before, I had the strangest feeling that I already knew him. There was something about those eyes that seemed so familiar... Finally, I sighed and headed back to the palace.

****

The next day was a quiet one, and I waited until after lunch to take my walk. This time, I decided I had better confine myself to the formal gardens, since I didn't want to get lost. I had just started to make my way around the edge of the reflecting pool, when Rhys materialized at my elbow and nearly gave me a heart attack. Covering my thumping heart with my hand, I said rather crossly, "Oh! You scared me! I wish you wouldn't _do_ that!" These fairies were even worse than vampires about sneaking up on people.

The gorgeous Fairy bowed deeply, and said seriously, "I beg your pardon, madam," but then ruined the apology by breaking into musical laughter. At my sour expression, he just gave me a broad grin, and said, "Really, Sookie, everyone here travels this way. Next time, I will not get so close, so you can see me coming."

"What are you doing here?" I asked curiously, "Did you come to see Niall? If so, he's not back yet."

Rhys said carelessly, "No, I was just about to have another walk through the forest... my last one was interrupted by rescuing a damsel in distress. I thought perhaps I might persuade the damsel to join me today."

His words instantly brought Luke rushing to my mind, but to get him and any stray thoughts about any other vampires out of my head (say, a 6'5" Viking), I looked at Rhys and said, "Sure, why not?"

So off we went. That day, we headed in another direction, and entered the woods on a little path that seemed to wind through the trees. Rhys kept up a constant stream of amusing chatter, pointing out different plants and trees, and telling me their names in Sylvan. At one point, I tried to repeat one, and to my surprise it rolled off my tongue with no problem. The handsome Fairy also looked a little surprised, and he said, "You said that very well, Sookie. By any chance, do these words seem... familiar to you, like you've heard them before?"

I think he was trying to get around to asking me in a polite way if I had the ability to understand Sylvan. Since that first sentence he had spoken to me in the forest, Rhys had always spoken to me in English. "Actually, yes," I told him, "I think of all the unusual things that have ever happened to me, that was by far the strangest. To wake up one morning and be able to understand a whole new language was just beyond weird... It seems I only know the words once I hear them spoken, though, and I still can't speak the language myself at all."

He looked at me thoughtfully, and asked, "Have you tried? Perhaps we should have a few lessons..." So, for the rest of our walk, he prompted me to speak in the beautiful language of the Fairies; and much to my surprise, it came almost easily from my Northern Louisiana, very American lips. During our long walk, we saw a number of wood-sprites, who would come flirtatiously close and then dart off, obviously trying to attract our attention. Rhys would just laugh at them, and shoo them away. Trying out my new words, I asked, "Oes llawer o nhw? _Are there many of them?_

"Oh, yes, these woods are full of them. They reproduce quite rapidly. Let me see if I can show you why..." Rhys had a mischievous look on his beautiful face. He held out his hand, and on it appeared a piece of what looked like... sticky bun. He saw my questioning look and explained, "They all have sweet-tooths, and a great passion for baked goods of any kind. Now stand very still, and watch..."

He stood as still as a statue, and stretched out his long arm with the bit of bun in his upturned palm. In less than a minute, a wood-sprite zoomed up, took a look at the bun, and then quickly zoomed back out of reach. After coming closer and closer, it finally perched on the edge of Rhys' large hand, grabbed the bread, and began stuffing it greedily into its tiny mouth. Cheeks bulging, it eyed the big fairy suspiciously as it ate. Rhys whispered to me, "Come closer, and have a look at our little friend."

Slowly, so as not to startle the sprite, I sidled closer and got a good look. This one had lovely irridescent wings, shaggy black hair, and... oh... my! As all wood-sprites, this one was naked, and totally, unquestionably male; and with that rather impressive equipment, undoubtedly made some little female sprite extremely happy. I couldn't help but let out a half-gasp, half-chuckle; and I swear the little fellow knew exactly what I was staring at, because he stretched out on his back so he was fully exposed and began to noticeably preen. Males! All the same! However, he soon stuffed the last bite of bun into his mouth, and immediately took flight without as much as a backward glance. Rhys dusted the crumbs from his hands, and said sourly, "Rude little things, they never once say thank you."

In spite of myself, I found myself laughing. I asked incredulously, "My goodness, are all the males that... "gifted"?

"Oh, yes, and they like having sex even more than eating sticky buns. Like all fairies, they are not monogamous by nature, and that little fellow probably has a whole bevy of females that he visits regularly."

Hmph. Sounded just like vampires to me. In spite of myself, a sudden vision of my vampire with his lover crashed through my mind... and all the enjoyment of the last few moments leaked right out of me. I felt sick, and immediately Rhys said in concern, "Sookie, what is it? You are pale... are you ill?"

I just stood there and struggled to get control of myself. I had been doing so well keeping a tight reign on my emotions, that I hadn't expected them to creep up on me like that. My throat had closed up, and I was trying my best not to cry. He took my arm, and even though he couldn't feel my emotions (thank God) he could obviously tell that something was wrong. He took my hand, and began to lightly stroke my palm with his long, elegant fingers. Instantly, I felt a little of his magic flow into me. Oddly enough, it felt completely different than my own family's energy. It was not really healing like Niall's magic and not nearly as strong, but nonetheless after a while I did feel much calmer; and so, in a low voice, I said, "Thanks."

Rhys stared at me intently for a moment longer, and then took my arm and said lightly, "Come, let's continue our walk."

We walked in silence for awhile, and I knew that this Fairy was just being too much of a gentleman to pry. Although I didn't want to go into it, I felt like I owed him something of an explanation, so I said, "I am here visiting Niall because I was having some personal problems back home. I guess they just caught up with me there for a minute."

"Niall once told me that you were involved with a vampire," Rhys said with a slight frown, "If that is the case, it is no wonder you are having problems."

At first, I felt a surge of indignation at his words, and then realized that he was one hundred percent right. Even though I normally wasn't given to blurting out my problems to strangers, there was something very comforting and familiar about Rhys. Surprising myself, I opened my mouth and said, "Involved doesn't quite cover it. I am Twice-Bonded _and_ married to a vampire King... but things haven't been working out exactly the way I thought."

Thankfully, he asked me no details, but replied, "Although I am not too familiar with vampire customs, I do of course know what a Second Bond is. I am astonished that Niall allowed such a thing between a daughter of his blood and a vampire. Of course, the vampire in question _is_ a King, and that is something..."

I was silent. After a moment, Rhys continued, "Well, you would clearly not be away from your Bonded unless things were dire indeed. As I understand it, that particular Bond is unbreakable. What do you intend to do?"

Slowly, I said, "I guess that's why I'm really here, to decide what to do. Niall has offered to let me stay in the Portal, but I don't know anyone here, and Niall says I can't even leave the grounds... what kind of a life would that be?"

"I know it sounds like a lonely existence, but it really wouldn't be," Rhys said soothingly, "Niall has many friends that he must trust enough to tell of your existence, and you have your family... and now me, of course! Now, I want you to stop thinking of sad things. I promise I will not bring it up again, unless you speak of it first."

After that, we continued on our walk, and before long his lighthearted banter made me laugh again. The handsome Fairy would point out trolls, and gnomes, and other creatures that were purportedly within sight; but naturally, I was always just a split-second too slow to see them. Eventually, we emerged from the forest, and he walked me all the way to the bottom of the stairs leading up to the east terrace. Before saying goodbye, Rhys took my hand and said, "Sookie, I know just the thing to cheer you up. Will you come on a picnic with me tomorrow? There is a unicorn that lives by a pool not far from here. And besides, we still have to work on your vocabulary."

Oh brother. A unicorn! He just loved to tease the newcomer. "Well..." I hesitated for a minute, and then realized how lonely I had been since Niall's departure. "All right," I agreed, "If Niall isn't back, I'll go... but there aren't any clocks here. How will I know when it's time?"

"Watch for me out by the reflecting pool around lunchtime. For now, I will say goodbye..." With that, he poofed away, leaving only a very faint smell of freshly baked cookies in his wake. Well! He certainly didn't believe in long goodbyes, I'd give him that much. Sighing, I made my way back inside the palace. Just as I was opening the tall door, Ieuan stepped out and greeted me warmly. He gave me one of his stunning, full-Fairy male smiles, which just about took my breath away. Those guys were just too sexy for color TV! There ought to be a law! Sheesh! In English, he said, "Your Grace, Prince Niall sends his love, and his regrets that his business is taking longer than he anticipated. He should be back in another day or two."

Strangely, although I should have been sad that Niall wasn't coming home for awhile, a little piece of me was really looking forward to my picnic with Rhys. I wanted to try out my newly acquired Sylvan, so in that language, I slowly replied, "Diolch, Ieuan, dwi'n deall."_ Thank you, Ieuan, I understand._

For a moment, Ieuan looked completely bowled over, and then he gave me a broad smile. "Well done, Queen Sookie! I am quite impressed! You are most definitely a Brigant, there is no doubt about it. Now, is there anything else I may do for you?"

"No thanks. I was just about to head to the library. Is that okay?"

The secretary answered, "Of course! The Prince himself told me that you are welcome there any time you wish."

So I headed for Niall's library. The doors were closed as always. They looked massive and extremely heavy, like it would take two big men to open them... but fortunately, I knew they were also enchanted. Any member of the Prince's family could just lightly touch them, and they would open on their own. Since there were no knobs visible, I wondered how anyone else would manage to get in, and then realized that maybe that was the point. Maybe only those with permission _could_ enter without Niall being present. In any event, I merely brushed one with my fingertips, and voilà! It slowly swung open to admit me.

Taking my time, I meandered up and down the rows, marveling as always at the vast array of languages and titles contained here. The first thought through my head was that as much as he liked to read, Eric would no doubt be in hog-heaven in this library... but of course he could never come here. In spite of myself, that thought made me very sad. Some of these books and documents were even older than he was. Niall had shown me a special section of ancient texts written on papyri, some in scroll form and some folded into early book form, which Niall had told me were called codices. Rather proudly, he explained that some of these were actually rescued from the burning library of Alexandria by one of our family members. I asked him why they had not been returned afterwards, and he patiently explained that they had only been on loan from the Fairies in the first place. At that point, the Fairies had decided that humans were really not ready for all that knowledge, anyway, and so just kept them. Documents critical to mankind's store of knowledge, that had been missing for centuries... and here they were. Wow! I thought about asking the Prince if he had the missing documents from the JFK assassination, or maybe the Roswell incident... but decided I'd better not. Not everybody in the world always "got" my humor the way Eric always did.

In any event, I finally found a beautiful book that was written in a language I didn't have a clue how to read, but it was obviously a beautifully illustrated book of children's stories. I toted the large old volume up the winding stairs, and found my way to the little niche by the window. I snuggled down into the cushiony chair, and before I could stop myself, I wished that I had a blanket to cover me. Of course, in the blink of an eye, Morwenna had popped in, handed me the softest little coverlet anyone could imagine, and then popped right back out before I could even thank her.

Since I couldn't read it anyhow, I started flipping the pages slowly from back to front, which was a habit that I had developed in childhood. It used to drive poor Gran simply crazy, but I could never quite get what was so awful about it. I smiled to myself when one of the first things I came to was a drawing of a unicorn, which was of course why I had picked this book in the first place. The artist had used some irridescent sort of ink, and the picture was really beautiful. I flipped again, and the story featured a mermaid. This illustration was so pretty that I spent a long time studying all the intricate details. Stifling a big yawn, I turned another page, and found what was clearly the story of Cinderella. She was in a fabulous white ball gown, just about to step into her carriage. I stared at the picture, mesmerized... The look on Cinderella's face was one I recognized, because lots of times in the last few months I had felt exactly like that... stunned, thrilled, excited, and completely, head-over-heals in love. Yep, everything considered, we were sisters under the skin, alright. Sadly, I wondered if her Price Charming was keeping a girl stashed on the side, and had another Queen waiting in the wings. For her sake, I hoped her story had a much happier ending than mine did. That pitiful thought brought me up short. It suddenly dawned on me that in spite of this disaster, my story was still very much a work in progress. Niall's words floated back into my head... he said I had the power to make my life be anything I wanted... so in a perfect world, what _would_ I want?... I lay my head back and closed my eyes, and tried to imagine my life as I would love for it to be....

In no time at all, I was asleep, and dreaming.

_Somehow, I knew several years had passed. I was kneeling in my rose garden at Valhalla, planing some annuals around the base of a statue. Amelia was sitting on a garden bench, keeping me company...._

Eric's POV: Valhalla, First Dark

The next evening, I wake from my slumber to Sookie's sweet scent, and it takes me a second to realize it is only coming from her gown which is tucked firmly under my cheek. The night has not even started yet, and already I am longing for her. I miss everything about her... her sweet face, and her humor, and the way she makes me feel so alive... and her sexy little body that keeps me completely enthralled. Also, tonight I _am_ hungry... but only for my Bonded's blood. Sookie would no doubt say that I am a grumpy vampire, and this time, she would be correct. I can feel my mood darkening already. I suppose that the Bonding Sickness is beginning to take its toll, but there is nothing I can do about it, except to do my best to recover my wife as quickly as possible.

Before I get up, I test the Bond to see if there is even the slightest hint of her... but there is not. Sighing, I roll out of bed, replace Sookie's garments to their place in my drawer and slip the notebook in on top, and then go dress. Tonight, I take care in selecting my clothes in the event I _do_ manage to talk to Sookie. I know her preferences as far as my wardrobe is concerned, so I pull on a pair of black leather pants, boots, her favorite black t-shirt, and a leather jacket. Before slipping both cell phones in my pocket, I check my messages. Most of them are not very important, so I delete them. It occurs to me that I should check Sookie's messages, as well, so I do. It turns out there are a couple from the decorator, Daniel, wanting to know when he should come install more furnishings for the bedrooms upstairs.

The only other message is from Merlotte, and it came in this afternoon. It says, "Sook? This is Sam. Listen, I'm sorry I didn't get to see you last night... I guess Eric probably told you about what happened at the bar, and I just wanted to let you know that I'm not mad at _you_. I know you can't control what Eric does. Some guys came and fixed everything, first thing this morning. The new jukebox is coming tomorrow. I know that Eric and I have never seen eye to eye on everything, but he's never gone ballistic like that before and ... uh... I just wanted to make sure that everything is okay. _Are_ you okay? Please let me hear from you." Instead of sounding angry, he sounded worried. Since I want Sookie to hear about the incident from me first, I delete the message.

Shoving both phones into my pocket, I head upstairs. As soon as I am through the door, I can hear the housekeeper humming to herself in the kitchen. I suppose I should at least try to get some blood down, even if I really do not want anything but Sookie's, so I go into the kitchen to ask Juanita to heat some for the road. She is polishing the stove, and the minute I say, "Good evening, Juanita," she shrieks and whirls around. Putting her hand over her heart, she says in Spanish, "Oh! I am sorry! I didn't hear you!" and then repeats it in English.

In Spanish, I reply, "I want a bottle of TrueBlood to take with me."

She smiles broadly and says, "Ah! Patrón, you speak Spanish very well, but more like they do in Spain, yes? I will get your blood right away." She goes to the refrigerator and pulls out a bottle, then pops it in the microwave. She seems to hesitate a moment, and then asks, "Patrón? I haven't seen Miss Sookie for the last couple of days... is she still in Las Vegas?"

The downside of having domestic staff is that they inevitably know too much about your personal business, which is one reason I have always avoided getting to know any of them before now. However, Sookie needs servants for our home and she seems to like this one woman in particular, so I make an effort to be polite. "My wife is away for a few days," I explain, "I expect her home soon."

Juanita gives me a rather piercing look, but merely nods and hands me the warmed bottle. She says, "A crate was delivered this afternoon. It is out front."

Taking the blood, I head outside to see what is in this mysterious crate. I walk out through the front door and cross the porch. Off to one side of the broad drive is a large crate, and I decide to at least see who it is from before leaving for Ruston. Upon closer inspection, I see the crate is stamped "Knight Shipping & Transportation" in several places, which answers the question of the crate's origins. That is the name of Robert's shipping company, in which I am a very silent partner. I am quite curious what he has sent to me, but I do not want to take the time to open it now. I want to be in Ruston as soon as possible to talk to Sookie's cousin Claude.

Getting in the Corvette, I start the engine, and as I pull down the drive I take a swallow from the bottle. As expected, the synthetic blood tastes slightly off. I am hungry, and yet... I just do not want anything but my Bonded's blood. As I pass through the gates, I motion one of the guards over and hand him the bottle without saying a word. It is Joseph, and his dark eyes gaze at me curiously but he asks no questions. He just takes the nearly full bottle from me, bows, and backs away from the car.

******

The evening is a fine one, calm and clear. I open the car up on the winding roads, and once I hit the interstate I really let loose. I am in Ruston in no time and drive straight to Claude's strip club, Hooligan's. It shares a large parking lot with the seafood restaurant next door. Attached to the roof of the eatery is an enormous plastic shrimp wearing a bandanna and clutching a pair of six-guns in its appendages, the symbolism of which escapes me entirely. No doubt due to local code, the strip club has no such plastic devices depicting the nature of its business, but instead has only a discreet sign reading "Hooligans, Adult Entertainment For Women" above the entrance. Immediately, I spy a parking space not far from the door, so I pull in to it and park.

Once I turn off the car, I sit for a minute and gather my thoughts. I am in no mood to be trifled with, but I know I must handle this meeting with diplomacy... not my strongest suit, by far. I am wondering if I should have brought Bill with me, after all. I resolve that no matter how irritated I get, I simply must remain calm and in control. With a heavy sigh, I get out of the car and head for the entrance. There is a large Were bouncer watching the door and when he sees me his eyes widen in surprise, or perhaps alarm. I imagine he is wondering what business the vampire King of this territory could possibly have here. I can tell by his expression he is wondering if perhaps he should attempt to deny me entrance, since it is a well known fact that vampires and fairies do not mix well in most circumstances. He is obviously calculating his odds of being _able_ to stop me, which I would be happy to tell him are slim to none. However, I think he can see by my expression that I am not here for a snack, but on business, so without even hesitating, he opens the door for me and I step inside.

Never having been here before, I look around with interest. It appears to be a rather run-of-the-mill strip club, except for the dancers (who are of course all male) and the smell. This particular bar does not have the underlying smell of stale beer and testosterone that is par for the course in the traditional establishments. Instead, it smells vaguely like fairy and a somewhat overwhelming blend of women's perfumes. I will have to be very careful to mind myself in here. The last thing I want is to make matters any worse by losing control and draining Sookie's cousin. I am in enough trouble without adding that offense to the mix.

For fairly early on a Tuesday evening, there is a decent crowd present and obviously this one is already whipped up into a frenzy. Apparently women do not frequent these type of clubs alone, but in packs. Almost every table is overflowing with cheering and hooting females, avidly watching the performer spotlighted on the stage. To my surprise, it seems that women are not the only patrons of this establishment. Amusingly enough, there are a couple of tables of gay men in full drag seated along one wall, but they seemed to be much less boisterous than the real females. Several of the women are clustered around the edges of the stage waving cash at the performer. This particular human male is not a bad specimen, only of average height but well proportioned and very muscular... what Sookie would refer to as "cut."

Originally dressed in a policeman's uniform, he is presently down to just the hat, a pair of handcuffs, and a g-string which leaves practically nothing to the imagination. He is clearly sporting a very large... nightstick. As he gets close enough to the edge of the stage to receive his tips, he does a few slow sensuous bumps and grinds, and then wiggles the barely concealed bulge not more than an inch from the tip of a young woman's nose. On her head sits a tiny bridal veil, partially askew; and her glazed eyes are glued to the generous portion in front of her, exactly like a cobra mesmerized by a snake charmer. Her friends are egging her on, and quick as a flash, she lunges forward and actually swipes her tongue along the tiny scrap of fabric before her. The dancer backs away just a bit, and gives her a "no-no-no" wave of his finger, but then he gives her a sexy smile and winks. The crowd goes absolutely wild, and now practically every woman in the place is scrambling in their purses for more tip money. Fleetingly, I wonder how much more intense the reaction would be if the dancer were vampire. My second thought is to wonder just how many times Sookie has been here for a visit, and stayed to enjoy the show. Grrr.

As interesting as this spectacle is, I am certainly not here to be entertained. In the far corner of the club, I catch a glimpse of Claude sitting in a large raised booth with an excellent view of the stage. He is accompanied by several extremely handsome men, all of which appear to be human. I start out across the packed room, making my way slowly through a sea of jumping and gyrating females. Unfortunately, many of them mistake me for the coming attraction, and start tugging at my clothes, tucking bills into every available spot, and shouting out statements such as "Hey! Are you next? I definitely want to see what _you're_ packing! Rwwwrr!", "Wooo-weee! How much is a lap dance from _you_? Do you accept private clients?", "Are you supposed to be a vampire? Show me your fangs, big boy!"

This last statement is said by an obviously inebriated young woman who is tugging on my belt and stuffing greenbacks into it. Ordinarily all this would be fairly amusing, but not tonight. I am on a very important mission, and these women are literally standing between me and my goal. I am starting to get irritated, and if this female does not get out of my way, I _will_ show her my fangs, and not in a good way. One of her friends who seems to be slightly more rational must have caught the dangerous glint in my eye, because she grabs the back of the girl's blouse, and jerks her sharply out of my path.

At last, I am nearly through the crowd. Someone wearing a very elegant black cocktail dress is now standing at the Claude's booth and carrying on a conversation with some of the occupants. This person is facing away from me, but there is absolutely no doubt from the broad shoulders and large neck it is one of the cross-dressers. In fact, there is something about that rather blocky figure that rings a bell... and that ginger colored hair... I am mentally running through possibilities, when he turns around. I am somewhat startled to behold the bearded face of the plumber we use at Fangtasia, Bruce. Ye Gods! Of course, I really could care less what anyone else's sartorial or sexual predilections are... but he really does make an extraordinarily ugly woman. I would at least recommend a serious trim of his overgrown beard... it would go much better with the elegant lines of that dress. In any event, he catches sight of me as he is turning away from the table, and I can tell from his somewhat startled reaction that I am the very last vampire he expected to see here tonight. He scuttles away as fast as his size twelve high-heel pumps can carry him. Hmm. I shove that thought away for later. Right now I have a serious discussion with a Fairy to conduct.

Taking the last couple of strides, I reach Claude's table, and come to a stop a safe distance away. Instead of being startled, the handsome black-haired Fairy merely gives me a smirk, and says sarcastically, "Well, well, well. I figured you might turn up here sooner or later. Looking for someone, fangboy?"

To date, I have had very little contact with Sookie's male cousin, and it is now overwhelmingly evident that his twin got all the charm. Fangboy! I am the _King_ of this territory, and normally that is a position that even Fairies respect. Clearly what _this _particularFairy needs is an attitude adjustment... however, I remind myself sternly that I must be calm. "Claude, I wish to speak to you in private... about Sookie," I state firmly but politely.

In response, he rolls his eyes, and answers, "Oh, I _bet_ you would! Do you think I was born yesterday? I'm not stupid enough to be alone with any vampire... and especially not one as untrustworthy as you."

My irritation level ratchets up another notch. I can tell this is not going to be easy. Looking pointedly at the other men sitting with him in the booth, I respond, "Are you certain? I imagine there are _many_ things that are best left unsaid in such a public forum." This is a not so subtle reminder that although vampires are "out", Fairies are not. A grimace passes over his face, and he looks at two of the men and says, "Jerry... Bert... could you two be sweethearts and skedaddle for a few minutes? I have a little family business to attend to."

The two men give us both curious looks, but then do as he asks. The other two stay where they are. Claude gives me a sly grin. "Let me introduce my very close, personal companions, James and Wade," he says, "They know almost everything there is to know about me, so you can speak freely."

These two men are nothing short of spectacular, and idly I wonder if they are also performers here. They say nothing, but I can tell they are enjoying this whole encounter immensely. Getting straight to the point, I state reasonably, "There has been a serious misunderstanding, and I wish to speak to Sookie to clear up this situation. I want to know where she is."

"Oh, I'm _sur_e you do, vampire," the Fairy replies smugly, "Of course, _I_ know where she is, but what makes you think I'm going to tell _you_?"

Damn Fairies! They are all so high-handed... In spite of all my best intentions, my temper really begins to flare. Narrowing my eyes, I say coldly, "You must. She is my Twice-Bonded, as well as my legal wife. You have no cause to withhold her whereabouts. Tell me now."

"Oh, so the mighty King has issued an edict!" Claude exclaims gleefully "Well, for your information, _your majesty_, she's perfectly safe... she's staying with Niall. I can't wait to see you try to push _him_ around!"

Oh... no. This is truly awful news. I had briefly considered that Sookie had gone to her great grandfather, but since I have not gotten an angry call from a completely irate Fairy Prince, I had convinced myself that Sookie had decided not to advise him of this unfortunate situation. Honestly, I had already decided that if this trip proved unfruitful, my next move would be to call Niall... no matter how embarrassing or distasteful. Now that I know who she is with, but I still need to know where. I know that Niall has several houses all over the world, and he could have my Bonded comfortably stashed away in any one of them. "Where?" I demand, "I _must_ know! Niall will have to produce her, and soon. If she does not return to me she will become quite ill... Claude, if you truly care about Sookie, you will tell me where to find them, before the Bonding Sickness gets any worse."

"They are in a place that you can _never_ go, vampire," he says triumphantly, "She is staying with Niall... in the Portal. And by the way, don't be too sure about that Bonding Sickness thing... Claudine told me it doesn't work there."

Stunned, I just stare at Sookie's cousin. Sookie is in the Portal? Of all places, I had never even considered that! Since Sookie has such a small amount of Fairy blood, I truly thought it would not be _possible_ for her to go there. My Bonded has gone to the one place that I can never, ever follow her! How... could... she? A horrible, searing pain shoots through me, followed rapidly by a burst of anger. Fairies! They are all devious, and untrustworthy! Surely Sookie would never have willingly gone to a place where I could not reach her... the damned fairies have stolen her! I turn a furious eye on the one closest to hand, and almost on their own my fangs pop down. Forcefully, I say, "Sookie is MINE! You _will _return her, or face the consequences!"

Suddenly, Claude seems to realize that perhaps he has pushed me too far. I am not some obscure vampire with no power and no resources, and he would do well to remember it. Seriously angering me could have ramifications for all of us. Somewhat nervously, he responds, "Listen, Eric, I figured you might be a little pissed... just so you'll know, I _am_ prepared. Boys?"

He gives a little signal to his two companions, and they each pull a wooden stake out from under the edge of the table where they have been concealing them. So much for good family relations. Before I do anything that I might regret, I turn on my heel to leave. Behind me, Claude cannot resist one parting barb, "...and Eric, you can keep your tips!" Looking down, I realize that I have totally forgotten the money the women had tucked into various locations all over my body, and probably look completely ridiculous. Growling, I storm towards the front door, and this time there is no mistaking me for a stripper in costume. It must be obvious to everyone that there is a very real, very enraged vampire in their midst, because a wide path opens up for me. Not one of the women even attempts to touch me as I pass through the crowd, ripping up the offending bills and leaving them fluttering in my wake.

Once I am through the double doors, I find myself so angry I cannot seem to think straight. Knowing that I need to try and calm down before I proceed, I let off some steam by pacing around the parking lot. The Were at the door watches me until I give him a serious glare and bare my fangs in his direction, and he obviously decides that now would be a splendid time for a break. He casts his eyes downward and slinks off around the opposite side of the building, leaving the door unguarded. I try and absorb the information that Claude has just given me. At least I know where Sookie is and who she is with... but the Portal! Fairies are all so secretive, very little is known about this mysterious place; but I do know that even if I did possess the kind of magic required to get there, it is lethal for vampires. The very idea of my Twice-Bonded being in a such an awful place is enough to drive me completely wild. What is best to do now? Actually, the only thing I _can_ do is try to reach Sookie by phone. I have Niall's number stored in my own cell phone, and on the few occasions when I have contacted him, he never answers the call himself. It always goes through a sort of secretary first. Perhaps if I call the number and ask for Sookie instead, I might actually have a chance at speaking to her directly. Given my present state of mind, it would definitely be best if I did not have to talk to to my "Fairy-in-Law" just now.

I pull my phone from my pocket, and place the call. After a couple of rings, a calm masculine voice with a faint accent answers, and immediately I ask to speak to Sookie Northman. The voice displays no hint of surprise, but merely asks me politely to hold the line. A few minutes later, I hear a couple of clicks, and then, instead of the honeyed Southern tones of my Bonded, I hear a deep voice say, "Niall Brigant speaking."

Grrr. In as calm and polite tone as I can muster, I say, "This is Eric Northman. I wish to speak to Sookie."

"Clearly she has no wish to speak to you," is his imperious reply. The mere tone of his voice is enough to cause my anger to increase another several levels.

Struggling to remain civil, I state, "You know quite well that Sookie is my Twice-Bonded and Queen of the vampires of Louisiana, and as such she has absolutely no business being in the Fairy Portal. It was a serious breech of trust between you and me for you to have taken her there in the first place. You _must_ let me speak to her and get this matter between us resolved before it goes any further."

"She may very well _be_ your Bonded, vampire, but she is also Fairy and _my_ great granddaughter, and as such she is entitled to stay in the Portal as long as she wishes," he reminds me coldly, "Frankly, there is very little you can do about it. She will contact you if and when she is ready, and not a minute before."

I am in the process of saying, "But if she would just listen..." when I realize that sharp click I just heard was him ending the call. For a second, I just stand and stare at my phone... and then I hurl it as hard as I can across the parking lot. It shatters into a thousand tiny pieces as it hits the pavement. Something about it seems to let loose the rage that has been building all evening, and I glance around for some other way to vent some of this intense anger. A pair of dumpsters nestled in between the two buildings catch my eye, and in no time I cross the lot, hoist one and pitch it clear across the parking lot. I am really very angry, so I put a lot of force behind it. The large metal container rolls over twice before coming to a stop, barely missing an entire line of parked cars. That felt good! I pick up the other, and look for a suitable target... and there, practically in front of me, sits a little silver BMW convertible with the top down, in a space cleverly marked "THE BOSS." Without stopping to think, I take aim, and toss the second dumpster in that direction. I watch in fascination as it takes one half-turn in the air, partially spilling its contents into the open sports car before settling almost directly on top of it. The resulting crunch of metal is very satisfying, indeed. Ha! A hole in one, so to speak! Dusting off my hands, I head back to my car, jump in, peel out of the parking lot and head back to Shreveport.

******

About 30 minutes later, I arrive at my own club, and by the looks of things, it is as packed as always. I park and go inside, heading straight for my office. As I go past Pam's door, I glance inside and see her sitting at her desk. She sees me passing, stabs a finger at the receiver in her hand and silently mouths the word _Claude_.Rolling her eyes, she continues in a bored tone, "... so no one actually _saw_ this incident? Then how do you know it was Eric? Who else have you pissed off lately, Fairy?"

Knowing quite well that it is best to let Pam handle the situation, lest I lose my temper again, I continue down the hallway to my own office. Going straight to my desk, I slump into my seat, lean back and close my eyes. How on earth have things gone from the best days of my long existence to this disaster in such a short time? I swear I do not know. Just a few days ago, I was the happiest, most satisfied vampire on the planet... and now surely I am the most depressed. Before I can even begin to get my mind around this evening's events, the door opens and Pam comes into my office, closely followed by Bill. They come in and sit down, and then stare at me expectantly across my desk.

"The news is not good," I report, "Sookie is in the Fairy Portal with Niall. I have already phoned, and he is not inclined to return her."

If I were not so out of sorts, I would find their mutual reaction funny. Both of my Lieutenants are well known for their cool, dispassionate manner, but right now they are anything but that... Anger is clearly burning in two pairs of eyes, and two sets of sharp white fangs have made an appearance. "The Fairies have her!" Pam exclaims, obviously furious, "How _dare_ they take our Queen there?"

Almost simultaneously, Bill says indignantly, "The Portal! Damned Fairies! She is _ours_!"

In our lore, the Portal is reputed to be a fearful place where captive vampires are taken to burn, somewhat akin to the Christian idea of hell. I am old enough to realize that this is mainly a myth propagated by the Fairies themselves... I think. However, the very idea that my Queen has been transported there is unsettling, to say the least. I am not even irritated by Bill's choice of pronoun, since I know he means _ours_ in the sense that she belongs to the vampires, not the Fairies. Pam and Bill look at each other, and then back at me, obviously waiting to see what I am going to do. The problem is, I have absolutely no idea how to proceed. As much as I hate to admit it, the Fairy Prince is correct. Sookie is in a place where I cannot reach her, and there is very little I can do about it, short of starting an all-out war between the races. In a way, Niall is paying me a compliment in assuming that I am too rational to allow that to happen over a personal issue.

After a moment, it is clear to both of them that for once, I do not have a plan. I am totally unaccustomed to feeling this... helpless. I do not care for it in the slightest, and in fact, I am very close to having another melt down. I am doing my best to keep it in check, but I feel as if one more tiny thing happens, I will explode. The three of us sit in silence, seething. Pam speaks up first, "Master, won't they have to return her soon anyway, because of the Bonding Sickness?Surely they would not subject her to becoming ill."

"No. Claude took great delight in informing me that apparently the Bonding Sickness does not work in the Portal."

For a moment, Pam looks confused and then unthinkingly blurts out, "...but _you're_ getting worse!" Then, it seems she realizes that perhaps that was not the most diplomatic to say to her Maker, so she amends it to, "I _meant_... I can't believe Sookie would allow you to suffer, even if she _is_ angry. It is not in her nature to be cruel."

Bill shakes his head sadly, and says, "... but she may not realize that Eric _is_ subject to the Sickness. After hearing what the Were-Tiger told her, and from her last words before leaving, I think she may believe that the Bond is very much one-sided. I think Eric's only hope of resolving this quickly is to have a chance to communicate with her directly. Perhaps if approached in the right manner, one of her cousins could be persuaded to get her to listen to his explanation."

"I doubt it," I reply tersely, "From the looks of things, Claudine has vanished to avoid that possibility, and Claude... well, let us say that after our meeting tonight, he might be disinclined to help."

Pam snorts, and says dryly, "Oh, I think that is a safe assumption. Apparently, the Fairy was really fond of that car... not that I blame you." To Bill, she explained, "Our King dropped a dumpster filled with rotting shrimp heads and other olfactory delights on Claude's BMW. Besides the obvious damage, Claude claims that the smell will never come out."

"Eric!" Bill exclaims, "What on earth possessed you to do such a thing? Right now, Claude is your only link to Sookie!"

The fact that he is right does not stop me from giving him a serious glare. If _he_ had been addressed by a Fairy in such a demeaning fashion, I am certain he would not have shown as much restraint as I did. I could have done much, much worse. Rather frostily, I state, "I was provoked."

My male Lieutenant just looks at me skeptically and shakes his head, but says nothing further. It is quiet in the room except for the normal background noise coming from the bar. We are all trying to figure out a way around this thorny problem. Finally, Bill suggests, "Look, Eric, why don't you give Niall another call? Surely he has Sookie's best interests at heart. Perhaps if you can persuade him to listen to your side of things..."

Before he can even finish the sentence, Pam pipes up and says heatedly, "Is our King going to kow-tow to the Fairy, just to get him to listen? No! It will make him look weak!"

"What is more important, recovering Sookie or posturing?" Bill fires back.

"It isn't posturing! It is maintaining the dignity and strength of his position!" is her fierce answer.

"You have obviously never been in love _or_ had a Bond!" Bill exclaims passionately, "Some things are vastly more important than pride. Unfortunately, that was a lesson _I_ learned too late."

I cannot stand this bickering on top of everything else, so I shout, "Enough!" Two pairs of angry eyes whip back around and look at me. "In a way, you both are correct," I admit. "Although at this point this issue is entirely personal, I cannot forget that my words and actions can potentially have an impact on many. However, because of my position, I _do_ have some leverage. Niall has taken great care to conceal his true relationship with Sookie. The relations between the vampires and Fairies are extremely fragile just now, and if I tell the other vampires that the Fairy Prince has taken my Queen and is holding her in the Portal for no good reason, it would no doubt be the spark needed to set off another war... but at this juncture, I am not willing to take that step. To get my Bonded back without such extreme measures, perhaps I _am_ willing to be a supplicant for the Prince's good will."

"Master, in all the years I have known you, you have never turned away from a good fight," Pam says passionately, "Let the Fairy know you are dealing from a position of strength, and that you will do whatever is necessary to recover our Queen." My child has always been fond of a good skirmish, and I am sure visions of loping off a few Fairy heads are dancing in her head.

Bill shakes his head, and says coolly, "Our King is being wise, Pam. A pitched battle here and there is one thing... a full-out war is another. You have never been through a prolonged war, and I can tell you first hand, it is ugly. Fairies are tricky, fierce fighters, and it is inevitable that huge losses will occur on both sides. Now that we vampires are living so openly, it will be much easier for them to track us down than in the past. We will all have to go to ground again to avoid being staked in our homes during the day. Have you ever actually rested in the dirt, Pam? I imagine that your Maker has always kept that from being necessary. I doubt you would care for it much. Beyond that, Sookie would be forced to choose a side... and with the way things stand now, which side is she likely to pick? If Eric starts a war over this, everyone loses."

For such a young vampire, Bill is wise beyond his years. Like Pam, most vampires his age would be spoiling for a fight without seeing the long-term ramifications. Looking closely, I can see a bleakness in his eyes, and I know exactly what is causing it. He is remembering the devastating misery of the war in which he fought in his human years; and also, he is missing Sookie, and is afraid that he will never see her again. As much as I do not like to think about it, he does share a kind of Bond with her, too, and is probably as almost as anxious as I am to recover her; and yet, he still cautions against war. Once again, he is showing himself to be a worthy Lieutenant by giving well thought-out advice, in spite of his personal feelings. Unknowingly, these two vampires of mine balance each other perfectly. I tell my child, "Pamela, in this case, Bill is correct. Such a war would no doubt be prolonged and deadly to both sides. This situation requires more thought before I take action one way or another."

After a few minutes of thinking that over, Pam finally sighs heavily and states, "Obviously there is nothing any of us can do just now. It is past time for me to take floor duty. Master, why don't you join me? Maybe the change in scenery will do us all some good."

Although I do not really feel like it, I obligingly rise and follow her outside. I gesture for Bill to accompany us. We make our way to our customary places, and in the background I hear the excited murmuring of the crowd as we pass. Once seated, I glance around, and once again am rather surprised to see several vampires in attendance who are not obligated to be here. I mention this fact to Pam, and she replies, "Yes, if this trend continues, it will no longer be necessary to make attendance compulsory. That is one less schedule for me to have to keep, which suits me just fine. Without Sookie here to help..." her voice trails off. She shakes her head, and then says, "Sorry. What I meant to say is, I think that now that you are King, it seems that we are attracting more vampires who just want to be seen in your establishment. This should be very good for business. The profit margins on bottled blood are excellent, and of course the more vampires, the more thirsty fangbangers."

I have been so wrapped up in my personal tragedy, I have not even asked about Kingdom business yet this evening. My Lieutenants fill me in, and Pam finishes by saying, "Also, I want to remind you that you have already set the date for your first Court, which is supposed to be held Friday. Do you want me to postpone it?"

Sighing heavily, I reply, "No. I am not Felipe de Castro, putting off things that are necessary. I am determined to conduct Kingdom business in a timely manner. Court _will _be held on Friday."

"Do you still want to hold it here?" Bill inquires, "Due to the volume of cases, we might need to start before the bar normally closes."

When I was Sheriff, I always held my disciplining sessions here at Fangtasia after hours. There are already a few special holding cells below, and the rest can be dealt with at the warehouse if necessary. Now that I am King, the cases before me will require more thought, creativity, and ruthlessness than ever before, and belatedly I realize that I should have held it in New Orleans where there would be no such time conflicts and much better facilities. I had mainly decided on Shreveport because I did not want to make Sookie travel again so soon. After thinking it over, I declare, "Just this once, close the bar at midnight."

Uneasily, I realize that this is one more thing I have been keeping from Sookie. Since our engagement, I have had to discipline only a few vampires, and being in such a good mood at the time, I showed most of them clemency. The space under Fangtasia has been remarkably empty for the last several months. As far as I know, Sookie has no idea that such facilities even exist, and I had planned on keeping it that way. I knew when I set this up that I was going to have to face the issue of what to do with my Bonded during Court. Quite obviously it was out of the question for her to attend. She is nowhere near ready to hear or see some of the things that will take place. Originally I had been planning on being evasive, and just making up an excuse for her to stay home. If by some miracle she does come home before then, I realize that plan is no longer viable. If nothing else, this whole disaster has made it crystal clear that my Bonded does not appreciate being shielded from the truth... at least, she thinks she does not. The reality may prove somewhat harder to accept than she imagines. However, in the future, I am going to overcome my desire to protect her from unpleasantness and simply tell her the truth. I can only hope that she gives me the opportunity to attempt to be more open with her. After all these centuries, being secretive is a deeply ingrained habit and one that will be difficult to break, but I am determined to try.

Since Pam already has her hands full, Bill has taken over the job of lining up the cases, and he and his counterpart begin a discussion of which ones should be heard first. Pam gestures at the passing waitress to bring us all bloods. I am trying to keep my mind on the topic at hand, but my mind seems to keep wandering off, wondering what my Bonded is doing now. Is she still furious? Is she thinking about me at all, or is she shoving the thought of me completely out of her mind? Is she missing me, even a little? Unconsciously, I twist my wedding ring around and around my finger, and pine for the woman who placed it there. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of long golden hair. In spite of myself, I eagerly whip my head around, only to see a young woman with long blond hair in almost the exact same shade as Sookie's making her way through the crowd. I have never seen her before tonight, but in my disappointment I take a sudden dislike to this female. She slowly circulates around the room, but keeps glancing in my direction. I give her nothing but a cold stare in return.

The waitress delivers our bloods, and as she hands me the bottle her hand brushes mine. I glance up, and see that it is the same waitress that served us last night, Valerie. She gives me a sultry smile, and asks, "Anything else I can get for you, Master?" It is clear that she is asking me if I am interested in some real blood, fresh from the vessel.

"No," is my rather terse reply. I shoo her way with an abrupt flick of my fingers. She looks a little disappointed, but turns and heads back to the bar. I suppose the staff has noticed that Sookie has been absent several times in the last few weeks, and of course they have no way of knowing that I intend to be a faithful vampire. I take a swallow of the bottled blood only because I know I should, but then merely stare at the warm bottle in my hands and roll it thoughtfully between my palms. Unfortunately, the small amount I just drank has done nothing but fire up an intense hunger for my Bonded's sweet blood, which leads to another bout of longing... which leads to unbridled anger at my own helplessness. Rationally, I know it is only the Bonding Sickness at work, but I seem powerless to control it. Breaking into my reverie, I hear Pam's voice saying in a bored tone, "Master, I think you have a visitor."

Looking up, I see the blond woman standing before me. She is clearly a cut above the run-of-the-mill fangbanger in looks, and is attractively dressed in a short dark blue dress with very sexy high heels. Her dress is cut low in the front, revealing the enticing swell of her ample breasts. Confidently, she gives me a bold look, and says, "I noticed you watching me, and I thought I'd come over and introduce myself. My name is Callie, and I'm new to town. I'm looking for a new... friend." She brushes her fingertips across her throat and smiles knowingly, subtly informing me that I would not be her first vampire. There are no unattractive scars showing, so I presume that she is either very careful at tending to the wounds, or her last vampire took enough care to heal her. She looks at me with her big blue eyes and gives me a rather challenging look, as if to say, "Are you man enough to handle me?" In the old days, I would have had this female back in my office and bent over my desk in about ten minutes flat... but now, her boldness and her blond hair offends me. Unexpectedly, my temper flares out of control, and in a flash, I stand. Even before the nearly full bottle of blood that was in my hand hits the floor, I have grabbed the female by her throat. In a deadly whisper, I inform her, "I am married. I do not need any more friends."

In my dark mood, I will enjoy giving this creature pain. She deserves it, for making me think for one instant that my Bonded had returned, and then for having the temerity to try and tempt me. Gently I begin to squeeze, and the complete terror that leaps into her annoyingly lovely blue eyes is quite satisfying. I can feel every muscle and sinew and fragile bone in her unworthy neck, and also the frantic beating of her frightened heart. The scent of her fear is quite intoxicating. All I have to do is close my hand just a tiny bit tighter, and I will crush her windpipe. That idea pleases me immensely, and I give my victim a cold, cold smile. A hush has fallen around us as the crowd waits to see what will happen. As if from a distance, I hear my child's voice saying urgently, "Master, no! You must not do this here!"

I feel Pam tugging on my arm, and although she is nowhere near as strong as me, it is enough to get my attention. Bill comes up behind the female I am holding, looks me in the eye, and says calmly, "Let me have her, Eric. I will make sure she leaves." When I do not immediately release her, he reminds me, "Sookie will be _very_ disappointed in you if you kill this woman for no reason."

With his words, sanity comes flooding back, and even though I still do not want to let this irritating woman go, I do. Immediately, she begins coughing and crying. Bill takes her by the arm, says roughly, "Come with me," and drags her towards the hallway leading to the offices. I presume he intends to glamour her into forgetting the entire incident, but of course she will wonder where the dreadful bruises on her neck came from tomorrow. Now that the crisis has passed, Pam just shakes her head, and gives me a look."Master, it is obvious that you are a little out-of-sorts this evening," she says dryly, "Perhaps floor duty was not such a good idea. Even with the extra vampires present, it would take all night for us to glamour this crowd if you actually _had_ killed her."

Even though I have regained most of my composure, I still feel my dark emotions swirling close to the surface. My child is right... it is probably not safe for me to be around these irritating humans just now. Without another word, I stride rapidly to my office, and this time the bar patrons literally fall all over themselves getting out of my way. I head back to my office, and attempt to regain some sense of normalcy by checking my emails. It occurs to me that I need a new cell phone, so I go online and pick out a new one. I email Bobby with the model number and instructions to purchase two, because although there is nothing wrong with the one in my pocket, I still like the idea of Sookie having a matching phone. I also include instructions for him to purchase items for an office for Valhalla, and then hit the "send" command. I call up last night's email from the gown designer in New York, and print off several copies of his design, so I can modify it with my own ideas.

After that, I glance over the list of incoming mail, but answer very few. I seem unable to muster the interest to care what any of them say. I keep going back to the spectacular picture that Rasul sent me of Sookie in her Bonding gown. It would make a wonderful painting, and I make a mental note to track down a suitable portrait painter very soon. The Bonding gown brings to mind my resolution to find out more about the Bond. Sitting back in my chair, I stare at Sookie's picture and try to decide what to do. My first thought is naturally to call Robert, and I very nearly do... but I am still reluctant to admit to my brother that mainly due to my own stupidity, I have lost my fairy. The Queen of Oklahoma seemed to know a great deal about the Bond, as well, but... I do not know her very well, certainly not enough to trust her to any extent, and certainly do not wish to advertise the fact that my Queen and I are separated. Unable to reach a decision, I postpone calling either one for another evening.

By this time, I notice that silence has descended over the bar, and I realize that it is long past closing time. I am not getting any work done anyway, and decide to just go home. Perhaps as Pam suggested, a change of scenery _would_ help clear my foggy brain; and so I determine that instead of going to Valhalla, I will head to one of my other homes, one which Sookie has never even been inside. Maybe it will be easier to get her out of my head if there is nothing around to remind me of her. This sounds like a good plan, so I head down the hallway. The exterior door opens and Bill come through it. He has been gone much longer than I would have expected to complete his task. His normally perfect hair is mussed, his complexion is rosy, and he is still straightening his clothes. Somewhat sarcastically, I observe, "I see you decided to do more than glamour her."

The corner of his mouth twitches up, and in his Southern drawl he admits, "It seemed like a complete waste not to get something for my troubles. Besides, I gave her exactly what she came here to find. In the morning, it will be obvious that she was with a vampire, she will just not remember which one."

I imagine he enjoyed it very much, since she was exactly his type... a Sookie substitute, unfortunately without the fairy filling. In spite of myself, I smile. Vampires will be vampires, even the quiet ones. I give him orders to finish checking my email, and finish by saying, "Oh, and by the way, I dropped my phone tonight and broke it, so if you need me, call me on Sookie's. Tell Pam."

My Lieutenant snorts, and says, "Oh, yes, I'm certain that is exactly what happened to your phone. However, I will pass that information on to Pam. See you tomorrow night."

******

A short time later, I pull in to the garage of the house I have chosen. I have not stayed here in months, and the minute I step inside I realize how void it is of life... a funny thing for a vampire to notice, but true nonetheless. This is the last house I have that still contains any of my books and things, and also a complete wardrobe as well. At first, I wander from room to room, reacquainting myself with the space. This particular house is decorated in a very modern fashion, with clean, somewhat severe lines in all the furnishings, and extremely expensive abstract art on the walls. The lack of clutter is supposed to be restful and soothing, which is one reason I picked this place to stay this evening. Tonight, however, it merely strikes me as sterile. Sookie prefers comfortable, homey warmth in her surroundings, and I imagine she would take one look at this place and say, "Jeez, Eric! What are you going to do, operate in here? What this place needs is some pillows, or soft rugs, or plants, or _something_!"

Grrr. I have been here less than fifteen minutes, and already my absent wife is invading my thoughts. Looking over the selection of books in the living room, I chose a title sure to engross me, and try to get comfortable in one of the chairs... except that soon I find myself reading the same paragraph over and over, as I wonder for about the hundredth time tonight just what my Bonded is doing. Throwing the book aside, I get up and pace around the room, trying to think about anything but Sookie... with absolutely no success. Striding down the hall, I viciously stab the proper code into the electronic lock to my resting chamber, let myself inside, and then throw myself on the bed. I shove a couple of pillows under my head, and stare blankly up at the ceiling. Sometimes when I have other weighty issues on my mind, I distract myself by mentally replaying old battles, but tonight that technique is a total failure. Instead of sword strokes, I seem to be remembering warm fairy kisses, and the way my Lover's soft but firm breasts feel cupped in my hands... Giving up trying to keep Sookie out of my head, I deliberately conjure her image up in my mind's eye, but find that it is not enough. I heartily wish now that I had put her snapshot in my pocket before leaving Valhalla. There is no computer here, so I cannot look at her photos online. There is nothing here that has the slightest thing to do with her. Nothing carries her scent, her hand has not touched a single thing in this house... so what in the hell am I doing here? I should be at our home! Every tiny thing at Valhalla bears her stamp, and I want... no, I _need_ to be there.

Without wasting another minute, I run through the house and out to the car. It is quite a drive to Valhalla and it will be dangerously close to dawn before I get arrive, but I do not care. I want to go to rest in our home, surrounded by our things. I want to see the picture of my wife with the sun on her face. I need to hold her soft nightgown, and breathe in her scent. Once I am in the car, and speeding towards home, somehow I feel much, much better.

*****

Fortunately, the streets are nearly deserted, and I make it back to Valhalla in record time. The Were guards are already on duty, and I wave at them as I drive through the gates. The large crate is still sitting in the driveway unopened, but I do not want to stop and open it now. It can wait until tomorrow night. I park the car, and rapidly enter the house. There is not much time left until dawn, so I head straight down to our chamber. After setting the locks, I take a quick shower, and in less than five minutes I am sliding between the sheets of our bed. I slide open the drawer to my nightstand, pull out the notebook along with Sookie's nightie and panties. After satisfying my craving for my woman's scent, I pick up her picture and stare at it for a long time. Finally, I lay it carefully aside, and then once again flip through the notebook. In my eagerness to read all her thoughts, I had skipped over most of the lists and drawings, and tonight I take my time and study them. The ideas for the gardens particularly catch my eye, and I can tell that Sookie is becoming very interested in the way they will look when finished. I allow myself to go into downtime, and begin to imagine what this place will eventually be like if Sookie comes home... just as I am slipping into a dream, the strangest feeling comes over me, as if someone else has taken over and is directing my dream... and yet, it is still very much _my_ dream....

_There are two things that make me realize that I am definitely dreaming. First, although I can see a scene before me, and it feels extremely real, I am not physically present. Second, it is daylight. From a bird's eye view, I look down and see a compound in the middle of a vast tract of mostly wooded land. There is a large building in the middle, with several smaller buildings set at various angles around it. A large fence surrounds the perimeter of the property, and I see heavily armed men standing at the gates. I seem to be getting ever closer and suddenly zoom in to ground level. Before me stands a beautiful old mansion, and after just a moment I recognize it to be Valhalla... but something about it is vastly different. Ah! I know! Sookie's landscaping plans have become a reality, and everything seems to be mature and lush. There is a huge fountain in the center of the front drive surrounded by a riot of colorful flowers. Handsome vines crawl up trellises, and planters everywhere are dripping with blooms. Three cars are parked in front: a shiny new red Escalade, a silver Lexus, and a very sleek red sports car whose make I do not recognize immediately. On closer inspection, I see the rectangular emblem of a prancing black horse on a yellow field on the hood... so it is a Ferrari. The license plate on that one reads "Fang 1," so I presume it must be mine. _

_As if I am strolling casually along in the sunlight, my field of vision pans around the side of the house and then past it to the back yard. It is obviously very late afternoon, and the sun is low in the sky. It is giving everything the most beautiful golden glow, and the delicate pinks, purples, and golds in the clouds are so spectacular that a bubble of joy rises within me at the miraculous sight... even if I am presently nothing but air. A sudden movement catches my eye, and I see the figure of woman kneeling in the dirt at the base of a statue. It stands in the very middle of a magnificent rose garden in full bloom. The woman is taking small plants from a flat on the ground next to her, and shoving them into the tiny holes she has already dug with a trowel. Her long golden hair is tied back with a blue bandanna, and she is wearing a pair of disreputable cut-offs and a rather dirty pink halter top. Still, this female is nothing short of spectacularly beautiful. The sun is hitting the side of her lovely face giving it a gorgeous golden cast. She looks up at another woman who is sitting on a nearby garden bench, who has just said something I could not hear clearly. The first girl brushes away a smudge of dirt from her face with the back of her gloved hand, opens her mouth, and out pours the most musical laughter I have ever heard... and only then do I realize that this woman working in the soil is my friend, my lover, my wife... it is Sookie._

_I want to run to her, to hold her and tell her how glad I am to see her, and how much I have missed her; but of course, without a body I can do none of those things. I can only watch, and listen. Sookie says to the other woman, "Can you stay for dinner? Juanita's making arroz con pollo."_

_My eyes drift to her companion, and I barely recognize Sookie's friend Amelia. She is very different in appearance from the last time I saw her. Her hair is cut quite short, her belly is extremely swollen, and she looks very, very uncomfortable... oh! She must be with child. In answer to Sookie's question, she says, "No, I have to get home. Trey gets all nervous if I'm not home by supper time."_

_From behind me, I hear the crunch of footsteps, and an unfamiliar man steps into the dream. He bows and in a well-bred British accent says to Sookie, "Excuse me, madam. Your publisher called, and the proof will be ready to be viewed early next week. Also, the Master's secretary phoned, and wanted to know what to tell the caterers for this weekend's party. They can't seem to get it straight how many you are expecting."_

_Sookie sighs, and replies, "Holy cats! How many times do I have to tell them! I have a good head count on everybody but the vampires... they are horrible about R.S.V.. Two hundred is the closest I can guess... That's about what it was last year. And listen... make sure they have that private label blood that we served in New Orleans last month, okay? None of that crummy stuff for this group. Monarchs are very picky when it comes to blood. Oh, and Truman? Will you stick a bottle of the Dom into the fridge? I want to have some on hand for later." She gives the man a broad wink._

_He merely chuckles and responds, "Yes, Your Grace. I will see to it."_

_As soon as he leaves, Amelia asks curiously, "Hey, Sook, what's the champagne for? Your birthday isn't until Friday."_

"_Huh. It's just in case I get busted for working in the dirt. You know, even after all this time, the big guy just hates to see me dirty... if he gets pissed, I just haul out the Dom, give him a lick or two, and we're off to the races... end of problem." _

_Amelia snorts, and replies, "You two! Still fucking like bunnies, even after all this time! If you want to get cleaned up, you'd better get a move on, because it's just about dark." _

_At that, Sookie just smiles to herself, and says gently, "I know." She shoves the last plant into its little hole, piles a little dirt around the roots, and pats it in. Getting gracefully to her feet, she brushes off her knees, and inspects her work. A satisfied grin appears on her lovely (if slightly dirty) face. "I'm done anyhow," she says to her friend, "Let me get rid of the evidence, and then I'll walk you to your car." She gives a little wave of her hand, and miraculously the trowel, gloves, empty flat, and watering can disappear. Neither one of the women seem to find this startling bit of magic strange in the slightest._

_Sookie helps haul her unwieldy friend to her feet, and then they walk arm and arm towards the back of the house. I float along behind them, listening. By now, the sun is just about to dip below the horizon, and the lights inside the house are shining out of the windows in a welcoming way. Amelia asks, "Is your family coming to the party?"_

"_Of course," Sookie replies, "They never miss a chance to see Alexander." Even in my dream state, I feel a jolt of fear. Who is this "Alexander"? Perhaps I am not present because I am finally dead, and I really __**am**__ a ghost. Perhaps that was __**his**__ car in the drive. Perhaps Sookie has married my successor. Is that to whom she is referring as "the big guy"? Is that who she fucks constantly, and with abandon? Does she allow __**him**__ to lick the essence of champagne from her lips, as I used to do? Even in my dream state, the thought of that is enough to drive me insane, but I am powerless to shout out to Sookie and have her end my agony. All I can do is float along, and watch._

_Amelia continues, "So, is the rest of your nest here yet, or are they still out of town?"_

_Sookie laughs and says, "Robert will be here in time for the party. Pam is still in New Orleans, finishing up the new club. It will be opening soon. Bill is here, though. He dragged home the blond du jour... I doubt this one lasts more than a week. I wish he could settle down..."_

"_Sookie, you know very well that he will never find anyone to replace you, and I doubt he's even really trying. He seems content enough."_

"_I suppose so," Sookie replies, and then rather cryptically adds,"He makes a great uncle, though, doesn't he?"_

_So this vampire Alexander has stolen not only my wife, but my entire nest, too! This must be one incredible vampire, obviously extremely old and devious or he would never have been able to best me. At least it was not Luke! Now I am anxious to get a good look at this amazing vampire. By this time, the two women are back to the house, and they step up onto the cool-decking surrounding the pool. It now has a type of trellis over one end, obviously to provide shade on a sunny afternoon. From my current angle, I can see very little but the two women's backs. Sookie puts her hands on her hips and says sternly, "Alexander, you are going to turn into a pickle! You've been in that pool for hours! Morwenna, you shouldn't let him con you into letting him stay in so long... I hope you've put on another layer of that sunblock Niall sent... you know how badly he burns."_

_What! This Alexander can walk in the sun... he cannot be vampire! I cannot see past Sookie to catch a glimpse of this man. Why is she speaking to him in that fashion? Who is he? __**What **__is he? Oh no... he must be Fairy. But then why would my vampires be working for him, and living in his home? None of this makes any sense at all! My head is swimming, and I am frantic for answers, but I can only observe._

_A feminine voice just out of my field of vision replies to Sookie in a strange language. Sookie says something back to her in the same language, and then laughs."In English, please, Morwenna," she says. "We are being rude to our guest."_

_A heavily accented voice says, "I am sorry, Your Grace. Miss Amelia, what I said was, 'the wee one is as persuasive as his father, the young rascal.'" And then, the voice addresses someone else that I cannot see, "Now there, young man, remember our deal. You agreed to get out at sunset... and it just set. Out of the pool with you."_

_The wee one? I am just wondering who else is present, when a small, thin voice says, "Please, Mommy! Just five more minutes?"_

_Ah! It must be another child of Amelia's. I am expecting her to answer him, when, to my astonishment, my viewpoint shifts instantly to the opposite side of the pool. Suddenly, I __**am **__physically present in this amazing dream. Sure enough, I look down and can see my body. I am bare-chested, clad in nothing but a pair of low-slung sleep pants, and I am standing just inside the French doors that open onto the patio. Through the panes, I see Sookie gazing fondly at a small boy who is facing away from me. He is standing on the top step of our pool, his tiny hand resting on the head of a large, dripping wet golden retriever who is nearly as big as the boy. Ignoring them both, my eyes frantically search the rest of the area for a glimpse of my rival, this Alexander; but to my surprise and confusion, there is no one else present but what appears to be a female Elf. To my further amazement, my wife opens her mouth and says firmly, "No, Alexander. Baby, you need to get out before your father gets up."_

_My eyes are instantly drawn back to the small figure in the pool. So __**this**__ is the dreaded Alexander? Relief pours through me as I realize that he is not my replacement at all, but a child. Then, the other shoe drops... Sookie called him... baby. This is __**Sookie's**__ child? How is __this possible? Who is the father? How did she __**ever**__ get me to agree to it? I am completely overwhelmed with confusion and conflicting emotions. I jerk open the door and step outside, wanting to get to the bottom of this mystery as soon as possible. Apparently, the boy hears the door, because immediately he twirls around and looks at me. _

_For just a second, we stare at each other without moving, but in that brief flash of time, I take in the fact that this is surely the most radiantly beautiful child ever born. He is perfectly proportioned with thick blond hair the same shade as his mother's. His eyes are an incredible, intense shade of sapphire blue... exactly... like... mine. Stunned, I seem rooted to the spot, but the tiny boy has apparently has no such restriction of movement. A huge smile crosses his handsome little face, and he shouts, "Daddy!" He runs to me, and quite literally flies in my arms...and in the strange way of dreams, as I hold his fragile little body to mine, I know that he really __**is**__ my son, my very own flesh and blood... and that he can walk in the daylight. There are no words to describe my tumbling emotions at this moment of realization. Shock... joy... and an overwhelming love for this tiny creature slam through my body and my mind. As I clutch this miracle to my chest, I draw in hi__s scent. H__e smells heavenly... like sunlight and saltwater... like Fairy and yet... like me. What __**is**__ this child? Before I can ask his mother one of a thousand questions, Alexander... __**my son**__ starts to wriggle, and demands, "Down, Daddy! You're mashing me!" Reluctantly, I set him down, and he and the dog bolt away towards the kitchen, his laughter ringing out behind him like wind chimes in the breeze._

_Sookie merely laughs, shakes her head, and walks towards me. She calls after him, "Alex, if you are getting some blood, take some up your Uncle Bill on the way up to your room, will you? He should be up by now." I cannot believe the changes in my Bonded. She looks much the same, but seems so happy... so self-confident in her station as wife, mother, Queen. My lovely Bonded slides into my arms, and turns her face up for a kiss. As much as I want to ask her those thousand questions, I want to feel her warm lips under mine even more. I practically crush her to me, eagerly kissing her lips, her face, her neck... lingering there, I can smell her delectable blood racing under that firm, silky skin. I run my hands up and down her body, just to be certain she is really there, and immediately I develop a raging erection. My woman chuckles deep in her throat, and says, "Well! You sure are in a mood tonight!"_

_I have missed her so much! I am never going to let her out of my sight again! Suddenly, I realize that I can feel her emotions... our Bond is open. Relief floods through me, and Sookie breaks away from my passionate embrace and asks uncertainly, "Eric? Are you all right?"_

"_Yes," I answer with feeling, "Yes, I am. Say goodbye to Amelia. You are coming with me."_

_With that, I scoop her up in my arms, and head to the bedroom. Over my shoulder, she calls out, "Bye, Amelia! Call me if you go into labor!"_

_Wasting no time, I rush through the house to the entrance to our chamber. On the way, I barely take in the changes to the house. Now it is completely furnished, warm and elegant,and very much a comfortable home. I carry my wife down the stairs, and deposit her on our bed. In no time, I have her peeled out of her shorts and top, and then I remove my sleep pants. My beautiful wife lies naked on the bed, looking up at me with love and passion in her eyes. She spreads her legs willingly, holds out her arms in welcome, and says, "Come on, baby. I can tell you are ready... and so am I."_

_Needing no other encouragement, I crawl between her legs and position myself at her entrance. I can feel the heat coming off her center in waves, and I simply cannot wait another instant. I plunge myself into her in a single stroke. She is wet and hot and tight, and I fill her perfectly. We both let out identical groans of sheer pleasure. My Lover hooks her ankles around my calves, and tilts her pelvis up, her signal that she wants me to go as deeply as I can... and I am more than happy to oblige her. Before long, I am thrusting into her with abandon, almost out of my head with pleasure. Tonight, there is no holding back, no finessing the situation. This is as raw and primitive as it gets... but also, the love that is flowing back and forth through the Bond is amazing in its intensity. Never before has it been as strong and pure as it is right now. After a few more minutes of intense, pounding bliss, I can tell when my Lover is nearing her peak; and without hesitation I bite into her sweet flesh. Her fantastic fairy-laced blood shoots into my hungry mouth, and I draw deeply as she cums for me. As soon as I feel her contractions gripping my cock, I cannot hold back another second. I explode inside her, and my own orgasm seems to go on and on. Sookie clings to me as the shock waves subside, holding me in place, and I do not want to move, either. I prop myself up on my elbows, and stare deeply into her eyes. I want her to see the truth in mine as I tell her, "Sookie, I love you so much. Promise me you will never leave me."_

_My Twice-Bonded gives me a heartbreakingly beautiful smile, and says, "I love you, too, Eric. How could I ever leave you? We are one." She draws my head down to hers for another kiss... _

… and as unexpectedly as I had drifted into the vivid, bizarre dream, I drift back out of it. Just as I did upon waking from the dream last night, I can still feel the faint stirrings of Sookie's life force still inside me. Almost instinctively, I call out to her through the Bond: _Beloved, come back! I love you!"_...but then, I know the fragile connection is once again closed. Euphoric from that brief connection, I lie quite still and savor the memory of it. Before I can puzzle out the meaning of the strange dream, or why I am able to feel my Bonded directly afterward, the sun comes up and sends me to my slumber.


	27. Chapter 27

_Author's Notes: I am sorry that it has taken me so long to get this chapter posted. It just about killed me to miss my normal Monday night posting, but RL took up gobs of time this last couple of weeks. You all can take turns giving me fifty lashes with a wet noodle! The good news: I finally filled out my last year-end government form today. Hooray! I am leaving Thursday for a long vacation to Breckenridge, Colorado. I don't ski, so I am planning many wonderful hours of blissful slugdom, catching up on my reading (the new Sue Grafton is out, and Robert Crais...and some others) and of course working on ATL! I am not sure what the Internet facilities are, so I am not sure when the next chapter will go up, but I promise I'll post as soon as I can. I picture myself like Robin Williams in the movie RV, trying desperately to get a signal on his laptop!_

_***** Up until the last couple of chapters, I have not had a beta. I would like to thank my husband Rocky for taking on the awful task of fixing my bloopers. He is a very manly man, and sometimes he teases me a little about the romantic nature of the story (well, duh! It's a romance!!!) but overall he's been a big help. After reading the first lemony scene, you all should have seen the look he gave me! I doubt he will ever look at me the same way again... Mwahahaha! (He did offer to help me "research and develop" any new ideas I might have along those lines, LOL!)_

**Chapter 27**

**Sookie in the Portal **

I came slowly awake, reluctant to let go of the wonderful dream I was having. It was so real! If I could pick one dream out of all the dreams in my life to come true, that would be the one. In my dream, the recent devastating events in my life had never happened. I had somehow come to terms with a lot of the issues that had been bugging me. I had everything I ever wanted out of life... a beautiful home, family and friends, an adoring hot husband; and last but not least, a child of my very own. I was successful, magical, and comfortable in my own skin. The only trouble was, it _was_ just a dream. Most of it was just down-right impossible and could never happen under any circumstances. For one thing, I knew very well when I married Eric that we could never have children, and until this dream I thought I had come to terms with that issue... but apparently, it was lurking just under the surface after all.

Sighing heavily, I glanced down at the book that was still lying open in my lap. Fairy tales were great, but unfortunately real life never worked out that way. Take me, for example... happily ever after had lasted all of about eight weeks. Shutting the book firmly, I left the little blanket folded on the chair for another time, went down the stairs, and returned the book to its proper place.

*****

Later on, I had dinner by myself once again. Afterwards, to keep my mind occupied, I went back over my meeting with my new acquaintance Rhys and our walks through the woods. I wished I knew more about him, and when Niall got home I was going to get him to tell me all about him. I bet the Prince knew just about everything there was to know about every Fairy in the place. It really was kind of Rhys to try and keep me amused in Niall's absence. Thinking back over all the outlandish stories he had told me, I had to smile. What a kidder! I bet _he_ had _lots_ of female Fairies that he kept occupied. I wondered if he and Claudine knew each other, and if they had ever "dated." They would make _such_ a nice couple, and since the Fairy population was dwindling, maybe....

A mental picture of Claudine holding a blue bundle in her arms floated through my head. She was smiling adoringly up at Rhys, who was holding _two_ pink bundles in his arms! Suddenly, I snapped back to reality, and I had to smile at myself... I sure got them from dating to babies in a hurry. I would soon be known far and wide as Sookie the Fairy Matchmaker! Shaking my head at my own foolishness, I decided that instead of sitting around making up fairy tales of my own, maybe I should do something constructive; and so I went off to find Aderyn, to practice my new Sylvan vocabulary on her for awhile before bedtime...

*****

The next day when I awakened, I knew something was different, and it took me a moment to figure out what it was. With a start, I realized that it was the first time since I had been here that the feeling of numbness and apathy were finally gone. I was actually looking forward to my picnic with Rhys with great anticipation. While Aderyn was giving me my bath, I thought back to the day before, and how Rhys had lured that well-hung little wood-sprite with a piece of bread... and I found myself chuckling out loud. I had never been around a male Fairy that wasn't my kin, and I had not realized how much fun they could be. Claude always tended to be a little... surly. I must have had a smile on my face, because Aderyn said, "Madam, you seem to be in a good humor. I am glad to see you feeling better."

"Thanks. You all have been taking very good care of me, and I _do_ feel better," I admitted, "In fact, it seems that I am going on a picnic today with a friend of my great grandfather's... his name is Rhys, do you know him?"

Her eyes widened, and then a slow smile came over her face. "Yes, Your Grace, I do know Mr. Rhys," she said enthusiastically, "He's quite something, isn't he? Always laughing and teasing... I can see now why you have such a pretty smile on your face. We must see to it that you have something very becoming to wear!" She clapped her hands, and said, "Morwenna!"

Morwenna promptly appeared. Her mother said, "The Queen is going on a picnic with Mr. Rhys, and I want her to look her best. Finish putting on her creams, and I will bring her clothes."

They seemed even more excited by the whole thing as I was. Before long, they had dressed me in a short-sleeved tunic-type top, and a matching pair of capri-style pants both made from a delicate fairy cloth. The outfit was white, with swirls of faint blue, and I wondered exactly how they expected me to keep it clean while on a picnic in the woods. I asked Morwenna, and she just giggled and said I shouldn't worry, that fairy clothes had a way of taking care of themselves.

*****

A bit later, as I was standing on the terrace overlooking the garden, I wondered why the heck I was going out on an adventure with a Fairy I hardly knew... but in the back of my mind I understood that he was just one tall, handsome, great smelling distraction, so that I didn't have to spend another day alone trying desperately to avoid my own dark thoughts. Beyond that, though, he was just fun to be around. His personality was so light and fun that being with him just made me feel good. The fact that he was seriously gorgeous didn't exactly hurt, although I told myself strongly that I had sworn off romance with men of all races, at least for the foreseeable future. He was just such a contrast to the vampire men with which I had been involved. Fairy males were apparently prone to be light and fun-loving, and from what Rhys had said yesterday, will-o-the-wisps when it came to women; while the vampires of my experience were all extremely intense, possessive personalities... in my wildest dreams, I could not imagine Rhys ever proclaiming "Sookie is MINE"... it would never occur to him that I would belong to anyone but myself.

In a moment of clarity, though, I realized that I might have been attracted to vampires exactly because they _were_ so possessive. I had always been such an outcast, that it felt really good when someone actually "wanted" me enough to proclaim me theirs... and especially Eric. The fact that he had chosen me, over all the other women that were falling all over him, had made me feel like the Queen of the universe, at least for a little while...

That thought brought me up short. I just wasn't going to go down that sad road any more today... I had a picnic with a light-hearted Fairy ahead of me. In fact, I looked out across the gardens, and there by the reflecting pool I could see Rhys waiting for me. He was dressed in a soft white shirt and some pants that kind of reminded me of Eric's sleep pants, and even from here he looked good enough to eat. That was one gorgeous Fairy! I made my way down to meet him, and he bowed and then greeted me in Sylvan. Playfully curtsying back, I replied in the same language. At that, he gave me his brilliant, perfect grin, and we set off towards the south in search of our unicorn.

On the way, Rhys kept me amused by telling me stories of various trolls of his acquaintance. I didn't believe a word of it, but it was fun to laugh for a change. He made sure that I answered him in Sylvan, and he told me how proud he was of my progress. As we got deeper into the woods, I began to notice that the ground was much more rolling, and there were many more outcroppings of fairy-stone than I had seen up until now. Soon, we came to the bed of a clear running stream and began to follow along its banks. I could hear a strange sound that I couldn't quite identify, until suddenly we came to a steep drop-off. I looked down and realized that what I had been hearing was a waterfall. We were standing at the top of a short cliff, and the stream we had been following tumbled over the cliff's edge and fell into a medium sized pool in a clearing below.

It was a beautiful scene, right out of yesterday's book of fairy tales. The water in the pool was a lovely turquoise, and all around the edges of the pool, fairy-stone pebbles lay glistening in a veritable rainbow of colors. Rhys just laughed at my surprised expression, and said, "Come on, give me your hand. The way down is a little treacherous."

We made our way down a rather steep path that ran down one side of the falls, and at times we were close enough to the water to feel the mist it produced. Rhys had to help me quite a bit, but at last we made it. As we reached the base, the handsome Fairy took my hand and led me to a level, grassy spot near the pool. I took a good look around, and said teasingly, "Well, it looks like we've come all this way for nothing. There are no unicorns... and no picnic lunch either." I had noticed before we left the palace that he was not carrying a basket, but figured maybe he would be able to conjure one up once we got to our destination.

Rhys just flashed his perfect white teeth and said, "What an impatient girl you are, Sookie! All right, let me see... what do we need for a picnic? I suppose we need a blanket." He flicked his hand carelessly in the direction of the ground, and there appeared a lovely quilt in a wedding-ring pattern. "Now, a basket of food..." another wave of the hand, and a basket appeared in the middle of the quilt. "And last, but not least, something to drink..." A tray with a bottle of wine and two glasses soon sat next to the basket.

"Wow, I'm impressed!" I said. "Now all we need are some ants!... and of course, the unicorn."

Plopping himself down on the quilt, he replied, "Luckily, there are no ants in the Portal. The unicorn is around here somewhere. Let's eat, and perhaps he will show up before we are done."

With that, Rhys opened the wine and poured us both a glass and then opened the basket. It was filled with delicacies that could only be found in the Portal, because he said he wanted me to learn the Sylvan words that went with everything. For the next little while, we ate and chatted. The conversation was light, and mostly he told me silly stories that kept me laughing. At one point, he looked behind me and said, "Well, Sookie, it looks like our friend decided to join us. Turn around slowly, and behold your first unicorn."

Laughing, I rolled my eyes and said, "Uh huh. I'm not falling for that again."

He just grinned, and said, "Come on. Humor me."

I was just about to make a witty comeback, when from behind me I heard some rustling, then a snort. Whipping my head around, I took a good look at the surrounding forest... and then gasped! Coming through the trees was... a unicorn! It was about the size of a small horse, but more delicate and slender. It was an iridescent white, and from the middle of its forehead sprouted one straight horn about a foot long. I could hardly believe my eyes! The creature was truly magnificent, and I held my breath as he came closer through the trees. He looked completely mystical and regal... right up until the moment he got his horn tangled in a low lying branch. He stood there, snorting and struggling for a moment, before finally thinking to back up and head off in a slightly different direction. He had only taken a few more steps when he managed to trip over a rock. The unicorn stumbled forward a bit, shook his head, and then meandered out into the clearing. It was so unexpected and comical, I had to stifle my laughter behind both of my hands. Rhys said softly, "Well, there you have it. They are beautiful, but near-sighted and quite stupid. That is why they could never survive in your world."

The Fairy reached into the picnic basket, and pulled out a piece of fruit that looked similar to a small plum. He handed it to me, and said, "Get up and hold it out for him. They are all very fond of that particular fruit, and will gladly take it from you."

Taking the fruit, I carefully stood up and offered it to the amazing creature. Sure enough, the unicorn held his head up, sniffed the air, and then slowly trotted forward. As he came near, I could tell by the way he was peering at me that he really was quite nearsighted; but he managed to find his way over to me nonetheless. Chuckling, Rhys said, "They are quite gentle, but careful of that horn. He might get you accidentally, and I'd hate to have to explain to the Prince that I let a hole get poked through you on our very first date."

The lovely animal came right up to my hand, sniffed at the fruit, and then gingerly picked it up and began to crunch it up in its mouth. Breathlessly, I asked, "Can I touch him?"

"Well, they usually only allow full-Fairies to touch them, but since you are a Brigant, you can give it a try."

Slowly, I reached out a hand towards the beautiful unicorn's iridescent flank. At first, the unicorn eyed me rather suspiciously, but then stood still while I stroked him. His coat was as soft as eider-down, and much thicker than it had first appeared. Wow! Rhys smiled and said, "Just as I thought. You _are_ a special girl, Sookie."

I stood there petting the unicorn for a long time. Rhys reached in the basket, pulled out a few more fruits and tossed them on the ground for him. I rejoined Rhys on the quilt, and we companionably watched the lovely creature while he ate. Suddenly, it dawned on me that if the unicorn was real, then what about the dragon...? Hm. Maybe I better leave that one alone. While we had been sitting there, it had become noticeably darker than when we arrived. Looking up at the sky, I noticed some dark grey-purple clouds had rolled in, and then almost without warning it began to rain. Like everything else in the Portal, it was a gentle rain, but still I was starting to get soaked! Rhys jumped up, grabbed my hand and pulled me along behind him, leaving our blanket and basket behind.

We ran towards the cliff and took shelter under an outcropping of rock. We stood in the protection of the ledge, and for no reason at all, we were both laughing like loons! Our unicorn peered blearily in our direction, seemingly unconcerned with the rain. Soon, Rhys stopped laughing, but continued to smile. He was studying me very intently, and I looked down to see just what was so fascinating. As soon as I saw myself, I gasped out loud. My clothes had gotten soaked, and were now completely transparent... and I mean completely. It left nothing at all to the imagination. Although Aderyn had always provided me with panties, they were the wispiest things I had ever seen, and so they were no help in providing any cover, either; and apparently fairies didn't believe in bras of any kind, because I had not seen one since arriving. I was a little chilled by the rain, too, and so my nipples were hard as rocks. Completely mortified, I glanced up at Rhys, and could see that his eyes had begun to glow. I tried to cover my breasts with my arms, but he reached out a hand and gently moved them away. He said softly, "No, Sookie, don't cover them. You are an incredibly beautiful woman. Never be ashamed of your beauty."

He leaned forward, and casually kissed me; and his lips were soft, warm, and as delicious as they looked. I probably should have stopped him, but it felt very nice. It was a delicate kiss, as warm and light as a summer breeze. It only lasted a moment before I broke away from him. I glanced down and noticed that I wasn't the only one whose clothes had gotten soaked, and although his were not quite as sheer as mine, they clung to him in such a way that showed off his body quite well. His shoulders and chest were well-developed and perfectly shaped, but not nearly as muscular and sculpted as the Viking's. I could not stop myself from glancing down a little further, and two things became perfectly clear... one, that Rhys and the little male wood-sprite had at least _one_ attribute in common; and also, that Rhys wanted to have sex with me.

I looked back up and met his fantastic green eyes, and they were twinkling merrily. The gorgeous man reached out a finger, and ran it lightly down one side of my face. He gave me his slow, seductive, gorgeous Fairy-smile, and said gently, "You _are_ as sweet as nectar. Let me love you, Sookie, just because it feels good. No strings attached."

Completely mesmerized by those beautiful eyes, I was suddenly overcome by a sense of déjà vu. Somehow, I knew these eyes, but for the life of me I did not know how. Something about Rhys called to me, made my body respond to his in a some very basic, primitive way. For a split second, I was tempted to just let this wonderful light-hearted creature make me forget all my troubles for a little while. I had never made love to a Fairy before, and wondered if they were any different than other men... But then, something deep within me called out a sharp warning, and instantly I snapped out of the fog I had been in. That strange, dreamy feeling reminded me of that dream I had a couple of days ago, the one where Eric had glamoured me into giving up my virginity... but that was just silly. Glamour just didn't work on me.

In any event, now that I was back in my right mind, I did know one thing for sure...

I could chose to have sex with Rhys or any number of other men, but all it would really do would be to confuse me even more. I had to make up my mind what I was going to do about my marriage before I could make a serious choice like this. It might very well be as natural as breathing for _him_, but _I_ wasn't really the type of girl to hop in bed with the every Tom, Dick, and Fairy that asked. More importantly, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that once I _did_ have sex with another man, there would be no going back, ever... and to my surprise, I was absolutely _not_ ready to take that drastic step. Abruptly, I stepped back away from him, and said, "I'm sorry, Rhys, but I'm still married, and to me at least that means something."

For a beat, he stared at me a little sadly, but then his face broke into a rakish grin. Lightly, Rhys said, "Another time, perhaps. Now look... your clothes are already dry, and it looks like the shower is over. Perhaps we should head back before the next one starts." I looked down, and saw in amazement that my clothes were indeed dry, and as pristine as ever. I shook my head, thinking of all the hours of my life I had wasted washing, folding and ironing clothes back home. He took my hand, and led me back past our now sodden blanket. With a careless flick of the Fairy's wrist, all evidence of our picnic was gone in a flash. I gave the unicorn one last pat, and Rhys and I headed back to the palace.

*****

The walk back home was uneventful, and Rhys said he would escort me as far as the reflecting pool. We were nearly there when a tall figure suddenly appeared on the terrace, and I could see that it was Niall. "Hello! Welcome home!" I called out, and gave him a wave. Turning to Rhys, I said, "Come on up and say hello. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."

I could feel his slight hesitation, and then almost to himself, Rhys said, "I might as well."

We made our way up to the terrace where Niall was standing with both hands resting on top of his cane. I went to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I went walking alone one day and got a little turned around," I explained, "Your friend Rhys came along and rescued me. Today, he took me on a picnic, and I saw a unicorn! It was wonderful!"

Niall looked at Rhys and said in an even tone, "Rhys. I must confess I am quite surprised to see you here."

Although the Prince's words were neutral, I caught a little undercurrent running beneath them. "I met Sookie wandering in the woods quite by accident," Rhys answered easily, "I knew that things here look very differently than they do in her world and would be quite unfamiliar to her; so I thought there would be no harm in acting as a guide in your absence."

"I see," said Niall slowly, "So, my child, exactly where did Rhys take you to see this unicorn?"

"By a pool with a waterfall. It was so beautiful! I wish you could have been with us."

The Prince stared straight at Rhys, lifted one elegant eyebrow, and said, "Ah, yes. Quite a romantic spot, is it not?"

"I suppose it is," Rhys allowed, "Well, I must be going. My Lord, it was good to see you. Sookie, it was a great pleasure to spend time with you. I suspect the Prince will want all of your attention from now on, so I might not see you again."

For some reason, my great grandfather hesitated a long moment, as if turning things over in his mind. Seeming to come to some sort of internal decision, he said slowly, "No, Rhys, you are welcome here. It might do Sookie good to have some company."

After that, Rhys bowed to Niall, said goodbye to me again and then poofed away. For a moment, Niall stood staring at the spot where the male Fairy had disappeared; and then, he turned to me and asked casually, "So, my dear, what did you make of Rhys?"

"He's not very serious, is he?" I replied, "But still, he was fun. And also, he helped me a bit..." and in Sylvan I said, "Mae e wedi helpu fi mewn sawl ffordd."_He helped me in many ways._

First Niall looked surprised, then pleased. He exclaimed in delight, "Very good, Sookie! I told you... you will be fluent before you know it. Now, let us go inside, and you can tell me all about this picnic... in Sylvan, please."

The rest of the day passed quickly. After dinner we resumed our chess game that we had started before Niall's trip. Since that very first talk, the Prince almost never brought up why I was in the Portal or anything else unpleasant. During our game, he told me a bit about his pharmaceutical company, and some of the things they had been developing. Most of the products were for human consumption, but the real work was being done in the "special" research and development department. Everything that was invented behind those well-guarded doors was beneficial in some way to Fairies. My great grandfather was obviously very interested in the welfare of his people, and that knowledge made me like and respect him even more. After that, he told me a little about Paris and made it sound so wonderful! Remembering the play I had recently seen, I asked him if he had ever been inside the Paris Opera house. Niall laughed and said he had not only seen it, but spent many an enjoyable hour there over the centuries; and then he told me about some of his favorite operas. My great grandfather's low and melodious voice was so soothing, I eventually found my eyelids getting heavy. Of course he noticed it immediately and sent me straight off to bed, saying that I needed my rest.

Half-asleep, I wandered through the palace to my room where Morwenna was already waiting for me. I suppose I must have been wishing for a bath before bedtime, because my Elf already had the fragrant bathwater drawn. She helped me disrobe, and I slipped into the tub. Lying back, I luxuriated in the warmth of the water. I smiled to myself, thinking about my encounter with a real live unicorn, and whether or not Amelia was going to believe a word of it; when out of the blue, a vision of Eric flashed through my mind. It was almost as if I was watching a very short snippet of an old movie. The shadowy figure of the Viking was holding a woman in his arms, but I could tell immediately this was no lover's embrace. I think it had something to do with the way her head was hanging awkwardly off to one side. Eric's face was as impassive as I had ever seen it. Abruptly, he released the girl and her limp body fell to the pavement like a sack of potatoes. The vampire gazed down at the broken form with a cold eye, and then his head jerked up as if he could hear someone approaching... then, as quickly as the vision had come over me, it was gone. I blinked my eyes a couple of times, wondering what in the heck had brought _that_ on.

The vision or daydream or whatever it was had been brief but disturbing. I suppose since my subconscious mind insisted on making Eric look so wonderful in my dreams, my waking self was trying to interject a little reality. It made me remember that whatever else they were, vampires were by nature killers... but to give Eric his due, I had never once seen him killing anyone indiscriminately. As I had recently learned, though, he was very adept at concealing things from me. Still, even before I came on the scene, clearly he had been trying to be more progressive in his ways. After he became King, I had been present when he issued his formal edict about no killing for sport in his territory. So which version of Eric was the truth? The cold-blooded killer or the vampire trying to rise above his dark nature? Now I was more confused than ever and so I handled it like I always did... I shoved all thoughts out of vampires in general (and Eric in particular) clean out of my head and tried to think about something else entirely.

I decided that what I needed was a little TLC, so I called Morwenna back to help me out of the tub. Once again, my Elf knew without being told that I needed some extra care, and so she spent a long time rubbing in my creams. As she applied the required hundred strokes to my hair, she hummed a lovely Elven lullaby. Between her humming and the rhythmic brushing, soon I was sleepy again, and in no time was snuggled into my big comfortable bed. I replayed my conversation with Niall in my mind and thought about all the operas he must have seen in his long lifetime... and in spite of myself, I wondered the same thing about Eric. I wondered if he had been to the Paris Opera House, and if so, how long ago it had been... and that was my very last thought before drifting to sleep. Of course, almost immediately I began to dream , and I suppose it should have been no surprise that I seemed to be playing the role of the beautiful young singer in Phantom of the Opera. In the unaccountable way of dreams, the face of the handsome young love interest kept changing. First it was Sam, then Quinn, but then seemed to settle firmly into being Rhys for the duration. The Phantom, on the other hand, had only one player for the role: Eric. The first part of the dream proceeded pretty much according to script, but then things started to change just a tad and by the end the plot had obviously undergone a major re-write. For one thing, instead of being horribly disfigured, it turned out that the Phantom's secret was that he was vampire, and a chaste kiss was not nearly enough to satisfy his dark desires...

I started awake from the dream, my heart pounding. I had no idea how long I had been asleep or what time it was... as if it really mattered. Lying there in the quiet, artificial darkness of my room, a wave of horrible longing for Eric washed over me. Ever since I had been in the Portal it seemed that I had dream after dream of him; and although a couple of them had been pretty scary, most of them were only wish fulfillment taken to an extreme. Obviously my subconscious mind had not caught up reality, but insisted on showing me Eric in the best light possible. I just couldn't have one more marvelous, sensuous, erotic vision... I just could not. Even now, my body was literally aching for my vampire's touch, and it had all been brought on by those dreams. If I didn't know that it was impossible, I could swear that he was whispering to me right now, "_Come to me, Sookie. Please, Beloved! Without you, I am so alone..._"

In that moment of weakness, if Eric had materialized in my room, I would probably have forgotten all about what he had done and welcomed him into my bed without a second thought. Right then, I would have given anything to see my husband's handsome face with those totally amazing sapphire eyes, and felt his cool muscular body in my arms. I longed to run my fingers through his silky long hair, and feel his soft lips kissing me... For the first time since I had been in Niall's house, grief and pain rose in my chest until I honestly thought my heart was going to break into a thousand pieces. Finally I could no longer hold back my tears. They came down in a torrent, and I cried for a long, long time. Eventually, they wound down, and I just lay still, completely and totally spent. I was a little surprised that one of my Elves hadn't popped in with a hanky, but then realized that I had been mentally wishing that no one would ever see me in the depths of my despair. Instead, I rubbed my tears away with the sleeve of my gown, trusting that the fairy-cloth would dry itself out in no time.

Suddenly, it occurred to me that I bet I knew just the person who could keep me from having any dreams at all, and he was somewhere in the Portal right now. I wasn't exactly sure where, but instinctively I closed my eyes, pictured him in my mind, and wished like crazy that I could pop myself to wherever he was. In the blink of an eye, I was standing in a room that I had never seen before, but somehow I knew it was Niall's personal study. Most of the rest of the palace was light and airy in flavor, but not so this room. The furnishings in this room were dark and heavy with deep, rich jewel tones in the fabrics and carpets. It reminded me very much of Sir Robert's house in New York. The curtains were drawn and the room was nearly dark except for the light of a single lamp. The Prince himself was sitting in a comfortable chair, reading a book, and holding a heavy crystal tumbler in one hand. A comforting fire burned merrily in the grate. It was not cold in the Portal at all, and in the back of my mind I figured he had just conjured the fire up for atmosphere.

My great grandfather was dressed as casually as I had ever seen him. Usually he wore a perfectly tailored suit at all times, but now his outfit was very much like the one Rhys had been wearing earlier. His long hair flowed loose over his shoulders, and in the privacy of his room he was not bothering to appear so human. He was glowing with an inner light and was so beautiful that he literally took my breath away; and yet, he also radiated power, and there was no question that he was the Prince of the Fairies for a reason. I could hardly believe that I shared even a drop of blood with such an awesome creature.

Like a ton of bricks falling on my head, it suddenly occurred to me that I was intruding on the Prince's private space without an invitation... and without knocking to boot. Gran would probably have hung her head in shame like one of the Elves at my awful lack of manners. Instead of even batting an eye at my rude and untimely appearance, Niall just took a tiny sip from his glass and asked calmly, "Yes, daughter? What is it?"

I blurted out, "Great grandfather, is there any way you could give me something to keep me from dreaming?

"Of course, it is possible. But may I ask why it is necessary? Are you having nightmares?"

"Well, not all of them are bad... but I'd just rather not have any."

Gently, he asked, "My dear, are you certain? Sometimes, our dreams have a way of making us see truths that our conscious minds reject."

Almost to myself, I muttered, "I would give anything if it _was_ the truth..." and then, to Niall, "I'm positive. I would just as soon not have _any_ dreams."

Niall hesitated, and for a minute I thought he would refuse. Finally, he said, "I suppose I can see no harm in a few nights of dreamless sleep. Come, sit with me for a few minutes." I did as he asked, and took the matching chair on the opposite side of the fireplace. Holding out his hand, a crystal decanter appeared in it. After pouring a couple of inches of the contents into his own glass, he waved his hand over the liquid inside, and it changed from nearly clear to a lovely pink color. He said sharply, "Nudd!" Instantly, a tiny little Elf appeared at his side. He was only about three feet tall, and I wasn't sure if he was a child, or just naturally small, or what. I reminded myself to ask Morwenna later. "Please serve the Queen a tumbler of this now, and whenever she wishes to sleep."

In Nudd's tiny hand appeared another crystal old-fashioned glass. Taking the decanter from Niall, he served me a dollop of the rosy liquid, bowed to both of us, and then Elf and decanter promptly vanished. I took a tentative sip and the unexpectedly fiery liquid spread warmth throughout my entire body. With just a few seconds, the tight knot in my chest began to loosen and soon a feeling of euphoria began to creep in. I felt a broad grin replacing the distraught frown that I had been wearing before barging in to Niall's quarters. Watching me with an indulgent look on his beautiful face, he warned me, "Sip it slowly, my dear. You are not accustomed to it, and it is very potent."

"My goodness, this is _amazing_!" I said enthusiastically, and then took another sip. The exquisite flavors danced around my tongue. It was like nothing I had ever tasted, and no wonder... it was so delicious I bet this was something the Fairies would want to keep for themselves. In fact, I was surprised they all didn't run around with flasks of the stuff stuffed in their pockets, so as to take a discreet snootful from time to time throughout the day. I bet it was addicting as all get out. "What _is_ this stuff?"

The corner of his mouth twitched up in amusement, and the Prince replied, "We call it Perianth. It is made from the nectar of a flower grown here in the Portal. It can be quite intoxicating, even to Fairies. It becomes stronger and more delicious as it ages. This particular bottle is around two hundred years old. Of course, I added a little magic to yours to help you sleep with no dreams." His lovely blue eyes were twinkling.

"Really?" I took another sip, and sighed in pleasure as the wonderful elixir excited every taste bud in my mouth, "How long will it take to work? I don't feel slee..."

*****

The next thing I knew, my eyes flew open and I could see the pink bed-curtains of my own bedroom. Whatever Niall had given me did the trick. I had no dreams and slept like the dead... well, not really. However, instead of feeling rested when I awakened, I felt tired... and really sad. Something felt out of place, somehow, like I was missing something very important. I lay in bed for awhile, and tried to figure out what was causing me to feel so crappy, and finally it occurred to me that it might be because I _hadn't_ had any more dreams. Apparently my stupid subconscious yearned for an "Eric fix" and my dreams had been providing that in a round-about way. Now that I was going "cold-turkey," my mind and body were staging a subtle rebellion. Sighing heavily, I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I was so out of sorts that it took me a minute to realize that I had appeared to Niall last night in my very revealing nightgown, and he had never so much as batted an eye or appeared embarrassed in any way; and honestly, at that point, I didn't have the energy to even muster up a good blush.

*****

When I arrived at the breakfast table a little later, there was a small but beautifully wrapped box at my now customary place. The welcoming smile my great grandfather gave me warmed me through my whole body. "Did you sleep well, my dear?" he asked.

"Yes, thanks. No more dreams at all. I'm sorry I came to see you uninvited. It was very rude."

He gave a careless wave of his hand, dismissing my apology, "Nonsense, my child. I am glad you came to me... and I might add, I was very happy to see that you used your magic to find me."

Taking my usual seat, I pointed at the small box and asked, "What is this?"

The Prince's blue eyes twinkled merrily, and he replied, "A small gift, to make up for leaving you alone in your time of need. Open it. I am quite anxious to see if you like it."

I very carefully unwrapped my gift and found a lovely crystal bottle containing an amber colored liquid. "This perfume was made to my specifications especially for you," he explained, "A friend of mine is a very skilled perfumer in the old part of Paris."

"Just for me? I didn't know it was possible to have a perfume made just for one person," I said. Removing the little stopper, I inhaled deeply. Oh! It smelled just wonderful! Like roses... and sunlight... and some other wonderful ingredients that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I dabbed on a little, and the warmth of my skin made it smell even better. The idea that Niall had gone to all this trouble, even though he was obviously a very busy man, made my spirits rise considerably. I held out my wrist for him to sniff. He drew in a deep breath and then said, "Perfect. It will smell even better in a few minutes. Do you like it?"

"I love it! Thank you!" Spontaneously, I jumped up, and gave him a big hug... and then realized that maybe I shouldn't be so familiar with him, since he _was_ a Prince. He didn't seem to mind, though, since he just chuckled, patted my arm, and told me that he was glad I liked my gift.

A tiny bit embarrassed by my own display of emotion, I sat back down and tried my best to act dignified. A second later, Celyn appeared and served me a pile of blueberry pancakes the size of silver dollars. When he first sat the plate in front of me, I said apologetically, "Celyn, I'm sorry, but I'm not very hungry this morning..." Instantly, the little male elf hung his head in dejection. I said quickly, "... but the food looks wonderful. Really, it has nothing to do with you." A smile instantly returned to his small face.

Niall gave me a sharp look, and asked, "What seems to be the trouble?"

As far as I knew, there was nothing _really_ wrong, other than a serious case of the blues. I could hardly admit that in spite of everything he had done to me, I was stupid and weak enough to be pining for Eric. There was really no point in spreading gloom and doom to everyone around me, so I replied, "Nothing, really. I'm just not hungry. I think I'll be fine after our walk."

"Well, my dear, I am sorry to say I have some pressing business which needs my attention today. I will not be able to join you on your walk. Would you like for Aderyn to go with you?"

Shaking my head, I said, "No, I'm fine on my own as long as I stay out of the woods. Back home, I never got to go anywhere by myself without a pack of guards. I thought it was pretty silly, but Eric always insisted..." My voice trailed off.

Instead of sympathizing with me, Niall surprised me by saying calmly, "Of course he did. You need them. If the vampire had not provided them, I certainly would have sent some myself."

A little indignantly, I said, "I have been taking care of myself all my life, and I've made it so far."

Niall set down his porcelain teacup, leaned back in his chair, and studied me. He waved away the elf, who took my plate and immediately disappeared. "If I had been able to be a part of your life before now, you would have had guards, whether you were aware of them or not," my great grandfather informed me coolly, "Sookie, you are quite fragile and your magic undeveloped. Due to your association with the vampire you are a target. Unfortunately, being my kin also puts you in a dangerous position. You are much too precious to risk. When the burden of being constantly monitored gets too great, you can always come here or go to the islands for a retreat. I am sorry, but that is just a fact of your life. If you were human royalty, it would be much the same." Although he said it kindly, his tone brooked no nonsense. The Prince got that same look on his face that Eric did when there was no changing his mind, period, and I knew that arguing was a complete waste of breath. Well, this was a fine turn of events. I had never expected Niall to side with Eric. Since there was nothing else to say, I just sighed heavily.

"Come, child, cheer up. As long as you are here with me, you are as free as a bird," Niall reminded me, "Now, we need to do something about your appetite..."

My great grandfather leaned forward and stroked my arm, allowing his healing magic to flow through me. In no time, I was once again ravenous, and instantly Celyn appeared with a fresh plate of steaming pancakes covered in something similar to maple syrup. Niall said it came from local trees grown only in the Portal, and collected by the Elves in the spring. The Portal seemed so much the same all the time, I wondered how they could tell when that was, exactly. In any event, the food was all heavenly, and I'm afraid I ate enough pancakes for a field hand. The Prince watched me thoughtfully while I ate. Niall said, "As I was saying earlier, Sookie, I am afraid I have some official matters scheduled for the next couple of hours, and I must ask you to stay out of the area around the library during that time. I would prefer that some of the Fairies attending this meeting not catch a glimpse of you."

I told him I understood completely. He had made it clear that he was still reluctant to let more than a tightly controlled group know of my existence. He told me that I could go on my walk, as long as I stayed on the eastern side of the palace, but I decided instead to just stay in my room and finish my book. I could not quite shake the blues, so I buried myself in the story I was reading... or tried my best, anyway. Annoyingly, my thoughts kept straying back to Louisiana. I wondered how Hector was coming along on the gardens at Valhalla, and if Daniel had made any progress on the upstairs bedrooms. I tried to imagine what was happening at Fangtasia, and wondered if the sale of the building had gone through. Each time I caught myself, I would give myself a mental shake and try to refocus on my book. As much as I had been enjoying the peace and calm of the Portal, I wished there was something else besides reading to occupy my mind... a good movie, maybe, or some mindless TV. In fact, a little manual labor might be just the thing to pull me out of my funk... but somehow I knew without being told that the Prince would probably have views similar to Eric's on that subject. I tried to imagine the general reaction if I was discovered on top of a tall ladder, sweeping out the gutters of the palace. It would probably be cause for every Elf in the place to need Prozac!

Beyond reading, walking, sleeping, and eating, there really wasn't all that much to do here. Rhys was right, the hustle and bustle of my world _was_ pretty attractive. It dawned on me that maybe I was a teeny bit homesick... but then I reassured myself it was just my home I missed, and certainly _not_ the snake-in-the-grass vampires of my acquaintance.

After that enormous breakfast, I wasn't very hungry, and since I knew that Niall was busy, I just skipped lunch and tea-time entirely. I never even thought about eating until Aderyn popped in and announced, "Queen Sookie, the Prince sends his regards and wants to know if you will join him for dinner."

After being alone with my thoughts all day, I was more than ready. I hustled downstairs and enjoyed a nice dinner with Niall. Afterwards, he asked if I would like to see the fields where the flowers grew that provided the nectar for the Perianth. I eagerly accepted, and just as we were starting out I saw the figure of Rhys materialize just ahead of us. He gave me that fantastic smile of his, and it was just so beautiful I had to catch my breath. Closing the gap between us, he bowed to Niall and said politely, "Your Grace, I came to pay a visit to Sookie, but I can see that you are about to go on a walk. Perhaps I should come back on another occasion."

To my surprise, Niall invited the handsome Fairy to join us on our walk. He accepted, and soon he and Niall were deep in a discussion regarding the upcoming harvest of the _gwyddfid_ crop, which was the Sylvan name of the flower from which Perianth was made. We were following a path through a stand of trees, and even before we arrived I knew we must be getting close because of the heavenly smell that was permeating the air. Sure enough, as we stepped from under the canopy of trees, I could see acres upon acres of low-growing green vines covered in small white-gold blossoms. Stepping up to the edge of the field, I bent down and looked at the blooms more closely. They closely resembled honeysuckle, except that the blooms were somewhat larger. Even more amazing than the flowers themselves, though, were the hundreds or probably thousands of butterflies that were dancing above the plants. Their wings were dotted patterns of brilliant blues, yellows, and purples and edged in black. It was such an amazing sight, I found myself laughing out loud in delight. Niall said, "They are lovely, are they not? Not only do they provide a visual feast for the eyes, they are also hard workers. They are responsible for pollinating many of the plants here in the portal. Have you ever looked carefully at the Royal Crest, daughter? There is a butterfly worked into it. Butterflies have long been associated with our family."

Gently shooing away one of the fluttering creatures, Rhys bent and plucked one of the fragrant blossoms. He broke the stem away from the base of the flower and offered me the large drop of nectar that formed. I touched it to my tongue and savored the delicate flavor of the clear liquid. "It's really yummy, but how on earth do you harvest it?" I asked curiously.

Niall patiently explained that it was gathered by the woodsprites as their tithe, and then told me a little about how the nectar was processed into Perianth. It all sounded pretty complicated to me, but I certainly couldn't argue with the results. Soon, we headed back to the palace, taking an alternate route. Rhys and Niall clearly enjoyed each other's company, and it seemed that the handsome Fairy brought out Niall's lighter side, because soon they were laughing and telling each other jokes (some of which I admit I just didn't get, since I only had the vaguest idea of what they were talking about). Somewhat amusingly, it seemed that Rhys took every opportunity to touch me without overtly appearing to do so. He would casually brush my hand or my arm with his fingertips to make a point in conversation, and even "accidentally" bumped into me a couple of times. I once happened to catch Niall's face a split second after such an occurrence, and I could see that this behavior had not escaped his eagle eye. However, apparently the Fairies did not have the same restrictions on touching that the vampires did, because he never once said a word about it.

Once we got back to the palace, Niall invited Rhys inside for a drink (of Perianth, of course) and we all ended up the cozy room that I liked to think of as a "family room." It was very comfortably decorated in light and airy fabrics and lots of cushiony furniture, and featured large pairs of arched French doors all across one wall. Now the doors stood open, allowing a pleasant light breeze to circulate through the space. After getting little Nudd to serve our drinks, Niall conjured up an unusual looking game board and stacks of colorful tiles made of fairy-stone. Each piece had symbols carved into the top, and the two men tried their best to explain the rules of what seemed to be a rather complicated game. Soon my head was swimming, and Rhys just laughed and said, "Here, Sookie, come sit by me and watch how I play."

He moved my chair next to his, so that I could see his concealed tiles and watch how he went about choosing what tile to play next. Before I knew it, the dark mood I had been battling all day had finally lightened. I couldn't believe that I felt so much like laughing and joking, until suddenly it occurred to me what was causing it. Between the sips of Perianth I had been taking, and the rather intoxicating smell of all the two large Fairies in the room, I was half-way to being lit! Unaccountably, I felt guilty, but I wasn't really sure why. I couldn't shake the feeling, though, and soon I stood up and announced my intentions of going to bed. Rhys jumped up from his chair and grabbed my hand. In a very courtly gesture, he bent his head over it, and I could feel the warmth of his soft lips grazing my skin. A little of his magic started to flow through me, but then I pulled my hand away and broke the connection. Raising his head, he looked into my eyes and said gently, "Sweet dreams, Princess." I could have told him he was wrong on both counts, but instead just replied, "Goodbye, Rhys."

******

For the next couple of days, it seemed that every time Niall and I would start out on a walk, we would run into Rhys at some point. Niall had taken to inviting him in for a drink and a game afterward. One day just before dinner, he showed up on the terrace bearing a really lovely bouquet of flowers that he had picked for me, and of course that won him an invitation to dine. He was as light-hearted and fun to be around as ever, and he kept us both amused. For no reason that I could figure out, each day I seemed to be falling deeper and deeper into a depression; and so I came to look forward to the gorgeous Fairy's visits because it was hard to be sad when he was around. I had noticed that Niall always seemed to be present during these visits, so Rhys and I were never really alone; but I could never tell if it was coincidence or by design.

One morning at breakfast, the Prince was busy reading through important looking documents instead of his normal assortment of human newspapers (humorously enough, he seemed partial to the Wall Street Journal, and I wondered how much he had to tip the paperboy to deliver all the way to the Portal). I had awakened with a slight headache and not much appetite, and was just picking at my food to keep Celyn from being upset. Eventually, Niall glanced up and seemed to take in the fact that I was only shoving the food around my plate. Laying the documents on the table, he sat back in his chair and regarded me silently. After a few moments, he announced, "Sookie, I think what you need to improve your outlook is some more company. I am going to be somewhat busy for the next day or two, so I have invited Faeryn and her mother to come for a visit. They should be arriving around tea-time."

Faeryn! It really would be nice to see my beautiful magic tutor from the islands, but I thought maybe this wasn't exactly a random visit. Niall seemed anxious for me to use my magic, and maybe he thought she might be able to kick-start my interest in it again. In any event, having some company would be nice... except I was afraid she might serve to remind me of my honeymoon, a memory I was doing my best to avoid. I suspected that the Prince knew that, too. Although he had not said as much and in fact had tried to appear neutral on the issue, for some strange reason I got the feeling that he was hoping I would go back to Eric... maybe this visit was also a subtle push in that direction.

*****

Later that day, my great grandfather and I met on the east terrace for tea. I asked how his meeting had gone, and a slight grimace passed over his handsome face. I could tell that something was weighing on his mind, but of course he never let on exactly what it was. Niall merely replied that everything was fine, and then changed the subject. Suddenly, the Prince got a faraway look on his handsome face, as if he was listening to something in the distance. He announced, "I believe Faeryn is here," and sure enough, a moment later my friend and tutor from the Virgin Islands materialized on the terrace. That day she was wearing a flowing cotton dress in delicate blues and greens which went beautifully with her dark auburn hair, and just then her eyes were the same bluish green as the leaves of the trees in the Portal. She had on some fantastic turquoise jewelry that was obviously a product of her unmistakable artistry.

The lovely half-Fairy gave a graceful low curtsy to her Prince and said, "Good day, My Lord."

Offering her his hand, Niall smiled and said, "Faeryn, my dear, you are looking lovely as ever." She laid her hand in his, and to my surprise Niall pulled her to him and then laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. He had once told me she was a family friend, but it was apparent that he was very fond of her. She gave him a brilliant smile, and then turned to me and gave me a huge hug. "Hello, little sister!" she exclaimed, "I am very happy to see you again so soon."

I returned the greeting, and found that I really _was _happy to see her. Niall asked her to join us for tea, and so she took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs. Acting as hostess, I poured her some tea and then showed off a little by offering her some of the delicacies laid out on the table using my newly acquired Sylvan vocabulary. Faeryn's eyes got as large as dinner plates, and then she clapped her hands in delight. "Well, little sister, I can see that you have made the most of your time here," was her pleased comment.

For the next little bit, Niall and Faeryn chatted about some of the other Fairies that lived in the Islands. We were just finishing tea, when when I saw a sort of glowing golden halo appear, then a flash of pure white light. A Fairy appeared in the middle of the terrace... and not just any Fairy either. This was the most beautiful living creature I had ever laid my eyes on, male or female. She had long red hair with golden highlights in it, large almond-shaped green eyes, and skin so flawless that it looked like extremely fine porcelain. Quite obviously, she was not trying to tamp down her Fairy-ness for my sake, because she positively glowed with an inner light that was absolutely breathtaking. She looked a great deal like Faeryn, so I knew at once this must be her mother; but honestly, as lovely as my friend was, she was no more than a pale echo of this stunning woman. She was dressed in a long flowing dress of delicate green and gold fairy-cloth. Both Faeryn and Niall stood, and I could tell by their smiles how happy they were to see her.

Faeryn ran to greet her, giving her a fond hug and a kiss. I stood in awe. What must it be like to have a mother like _that_? To be able to actually touch her, and talk to her whenever you wanted? _I_ was happy enough just to stand there and look at her. Niall went over to her, and much to my surprise, leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth. She raised one perfectly shaped, delicate hand, and laid it gently on his cheek. They way they looked at each other left absolutely no doubt about it... this lovely, perfect creature was my great grandfather's lover. Oh... wow. However, it seemed fitting somehow, that what was surely the most beautiful Fairy in existence was the lover of the Prince. Niall offered her his arm, and led her over to me. "Rhiannon, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to my most beloved great granddaughter, Sookie Northman, Queen of Louisiana. Sookie, this is Faeryn's mother, Rhiannon."

The Fairy looked at me with a warm smile on her lovely face, and the minute she opened her mouth, I fell completely and totally in love with her. In a voice that was as musical as a symphony, she said, "Sookie, my child, it is a delight to meet you at last. Faeryn has told me all about you. She has always wanted a little sister, and I can see why she chose you! You are definitely Niall's kin, there is no denying it. Now, come talk to me, I want to get to know you." When she took my hand, her energy passed into me, and it was thrilling. Like my own family's magic, it was soothing, but hers also filled me with a strange joy and contentment at the same time. It was the best I had felt in days! A bubble of laughter welled up inside me, and spilled out. It surprised the heck out of me, but Rhiannon's eyes twinkled with merriment, and Niall looked very pleased.

We all sat down in the comfortable furniture near the edge of the terrace, overlooking the reflecting pond. Niall sat next to Rhiannon on the love seat, and as we all chatted he ran his fingers lightly up and down her forearm. Some time later we reached a lull in the conversation, and Niall stood and offered Rhiannon his hand. She rose gracefully to her feet, and Niall said, "If you will excuse us, Rhiannon and I have some catching up to do."

With that, they both disappeared in a startling flash of light that looked like a rainbow exploding. Faeryn chuckled, and said, "Those two! Still can't keep their hands off each other, even at their age!"

In wonder, I said, "Faeryn, you never told me that your mother was Niall's... uh... girlfriend." I really didn't know exactly what Fairies called such a relationship.

My tutor just laughed, and said, "Mother would be quite amused to hear herself called that... but I suppose it is accurate enough. They have been lovers off and on for centuries. Fairies are generally not monogamous by nature, but sometimes they _do_ fall in love, and form long-term relationships. If they are fortunate enough to have a child together, they will live together long enough to protect and raise the child."

"Why didn't Niall and your mother have any children?" I asked curiously.

A cloud passed over Faeryn's face, and she said sadly, "Oh, they tried. Mother wished to bear the Prince's child, and she became pregnant several times... but the babies never survived. As magical as those two are, even they could not keep them alive. It was all very sad, and eventually they gave up. Still, they love one another, and get together on occasion... like today."

At that, a smile came back to her face. I could tell that she adored both of them, and was happy when they were together. "Faeryn, your mother... she is so beautiful!" I said, "She seems like an amazing person."

"Oh, yes, Mother _is_ amazing. She is very, very magical, even though she only has a drop of the Royal bloodline. That was one reason she and the Prince tried so hard to have children. Sometimes, when two such magical beings reproduce, their offspring is phenomenally powerful. Their child would have made a suitable heir to our Prince... but it was not meant to be."

The Prince seemed so ageless that it was hard to believe that he was not really immortal. Now that I had finally gotten to know him and really care for him, the mere thought that my great grandfather was not going to live forever gave me a sudden chill. Faeryn must have sensed my sudden upset, because she said gently, "Don't worry, Sookie, the Prince will no doubt live for many, many more years. Now, I have been needing some new fairy-stone for my jewelry making. Why don't we go on a rock hunt before dinner?"

I had finished my book earlier and was tired of reading anyway, so I readily agreed. Maybe a good long walk would help snap me out of the funk I had been in. Fortunately I was already dressed in something suitable, but Faeryn excused herself long enough to pop back to her room, change clothes (courtesy of her own Elf), and gather up her rock-collecting gear. She was back in no time, and now was dressed in an outfit somewhat similar to mine, except that it was in a light shade of blue. She was carrying a leather satchel over one arm, and she handed me a much smaller bag for my finds. I asked her if we didn't need any other tools, like picks or hammers. At that Faeryn just laughed, and said, "Why not just use your magic? It will be excellent practice."

She had been so wonderful helping me learn how to use it in the first place, that I really didn't want to disappoint her by telling her that I had pretty much given up using it for the time being. Instead I asked, "So, where are we headed?"

"Oh, I have the best luck near the streams and waterfalls," my tutor explained, "Let us try the one to the east of the palace."

The one Rhys and I had visited had been to the south, and I was somewhat surprised to hear that there was more than one waterfall, but I figured Faeryn must know what she was talking about. I followed her across the east meadow, and before long we were wandering along the banks of a winding brook that I had never seen before. She stopped several times, picking up various colors and shapes of rocks and showing me what she was searching for, so that I could help look. We followed the water deep into the woods, not saying much, both intent upon our search. I found the whole thing strangely soothing.

Faeryn was busily looking through a handful of brilliantly colored pebbles, when suddenly she exclaimed, "Oh, look! A dragon's tooth! And just the right size, too."

Surely she was kidding! I laughed and said, "Ha! You are just as bad as Rhys! He's always teasing me about dragons and things, too... although I actually did get to pet a unicorn the other day."

At that Faeryn looked up, and gave me a strange look. "You met Rhys? What did you think of him?"

"He's lots of fun. To keep me from being bored, he took me on a picnic and that's where I got to see the unicorn."

"Niall allowed you to go on a picnic with Rhys, alone?" she asked, obviously surprised.

"Well, he didn't exactly _allow_ it," I explained, "Niall was away on business, but after he found out about it he didn't really seem upset about it or anything. In fact, Rhys has turned into a frequent visitor here lately. Still, I couldn't help but notice that Niall makes sure I'm never alone with him. Why? Is there something about Rhys I should know about?"

Faeryn shook her head, and said slowly, "No, of course not. He's from a good family and very loyal to our Prince. If the Prince does not object you seeing him, then I am sure it is fine. So, you got to pet a unicorn? How wonderful! They never let me near them, unless the Prince makes them be still. As for dragon's teeth... look here." She held out her hand, and in her palm lay a glistening tooth! It was about an inch long, glossy black, and very, very sharp. She laughed at the stunned expression on my face, and then laughed even harder when she saw me looking nervously around, obviously a little concerned. "Don't worry, Sookie, dragons make tons of noise, so one can't possibly sneak up on us," she reassured me, "...and the smell! You can smell them a mile away. Now, help me look. Where there is one tooth, there is bound to be more."

So, I did look, but not without nearly jumping out of my skin at every small noise; and my friend probably thought I had lost my mind the way I kept stopping to take long sniffs of the air every few minutes. Soon, we moved on down the stream and came to a relatively flat, open spot. Faeryn conjured up a blanket, and we sat down and spread out our haul and began to sort the stones into piles by color. We had found three more dragon's teeth, and I held one in my hand and stroked it, trying to imagine what the beast _really_ looked like. I ran my finger over the sharp tip and... ouch! A red drop of blood appeared, and without thinking I stuck it in my mouth. The minute the taste of blood spread across my tongue, a picture of my vampire floated across my brain, and before I knew it, a sharp spike of longing pierced my bruised heart. This time, in the quiet and peace of the moment, I finally realized what had been wrong with me the last couple of days. The sad truth was that not only was I homesick, I missed my vampire. In fact, I missed him terribly. I missed our home, and our big comfy bed, and the way I was always wrapped in his arms when I woke every day. I missed that huge Viking grin, and his sharp wit, and the way that even though he was dead, he seemed more alive than anyone I had ever known. Most especially, I missed making love to him, and the magical way that it felt when we were one... and the very idea that I might never feel that way again was nearly unbearable. Surely not _everything_ between us had been a lie.

I must have spoken that last thought out loud, because Faeryn said quietly, "I'm sure it wasn't. I saw the way he looked at you, when we met at the restaurant that night. I was completely shocked when I found out that you had left him. I do not know anything but the bare basics of the circumstances, but I do know one thing... that vampire loves you, Sookie."

I just shook my head sadly, and said, "Well, he was certainly good at making me believe he did, anyhow. The Second Bond sure came in handy for that. What I can't figure out is... why did he bother? Once the Bond was made, he could control me... so why keep up the pretense?"

"Control you? Sookie, you are a Brigant... I don't think he _can_ control you to any great extent, Bond or no Bond. He can't glamour you, can he?"

I thought that over. In my recent dream, I had felt exactly how a vampire's influence would feel, and I had never felt anything like it from Eric... except for the time in Memphis just after I had been staked. That time, I had _wished_ to be glamoured, and even then, I wasn't really certain if Eric had been able to do it or if I had just passed out from the pain. Reluctantly, I shook my head and replied, "No... I guess not. Although I think maybe I felt something close to it the other day on that picnic with Rhys... and one other time, from a really old vampire named Luke."

"Oh, little sister... that wasn't glamour in the way you think of it. I can see you haven't been around very many Fairy males," Faeryn said with a slight frown, "I am surprised Claudine hasn't explained all this to you. Tell me the truth. Did you find yourself curiously attracted to Rhys and wanting to have sex with him?"

I felt myself flush with shame remembering how close I had come to giving in to the handsome Fairy's suggestion of casual sex on the day of the picnic, and quite honestly the thought had floated through my mind a couple of times since then. Very reluctantly, I nodded. Faeryn sighed, and said, "That is exactly why I was surprised to learn that Niall allowed Rhys within a hundred yards of you. You see, Sookie, if they are interested in a particular female, Fairy males have a way of making themselves nearly irresistible to that female... it is just our biology. I suppose it is nature's way of ensuring the survival of our species. There is no shame in it. Your reaction was instinctual, and yet obviously you _were_ able to resist... but from now on, I would be very careful around Rhys."

That was a very interesting bit of information, and at least I felt slightly better about myself now. Apparently I wasn't quite as much of a slut as I thought. Good thing I was mostly human, and able to resist the "charm" of a Fairy male. Obviously, Niall _had_ been acting as a chaperon, and I wondered if he had actually called in Faeryn and her mother to take over the job now that he was too busy to do it himself. He shouldn't have bothered, though, because now that I knew what was causing the crazy attraction, I figured I could handle Rhys on my own with no problem. Getting back to the central issue, I said, "Well, whether Eric can glamour me or not, those Blood Bonds are are created strictly for the vampire, so he can control his human. The vampire can make you believe anything... even that you are in love... or that he loves you." Much to my embarrassment, that last part came out with a little tremor in my voice.

"While that is true in regular Blood Bonds, I don't think that's how Second Bonds work, Sookie.... although I admit that I am not an authority by any means. You need to talk this over with Mother. She is very wise and very knowledgeable. Now, I can see that I have upset you, and I am supposed to be cheering you up! No more talk of vampires today!"

*****

Not very much later, Faeryn and I packed everything up and headed back to the house. We joined Niall and Rhiannon for dinner, and I was completely fascinated watching the two of them together. The way they looked at each other made me realize that even if my own relationship hadn't worked out, there really _was_ such a thing as a love that could last for centuries. The three Fairies did their best to include me, but somehow the thoughts and emotions that had been brought to the surface during my walk with Faeryn kept me from really participating in the conversation. In order to keep from being such a wet blanket, I finally excused myself and went to my room.

Not long after that, I was bathed and snug in my bed. I read for awhile and was just thinking about going to sleep, when Nudd materialized at my bedside, bearing a crystal glass filled with amber liquid. Grinning broadly, the tiny Elf said in a squeaky little voice, "Queen Sookie, here is your bedtime drink." He ceremoniously handed me the glass, and as soon as I thanked him he bowed and disappeared. I took a sip of the rose-colored elixir, savoring the marvelous taste and the sense of well-being it produced. After just a couple more sips, knowing just how quickly sleep could overtake me, I set the glass on the bedside table, lay back against the pillows, and closed my eyes. Almost immediately, a vision of my tall, handsome vampire floated through my mind. The mild euphoria from the drink was replaced by an intense longing, but fortunately, Niall's magic took effect and I fell into a dreamless sleep.

***

When I came awake the next day, I could tell by the delicious smell in my room that I was not alone. I opened my eyes, and saw a pair of now sea-green eyes staring into mine. Faeryn, who was stretched out beside me on my bed, grinned broadly and said, "It is about time you woke up, sleepy head! I've been waiting for _hours! _Mother said I mustn't wake you, though."

Yawning, I sat up in bed. Her good cheer was a little infectious, and I felt marginally better than I had the morning before. "What's the rush?" I asked curiously.

"No rush... except that I have an urge to paint, and my model is languishing in bed!" she laughed.

Smiling back, I asked, "Me? You want _me_ to be the model? I didn't know you painted portraits."

Faeryn rolled off the bed, and said, "Yes, I do portraits, mostly by commission. However, sometimes I find a subject that intrigues me, and nothing will please me until I capture the image I have in my mind. It came to me while you were sleeping... now, get up!" She tugged playfully at the covers.

With a mock sigh, I got slowly out of bed, but actually the idea that an artist as accomplished as Faeryn wanted to paint me felt really nice. It was still dark in my room, so I went over to the windows to pull back the curtains. I stood at the first window, pulled the edge of the curtain back with one hand, and peered out. It was another picture-perfect day in the Portal with only a few of the lavendar gray clouds off in the distance. Faeryn commanded, "Stop! Don't move!" I froze, wondering if there was a spider crawling on me or something. "That light is perfect on your face!" she said in delight, "I want to keep that in my mind, for later."

Just shaking my head at the eccentricities of artists, I went ahead and pulled back the curtains and then headed into the bathroom. A few minutes later, Aderyn appeared and started running the bath water. I had no sooner slid into the fragrant hot water than Faeryn came bopping through the door. She came and sat on the edge of tub, chattering away while my Elf bathed me. I suppose it was a mark of how far my ideas had changed in the short time I had been here that it didn't even phase me. While I was being dried, though, the artist took a long look at my naked figure, chuckled a little and said, "Look, Aderyn, the Queen bears the mark."

"What mark?" I asked curiously. Faeryn came over and lightly touched a spot high up on my left butt check. It was a tiny birthmark, which was shaped exactly like a butterfly. I said, "Yes, it is a strange birthmark, isn't it? When I was little, my grandmother used to tell me that was where I had been kissed by the Fairies." Both of my vampire lovers had been pretty fond of kissing it, too, come to think about it.

Both Faeryn and Aderyn broke into laughter, and then my tutor told me, "Your Grandmother was a very perceptive lady. For your information, my dear, that mark is incontrovertible proof that you bear the Royal bloodline. Only Brigants have that particular mark. Claudine and Claude both have it, and although I have never seen it myself, Mother tells me the Prince has one as well." Aderyn nodded her head in confirmation. Suddenly, I remembered Niall mentioning that the butterfly part of the Royal Crest, and now I knew why. Huh.

As soon as I was dressed, Faeryn took my hand and popped us both out to breakfast, and as soon as that was finished she took me up to a large room at the very top of the palace. This was one area I had never explored. Apparently she had spent a great deal of time here at the palace while she was growing up, and Niall had given this space to her to use as her studio. It was full of beautiful light, and had a large easel and tables full of brushes and other supplies at one end. There were some tall shelves full of props for still lifes and also a little seating area at the other. Several half-finished canvases were stacked around the edges of the room. Faeryn fiddled around for a bit, setting up a place for me to sit, arranging some drapery behind me, and then posing me. She made me sit still while she sketched, but gave me several breaks so I wouldn't get too tired. She was very intent on her work, and talked very little. I was not really in a chatty mood myself, so I was content to just sit and watch her. We had been at it for what I assumed was about an hour, when unexpectedly Rhys popped into the room. He grinned at us and said in his jovial way, "Hello, lovely ladies. Rhiannon directed me here. How goes the portrait?"

Strangely enough, Faeryn didn't seem all that glad to see him. She replied, "We just got started, Rhys. Did you want something?"

"Well, I came to see if Sookie wanted to take her chances and have lunch at my place. She has never been to my house yet. Perhaps I could persuade the two of you to join me?"

Actually, I was pretty curious to see where Rhys lived, but to my surprise Faeryn spoke up and said, "Sorry, not today. Mother wanted us all to go for a walk after lunch. It is already arranged."

His handsome face looked so crestfallen, I suddenly felt sorry for him, so I said, "Why don't you eat with us, and join us on the walk? I can see your house another time." At that he brightened considerably. He dragged up a chair and set it off to one side, and then kept me amused while Faeryn finished her sketch.

*******

After lunch, Rhys, Rhiannon and I ended up going on the walk by ourselves. Niall had been too busy to come to lunch, and Faeryn decided that she wanted to get her sketch transferred to canvas so she could get started on the painting as soon as possible. The conversation was pleasant enough, and so I was a little surprised when Rhys decided to not accompany us all the way back to the palace. He told me he would see me later, and then vanished into the forest. Rhiannon merely smiled, and said, "Good! I wanted to have a chance for the two of us to get to know each other a little better, and males have a way of dominating the conversation, do they not?"

Obviously, this was one smart lady. I just chuckled, and agreed. She took my arm, and we companionably strolled down the well-trodden path back to the palace. We walked for a time in silence, but eventually the beautiful Fairy opened the conversation with, "Niall is worried about you Sookie. He is concerned that you are not using your magic, and that you are not happy here."

Her wonderful brand of magic was flowing through me, making me relax enough to be able to tell her, "I _am_ happy here... but I really don't belong here, do I? I will _never_ be as magical as the rest of you. I am just the poor mostly human relation with a load of problems, and Niall is very kind to tell me that I can stay... but I would never really fit in."

"Oh, I think you are mistaken," she said firmly, "I have not seen Niall so content in many a year. You may not be one hundred percent Fairy by blood, but I can assure you that being magical is not all about percentages. Furthermore, you are not exactly the poor relation, are you? You are a Queen in your own right, and as I understand it, your vampire is really very wealthy. I think the real reason you resist using your magic is that you really do not want to take your place among us. I think that you are pining for your Bonded."

Stubbornly, I insisted, "No, I'm not. How could I be pining for someone who doesn't really love me? Since that first call, he has made no attempt to contact me. I'm not even sure that I ever really loved _him_. I think Eric just tricked me into feeling that way."

"Ah, yes. Faeryn told me you were under the misconception that your vampire can manipulate your feelings through the Bond. While that is true of First Bonds, Sookie, Second Bonds are very different. They really are only made for love, and if you did not truly love one another, the Bond would not have formed. That is one reason they are so rare. And as for controlling you, I doubt seriously any vampire could hope to control a Brigant, no matter how powerful they are in other ways."

"But Quinn said... " I trailed off.

Rhiannon said in surprise, "Quinn the Weretiger? What does _he_ have to do with this?"

"We dated for awhile, and he is still... fond of me," I explained, " He was just trying to help me out by telling me some hard truths."

Her eyes now twinkling, she said, "Oh... I think I see. I would imagine a former suitor wishing to get back in your good graces might not be the best source of information."

Well, she was definitely right on that point. Quinn wasn't exactly an uninterested third party. He definitely had a dog in this fight. What if he had planted that idea to help drive a wedge between Eric and me? If what Rhiannon said was true, then at least Eric _had_ loved me at the time the Bond was made. That one fact alone was enough to make my head spin, and one tiny crack appeared in the emotional dam around my heart. She went on to say, "Let me point out that you have been here for many days now. All that time, the Bond has been closed, so even if _were_ possible for him to influence you through it, clearly he cannot now. Look into your heart, my daughter. Do you love him now, or not?"

"No!... Yes!.... oh, I just don't _know_!" I wailed.

Rhiannon took my hand and said gently, "I think you do know. If you did not love him still, then why are you still wearing his rings?"

Rings? What? In confusion, I stared down at my left hand, which was still resting in Rhiannon's upturned palm. Sure enough, there was the huge diamond of my engagement ring twinkling up at me, cosily nestled next to its matching wedding band. In all this time, I had never once realized that I was still wearing them. Subconsciously, I suppose I had not really wanted to break that last connection to my husband, and so my mind just conveniently forgot to remind me that they were still on my finger. In a daze, I said, "Just because I forget to take them off doesn't mean that I love him... and even if it did, it doesn't mean I can forgive him. As Niall pointed out, Eric is vampire, and maybe I just can't live with the realities of that. Even if I _could_ get used to him feeding from others, I will _never_ be able to stand the thought of him having sex with other women! And besides that, it is in his nature to be cruel and to kill things. I bet all that "I'm trying to be progressive and not kill for sport" is just a bunch of crap. Furthermore, now that he's King, I can just imagine some of the punishments he's going to be handing out. Maybe I _would_ be better off here, where everyone is always so... light-hearted."

"Always light-hearted? Never kill things?" the beautiful Fairy said in astonishment, "Oh, my dear, you really don't know us very well, do you? We may seem to be all sweetness and light, but believe me, Fairies have a much darker side, too. As a matter of fact, I believe _you_ are not entirely innocent when it comes to killing. As for Eric being King, he _will_ have to give out harsh punishments. That is part of being a good Monarch. Supernatural beings are very difficult to discipline, as you can well imagine, and it takes a very strong ruler to keep order. In fact, I think it is time that you see something of what it means to be Prince of the Fairies. Whatever happens, remain silent."

Before I could voice an objection, her fingers had closed around my hand and she had popped us into Niall's library. Obviously there was some sort of meeting being held, and it looked to me like a form of court. I could see a faint glow surrounding Rhiannon and me, as if we were encased in a golden bubble, and I suddenly understood that no one here could actually see us. Suddenly the Prince's head swiveled in our direction, and I knew that even if he couldn't see us, he could tell that we were there. He made no comment, though, and quite calmly turned back to the Fairy who had been speaking. On the occasion I had visited Niall in his private study, I had been amazed at how beautiful he was, but now another layer was added to the picture. The Prince was at his majestic, powerful best, and in that instant I knew he was as ruthless as any vampire ever born, including Eric. Niall spoke up and said, "So, as I understand it, the facts are these: despite having been warned by me on two separate occasions, he has swindled three more vampires out of a great deal of money, somehow discovered their resting places, and then staked them to keep them quiet. Is that about it?"

"Well, My Lord, on the surface that appears to be the case, but as I have explained..."

"All you have done is sugar-coat the facts and tried to dance around the issue," Niall said in a voice cold enough to send chills through me, "The truth is, your client is sufficiently wealthy already, or he could not afford your outrageous fees. He steals the vampires' money because it makes him feel clever, and he kills them because he hates them. The relations between the races are already deteriorating, and if I allow this behavior to continue it will not help things at all. After careful consideration, I have decided on a fitting punishment. Your client will be transported to the facility in Paris. There he will be enclosed in an iron cage with only six inches clearance all around. There he will remain for a week. That should allow him plenty of time to think about ways to mend his bad behavior."

I could tell by the pale and sweating face of "The Client" that this was not good news. Throwing himself on his knees, he begged, "Please... please, Prince Niall! Reconsider! Being that close to the iron for that long will permanently weaken my powers! What if I fall asleep? If I fall into the bars, it could kill me!"

The Price gave him a cold, cold smile, and said, "Then I would suggest you stay awake. If I _ever_ hear of you staking another resting vampire while our races are still at peace, the next time it will be a month... and good luck staying awake for that long. No one else ever has, but I suppose you could be the first."

Now the poor Fairly was really distraught, begging and crying, but Niall merely gave him a serious glare and said, "Stop that caterwauling. Show some dignity." He flicked his fingers at the pair, and they disappeared. Niall said loudly, "Next case!", the doors to the library swung open, and Ieuan escorted the next group inside. The next two cases were no better, and commanded even worse punishments. They must have been saving the really hard-core cases for after lunch. No wonder Niall hadn't felt like eating if he was going to have to face all this, although it did not appear to phase him in the slightest; however, _I _found myself slightly sick to my stomach. Rhiannon must have decided I had seen enough, because a moment later we were back in the family room of the palace. My knees were so weak, I had to sit down immediately. The beautiful Fairy said, "You see, daughter, your vampire is not the only Monarch to issue what may seem to you to be harsh punishments. Believe me, though, they are quite necessary. Be proud that your King is a strong ruler, and not willing to allow chaos to rule his territory. And I might add... as his Queen, someday _you_ might be in a position requiring the dispensation of justice; and since you are not vampire yourself, your magic might come in quite handy."

Even if I did someday go back, I found that possibility to be remote in the extreme, but I was too polite to say so. For now, thought, my head was spinning with everything I had just learned. Unconsciously twisting my wedding rings around and around my finger, I sat deep in thought. Did I still love Eric? If I did, could I come to accept his ways? And then, the question that had been buried in the deepest recesses of my broken heart floated to the top of the pile. Even if I did decide to go back, would he even want me? Was it possible that in spite of his infidelity he did still love me, or at least as much as a vampire _could_ love? Instantly, tears sprang into my eyes, and I could feel them starting to roll down my cheeks.

Without another word, Rhiannon came and draped her arms around me. Her magic filled me, calming and soothing my bruised soul. Kissing my forehead, she said, "My daughter, I am sorry that our conversation has caused you pain, but sometimes to treat a wound you must first open it and cleanse it. After that, it can begin to heal properly. It is time for you to begin to face your troubles squarely, and then go forward with your life. If you choose to stay, do so with pride in who you are. If you decide to go back, my advice is exactly the same. You _are_ strong enough to do this, Sookie. You are."

I knew in my heart that Rhiannon was right. I had been avoiding my feelings ever since I got here. It was time that I put on my big girl panties, and got on with it... I just wasn't sure how. As if she could read my mind, Rhiannon said, "You don't have to do anything drastic, just quit blocking your thoughts and emotions. It _will_ be painful, but I think you will find that on the other side of that pain is a solution."

That was easier said than done, but I was grateful for the lovely Fairy's concern and also for her advice. My tears had run their course, and I wished like crazy I had a hankie. Immediately, Morwenna appeared and handed me one. I thanked her, she gave me a sympathetic look, and then disappeared again. I dabbed at my eyes and blew my nose. Rhiannon said, "The least I can do for upsetting you so is to repair the damage." She waved her hand, and even though there were no mirrors, I could sense that my hair was freshly styled, and my face was as clean and fresh as a daisy. I thanked her, and then she said, "I do believe it is already tea-time, and Niall will be famished after missing his lunch. Let us go join him on the terrace."

During tea, Niall never said a word about us being present during his court. Things seemed perfectly normal, and the rest of the day progressed without further incident. After a late dinner, we all ended up in the "family room." Niall challenged all of us to a round of the same game that he and Rhys had been playing the day before and even though I was still unsure of all the rules I joined in. I lost, but at least I gave it a good try, and I had a good time in the process. I wondered if maybe that was the secret to many things in life... just keep trying, even if you didn't really understand all the rules, and someday you just might win.

******

The next couple of days passed quickly. Faeryn was working hard on her painting, but still took plenty of time off to go with me on long ambling walks. We found enough fairy-stones to last her a long time! Rhiannon and Niall continued to pop out at the oddest times, and I noticed that the Prince was certainly smiling a lot more. As for myself, I had tried to take Rhiannon's advice and not block my feelings. I found myself on an emotional roller coaster. I loved Eric. I hated Eric. One minute I was sure I wanted to go back and work things out, and the very next minute I was equally sure I could never, ever live with his infidelity. I wasn't quite sure if I believed what Rhiannon had told me about the Bond, either. Although that might be true for most vampires, she just didn't know Eric. If anyone could figure out how to bend the rules, it would be him. How could he love me as much as I "felt" that he did, and still cheat on me? I just couldn't make sense of the whole thing. Maybe I really would be better off staying here. In the privacy of my own room, I had begun to practice my magic again, and I had to admit it felt really good. Rhys had not been around, and oddly enough I found myself missing his smiling face. At lunch that day, I rather timidly asked if Niall knew what had become of him. Niall gave me a rather piercing look, and replied, "If you would like, I will invite him to dinner. Speaking of guests, I thought we might have a little house party, and so I have asked Claude and Claudine to join us tomorrow." At that news, my spirits really did lift. I could hardly wait to see Claudine. I had been missing her, too... and I wouldn't even mind seeing Claude.

As dinner approached, I found myself looking forward to seeing Rhys. Since Faeryn had spilled the beans about the irresistible "charms" of a Fairy-male in full rut, I was prepared to withstand it if necessary... but fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) since the picnic I had not felt that nearly overwhelming push of sexuality from him. Instead, it was more like he was had decided to be my very best friend, and I was much more comfortable with him in that role. It wasn't that I didn't find him sexy as all get out... he was undeniably that. Of course, I was mature enough to realize that if I decided to stay in the Portal, I very well might end up having a sexual relationship with him sooner or later; but honestly, I could not conceive of ever falling in love again. Without a doubt, I would never, ever again be foolish enough to give my heart to another man, under any circumstances. No, I would become like most other Fairies... having sex just for fun, with no strings attached. Luckily, here that was not strange at all, but par for the course.

For now, though, Rhys was just darned good company, and he seemed quite content to leave it that way. I went out as far as the reflecting pool to wait for him, and he did not keep me standing around for very long. He materialized, and instantly broke into his famous grin. This time, he offered me a single yellow blossom with a courtly bow, and said, "A token of my esteem, My Lady. Now, tell me how the portrait is coming along..."

******


	28. Chapter 28

_Author's notes: These amazing characters are owned solely by the brilliant Charlaine Harris. I am only using them for my own amusement and hopefully yours._

_**** I want to thank everyone for all the lovely reviews and PM's. I apologize for not responding to all of them this last couple of weeks, but as it turns out my room was right on the cusp between two wireless routers, and I kept picking up the wrong signal in the middle of things... too frustrating, so I just gave up. I am sure you all understand. Please know that I treasured each one._

_**** I am happy to report that I have escaped the clutches of my vacation. I have discovered that after living all of my life at or near sea-level, my body and my brain does not function well at altitude. I was sick from the very first day, and in fact I am still battling a nasty cold. Unfortunately, lack of oxygen + cold medication = not much writing. I know this is a critical part of the story, and I hated for there to be such a long delay, but there was no help for it. The irony is that I am able to stay home today and get this chapter ready only because it is snowing here, and I can't get to work! I just took a very expensive trip to see snow, and now its snowing here (which is very rare)... such is my life._

_**** I am trying to make up for going so long between chapters by giving you one super-dooper long chapter to make up for it! Plan accordingly!_

_**** A couple of my friends have PM'd me to let me know that the baby in "Late" is also named Alexander. This time, I am not going to change the name, because as far as I am concerned it is the only choice for Sookie and Eric's child. It not only honors the greatest warrior who ever lived, but also the fantastically handsome Alexander Skarsgard (our own version of Eric). It just proves that, as a friend of mine says, "Great minds run in the same small circles!" LOL!_

Chapter 28

Eric's POV 

My eyes fly open just before sunset. For once, I must not have come to consciousness at all during the daylight hours, because I am in exactly the same position I was in when the sun took me. Sookie's photograph is lying on my chest, her nightie is clutched in one hand, and her notebook in the other. Obviously, my Bonded has not returned during the daylight... not that I was really expecting that to happen. I bring the satin garment to my face and inhale deeply. Her scent is comforting, but also has the effect of making me long for her quite intensely. In addition, it brings to mind the incredibly strange dream I had just before sunrise. Why on earth would I dream something so irrational as Sookie and I having a child? I know full well that is utterly impossible.

Perhaps it is part of the Bonding Sickness. Tonight there is no doubt at all that it is getting worse. For the first time, I allow myself to contemplate the possibilities of what may become of me if Sookie does not come back. How bad will it get? Will I eventually go mad from the awful longing? With no way to reach her, how will I _ever_ explain? And what of Sookie? Even though Claude had assured me that she will be spared the Bonding Sickness while in the Portal, I find that hard to believe. Our Bond is too deep, and I am worried. Even though it would work in my favor if she did get sick, because then Niall would have no choice but to return her, I cannot bear the thought of My Bonded being that ill again... and even if what they say is true, and she is physically all right, I know that emotionally she must be utterly devastated.

Sookie is young, inexperienced, and insecure. The unfortunate series of events in Las Vegas have convinced her that not only have I betrayed her in the cruelest fashion, but that our Bond was only one-sided and that I used it to manipulate her into believing I loved her when I did not. After seeing her reaction to Bill's betrayals, I know exactly how she deals with this sort of thing... she runs away from the problem and then does her best to ignore it. It took her many months to even speak to Bill civilly, and much longer than that to allow him back into her heart. Sookie is both stubborn and proud, and these qualities make it extremely unlikely she will reach out to me any time soon.

Sighing deeply, I know something else, as well. My Bonded and I are a great deal alike in many ways. Compton was right. I am letting my own pride stand in the way of a chance at reconciliation. I love my wife. I want her back. Even if it _does_ make me look weak, I am going to call Niall. Surely if I explain exactly what occurred, man to man, he will allow me to speak to Sookie or at the very least convey to her what I said. Crawling out of bed, I retrieve Sookie's phone from the charger. I scroll down the list until I get to the Prince's number, and then press "send." After a few rings, the same male voice from last night answers. I begin by saying politely, "This is Eric Northman. I wish to speak to Prince Niall... please."

The voice says evenly, "I am sorry to inform Your Majesty that the Prince is unable to take your call..."

What! The Fairy refuses to talk to me? How will I ever get this mess straightened out if no one will listen to reason! Anger tinged with fear starts to rise like flood waters from under a breaking dam, but then the calm voice continues, "... however, he did remind _me_ that in the days before telephones, the preferred method of communication was the written missive, and that perhaps I should pass that information along to _you _if you called."

What? I am silent for a moment while I try to puzzle this out. Why would Niall refuse my call but then give me such a suggestion? After a moment, I believe I have the answer. The Fairy Prince is in much the same boat that I am. He does not wish to appear weak, but he really does have Sookie's best interests at heart. In addition, I suspect that Sookie has made him promise not to talk to me. The Fairy is very wily, indeed. He is keeping his word to her, and at the same time giving me a method of getting through to her in a completely non-threatening way. Carefully, I say, "I see. If one were so inclined to send a letter to the Portal, how would one go about it?"

"Well, sir, most correspondence for the Prince is mailed to one of his several corporations. It is eventually forwarded here. That usually takes quite some time. The more expeditious route is to have an authorized Fairy hand-deliver it to the palace. If I may be so bold, I believe Mr. Claude is near to your location. Perhaps you could prevail on his good will to do you this service."

Claude! After last night, I find that highly unlikely. "Is there any other way?"

"You are welcome to try and find another willing Fairy, but obviously that might be somewhat difficult. I believe Mr. Claude is the proper choice."

I think he is telling me that Claude has been alerted that this might be a possibility. "I understand. One more thing... my wife. Is she... is she well?" As much as I want to plead with this man to let me speak to Sookie, I know he will not.

"All I am allowed to tell you is that the Queen is as well as can be expected under the circumstances," the neutral voice replies, then to my surprise he adds, "For what it is worth, sir, I wish you well." With that, he disconnects. For a moment, I stand staring at the phone in my hand, wanting to call back and try to cajole or somehow bribe the only Fairy that has shown me me even an ounce of pity to help me get through to Sookie... but of course, I am quite certain he is extremely loyal and obedient to his Prince and it would do no good. Instead, I reluctantly head for the shower to get ready for another excruciatingly lonely night.

*****

During my shower, I try to think about exactly how this letter should go. This very well may be the only chance I have, and so it must be absolutely perfect. I think I must begin by stating exactly how much I love her, and how very much I miss her and want her to come home. Then I must explain in detail exactly what occurred. Of course, I realize that she will probably think it is just more untruths. I have racked my brain for ways of proving any of this, but cannot think of even one. Turning off the water, I get out and dress. I slip Sookie's phone into my pocket, and head upstairs. I go straight to my desk and rummage through the drawers. Fortunately, it appears that Bobby has already filled the desk with supplies. I pull out a fountain pen and some of the stationary on which I usually write Sookie's daily notes. I chose this on purpose, instead of the official Royal stationary. Not long ago, I saw her shoving something rather furtively into one of her lingerie drawers, and so naturally after she was asleep I made it my business to see what my little Lover was hiding. Much to my amusement, it turned out that she had been hoarding each and every note I had ever sent her. Now, I want familiarity and sentimentality to work in my favor.

Confronted with a blank page, I think for a moment and then begin, _My dearest Queen..._no, that isn't right. Not nearly as personal as I want. I tear up that page and start again. After two more false starts, I bury my head in my hands in frustration. Why is it so hard to think! Suddenly, it occurs to me that part of the problem is the incessant noise emanating from somewhere across the hall. Rapidly, I cross the room and slide open the doors to my library. One of the servants is busily sweeping the floors in the living room, noisily moving the furniture around to get under things. My temper begins to rise. How dare this insignificant human interrupt my train of thought with such nonsense? I bellow, "Stop that infernal racket!" Like a deer caught in the headlights, her head whips around and she stares at me open-mouthed. In return, I give her a serious glare and bare my fangs at her for emphasis. At that, she gives a terrified shriek and goes running out of the living room, down the hallway, and out the front door, leaving it wide open in her hurry to get away from the bad-tempered vampire. I follow behind her, and firmly close the door. Ah... silence. Much better.

Returning to my library, I pace around a little just to get my thoughts in order again. I finally get going with:

_My Beloved Wife, _

_First and foremost, I want you to know how much I adore you. I am completely miserable without you by my side. I beseech you, my angel, to read this letter and give me a chance to explain the terrible events in Las Vegas. _

_On our sacred Bond, I swear that I never intended to marry Sandy. I did not tell you of the Proposal because I refused to have you upset by something that was never going to happen. I realize now that I should never have kept this from you. Even though it is technically possible, I will never have another Queen besides you. _

_As for Sabriel, I further swear that everything I already told you was true. I never loved her and I was not having an affair with her. She tricked me into drinking pure Fairy blood, and what you witnessed was the unfortunate result. It is imperative that you know one critical fact: despite appearances, I did not have sex with her. I came to my senses before the act of penetration occurred._

_You must believe me, I would never have willingly betrayed you in that fashion. Why would I? In over a thousand years, you are the only woman that I have ever loved. I count the day that our Bond was made to be the luckiest day of my long existence. I would never risk something so sacred for something as fleeting as physical pleasure. My fondest... no, my only wish is for you to come home and let me show you how sorry I am that I allowed any of this to happen. If you will only give me another chance, I promise you that things will be much different. I promise that I will no longer keep things from you._

_However, I know that you may be reluctant to place your trust in me again. Therefore, if you are unwilling to forgive me outright, please, let me propose an alternative to staying in the Portal. Valhalla is yours. I gave it to you for our engagement, and only your name is on the title. If you will consent to come back to Louisiana, you can live there and I will stay away unless invited. If you would be more comfortable in Bon Temps, the same offer applies. Perhaps I could stay close enough for the Bonding Sickness to remain in check, but you would not even have to actually see me except on occasions initiated by you. _

_I have consulted Dr. Ludwig, who informed me that we must exchange blood regularly or risk the Sickness. I fully admit that I was wrong about that, too. Perhaps it would suffice for us to have the blood medically drawn as you did for our wedding and in that way we would both remain healthy with a minimum of contact. I will go to whatever lengths are necessary, if only you will come home._

_Give me a chance to court you, my Lover. Obviously I was not very good at it the first time around. This time, there will be no uncertainty on my part. I will not allow my pride and stubbornness to get in our way. I am a patient vampire. However long it takes, I will prove how passionately I love you, and that I am the faithful husband and lover that I promised I would be. Remember our wedding vows? I do, and I meant every word._

_I will be anxiously awaiting your answer. _

_Your loving husband and Bonded,_

_~Eric_

_P.S. I also want to apologize for entering your home without an invitation. It was wrong and I know I frightened you. You must know that I would never harm you, under any circumstances. ~E_

After re-reading what I have written, I feel satisfied with my letter. I slide it inside an envelope, and address it simply _Sookie_. Now, I must decide how best to have it delivered. I turn over several possibilities in my mind, and finally settle on Cooper. Fairies are not threatened by Weres in the slightest. Furthermore, Claude knows that as Sookie's main bodyguard, he has a close relationship with her and so may be more inclined to accept him as a messenger. Pulling out Sookie's phone, I give the Were a call. He answers on the second ring, "Sookie? Are you all right?"

"This is Eric Northman. I need something delivered. Come to Valhalla to pick it up."

Without even hesitating, he answers, "Yes, Sir. I can be there in about twenty minutes."

Snapping the phone shut and then open again, I decide to check Sookie's voice mail. The decorator has called again, as well as the Shifter. Also, there is a message from Amelia telling Sookie she has returned from her trip and asking Sookie to call. Briefly I consider calling the witch and asking her to deliver the letter, but am reluctant to bring her into this situation unless absolutely necessary. I think about checking my own voicemail but decide it can wait until I get to Fangtasia. Instead, I feel the need to move, and I am tired of pacing around inside. I am just about to head for the front door, when I see Juanita coming down the hallway from the kitchen. In her hand is a bottle of blood, which she rather timidly holds out to me. "Patrón, I thought you might be hungry," she says, "I am sorry if Viola disturbed you earlier."

Taking the bottle from her hand, I take one sip, but then hand the bottle back to her. "From now on, I want the staff quiet until I leave the house. Do you understand?"

"Oh, I don't think Viola will be coming around anymore to trouble you. Myself, I will be quiet as a church mouse. Is this blood not to your liking? I can go out and buy another brand if you prefer."

"No. I am not hungry." Without another word, I head outside. It is still a bit too soon for Sookie's Were to arrive, but I am far too impatient to just sit around inside waiting. It is a lovely temperate evening, and I can smell the small flowering plants that the gardener has planted by the front porch. The first thing that catches my eye is the huge crate still sitting unopened in the drive. I decide to see what is in it while I am waiting. After breaking the steel bands wrapped around the perimeter, I pry off the side of the crate and pull away some of the packing material. I can tell right away that the rest of the crate will have to be dismantled to remove the item, so I do. After clearing away the last of the straw, I stand back and admire the crate's contents. It is a marble statue depicting a beautiful female Fairy. On her upraised palm sits a tiny winged fairy. Obviously carved by a master, the statue has the patina of great age and if I am not very much mistaken it is extremely valuable. Around the small fairy's neck is a ribbon, and dangling at the end of that is an envelope. I pull it loose and open it. The card is from Robert and it reads:

_To my brother and his lovely Queen, _

_I have been remiss in sending a gift in celebration of both your wedding and your Second Bonding. I saw this in Rome and it reminded me of our very own Fairy. I thought it would go well in her rose garden. _

_I look forward to seeing you both very soon,_

_Robert_

My very first thought is exactly how much Sookie will love it when she sees it; the second is to wonder if she ever _will_ see it. Sternly, I remind myself that I must have faith that my Beloved will return to me. Trying to shake off my negative mood, I take a closer look at this magnificent gift. Something about the statue is familiar... it reminds me of something. After giving it some thought, I realize with a start that this statue bears an uncanny resemblance to the one that was in the rather bizarre dream I had just before sunrise this morning. The one before me is quite distinctive, and I am sure I would remember if I had ever actually seen it before now... how then did I come to dream about it?

I am not a big fan of coincidence. Was this dream in some way significant? What caused me to have such an unusual dream in the first place? It is true I was thinking of Sookie's plans for landscaping and for finishing the house directly before slipping into downtime, so that part of it is quite explainable... but to dream of having a child? Since becoming vampire, I have never once given the slightest thought to anything so outlandish... that is, until I decided to ask Sookie to marry me. I had been very afraid that her strong desire for a child and a "normal" life might keep her from accepting my proposal. On a few other occasions, I have heartily wished that I could give her that one thing... but all the while knowing it is quite impossible. So why, then, would _I_ dream of a child? If anything, that would be Sookie's dream... OH! Could it _be_ Sookie's dream, and I somehow tapped into it? Is that why I have felt the connection with her, directly afterwards?

This thought is so startling that instantly I begin to pace, to try and make some sense of this. Thoughts are tumbling rapidly through my mind, and I struggle to make them fit into some sort of order. Finally, I come to the only conclusion that fits. Sookie's magic is young and undeveloped, and she cannot hold the Bond closed when she is asleep. Our souls are still intertwined on some level, and that connection is so deep that somehow we _must_ be together. Right now the only way that is possible is through our dreams. Obviously, one partner initiates the dream, and the other is caught up in it... but to what extent each partner influences the outcome of it is unclear. I only wish I knew how to use this amazing phenomenon to my advantage... but even_ I_ cannot do much more than direct my thoughts to a particular subject, but with no guarantee that the dream will proceed along specific lines.

Even if I cannot harness this ability, this tenuous link to my Bonded gives me comfort. I wonder if she realizes what is happening? Somehow, I doubt it. Now I wonder if the dream of my being her first and only lover was her fantasy, or mine, or a combination of both? I distinctly remember directing my thoughts along those lines just before the dream, so I must have initiated that one. Last night's dream was clearly Sookie's, and I suddenly realize what an amazing opportunity this actually is. Once our Bond was made and I could feel her emotions, I mistakenly thought that I knew everything there was to know about her... but her absence has made me realize how little I actually know about the things that are important to her. This is a chance for me to see inside her mind and her heart, and to understand what some of _her_ deepest desires are. In analyzing each element of last night's dream, I realize that some of my wife's wishes I already knew or could guess, but a few come as a complete surprise. In her dream, we were still very passionately in love, and I am comforted to know that is still clearly what she wants. I gave her Valhalla because I knew that all females want a house of their own; but more than just a place to live, obviously Sookie wants it to be a beautiful but comfortable home, full of family and friends. I have always known that friends are very important to her, but that she could possibly be comfortable with having a nest (albeit a non-traditional one) is something I never could have guessed. Apparently at some time or other she has entertained the idea of being a writer, another thing I did not know. She wants to be successful in her own right, and comfortable in her role as my partner and Queen... and even though she knows it is impossible, in the deepest recesses of her heart, she still desires to bear a child of her own, fathered by me.

Right this very minute, I most fervently wish I could give my wife her heart's desire... but of course, I cannot. Suddenly, the kernel of an idea floats through my mind... I cannot give her a baby, but I certainly _can_ make some of her dream a reality. I have her notebook, which contains detailed notes and sketches of exactly how she envisions Valhalla, and I can use that as a starting point. I am suddenly filled with the notion that if I complete the plans for our home that she has begun, she will see that I _do_ understand her and care very much about the things that are important to her... and maybe it will be enough to make her reconsider. I am going to begin right this very minute. In Sookie's dream, this very statue was in the center of her rose garden, so I pick it up and carry it out back to the fledgling rose garden and find the exact spot I remember it standing. Plopping it down, I step back and admire my handiwork... no, a little more to the left. Ah... there. Perfect!

I hear a car approaching and I imagine it is probably Sookie's Were. I walk back to the front of the house just as he is pulling up the drive. He gets out and greets me, and I motion for him to follow me inside. Once we are in the library, I take my seat behind my desk. For a moment I am silent, deciding just how much I want to tell him. He is one of the few people who know that Sookie has left me, and as far as I can tell he has kept that information to himself. "Are you familiar with a place called Hooligans, in Ruston?" I ask him. He nods in affirmation. "Good. I want you to deliver this letter to the owner of the club, a Fairy named Claude. He will be able to take this directly to your Mistress. However, this Fairy and I have some... issues. At the best of times he has a difficult disposition but just now he might be even more surly than usual."

"I think I understand. In case he balks, you need me to finesse him into taking the letter."

Obviously this Were is more intelligent than most of his kind. I nod, and say, "Exactly... although I do not anticipate that he will do more than bluster a bit." Niall's secretary had made it sound like Claude has already been instructed to receive any correspondence from me. I hand the bodyguard the letter, and I tell him to report back when his task is complete. He nods, and takes his leave. The minute he is out the door, I snap open Sookie's phone and place a call to her decorator, Daniel. He answers, "Hey, Sookie! I was beginning to worry about you."

"This is Eric Northman. My wife is away for a few more days. While she is gone, I want you to continue on with any plans that are in progress. In fact, I want the interior of the house to be perfect for her homecoming. How soon can that be accomplished?"

"Oh! Uh... Mr. Northman, I wasn't expecting it to be you," he replies somewhat nervously, "Actually, nearly everything I needed to finish the upstairs is ready for installation. I was just waiting on Sookie's okay to bring it over during the day. She never likes anyone in the house when you are... uh... asleep, unless she's there."

I do not like it, either. Thinking it over, I reply, "Do your work at night. I will pay a surcharge for this service."

"Yes, sir, I understand. Actually, I had been planning on going down to New Orleans tomorrow and getting started on re-doing the Roya... uh, your bedroom suite there. Sookie said you all needed it finished by the first of May, for a very important occasion. Which shall I do first?"

Hm. By that little slip, it is obvious that this man has learned that I am now King of this territory. Obviously, Sookie trusts the man, and she usually has very good instincts when it comes to that sort of thing. Smoothly, I reply, "Finishing Valhalla is a priority. Worry about the Royal Residence in New Orleans after this one is done," and then, with a slight edge to my voice, I add, "It goes without saying that I expect complete loyalty and total discretion in _all_ of my employees."

A moment of silence as he digests that, but then he answers, "Of course, sir! Believe me, I completely understand about discretion. You have my word, no one will learn a thing about your private affairs from me or my partner."

After that, we disconnect. Next, I go down to our chamber and retrieve Sookie's notebook. Tucking it under my arm, I go back upstairs and in search of the housekeeper. I find her in the family room, very quietly dusting. She looks up and catches sight of me, and gives me a smile. "Si, Patrón. What can I do for you?"

"I believe that one of your relations is the head gardener here. I want to speak to him."

She says, "That would be my nephew Hector. Would you like to speak to him in person, or on the telephone?"

Thinking it over, I reply, "I suppose a phone call will suffice." She whips out her own cell phone and places the call. When he answers, she says, "Hector, Mr. Northman wishes to speak to you. Here he is."

She hands the phone to me. I begin by saying, "This is Eric Northman. My wife is away for a few days, and I want to surprise her by having as much of the gardens finished as possible when she returns. I believe the two of you have already discussed the overall effects that she is interested in. She has left some plans and lists of plants that she wants, and I will leave copies of those for you to go by."

"Yes, sir. How long do we have?"

That is an excellent question, and one to which I sincerely wish I knew the answer. I reply, "That has yet to be determined. Hire as many men as you want. Bring in whatever equipment is necessary. Work at night if you must. Just get it done. I want this place to be spectacular... and in as short a time as possible."

Excitement in his voice, the man replies, "Absolutely, sir! I'll get started right away!"

I snap the phone shut. The little housekeeper is contemplating me silently. Her expression is neutral, but I have the uncanny feeling that she knows that my explanation for Sookie's absence is not exactly the whole truth; however, she asks no questions. I noticed earlier that the office equipment has still not been set up, so I will have to make the copies of the notebook at Fangtasia. With notebook in hand, I head for the front door.

****

Upon pulling into the overflowing parking lot, I am once again annoyed to find that someone has parked in my space. I pull around to the front, give Atticus the keys, and tell him to park around back. Entering the club through the front door, I glance around at tonight's motley assortment of fangbangers and tourists. I suppose that word of last night's incident with the fangbanger has circulated, because the bar is busier than ever. Heads turn to stare at me, the faces reflecting a variety of emotions: curiosity, fascination, admiration, excitement, fear. The dance floor is packed with bodies gyrating to the pulsing beat of some heavy metal music. The bar is clearly functioning at its full capacity and is by all accounts a success. Normally, I would look at this scene and feel a sense of accomplishment. Fangtasia is the first business that I have been able to own and run completely out in the open, and it is quite profitable; and even though it is more a hobby than anything, I have enjoyed it very much. It has provided not only income, but an endless source of blood and sex with practically no effort on my part. Now, the pathetic excuses for humans that frequent this bar merely seem to irritate and disgust me. Even the music seems louder and more obnoxious than usual, and I begin to wonder exactly why I am even here. I am a Vampire King. I do not need the money. I have no intention of fucking or feeding from anyone but my Bonded. So why am I still running this zoo?

I have a sudden urge to stop the music, throw all the humans out, and close the bar for good... but I am stopped by Pam's cool voice. My child has slipped up next to me, and laid her hand on my arm. Peering into my face, I think she must guess what is on my mind. She says evenly, "I can tell you are not in the best of moods this evening. Come with me. I think I have something that might cheer you up."

Somewhat reluctantly, I follow her into my office. The minute I go through the door, I huge grin splits my face. On the sofa, propped against the cushions, is the large wedding photograph I had ordered, already in an appropriate gold frame. Next to it is an album containing all the shots, and a box that has some enlargements of some of my other favorites. Sookie and I stare out of the portrait, and it is easy to see the joy radiating from both of us. Unable to take my eyes off my new bride's beautiful face, I bend and run a finger lightly over the surface of the picture. Seeing Sookie's image never fails to set off the dreadful longing, but at the same time I am comforted. A love like ours cannot be destroyed, and surely my Bonded will come to her senses soon and realize in her waking state that she needs me just as much as I need her.

Pam says admiringly, "It is a lovely portrait. Where are you going to hang it?"

"My library. Now, is there any Kingdom business I need to address?"

*****

A couple of hours later, I have hoed my way through several stacks of paperwork that has piled up. Not long after I arrived, Pam sent a waitress in with a heated bottle of blood but after the first sip I handed it back to her and instructed her to take it away. Now, another soft knock comes at my door, and a moment later I am surprised to see the Were Cooper stepping through it. His jaw is set and he looks like a man on an unpleasant mission. From that look, I presume things did not go well in Ruston. I have to give the Were his due. Instead of hemming and hawing around, he gets straight to the point. Looking me straight in the eye, he asks, "Do you want the whole report, or just the summary.?"

"I want to hear everything."

"All right. I went to Hooligan's and asked to see Claude. He was late getting to work, because apparently he was out "interviewing talent." When he finally strolled in, I introduced myself as Sookie's bodyguard and explained why I was there." The Were paused for a minute, then shook his head in disgust. "You were right, that is one contrary Fairy. He said that _he _wasn't going to be an errand boy for some vampire. He asked me why _I_ had so little self respect as to work for "those damned bloodsuckers" and you in particular. He offered me a job as a stripper, and told me I'd be certain to make more than you pay me. I told the Fairy that no matter who signed my paycheck, I have spent most of my days for the last several months trying to keep Sookie safe, and I have a vested interest in wanting her to be happy. I also told him I thought that married people ought to have a chance to work out their problems, without a lot of outside interference. I tried to give him the letter, and he refused it. He instructed me to tell you to fuck off and that you have as much chance of him doing you a favor as you have of walking in the noonday sun."

With every word, I feel my anger rising. Apparently, I am not the only one. Cooper's face begins to turn ruddy as he continues, "I tried my best to talk Claude into taking it, even reminding him that _he_ should have Sookie's best interests at heart. He said he figured he was doing her a favor keeping her away from someone who clearly has anger management issues and no respect for the life or property of others." The bodyguard pauses for a moment, and then pulls the letter out of his jacket pocket and lays it on the edge of my desk. "I kept trying to hand it to him, but he said he would just rip it up. I got a little pissed at that point, and things got pretty heated," he says grimly, "The Fairy suggested he _might _consider delivering it if you would... well, if you would let him perform certain sexual acts on you which I doubt very much you would care for."

At that, I cannot contain a growl. Normally, I would be well on my way to Ruston right this very minute, to teach that damned Fairy some respect. Given the circumstances, he is well aware that I have no choice but to sit still for such insults... at least for now. Unlike the rest of his family, Claude must be of lower intelligence, or as my wife would say "a few sandwiches shy of a full picnic." Vampire Monarchs all have one thing in common... a very, very long memory. If Sookie comes home... no, _when_ Sookie comes home and all this is behind us, Claude had better take an extended holiday to the Portal himself. Cooper gives me a minute to compose myself, and then says, "I'm sorry, Boss. I did my best... I wish I could have punched out the little pissant, but I figured that wouldn't help things any. I wish I was a better negotiator."

Sighing heavily, I reply, "I suspect that no matter who I send, he is going to take great pleasure in refusing me. However, perhaps you are right. Maybe I need someone more skilled in negotiations. For now, you are dismissed."

The Were gives me a polite, apologetic nod and leaves. Snapping open the phone, I call Bill. He answers immediately. I ask him where he is, and to my surprise it turns out he is next door in Pam's office. Before much longer he saunters into my office and gives me a slight bow. Indicating the framed picture on the sofa, he says, "That is probably the best wedding portrait I've ever seen. You make a beautiful couple. Sookie is going to love it." He makes it sound like he is certain that she will pop back in at any moment, and even though we both know it is unlikely, I appreciate the vote of confidence. I gesture for him to take a seat, and then explain what just transpired with Claude and Cooper. After thinking for a moment, Bill says, "This letter is on your regular stationary, addressed only to "Sookie." If you put in on Royal stationary and send a letter formally addressed to your Queen, care of Prince Niall, doesn't that put it on a whole different level? It would be a serious breech of diplomacy if Claude refused to deliver an official missive. Send me as your formal emissary, and let me see if I can do any better than the Were."

Even before dispatching Cooper earlier, I had thought seriously of calling in Cataliades, but he is in New Orleans and it would be several hours at the very least before he could get here. After thinking it over, I decide that Bill _is_ probably my best choice. For a vampire, my male Lieutenant is very calm, collected, and sensible... at least, most of the time; in addition, I know he has nearly as much at stake here as I do. I open a drawer and pull out an envelope of Royal stationary, which fortunately is slightly larger than my personal stock. Slipping the already sealed envelope into the larger, official one, I lick the flap and seal it. I address it very formally to HRM Sookie Northman, Queen of Louisiana and Arkansas, care of Prince Niall Brigant. Reaching across the desk, Bill takes it from my hand and says, "I'll take it to Claude straight away. I should be there well before closing time. I'll call you as soon as I know anything."

Before he leaves, I warn him in advance about Claude's friends who seem to be stake-happy and caution him against losing his temper. At that, Bill merely gives me one of those amused, chilly smiles of his, bows again, and heads for the door. I am just about to call Pam in to fill her in on the details of what has transpired, when she practically runs Bill down as he is leaving. They nod coolly at each other, and he continues down the hallway as my child comes in and closes the door behind her. Jerking her thumb in Bill's direction, she asks, "Where's he going?"

"I am sending him to Claude's to negotiate the delivery of a letter to Sookie."

Pam raises one elegant eyebrow, and drawls, "Really. What a coincidence. Negotiators seem to be thick on the ground this evening."

What...? After just a minute, her meaning sinks in, and my temper goes from a slow simmer to a full-out boil. "Thomas Reynolds is _here_?" I ask in disbelief, "Does the man have a final-death wish?"

"Oh, I think the poor man would rather be anywhere _but_ here," she replies with an evil grin, "That is one nervous vampire. You left Las Vegas before signing the last rejection letter, and he is here to make sure that transaction is complete."

So far, this evening has been nothing but a series of infuriating events. I am anxious to get past this particular irritant, so I tell my child to send him in immediately. A few minutes later she ushers in the marriage negotiator, and I can see instantly that Pam is entirely correct. Clearly the odious Mr. Reynolds realizes that he is not welcome, and is likely to get his head handed to him on a platter... quite literally. He bows very low, and clears his throat before beginning, "Your Majesty, I heartily apologize for this interruption, but I really must get your signature on this document... until this is signed, nothing is official."

After removing the document from his briefcase, he slides it across my desk and then backs away. I sign it with a flourish, shove it back across the desk and give him my best glare, "This _will_ be the last time I see you, will it not?"

"Believe me, sir, I have no intention of _ever_ bothering you again after this evening. I would like to remind you that not only am I contractually obligated to finish out these negotiations, I am a resident of Nevada and a subject of Queen Sandy's." By that, he is trying to tell me that his just doing his job and that he is between a rock and a hard place. He is frightened of me, but he has to live with Sandy. "Between the two of us, I plan on relocating once this negotiation is at an end," he continues, "However, before I go, I have one more duty to perform. Queen Sandy wants to speak to you directly."

He whips out his cell phone, but before he can place the call I say firmly, "No. I have no intention of speaking to Sandy tonight."

The negotiator grimaces and says, "The Queen anticipated that you might say that... she bids me to remind you that she did you a favor in Las Vegas in the matter of the vampiress Sabriel. She also said that she has a very important gift for you, something that you have been very anxious to find."

Now that I am out of Nevada, there is very little Sandy can do to cause trouble about Sabriel. The only thing I have been searching for lately is my Fairy, and I know perfectly well where she is. I am about to refuse to take the call, but Sandy's unwilling emissary says seriously, "Frankly, Your Majesty, let me just say that you have made your wishes perfectly well known, and I for one _do_ understand your reluctance to talk to the Queen... but I think you really might want to hear what she has to say."

After a moment of thinking it over, I very reluctantly nod. Reynolds gets Sandy on the line, and then hands the phone to me. Sandy's honeyed tones pour over the line, "Eric, darling, you are such a bad, bad vampire! You ran off without even saying goodbye... and after I had helped you out with your little mess, too. Doesn't that prove how far I'm willing to go to be your best friend?"

"Sandy, get to the point."

She just chuckles, and says, "You are turning into such a grouch! Whatever happened to the carefree Viking I used to know? Well, what I have to say should cheer you up... I have something here that I know you've been wanting more than anything, and I _might_ be persuaded to send it to you."

"There is nothing that I want that I cannot get myself."

Again, a tinkle of laughter. "Oh, really?" she says dryly, "What about a certain Were-Tiger?"

WHAT! _Sandy_ has Quinn? My guards had followed him as far as the entrance to the service corridor to the Ballroom, where they had been stopped by Sandy's Royal Guards. They had split up and covered both entrances, waiting for him to come out, but he never emerged... now I know why. Sandy's forces must have captured him almost directly after he had confronted Sookie in the hallway. What I do not know is why. Cautiously, I ask, "You have Quinn? Why?"

"Well, my darling, once he had performed my ceremony, I had no further use for him. I knew that _you_ had been after him, and I wanted to give him to you as an engagement gift... but that was before you so rudely turned me down... again." Now her voice has a tiny edge to it, "I _should_ have just let him go, but then a little birdy at the airport told me that your little Sookie was last seen boarding Luke's jet and that not long afterwards, you and the delicious Mr. Compton had chartered an airplane of your own. I put two and two together and realized that perhaps there might be a little trouble in paradise and that you might be in the market for a new Queen, after all."

A red haze seems to settle over everything. I am much too angry to sit still any longer. Rising from my chair, I begin to pace around my office as I try to think. Out of the corner of my eye, I take in the fact that the negotiator has now produced another document, put it on my blotter, and then stepped way back, as if to distance himself from it as much as possible. As soon as I see it, I think I know what is coming. "After that, I did a little digging and found out that apparently Sookie had been seen talking to Quinn not long before her departure. I decided to see just what the Tiger might have to say for himself," the Nevada Queen continues, "Do you know, my love, he was willing to do just about _anything_ to keep from being sent to Louisiana? It turns out that he is very well-hung and knows how to use it... and during pillow talk, he told me _lots_ of very interesting things about your Sookie. No _wonder_ you were so anxious to find him! Between you and me, I think our little kitty is a tad bit unbalanced when it comes to your sweet bride. For one thing, up until the other night, he truly believed that she still had feelings for him and that it was just a matter of time until she left you to go back to him. Now the poor creature can't decides if he loves her or hates her... either way, he was more than happy to demonstrate exactly what he intends to do with her when he catches her... and although I have always enjoyed anal sex, your little Bonded looks much too prim to enjoy such pleasures... unless perhaps Luke has charmed her into it since then."

With that well-placed barb, Sandy has said the one thing sure to get my attention. Instantly, a visual of Quinn taking my Bonded in such a fashion springs into my head, and it is enough to send me right over the edge. Even though I am extremely fond of that very thing, I have never yet even suggested it to Sookie. We have never discussed it, but I know without being told that she has never engaged in that particular act with anyone. In our short time together, I have barely even begun teaching her about physical pleasures. Instinctively, I have known from the start it would be a long, delicate process to get my little Lover prepared for such activities... and if she has the slightest hesitation, maybe it will _never_ happen. If and when she decides she is ready, I will treasure that ultimate gesture of submission as a gift, lovingly and willingly given to me by my Bonded. However, it goes without saying that no one but me will _ever_ have the indescribable pleasure of that most intimate of acts with her. For him to even suggest such a thing...! GRRRR.

Right now, I want the Tiger so badly I can taste it. Whatever tortures I already had in mind were obviously much too mild. However, I have no intention of allowing Sandy to see just how much she has gotten under my skin, so as coolly as I can manage I reply, "You are misinformed. There is no romantic connection between my Bonded and Luke. Something came up that required Sookie's immediate attention, and Luke offered her a ride home... and that was all. She is _not_ with him, and there is nothing between them other than friendship. Any rumors to the contrary are just that... rumors. As for Quinn, I take it that this "gift" has strings attached. What exactly do you want?"

"Are you _sure_ about Luke?" she asks slyly, "I don't blame you one bit for not wanting word of that airplane ride to get out! I wonder if your little wifey has told you everything there is to know about that trip. As I understand it, Luke has a penchant for part-Fairies... Oh yes, Quinn let me in on _that_ little secret, too... No _wonder _you Twice-Bonded Sookie, and now have no taste for any other blood but hers. After all these months, you must be quite addicted it. I suspect that you would like to keep those details a secret, as well. Of course, as your new Queen, I would be _obligated_ to keep your secrets... and I would be glad to throw in the Tiger as an engagement gift, as I intended to do in the first place."

Unbelievable! This woman is actually attempting to blackmail me into marrying her! She must be truly desperate, or insane, or maybe both. After a moment, though, I realize that she has played me very neatly on every point. She is counting on the fact that I really do not want it to get out that Sookie and I are having problems. I most certainly do not want any rumors started about my wife and Luke. Although the fact that Sookie has a little fairy blood is not all that earth-shattering, the last thing I want is for anyone to start digging any deeper into her heritage. Most especially, I would dearly love to spend a little quality time with Quinn, and it will take a great deal of time and effort to track him down again if she lets him go. Sandy has even managed to insert the threat of what could potentially happen to Sookie if the Tiger is let loose. Although at this very moment that is a moot point, when Sookie comes back she will have to be guarded more carefully than ever... and I know how she feels about guards.

As unpleasant as all of those things could be, I know one thing for certain: I am _not_ going to marry Sandy. I am not the kind of vampire that can be manipulated in that way, and even more importantly, if I did there would be absolutely no chance of a reconciliation with Sookie... ever. Under normal circumstances, the smart thing to do would be to make Sandy _think_ I am going to marry her, lure her to Louisiana, and then arrange a fatal accident... but I could not bear for the Nevada Queen to think she has won this game, even for an instant. Besides, I would be running the risk of news of the "engagement" leaking out and getting back to Niall. Such a risk is totally unacceptable. No... no matter what the consequences, I am going to put a stop to this madness once and for all. Not even bothering to disguise my contempt, I reply, "Sandy. The last time you brought this up, you were obviously not listening. I warned you then I did not respond well to threats. I am even less fond of blackmail. Let me be clear. I will _never _marryyou. Let the Tiger go, if you must. I will eventually catch up with him in any event. However, if I find that even the _slightest _hint of a rumor about Sookie has originated from you, I will take that as an act of aggression against me and this territory. I will come after you with everything I have ... and as you have seen first-hand, I am a formidable adversary."

On the other end of the line, there is silence. I think finally she must have heard the ring of certainty in my voice because after a moment Sandy says coldly, "Have it your way, Viking. Good luck finding the Tiger before he finds you or your little Fairy. Someday you are going to regret not taking me up on my offer."

Since there is really no point in responding, I snap the phone shut and toss it back to the negotiator, who has now retreated as far as the door and has one hand firmly on the knob. He is obviously ready to beat a hasty retreat just in case I decide to follow the noble tradition of killing the messenger. "For what it is worth, Your Majesty, I think you have made the right choice," he says quietly, "Obviously you and Queen Sandy are not suited. I tried my best to interest her in California, but she seemed completely fixated on you..."

Sighing heavily, I ignore him and sit down in my chair. Sure enough, the document Reynolds has placed on my desk is yet another formal proposal. Without wasting any more time, I pull out a piece of the Royal stationery and begin to write my formal and this time, _extremely_ final refusal. I was not making an idle threat. Sandy had best remain silent, or I might very well take back Nevada whether I want it or not. Once I sign my name at the bottom, I seal the letter into an envelope and hold it out for the negotiator. Pinning his eyes with mine, I say grimly, "There will be no more Proposals, or there will be serious repercussions. Do you understand?"

He nods vigorously, and says, "Yes, of course! I understand perfectly!" He rushes forward, takes the letter, bows deeply, and then scurries out of my office as fast as his legs can carry him. He has not been gone a minute when Pam pokes her head in the open doorway. "Well, I saw the negotiator leaving, and he was still in one piece," she says dryly, "Does that mean congratulations are in order?"

I do not bother to respond to the jibe, giving my child a serious glare instead. In return, she gives me a saucy wink. "What do you want?" I growl, "Do you want me to come sit out front for awhile?"

"No! I mean... Master, I have been thinking. You are now King. You shouldn't have to display yourself for the amusement of the worthless humans that frequent this bar... unless you are in the mood, of course... and it seems to me that perhaps you are _not_ in the mood."

Hmpf. I was not born last night. What Pam is really trying to do is to keep me from having any more "incidents" like the one last night... even though it was clearly good for business. She is probably right. I was very nearly ready to shut down the bar as soon as I arrived, and things have definitely gone downhill since then. Obviously tonight I am in no mood to tolerate fangbangers... but I am feeling a little contrary myself. Whether it is to aggravate Pam or to punish myself, I am not quite sure, but I head out and take my customary seat in the bar. My child follows behind me, and slips into the chair next to mine. She knows better than to say a word, so she justs sits back and keeps a cautious eye on me.

My own contemptuous eye passes over the humans in attendance, and I contemplate how many of them would still be here if they knew just how close to death they _really_ are. What attracts the crowds to Fangtasia is the perception of danger, but of course deep down inside they do not believe anything bad could happen to _them_. What fools! They believe they are as safe as they are when viewing the most dangerous of animals at the zoo. The bars of the cages protect them from any real harm. What they do not realize is that they are only safe here because of _my_ rules, _my_ restrictions... whether they know it or not, tonight the bars are conspicuously missing and the biggest, baddest animal in that zoo is loose amongst them.

Pam must know, because for once she does not tease or try to irritate me. Normally, my child is not by any stretch of the imagination a nurturer, but now she takes my large hand in her small one, presses it to her lips, and then strokes it soothingly. The waitress Valerie hustles over with bloods for both of us, but I wave mine away. Finally, Pam breaks her silence by saying, "Eric. I have not seen you take more than a few mouthfuls of blood for the last few days. Aren't you hungry?"

"Yes... no. The bottled blood tastes foul. I imagine it is part of the Sickness."

Now she really does look concerned. "What about fresh? I know your deal with Sookie, but under the circumstances... Master, even _you_ cannot go for very long without blood before you begin to loose your strength. Come, let us select someone from the crowd. How about that nice blond there? She looks quite tasty."

"No. To take blood from others weakens the Bond. If I damage it any further, I am afraid that it will shut down entirely... and that would be more painful than starving. I have been starved before. I can stand it." What I tell my child is true. From bitter experience, I know that I can withstand many days of starvation, and that was when I was first made and my appetite for blood was extreme. She does not realize this, because I have never shared the entire story of my early days as vampire with anyone but my brother Robert. He understands because he experienced exactly the same thing I did... Our maker was a cruel one, and kept us from feeding as a form of discipline as well as punishment. I hardly ever think back on those terrible days anymore, because even nearly a thousand years later it makes me shudder.

Now Pam is really distressed. "Master, please! You _must_ stay strong! What if Sookie never comes back?"

At that, I jerk my hand back from her grasp, and turn my gaze to hers. "My Bonded _will_ come back," I inform her coldly, "_Never_ say that again."

Unable to bear what she sees in my eyes, she drops her own and stares at the ground. "I am sorry, my Master," my child says formally, in the language of my youth. She hardly ever speaks to me in my native tongue anymore, and only uses it when she is aiming to please me. Slightly mollified, I sit back in my chair and try to relax. The phone in my pocket begins to ring, so I pull it out and see that it is Bill calling. "Yes?"

"I am still in Ruston. After a bit of discussion, I was finally able to get Claude to agree to take your correspondence to Sookie... for a price. These are his terms. He wants an apology from you, in public. He wants a new car to replace the one you trashed. We are to provide a male vampire dancer for his club one night a week for six months, with your personal guarantee that none of his personal entourage will be bitten."

All things considered, it could be much worse... except the part about the public apology. "Tell him I agree to the car and the dancer, but he must take the letter immediately. I will agree to send him a written apology... and convince him that it is for his own safety. Due to the Sickness, I cannot guarantee I can control my natural impulses around him. Believe me, that is nothing less than the truth."

"All right. Hold on." Even through the phone, I can hear the voice of the Fairy as he argues with my vampire, but finally Bill comes back on the line and says, "He agrees to the written apology. He will deliver the letter, but only when "he gets around to it." He says he doesn't trust you, and that he's not going to go anywhere until he takes delivery on the car."

Those types of cars are usually specialty items and under normal circumstances might take a couple of weeks to arrive. I imagine the Fairy is counting on that, but obviously he is underestimating my ability to use my wealth and influence to get things done in a hurry. "Very well. I will rely on your to bring me a list of the details, and we will make arrangements. Wait for me at Valhalla."

With that, I disconnect. Immediately, I head back to my office. Apologies, written or otherwise, do not come naturally to me, and I might as well get on with it.

*****

After struggling for a half-hour, I finally compose an apology to Claude that is similar to one I once gave to Sookie. It is so florid as to be quite absurd, and practically anyone could see that I do not actually mean it... except for someone as stupid and self-involved as Claude. The irony is sure to go right over his head. In any event, I have fulfilled the agreement and he will have no cause for complaint. I sign it, stick it in a formal envelope, and put it in the pocket of my jacket. I decide that instead of letting Pam take the nightly calls from my Sheriffs, I make them myself. Once that task is finished, I decide to head back to Valhalla where I know Bill will be waiting.

I gather up Sookie's notebook, the copies of her plans that I made earlier, the wedding album, and the framed portrait, leaving the rest of the photographs in my office. Remembering that my car is parked behind Fangtasia, I exit from the front of the building and make my way around to the back. Idly, I notice that once again, someone has apparently broken out the security lights at the far end of the building near the employee lot. It makes little difference to me, but the human staff complain if they are not kept operational. The wedding portrait is too large to fit inside the car, so I open the trunk and place it and the other items carefully inside. I am just about to open the door to the Corvette when I catch the sound and the scent of someone approaching. Almost immediately, I identify the familiar blend of cigarette smoke, coconut shampoo, and cheap perfume of the waitress Valerie. She has obviously been waiting on me to come out and is now making her way over to my car, coming to a halt just in front of me. The minute she opens her mouth to speak, I smell liquor on her breath, and I suspect that she has been drinking to give herself the courage to approach me. Smiling seductively, she says, "Hello, Master. I've noticed Sookie hasn't been around and I figure maybe the two of you aren't getting along so great. Marriage is tough... _I've_ never been able to handle it myself. You haven't been drinking the TrueBloods I've served you, either... I just thought... maybe you were getting tired of the same old blood all the time. You always used to like mine... and afterwards, I would be glad to take the edge off your other... appetites, too. I swear, Sookie will never have to know."

At first, I do nothing but eye her coldly. This woman is not completely unattractive. She is blond, of medium height with large breasts and a slender waist... what Pam now laughingly refers to as "Sookiesque"... but that is where the resemblance to my Bonded ends. My wife's hair shines like spun gold, and her skin is as fine as porcelain. Her features are very refined and she has a natural grace to her movements. Even wearing a tow-sack and covered in mud, she would still manage to look like the Queen that she is. The human before me is exactly the opposite. Dress her up in a Vera Wang gown and drape her with diamonds and she would still look like a peasant. Her blond hair is obviously from a bottle and has the texture of straw. Her skin and her features are course. She is obviously lacking in intelligence, or she would have never approached me this way. Even in the old days, I never did more than feed from her occasionally, and allow her to give me oral pleasure when nothing better was available... I was never desperate enough to actually fuck her. This woman has seen how perfect her Mistress is... in her wildest imagination, why would she think that I would so much as touch her now? After sipping the world's finest wine, could one ever ever be satisfied with a cheap imitation? The lowly waitress actually has the nerve to reach out and run her hand up my arm, which is probably the worst thing she could possible do. Her long red imitation fingernails remind me too much of Sabriel's.

My anger has been building all evening, each frustrating event adding more fuel to the flames. I have been able to hold it in check only by the most slender of margins. Truly, this is the last straw. This female has now committed many offenses. She has referred to her Mistress by her given name, showing a serious lack of respect. She has tried to tempt me into breaking my solemn vows to my wife. By promising to keep this indiscretion secret, she has reminded me that she is a threat to my future well-being, because I have not informed Sookie of our prior "relationship"... and given this human's lack of character, I am certain that someday she would throw that information in Sookie's unsuspecting face. I hesitated in ridding myself of Sabriel, with disastrous results. I do not intend to make the same mistake twice.

The last ragged thread of restraint comes unraveled. My dark vampire nature rises within me like an storm surge in a hurricane. Gone is any smidgen of wanting to abide by the rules of "civilized society." My prey is before me. She deserves to suffer for her offenses. She is much too close and docile to provide much sport. Suddenly, I am feeling... cruel. Eyes glittering, I look down at her upturned, eager face. "Valerie." I whisper her name in a sultry tone, just to toy with her. Her eyes light up in anticipation. Reaching out, I run a finger down her bare arm. She shivers with excitement, and I catch the scent of her instant arousal. "You are right. My wife _is_ mad at me. She may not be coming back. You would like to take her place, would you not?"

Emboldened now, she says, "Yes... Eric. I can treat you right, baby."

This human has now committed yet another offense, calling me by _my_ given name and even worse... by the pet name that only my Bonded will _ever_ be allowed to call me. "So... you think _you _are worthy to be my Queen?"

Now she is flushing with excitement. She takes two steps closer, and leans into me. Brazenly rubbing her hand over my cock through my jeans, she breathes, "Oh, yes! If you only knew how much I've wanted that! I knew you'd get tired of Sookie sooner or later. I could barely stand to watch her sitting with you, acting all high and mighty. She's really just backwoods trash from Bon Temps! I bet she can't even please you in bed, the prissy little bitch."

"Ah... and you think you can do better."

"You bet your boots, Master... er, Eric. Those blowjobs I used to give you were just the tip of the iceberg. You have _never_ had anybody as good as me."

Ha. Those "blowjobs" were really quite pedestrian and the mere thought of her hot, damp flesh wrapping around my cock revolts me. Leaning down, I murmur into her ear, "Dear Valerie. You are offering me your body as well as your blood. Are you _sure_ that is what you want?"

In response, she nods eagerly. "So you desire the vampire's kiss. Do you know that the vampire has the power to bestow great pleasure with that kiss?" Now, she giggles as she nods. "Well, as it happens, the vampire can also bestow excruciating pain... if _that_ is his wish. Now, which do you think I should give _you_? You have confessed your contempt for my Queen... you have demonstrated your disloyalty to her by attempting to take what is rightfully hers... you are trying to tempt me to break sacred vows that I have sworn."

As the meaning of my words penetrate, her body stiffens. By now, the woman realizes her peril but she is much too frightened and confused to move. A satisfying and exciting scent of fear begins to roll off her. I breath in the intoxicating smell, and then let it out slowly. Tenderly, I brush my lips across her pulsing neck... and then in a voice as cold as I feel, I advise her, "Run."

For just a second, she stands stock still... and then she bolts. Clumsily, she takes out across the parking lot, and instead of running towards the front of Fangtasia where she might have a prayer of rescue, she foolishly heads towards the darkened alleyway that runs down the side of my new building. Smiling now, I stride after her, not wanting my little game to be over too soon. I have not really hunted in a long time and it feels... marvelous. The lack of restraint is intoxicating, and dark thoughts flood my mind. Why have I tried so hard to deny myself the pleasures of the hunt? In the very back of my mind, I know the answer. After our very first meeting, nearly all my spare time has been consumed with either thinking of Sookie, or being with Sookie... In short, I did not have a lot of extra time on my hands for this sort of thing... and besides, I was trying so hard to please my Bonded. She disliked me killing humans, and so I tried very hard to overcome my basic instincts... to be the vampire _she_ wanted me to be... and what did all that effort get me? At the very first slip, she abandoned me anyway!

Why _shouldn't_ I enjoy myself? Sookie is off cavorting in the Portal, and for all I know has already found some handsome male Fairy to fuck... To keep from thinking along those horrible lines, I focus my attention on the figure fleeing in front of me. I allow her to get just enough ahead to give her hope that she is indeed going to escape... and then I move at vampire speed and end up standing directly in front of her. To her oxygen deprived brain, it will seem that I have appeared out of nowhere. Immediately, she gives a little shriek, whirls around, and runs in another direction. I continue this titillating game of cat and mouse until she slows. By her ragged breaths I can tell she is ready to collapse, which will be no fun at all.

This time when I speed up, I catch her She stands trembling in my arms, sobbing and gasping, begging me to let her go... which just adds to my enjoyment. As a consequence of the chase, my bloodlust is raging. Just now, I am not a man at all... I am only vampire. With dark delight, I plunge my fangs into the girl's heaving throat. Her hot blood spurts into my mouth and I begin to suck. As the searing pain surges through her body, her agonized scream fills the night. Although just now it is music to my ears, old survival instincts take over. This street seems deserted, but I know I cannot allow her to make so much noise... it is unsafe. Furthermore, even though her fresh blood tastes quite good, the very last vestiges of sanity tell me that I should not be drinking from her at all... this lowly creature has actually managed to make me break one of my vows, which I really had not intended to do. Before I have had more than a couple of mouthfuls, I force myself to remove my fangs from her neck; and with one quick flick of the wrist, snap it instead. Instantly, the screaming stops. Coldly, I stare down at the now slack face, head lolled to one side, and I feel... nothing, except a kind of vague satisfaction. Now that she is dead, there is no more enjoyment to be had. She is nothing more than a lump. I let go, and the body falls to the ground.

Glancing at my watch, I realize that the evening is slipping away from me. I have spent way too much time playing, when my Lieutenant is at Valhalla awaiting my instruction in the far more important matters at hand. This is when it pays to be King. Without hesitation, I fish the cell phone out of my pocket, snap it open and call Pam. I could have called her to me in the old-fashioned way, but I really needed to tell her to bring her minivan. Only a few minutes later, I hear the hum of her engine, and soon the vehicle screeches to a halt next to me. The door opens, and I see one elegantly shod foot hit the pavement, and then the other. A second later, my child is standing next to me, staring down at the now cooling body sprawled at my feet. Shaking her head, she drawls, "Really, Master. Couldn't you have picked somebody else? We are already two waitresses short, and Sookie isn't here to help hire any new ones."

I am not in the mood for her whining, so I just issue my orders about the disposal of the body. One of the Area 5 vampires owns a funeral home and is always more than happy to slip in an extra body or two when running the crematorium. Pam bends down, grabs the body and easily hoists it over her shoulder. Grinning, she says, "Well, at least I can see you got something to eat. You look better already."

Her words are kindly meant, but they suddenly snap me back to reality. In my bloodlust, I _did_ drink from the human. A sharp stab of fear pierces my chest. Have I damaged the Bond? Have I? Right now, there is no way to tell. Grimly, I tell my child, "I lost my head. It will not happen again."

Without another word, I turn to go. As I make my way back to my car, I hear the sounds of Pam crossing the pavement, opening the rear doors of her minivan and tossing in the body. When she first ordered that van, she had wanted regular carpet throughout, but I talked her into rubber mats for the cargo area instead... far easier to clean. She has often told me how glad she is that she listened to me, and tonight is the perfect example of why... As I am unlocking the door of the Corvette, I faintly hear her slamming both doors, and a second later the crunching of the tires as she heads back down the street.

*****

Half an hour later, I pull up in front of Valhalla and get out of the car. There is only a faint light shining out onto the porch through the leaded glass front door. Bill Compton is sitting patiently on the broad old front porch, apparently enjoying the fine night. Instead of inviting him in, I decide to join him. I slump into one of the comfortable chairs that Sookie has placed on the porch. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the letter for Claude, and hand it to my Lieutenant. He nods and places it in his own coat pocket. For a time, both of us contemplate the wooded vista in front of the house, neither of us saying a word. Eventually, we get around to discussing Claude's demands for both the car and the dancer. I decide to handle the purchase of the car myself, and have it delivered as quickly as possible. We toss around candidates for the dancer and finally select one that fits the bill perfectly. Bill wastes no time in calling the lucky vampire, and letting him know exactly what is required of him. We had been careful in our selection, choosing a relatively young vampire without much of a financial base, who can definitely use the extra cash. He is somewhat of an exhibitionist and also loves to dance. I am somewhat amused to hear how stern Bill sounds as he lays down the law on the biting issue.

While he is issuing his orders to the underling, I take the time to observe my Lieutenant. For a vampire who has only recently risen to a position of power, he seems to be handling it with aplomb. He appears much as he always does, cool and collected, immaculately dressed in pressed khakis, button down shirt, and Brooks Brothers blazer, not a hair out of place... and yet, he seems different somehow... something about the tightness around the corners of his eyes, and the set of his jaw. Once he shuts his phone and turns back towards me, his eyes meet mine for the first time since my arrival. In the cool blue depths, I see a mirror of what mine must look like. This vampire is miserable, just as I am. Even though he is not suffering from Bonding Sickness, he is clearly longing for Sookie, too. I suppose I should be jealous, or outraged, or something, but instead I find it oddly... comforting.

Bill says nothing, but turns his face away again and leans back into shadow. Again we lapse into companionable silence. Finally, he glances at his watch and says, "I guess I'd better head home. I'll take this letter to Ruston just after first dark tomorrow." Strangely, I have the urge to stop him, to invite him to stay here in one of the guest rooms... but not really knowing how to say the words without sounding weak, I do not.

After bidding Bill goodnight, I unload the wedding picture and other items from the trunk, and carry everything to the library. I prop the portrait on the mantle and stare at it for a time before heading downstairs to my chamber. For once, I do not bother bathing before bedtime. Instead, I pull off my clothes and drop them next to the bed, and crawl between the cool soft sheets. There is still plenty of time before dawn, but I want to experiment. I want to put myself into down time, and see if it might be possible to initiate a shared dream with Sookie. Since I first come to the startling conclusion that it was possible to share dreams with my Bonded, in the back of my mind I had been turning over ways of utilizing this amazing phenomenon to send her a message, but to no avail.

Even vampires are not able to control what they dream. Like everyone else, their subconscious desires and fears, and even random events of the night's activities manage to get jumbled up inside their dreams. Still, I do not want to miss even the slightest chance to be with my Beloved, and all evening I found myself somewhat distracted, awaiting that faint tug at the edge of my consciousness that signals the beginning of a dream. I had been fully prepared to drop whatever I was doing and immediately put myself in downtime... although given the maddening events of this particular night, that might have been easier said than done. Nonetheless, this is the same time of night that some of the other dreams have occurred, so perhaps now I will get lucky. I prepare myself by getting out Sookie's nightie and breathing in my woman's scent. Even though it has faded slightly, the faint notes of her lovely, expensive perfume drift into my senses. Unfortunately, another scent is also present... and this one is quite unpleasant. I still bear the faint aroma of the cheap perfume and old tobacco smoke of Valerie, and now I have contaminated our marriage bed with her foul odor. Now I wish I had taken the time to shower, and eliminated all traces of her.

Although at the time I killed the waitress I felt nothing but satisfaction, now I find myself filled with remorse. Not because I care one whit about the rather worthless human's life, but because I know that when Sookie finds out about it, she will be very, very disappointed in me. Sighing heavily, I think back to the play to which I had taken my Bonded, _The Phantom of the Opera_. Sookie had not understood my dislike of the ending, but I thought it was obvious that the young singer had picked the wrong man. I had known instantly that if the girl had stayed with the Phantom, the man would have spent the rest of his days trying to be better, trying to overcome the darkness in his soul to please his lover and be a worthy mate for her. Great love and great music would have come from their union... but that did not happen. I wonder if Sookie knows or cares that up until tonight, she has made a huge difference in _my_ way of doing things? That I _want_ to be better, to please her and to be a worthy mate? I wonder if she has forgotten our love, and moved on to some warm-blooded Fairy male who can walk in the sun with her, a man without my dark nature, leaving me alone to suffer...

Without realizing it, I slip into first into downtime and then seamlessly into a dream:_ Sookie and I are playing out the key roles in the Phantom of the Opera. It is the play, and yet not a play. The dream is progressing along the lines of the play, but I have no awareness of being an actor... it seems much too real. Strangely, we seem to be using our own names instead of the ones in the script. I am, of course, the Phantom, but instead of being a horribly disfigured misfit, my secret is that I am vampire. Sookie is the young opera singer , and when it comes time for the dashing young love interest to appear, I see that the faces keep changing. I first recognize Sam Merlotte, but then I think to myself that the worthless shifter could never truly be a worthy adversary for me... and the next time my nemesis appears he bears the loathsome features of Quinn the Were-Tiger. Much to my surprise, after a short time the man's face morphs into someone I do not even know. Sookie calls him Rhys. He is radiantly handsome with dark blond hair and brilliant green eyes. In the mysterious way of dreams, it comes to me that he is so beautiful because he is Fairy. _

_This realization makes me hate him, knowing he has the unfair advantage of his Fairy charm. At first the dream-play proceeds according to script, but then it begins to subtly change. The beautiful Sookie becomes infatuated with me, because partly because I recognize her potential and help her achieve her goals of becoming the brilliant new star of the Opera, but also because she cannot resist the force of the overwhelming attraction I feel for her. Quite by accident, she discovers that I am vampire, and instead of being repulsed, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to my dark nature. This confuses her, and so one day while I am resting, she confides in Rhys, who is pretending to merely be a friend instead of revealing his passion for her. The Fairy manages to convince her that I am evil and can never change. In her confusion, she refuses to see me. I watch helplessly from my place of concealment as Rhys tries to win her love, with promises of carefree days filled with sunlight and babies. _

_In the meantime, one of the ballerinas (with Valerie's face) has been sneaking around the opera house at night, and has discovered my secret. She demands to take Sookie's place as my companion and lover, and to live with me in the luxurious palace I have built in the labyrinth under the Opera House. If I do not accept her, she threatens to expose my secret to the authorities and tell them how to stake me during the day. I tell her that I have chosen Sookie as my mate, but she laughs and informs me that Sookie has agreed to marry Rhys and leave the Opera forever. Losing my temper, I kill the girl. Unfortunately, Sookie choses that very moment to find me and tell me of her plans. She discovers me holding the girl's body, and is so horrified she runs from me, crying out that she can never love someone as dark and twisted as me._

_Sookie's rejection hurts me so much that I swear revenge on both her and Rhys. During the performance of the Opera that night, I pretend to be her partner on stage, and at a critical moment I capture her and carry her back to my lair. Moving at vampire speed, I elude my pursuers and manage to slip through the secret passageway and down the curving stairs that lead to the canal beneath the opera house. I put Sookie's unconscious body into the gondola, and as quickly as I can I maneuver the boat back to the entrance to my hidden lair. It is cool and damp in the tunnel, and the mist swirls up around us. At one point it is so thick, it is like we are floating along in a white womb, my captive and I; and when we emerge it will be like we are being reborn into a new world that contains only the two of us. Once we reach the landing, I lift her out of the boat and carry her through the various twists and turns which lead to the lair. _

_When Sookie awakens, she discovers where she is and who has taken her. I have an additional surprise for her... I have also captured my rival, the Fairy Rhys, and have him locked into a secret chamber not far away. I give her a choice... I will let her go and kill him immediately, or she must agree to stay with me for a month.. and submit to my every whim. At the end of that time, I will allow them both to go free. Of course, she chooses the second option._

_During her stay with me, Sookie sees firsthand the true extent of the darkness in my nature. At first, in my anger, I play out each one of my dark fantasies with my captive; but then, a strange thing happens. As the rage within me subsides, and I really get to know her. Instead of just the strong infatuation I felt for her when I first saw her, I fall deeply, irrevocably in love with this beautiful woman. The goodness that dwells within her begins to work its magic on me, and by the end of the month's time, she brings out a side of me that I had no idea existed. Nothing will change the fact that I am and always will be vampire, but now I have a desire to be a better man, and find that I am willing to do whatever it takes to make my true love happy... but tragically, I also realize for her to be happy, I must let her go._

_The last night of the agreed-upon period of captivity arrives, all too quickly, and I am faced with an agonizing choice. I can go back on my word and keep the woman who has become my entire world, or I can live up to the agreement to release her and Rhys and never see her again. I finally decide that I love Sookie so much that I must keep my word to her, and so set them both free. They leave together, and I am completely devastated. Once again, I am horribly alone. For the next few weeks, I cannot bring myself to leave the lair. I do not hunt, I do not feed, and over time, I become progressively weaker. One night, as I lay languishing on the bed that my lover and I shared for that magical month, I hear someone approaching. It could very well be that Rhys has finally sent humans to send me to my final death. In my weakened condition, I have little hope of defending myself. I find that I really do not care. I close my eyes, and wait for the inevitable._

_Much to my surprise, instead of a silver net over my head or a stake through my chest, what I feel is a small, warm hand caressing my face. I must be hallucinating, because I hear the honeyed tones of my lover's voice as she sobs,"Oh, Eric. What have I done to you?"_

_My eyes fly open, only to find the beautiful face of my Beloved. "What do you want?" I cry out hoarsely, "Are you here to torment me further?"_

"_No, Eric," Sookie answers softly,"I tried to forget you, but I could not. I know who and what you are, but it does not matter... you have stolen my soul. I cannot live without you."_

_Joy floods through my body, but my strength is nearly gone. I whisper, "I love you, my angel. Come lay beside me, and let me hold you."_

_To my amazement, she begins to disrobe. Unashamedly naked, she slides into my waiting arms. I have fantasized about this very moment since the night she left, never suspecting it could really happen. I am so weak, I barely have the strength to wrap my arms around her. Quietly, she says, "I can see that you have not been feeding. I am here now. Take my blood." _

_She rolls her head to one side, but I refuse. "No, my love. I am too far gone. I need too much. I might harm you."_

"_This is all my fault! Please! You must!" Before I can stop her, she sits up and pulls a dagger from a drawer in the small table next to the bed. To my shame, she knows where it is kept from before, when I used it in some of my dark games. Straddling my waist, she shocks me by quickly making a small incision near one of her perfect pink nipples. She gasps with the pain of it, but then lets the knife slip from her hand onto the bed. Squeezing her firm round breast with her own hand, she encourages the blood to well to the surface. Instantly, the aroma of her fragrant blood fills my senses, and my awful hunger surges. Leaning forward, she slips her breast into my mouth, and at first, I try not to do more than lick at the wound, to try and heal it for her as my last gesture of love. I told her the truth. I am so starved, I am terrified that if I ever begin to really drink from her, I will not be able to stop... but my attempt to hold back is futile. The instant even that small amount of her hot, rich blood hits my tongue, I am lost. My fangs pop down and I plunge them into her. I begin to suckle at her breast like a babe, and instead of mother's milk, her life-giving blood pours into me. A moan of pleasure comes from deep within her throat, and the delicate but erotic scent of her arousal fills the air._

_As with all vampires, sex and feeding are inextricably linked. Even in my weakened condition, I find myself stirring as I drink. With every sip of her blood, my strength begins to return. Glancing up, I see that Sookie is looking quite pale, a sure sign that I have taken too much. My vampire instinct tells me to keep feeding, to take every last drop of her delectable blood. For a moment, I am tempted to very deliberately do that very thing... but then, before her last breath, feed her back some of mine, thereby making her my companion for all eternity... but I stop myself. Sookie willingly risked her life to heal me, and I cannot betray her by giving her no choice in the matter. Someday soon, I hope that she will make that choice, but until then... by sheer force of will, I remove my fangs from her lovely skin, and lick the wounds to heal them. _

_My love smiles down at me, the most angelic thing I have ever seen. She reaches down and brushes my hair back from my face. She says,"You see? You stopped... because you love me. I knew you would." _

_With that, she scoots back enough to be able to free my erection from its confinement, and then she moves into position. Using her hand to guide me to her entrance, she holds me in place as she lowers herself slowly onto me. Her center is hot and slick and tight, and as she begins to rock back and forth as I taught her to do, a groan of ecstasy escapes my lips. She lays forward and brushes the tight pink nipples of her swollen breasts lightly against my chest, teasing... teasing. She is no longer my victim, but my temptress, driving me wild with passion. Her eyes are no longer those of the innocent virgin I debauched, but those of a knowing, passionate woman. Finally settling her weight fully onto my chest, she nuzzles her face into my neck, her hips never stopping their delicious movement. I can hear her breaths coming in short gasps now, as her pleasure begins to build. I can no longer stay still, and grip her hips in my hands, pushing myself in deeper and grinding into her clit. "Ah!..." a sharp gasp of pleasure comes from her lips and then... "Eric," she breathes softly into my ear, "Do you remember all the things that you forced me to do at first? All those things that I begged you not to do?"_

"_Oh, my love... I swear, I am so sorry..." I begin to beg her forgiveness, but she covers my lips with a kiss. I can feel myself begin to swell, the pressure begin to build as I approach my climax... and I can tell by her movements she is hovering just on that golden edge. The minute I start to fill her, I know she reach her own peak along with me... but I want to delay as long as I am able. She places her lips next to my ear and whispers shyly "Shhh. Do not say that you are sorry. I wanted you to know... I came back because I liked it." With those completely unexpected, devastatingly wicked, and profoundly thrilling words, I can no longer hold back. I bury myself deeply inside her, and we cry each other's names as we cum together..._

...and myself floating back out of downtime, but I do not want to leave the magical realm of the dark, deeply erotic dream. Sookie's life force is still inside me, filling me... nourishing my parched soul. With every ounce of force I can muster, I send her _Come to me, Sookie. Please, Beloved! Without you, I am so alone._ There is no response, and soon the fragile connection fades away. I feel moisture on my belly and chest, and I look down to discover that I have released my essence while in the throes of the dream. Sighing heavily, I haul myself back to the bathroom and clean up. While in the shower, I replay the elements of the fantastic dream and try to dissect it. I cannot decide just who initiated this dream, but one thing is for certain... clearly there was input from both of us. The killing of the girl _must_ have been supplied by me, because Sookie would have no way of knowing about that incident. Given my lover's lack of experience, it must have also been me who provided nearly all of the dark sexual fantasies that were played out in great detail... I cannot help but wonder if Sookie is lying in her bed right now, thinking about those acts... will she be remembering them in disgust or with guilty pleasure, as the end of the dream might indicate? I would give anything to know the answer to that. But what about this unknown Fairy... this Rhys? At first, I think that perhaps he is just a figment of my own imagination, conjured up to represent my fear of her meeting someone in the Portal, and staying there with him... but then I realize that Sookie herself must have supplied his image. That means that maybe he _is_ real... that she _has_ met someone. Instantly, a terrible jealousy shoots through me; but then, a faint smile plays over my lips as I realize... in our dream, _I_ was the one who ended up with the girl and somehow I know that it was Sookie herself who provided that outcome.

Closing my eyes, I let my mind wander back over some of the most erotic details of our mutual dream. In it, I satisfied many of my darkest desires, ones that I would never ask of Sookie in real life... at least, not any time soon. Instantly, I am fully and almost painfully engorged. I have not had sex in many days now, a condition I have not had to endure in more years than I can count... but I have every intention of remaining faithful to my wife. Sighing deeply, I take matters in hand...

**Pam's POV**

From the moment I saw the blond in the white sundress walk into Fangtasia with Bill Compton, I just knew she was going to be trouble. I remember that night as if it was yesterday. My Master had been even more restless than usual after only recently having rid himself of that loathsome vampire bitch Sabriel, and I recall watching him carefully that evening as he scanned the crowd, looking for someone to relieve the awful monotony. Although one of the things I have always admired most about my Maker is his great _joie de vivre_, I suppose after living for over a thousand years it would be nearly impossible _not_ to get bored sometimes... Even though I am not yet 200, I am bored nearly all the time... or at least I was until Sookie came into our lives. The minute she strolled into the Viking's field of view, those amazingly blue eyes of his began to glow; and somehow I knew right then things would never be the same.

At first, I thought my Master was only interested in the girl because of that alpha-dog thing that he and Bill Compton have had going on for years and years... which I always thought was completely ridiculous. Even back then, when he was a mere Sheriff, there were no other male vampires in Louisiana who could rival my Maker in age, looks, strength, or deviousness. It was obvious to everyone that the only reason the Viking was not already a King was because he did not desire it. Why Bill ever thought he could hope to hold on to a female that Eric was interested in was beyond me... but I suppose vampires will be vampires. If someone had told me back then that someday Bill would be working for Eric, and in the exalted and trusted position of Lieutenant, of all things, I would have been glad to tell them that they were insane.

Of course, I will freely admit that in those days I would have fucked Sookie myself if I thought I could get away with it. Although I do usually prefer tall brunettes, Sookie's lush little body would have provided hours of serious entertainment... and that blood! Once I had that sip at their wedding, it made me wish that I had made a serious effort to finesse her out of some blood and sex somewhere between her dumping Bill and her falling in love with Eric. Still, I doubt it would have done any good... she's just not inclined that way.

In any event, I sat back and watched with great interest as the little blond human led my Master on a merry dance for nearly two years, until they both finally came to their senses and realized they were meant to be together. Until then, the Viking always proclaimed he was not capable of love and was openly contemptuous of vampires who committed the ultimate folly of falling in love with a human... Ha! Famous last words. Since their engagement, I have never seen my Maker so joyful or so content in all the years I've known him. Their relationship also had the side-benefit of pushing him off dead-center and making him _want_ to be King, which makes _me _happy. My Maker seemed so ecstatic with his little Fairy, that it almost made me wish that I could find someone of my own... but now I realize that I _never_ want to fall in love. It is just too dangerous. When Sookie disappeared, Eric went from being the happiest vampire I have ever seen to being the most miserable... not that I blame him.

When I first met Sookie, I saw right away that there was something very different about her, and not just that amazing telepathy, either. It had more to do with the fact that she always treated us exactly the same way she would treat anyone else... no better, no worse. She always had the ability to see us as individuals first, and as vampires second... a very rare quality in a human and even more rare in a Fairy. Up until we met Sookie, I had never been overly fond of humans, but the way the little blond spitfire stood up to Eric in spite of the fact that he could have killed her with one flick of his wrist never failed to amuse me. I never cared a whit about having feelings of that sort and always neatly managed to avoid them... but like Eric says, our little Sookie is just a vampire charmer. Almost before I knew what was happening, I found myself counting the little barmaid as one of my friends; and before much longer to my confusion, I realized that it was becoming something even deeper. The other night when the four of us were sitting around in the living room of the hotel in Las Vegas, I felt... well, to be perfectly honest, _I_ felt a strange sense of happiness and contentment. It was almost like we were... a nest. Then, when Sookie gave us all that jolt of her magic... if I did not know that I am not capable of such emotions, I would say that I fell in love with her myself.

I confess, when Sookie first disappeared I was quite put out with my Master. When Bill explained to me that Sookie had teleported herself to parts unknown, and apparently believed that I participated in deluding her, I found myself experiencing the strangest sensations... a tightness in my chest and an awful, gnawing feeling in my stomach. I made the mistake of mentioning these unaccustomed symptoms to Bill, and he had the nerve to tell me that Sookie had "hurt my feelings" and I was just afraid that she might not come back. How ridiculous! I certainly do _not_ have such silly emotions! In fact, now I seem to be a little angry with my Mistress. It has become nearly impossible to bear the look in my Masters eyes, every night that she stays away. From the very first, I warned him that she would react badly if she discovered he was keeping things from her, but now I take no pleasure in being right. I understand _why_ she left. I do not need Dear Abby to explain that one. What I cannot grasp is why Sookie will not allow Eric to have a chance to explain his actions, or to try and make things right. I find it very contrary of her to be willing to grant practically anyone else of her acquaintance the benefit of the doubt... but not the person closest to her. It was much the same with Bill when they were involved.

In my opinion, she is being nothing but an immature brat... and even if Eric actually had made a tiny little slip, so what? Does she have any idea how lucky she is to be the chosen mate of one of the greatest vampires currently in existence, or how many women would give _anything_ to be in her place? For such an old vampire, Eric had shown a remarkable willingness to change his ways for her sake. He has kept nearly all of his promises to her, even once she abandoned him. He would move heaven and Earth to please her. In short, he worships the ground she walks on... how can Sookie not realize it? If she ever really loved him, then how can she leave him here alone to suffer the ravages of the awful Bonding Sickness?

Watching helplessly as my magnificent Maker slowly descends into his own special hell is extremely painful for me to to endure. I noticed that he was not his normal self even before we left Las Vegas, which I now know was due to the lack of blood exchange... the Sickness already had a foothold even before the disaster. Once Sookie fled, it began to accelerate right away. Obviously, my Master is not thinking as clearly as usual, and with each night that passes he becomes more irritable and short-tempered... I have already had to replace the door to his office twice. I went ahead and ordered a dozen... they were much cheaper that way, and at this rate it looks like we might even need more. He is clearly unable to stop himself from obsessing over his Bonded. Last night, I discovered him in his office, his desk completely covered in sketches of Coronation gown designs, each one more elaborate than the last. When I suggested that he may just have to proceed with the Coronation without her, he actually growled and bared his fangs at _me_... his own child! He hasn't done that since I was newly made, and seriously out of control.

Although clearly I am not allowed to mention such a possibility, what if Sookie _never_ comes home? For a vampire, Eric has always been remarkably even-keeled and extremely practical, traits which I have always admired. What if he loses his composure completely? I have an uneasy feeling that my Master could turn out to be a very bad vampire, indeed... and there is no vampire in this territory that can stop him, no matter what he takes it into his mind to do. I was actually shocked to my core when he called me in to dispose of that body the other evening. It was clear that her death was no accident. Will he begin to break his own rules about killing for sport? A waitress here or there is not much of a problem, but God only knows how many humans he could kill in just one evening if he was really in a mood. If the human authorities find out, they could come after all of us.

Another thing that worries me is his refusal to feed. After taking blood from the waitress Valerie, he has flatly refused to feed at all. I know it will not kill him, but if it goes on long enough, it could severely weaken him... and look what happened to poor Sophie-Anne when she was indisposed. There is always a threat of another takeover. I must do what I can to get him to reconsider. I tried to get him to change his mind about holding Court as well, to no avail. The bar is now closed and we are scheduled to begin in less than ten minutes. The Sheriffs are all here, the prisoners downstairs in the special holding cells. I suppose there is nothing left to do but get going...

*****

Several hours later, the last of the cases has been heard. The Sheriffs have departed for the night. There is only one vampire left in the bar, busily mopping up the last of the blood and ash. Bill and I are currently standing in the employee parking lot of Fangtasia, watching the taillights of Eric's Corvette as they disappear down the mostly deserted street. Shaking my head, I comment, "Well, I suppose it could have been worse."

"Oh, really?" Bill says sarcastically, "How, exactly?"

After thinking for a minute, I allow, "You're right. It really couldn't have been much worse. What do you think the Sheriffs are thinking?"

"That maybe Felipe wasn't so bad," he replies, "Let's face it. De Castro was a devious bastard, but he wasn't around much. He let his Sheriffs do whatever they wanted, as long as the revenue was rolling in. Obviously this group wasn't expecting the reaming-out they got tonight. A Viking in a bad mood is a scary thing to behold."

Sighing, I say, "In spite of that, the Sheriffs really _ought_ to be pleased. After word gets around about some of the punishments Eric handed out tonight, I imagine cases requiring a trip to the King's court will be cut in half at the very least."

"Let's get back inside," Bill says, "I don't know about you, but I can use a blood." I nod, and the two of us walk back into the bar. Once inside, Bill slides behind the bar and removes two Specialty Blends from the cooler and pops them into the microwave. Once heated, he hands me the warm bottle and a cocktail napkin, and then comes around and hoists himself onto the barstool next to me. He resumes our conversation by saying, "To give Eric his due, I will admit that his punishments were very... creative. Harsh, but creative."

"Oh, certainly," I agree, "What was _your_ favorite case?"

"Oh, no question. It was the vampire from New Orleans, running the phony swamp tours. I thought what Eric came up with was very appropriate, didn't you?"

I have to grin. It really _was_ appropriate. The facts of the case were these: One of the new vampires in New Orleans had been selling "Nighttime Swamp Tours" to tourists... some of whom were then never seen again. The human authorities could never prove anything, but they were starting to make lots of outraged noises. Killing tourists in the best revenue-producing area of the territory is remarkably bad for business and is seriously discouraged all around. Rasul had already fined the vampire in question, and issued a couple of punishments, but this vampire just went right back to what he had been doing. The offender was completely unrepentant, claiming he was doing the human race a favor by helping to cull out the terminally stupid and thereby improving the over-all quality of the gene pool. It was clear his King needed to step in.

The entire time the case was being presented Eric sat in his chair with his head resting against the back, eyes closed. If it hadn't been for him slowly twisting his wedding ring around and around his finger, I would have thought he was in downtime and not even listening. When the accused and Rasul got into a shouting match, however, Eric raised his head, opened both of those piercing blue eyes of his and said sharply, "Shut up, both of you. Lucas, you have ignored your Sheriff on more than one occasion. That is unacceptable. Since you are a relative newcomer to Louisiana, it may come as a surprise to you to learn that tourists aren't the only things that get eaten out in the swamps. Rasul, I want you to turn this vampire over to Sheriff Commeaux of Area 3. One of his vampires owns an alligator farm in the Atchafalaya Basin. Lucas here is going to be stripped naked and his body chained with silver to a stump in the main feeding pool. Those alligators are welcomed to whatever appendages they want... like us, they feed at night, and I am assured that they find un-dead flesh very tasty. Don't worry, Lucas... I will have the proprietor cover up what is left of you each day before dawn. By the next night, everything should be grown back... mostly. I think about a month with the gators should be enough time for you to reflect on being more obedient in future. Oh... and I hope you don't mind gnats and mosquitoes. I understand they are quite annoying this time of year."

My only comment to Bill was, "I think Rasul looked nearly as sick as Lucas did. Bill, I am getting worried. My Master is... well, you can see he's going downhill fast. Can you believe it? Last night, I actually found him listening to some sappy Country and Western music! How much worse can this Bonding Sickness get?"

I glance over at my fellow Lieutenant. For once, he has let that cool facade of his down. He looks as worried as I feel. Bill and I have never been exactly the best of friends, but I have to admit he has surprised me. I honestly thought he had only accepted the position of Lieutenant so he could still be around Sookie... but even now that she's gone, he has been pitching in and doing everything he can to help me keep things running smoothly while Eric is so distracted. We still do not see eye to eye on everything, but his loyalty to my Maker goes a long way with me. Now he answers, "I really don't know. I thought about calling Wanda to see what she knows about it, but... I just don't like the idea of outsiders knowing that much about us, and I bet Eric wouldn't either."

Glumly, we sit side by side, trying to think of solutions to this awful mess. How are my fellow Lieutenant and I going to keep Eric from wreaking too much havoc on the general population? Even the two of us together are nowhere near strong enough to physically restrain him, if he really loses it and goes on a rampage. Perhaps it _would _be best to close down Fangtasia until this situation is resolved. I am not all that concerned about normal Kingdom business. So far we have been able to keep everything rolling along just fine, and now that we are past the King's Court we won't have to have another one for a good while... but what if something unexpected happens? The Sheriffs have already noticed the huge change in our King. How are we going to keep his situation from becoming common knowledge? How are we ever going to get Sookie back and stop this madness? How bad will the Bonding Sickness get? Who besides Wanda knows anything about it... Oh. OH! Why on _earth_ haven't I thought of this before? I suppose I have been so busy trying to keep all the plates spinning, as Sookie would say, "I couldn't see the forest for the trees."

Now I realize that here is really only one thing to be done, and I should have done it days ago. Who is the only vampire I know that is nearly as old and strong as my Maker, who is knowledgeable about arcane vampire lore such as Second Bonds, and who might even be able to figure out how to retrieve our Fairy? Eric may not like it, but there really is no other choice. Pulling my phone from the pocket of my skirt, I announce with relief, "I am calling Robert."

Faeryn's POV: In the Portal

Sookie was sleeping and I knew I had several hours to kill before she would wake. Earlier in the day I had spent many hours on her portrait, and was very close to finishing it. I decided to get a little work done on the other painting of my friend, one which she had _not_ seen and didn't even know I had started. The first painting was a formal portrait, one that could very well take its place amongst all the other paintings of her ancestors in the Palace. The other piece was much different, and done strictly to please myself. I had been unable to forget the vision of her looking so pensively out of the window that first morning I arrived, the light striking the planes of her lovely face just so. I knew I would not be able to rest until I had attempted to capture that look on my canvas. This second painting was to be a surprise, and I tried to work on it when Sookie was sleeping or otherwise occupied.

After an hour or so, I found myself struggling a bit with a particular spot, and finally realized that I was merely tired and needed to let my mind rest for awhile. I decided to find a good book and take a small nap before returning to work. Luckily, the Prince had granted me access to his library years ago, and so I had no trouble getting in. I had just located the book I wanted, climbed up to the second story of the library, and snuggled up in one of the chairs in the reading nook, when I heard voices. Niall and Rhys came into the library, and I was just about to make myself known, when I heard the Prince say crossly, "Rhys, you really need to be more careful. I cannot believe you made reference to an item in Sookie's home that you could not possible have known about unless you had been there! She must _never _guess that it was you who was at her house at Christmas. I ordered you then to stay completely away from her. You are extremely lucky I did not encase you in iron for disobeying me and approaching her anyway."

"I assure you, My Lord, our meeting was entirely unintentional," Rhys replied in an even tone, "Would you rather I had left her wandering lost in the forest? However, I solemnly vow to be much more careful from now on. She wasn't really paying attention to what I was saying, anyway. Besides, how could she ever _really_ know it was me? I was disguised as a Were and used a different name.... Preston something-or-other. Sookie has no idea that I can take other forms."

Grumpily, Niall said, "I wish now that I had never gave you permission to spend time with her. I must be getting senile in my old age... but I just could not bear to see her so depressed about her vampire, and at least you are amusing. She seems to be getting better, though. It is entirely possible that she will choose to return to Northman soon."

"But she may not," Rhys said rather stubbornly, "I think she is starting to realize that she could be happy here, and she very well may choose to stay... and particularly if she has a good reason. In fact, that is exactly what I wanted to speak to you about... Your Grace, I have come to care for Sookie. In fact, I hold her in such regard that I am willing to overlook the fact that she is Bonded to a vampire. If you are agreeable, I am offering to be with her long enough to give her a child, and then help raise it."

Rhys' statement was so unexpected, I almost gasped out loud. It was actually an amazing offer, since Rhys was a full Fairy from a good family. For him to offer to have a child here in the Portal with a mostly human girl, and one so intimately associated with vampires... quite unusual. Even I, a half-fairy, would have been quite pleased at such an offer. Niall was silent, and I knew that meant he was actually considering it. Rhys continued, "Think about it. The child would be a little more than half-fairy, with your bloodline in it. It would also mean that Sookie would _have_ to stay here with you, and I can tell that would please you."

"Perhaps, but there is always Northman to contend with," Niall said thoughtfully, "I gave Sookie my word that I would avoid a direct confrontation with him until she could decide what she intends to do... but of course, I cannot hold him off forever. Things are already tense enough between the races. If the vampires think that I am holding Northman's Queen for no good reason, it could be just the spark needed to set off another war. I am determined to avoid that at all costs. I would have no choice but to explain our relationship... but perhaps the time for that is coming, in any event." He paused for a moment, but then continued, "While I appreciate the offer, Rhys, I believe it is too early to start thinking along those lines. I want the choice to be hers. _If_ it looks like she might decide to stay, then we will have this talk again..."

Their conversation continued a few more minutes and then Rhys left. He had only been gone a short time, when I heard Niall call out sharply, "Faeryn! Get down here at once, young lady!"

Oh, dear. I should have known that Niall could detect my presence. He always knows _everything!_ Immediately, I obeyed him. As I made my way down the winding staircase, I could see that he was seated behind his desk, watching me descend. Once I was standing before him, he eyed me coolly; but instead of launching into the lecture about eavesdropping I was expecting, he shocked me by asking "I suppose you heard all of that exchange. You are close to Sookie. Tell me, what do you think of Rhys' offer?"

Stunned that my Prince would ask my opinion on such an important matter, I took a moment to think before replying, "It is of course a very generous offer, but... I think in spite of everything, Sookie truly loves her vampire and even though I have little to base it on, I believe _he_ loves _her_. Ultimately, she may not go back because she thinks she cannot trust him... although, I have the strangest feeling that we have not heard the entire story. A child, though... I know that she would love to have a child, and of course, that would be impossible with her vampire. It _might_ be enough to sway her choice."

"But what if she _could_ have a child with Northman? What then?"

By the way Niall's eyes were gleaming, I knew immediately that his was not just a hypothetical question. Of course, I had always known that our Prince was the most magical of all the Fairies living, but this... Before I could stop myself, I heard the words tumbling out of my mouth, "Oh, sir! Are you sure?"

"Although it has never been done, I think the answer is yes... _if_ I am correct about her possessing the Essential Spark. Sookie herself would have to provide part of the magic needed. You are living proof that some Fairies have the ability to wish themselves pregnant... and if her other magics are any indication, I believe that Sookie is one of them. However, because the father is undead, it would definitely require additional help from me... but I am fairly certain it could be accomplished at least once."

In complete amazement, I stutter, "But... My Lord! Have you told her of this? Does she know that this is a possibility?"

The Prince shook his beautiful head, and said, "No, I was waiting for them to get settled into their new roles before telling them. From the first time I saw them together, I had a premonition that Northman and Sookie were Fated; and after giving it a great deal of thought, I even believed that I knew why."

Niall fell silent for a moment, and then reached down and opened one of the deep drawers of his enormous desk. From it, he pulled a small but beautiful box which was elaborately decorated in the manner of Fabergé. He set the little box on his desk and stared at it for a moment. He ran one of his elegant fingers over the top and then flipped open the lid. Inside were nestled several tiny ampules of red liquid. Fingering the small glass bottles, the Prince said thoughtfully, "These are drops of my blood, which I have already enchanted. I had actually been intending to give them this magic as a wedding gift, but of course with this turn of events I have reconsidered. Even _if_ Sookie goes back to the vampire, I will have to wait and see if they stay together. Since there are so many variables, the exact make-up of their offspring would be uncertain... but _any_ child of such a union would require a great deal of protection until it reached maturity. Although unlikely, it _is_ possible that it might even possess a few vampire traits, and in that case, I am unsure if Sookie _could_ bring it here for protection. No, it would take both parents working together to raise such a child."

"Forgive me for being so bold, Your Grace, but if you feel so strongly that they are meant to be together, why haven't you just confronted Eric yourself, and worked out some sort of compromise?"

"For one thing, I gave Sookie my solemn promise that I would not interfere directly," Niall answered, "I intend to honor that promise for as long as is practical before stepping in and taking control of the situation. However, do not imagine that I have not been doing a little investigating, albeit very discreetly. My sources have only been able to discover vague rumors of a union between Nevada and Louisiana, but as of yet there has been no formal announcement. As for the charge of infidelity, I have not been able to uncover even the hint of a dalliance, but of course that means nothing. The vampire is very wily, and knowing Sookie's feelings on the subject, he could have hidden his tracks quite well. I must believe what Sookie tells me she witnessed with her own eyes. My great granddaughter is a strong woman, Faeryn, but very proud and very stubborn. I felt she needed a chance to heal before she could face this situation rationally. I deliberately cut off direct contact between them to allow her a chance to regain her footing... although, I _did_ have Ieuan drop a few hints that written correspondence would not be turned away. This will allow the vampire an opportunity to explain his side of things to Sookie in a non-threatening manner. Quite honestly, I am surprised that no such correspondence has arrived... perhaps Northman is not as anxious to recover her as I thought."

That certainly didn't sound like the Viking I had met. From the minute I laid eyes on him, I had been able to see at once that he was totally, head-over-heels in love with Sookie. In fact, since Niall had made it so difficult for the vampire to contact his Bonded, I was amazed that he hadn't been threatening war to recover her already. I asked, "So is that why you are considering Rhys' offer?"

The Prince turned his beautiful old eyes on me and said, "Our numbers are dwindling. I never imagined that Northman would let her go so easily, or that a full-Fairy male would be willing to overlook Sookie's connection to vampires... especially Rhys. You know the trouble his own family has had in that regard. Even if I am wrong about Sookie possessing the Spark, at the very least Rhys' child would be slightly more than half-Fairy, with my bloodline in it. I am old, Faeryn, and I find that having Sookie here soothes and delights me. She is an excellent companion, and I would have an opportunity to help raise the child... I would not make the same mistakes I made with the last two, I assure you."

"So, what are you going to do?" I held my breath. I knew that once he made up his mind, it would be unlikely to change.

Again, his answer surprised me. "I sense that Sookie is on the verge of making up her mind. I want her to be able to do so without the additional burden of this knowledge," he said, "Faeryn, you must promise me that you will not tell her. You must not try to influence her choice by telling her what we have discussed here today."

I gave him my promise somewhat reluctantly; but he _was_ my Prince, and I really had no choice. The minute he dismissed me, I went to my room and tried to come to grips with what I had heard. My head was spinning with everything I had just learned, but one fact stood out above all others. The Prince himself had felt that Sookie and her vampire were Fated to be together, and from the very moment I had seen them together at the restaurant in the Islands, so had I. In fact, I had been having dreams about them ever since. In my dreams, they were instrumental in bringing an end to the tensions between the Fairies and the Vampires. Then, through the Supernatural grapevine, I had heard of the prophecy foretold by the vampire's Seer. At once, I became convinced that my dreams were correct.

But now, I was worried. What if Niall's desire for a Fairy child and his desire to keep Sookie with him outweighed his resolve to let her make her own choice? A few well-chosen words from him might very well sway her towards staying, and then what? I had seen how Rhys was looking at Sookie at dinner... he really _was_ infatuated with her, that much was clear. Like I explained to Sookie the other day, full-blooded Fairy males in full rut are almost impossible to resist by anyone, but most especially by Fairy females. In her confused and vulnerable state, Sookie might very well give in to his advances. After months of taking her vampire's blood, she was no doubt in a hyper-fertile state; and it might take only once for her to become pregnant with Rhys' child, whether she wished for it or not.

Suddenly, I was completely overwhelmed with the notion that I _had_ to take a hand in this. I somehow knew that I had to act, and soon. I had promised the Prince that I would not influence Sookie's choice by mentioning the possibility that she might be able to bear Eric's child, and I certainly didn't want her to know that Rhys was now determined to get her pregnant. What could I do? I thought and thought, and before long, a solution occurred to me. Mother! _She_ was not bound by any such promise, and if I could just convince her of what I knew in my bones to be true... Mother would know just what to do.

*****

A short time later, she had listened to everything I had to say. My mother could see how passionately I believed in my premonitions, and she herself had come to put great store in my dreams. Throughout my life, many of them had actually come to pass. The entire time I was explaining the situation, she sat calmly in a chair as I paced around her room. She said gently, "Faeryn, child, come sit down. I can hardly think with all that pacing."

Throwing myself down in the chair next to her, I tried to be still while she thought. We sat in silence for a long time, while she drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. Finally, she said, "I agree that we need to do something. Because of your promise, we cannot influence Sookie's choice by speaking to her directly. However, I know for a fact that Niall has been giving her a drink to make her sleep well with no dreams. When the time is right, _I_ will provide the drink... and this time, she _will_ dream."

"But Mother, what good will that do?" I burst out, "She might not dream about Eric at all, and even then it may not be good ones."

My mother gave me her most brilliant smile, and said, "My daughter, have you no faith in my magic? Now, you know that in the Portal, time does not work in the usual way..." And so, she explained her plan.

_Post Script: In case anyone is interested, Chapter 30 is still the "magic number."_


	29. Chapter 29

_Author's notes: I do not own these characters. They are the sole property of Charlaine Harris._

_***** ANGST ALERT!!!!**** IF YOU ARE SUSEPTABLE TO ANGST, DO NOT READ THIS UNTIL CHAPTER 30 IS POSTED!**** YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!_

_*****There is a lot of ground to cover between now and chapter 30. This is probably the longest chapter in fan fiction history. It is easily the equivalent of 4 or 5 regular chapters, which is why it took me a few extra days to post. For those brave souls who wish to proceed, I hope you enjoy it... remember, relief is just around the corner!_

_*****I know everyone is pretty anxious to read this. This chapter has NOT been edited for bloopers! I'll go back and replace this with the edited version as soon as possible. Sorry!_

**Chapter 29**

**Pam's POV**

Standing on the tarmac in the warm evening breeze, I watch the sleek white Gulfstream land and then taxi over to the private terminal. A few minutes latter the cabin door opens and the hydraulic stairs slowly extend with a faint whirring sound. Soon the familiar figure of the Knight appears in the doorway. He is as impeccably dressed as ever in one of his custom tailored suits, which is cut to emphasize the breadth of his muscular shoulders. His long dark hair is pulled back in a ponytail and even at this distance I can see those sea-green eyes twinkling merrily. Next to my Master he is the most handsome vampire of my acquaintance, and in spite of myself I feel a little tingle of anticipation... from the waist down. Odd that even though I much prefer women as a general rule, Robert still manages to make me very, very hot... but tonight I need to keep my mind off sex and on the serious matters at hand.

Upon seeing me, Robert's handsome face splits into a broad grin. In a completely un-vampire-like gesture, he gives me a little wave of his hand as he begins his decent down the steps. As he walks towards me, I admire the way he moves with such total assurance... as well he should. No one... and I mean _no one_ messes with the Knight. Now that he is finally here, I discover that my body is beginning to relax. Trying to handle all this on my own has been nerve-wracking to say the least. Taking me tenderly in his arms, he kisses both of my cheeks in the Continental way, and then full on the mouth. Among his other talents, this vampire can kiss! If I wasn't already dripping wet, I would be now. In French, he whispers in my ear, "Good evening, Pamela. You are as lovely as ever, my little dove."

One of the secrets to Robert's charm is that he absolutely loves women. He loves everything about them: the way they smell, feel, and taste (of course), but beyond that he likes to see how their minds work. After all these centuries he has an uncanny knack of being able to understand exactly what makes them tick. For example, he always makes _me_ feel completely feminine and cherished and yet, he is also the one who taught me to fight. Early on, he recognized the fierce warrior's spirit contained in my small feminine form, and helped train me with the best techniques and weapons suited to my size. My Maker taught me how to survive and to take care of myself in other ways, and also provided for me financially. Between the two of them, they prepared me for a very secure existence... or as secure as a vampire _can_ be, at any rate. I have known others of my age who tell me I am spoiled... like Bill, pointing out that I have never slept in the dirt. I am_ not _spoiled!

However, I do realize that I have been extremely lucky. As with most young vampires, after a few years I wanted to get out on my own. Although I saw both Robert and Eric from time to time, it was not all that often; and after a time, to my surprise I began to miss both of them. I was really quite glad when Eric called me back to be with him. If nothing else, he has always been extremely entertaining. Now I cannot imagine ever being away from him again for any length of time, even if I do threaten him with it occasionally. As for Robert, I have always been nearly as fond of him as I am of my Master; but what I once told Sookie is true. I am just not cut out for a long-term relationship with anyone, much less a vampire male. Even if I _was_ so inclined, I know for a fact that Robert truly prefers human women... which I will admit smarts a bit from time to time; but then, I remember that _I_ like human girls, too... for an evening or two, anyway. In my wilder days, we even shared a few. As the fangbangers at the club often say, "Good times."

For now, my friend and sometimes lover takes my arm and guides me towards my minivan which I left running on the tarmac. As always, he gives it a skeptical look and shakes his head in dismay. The Knight thinks limousines are the _only_ suitable mode of transportation, and always teases me unmercifully about my choice of vehicles. He signals to his steward, who brings several bags out of the jet and stows them in the back. A moment later, the man shuts the cargo doors and gives them a pat, letting me know I can go. Robert taught me to fight, but my Master taught me all about automobiles and how to drive. In spite of its mundane appearance, my little minivan was specially built with a high-powered engine and has more horsepower than most sports cars. I floor the accelerator, and we speed off into the night.

*****

On the way to Fangtasia, Robert questions me closely on the current situation, extracting every conceivable morsel of information. When I first called him, he was totally and completely shocked at the disastrous turn of events, and he kept repeating over and over, "Pamela! Why haven't you called me before now!" It was too late for him to get started for Louisiana last night, but he canceled everything else on his schedule and headed here as soon as possible. Right now it is only a little after one o'clock. My Master has been in such a foul, unreasonable mood that I was a little afraid to admit to him that I had gone behind his back and called in his old friend. Instead of telling him what I was up to, I gave him a rather lame excuse for leaving Fangtasia early so that I could meet Robert's plane. Bill is back at the club keeping a watchful eye on our Monarch, with strict instructions to try his best to keep the Viking away from the fangbangers and human staff if at all possible.

By the time we get back to Fangtasia, it is still open but the crowds have thinned out a bit. I am able to park with no problem and a few minutes later we have made our way to Eric's office. I see with satisfaction that the newest door has been installed. Before I can even turn the knob, Bill quickly appears. He and Robert coolly nod at each other in greeting. To Bill, I raise one eyebrow in question. My fellow Lieutenant gives a sharp shake of his head in return, letting me know that nothing awful has happened while I was gone. Without saying a word, he heads back to the bar to make sure no one takes it into their head to try and come down this hallway for the next few minutes. Things may get a little... heated. I knew I was taking a risk when I called in Robert without Eric's permission, but I felt I had no other choice. Once the Viking realizes what I've done, I may be in _serious_ trouble... but I trust that eventually he will see that I have only tried to follow his example of being practical and then he will forgive me.

After tapping lightly on the closed door, I turn the knob and step inside, Robert following closely in my wake. The overhead fluorescent lights have been turned off, and the office is dark except for a small pool of light cast by the little lamp on the credenza behind Eric's desk. My Master is sitting in his chair behind the desk, but has the chair turned so that he is facing away from the door. Without turning around to see who it is, he growls, "Go away."

I open my mouth to speak, but Robert holds up a hand in warning. In a quiet tone, he says, "It is quite a long trip back to New York. Are you sure you do not have time for me, _mon frère_ ?"

Very slowly, my Master twists back around so that he is now facing us. His strong features are mostly cast in shadow. Physically, he is still as handsome as ever, but for the first time it hits me that he is beginning to look a bit... gaunt. This is the first time since my making that he has _ever_ looked any different than he always has, and I am actually shocked that I haven't noticed this change before now... but I tell myself that it is merely a trick of the light. Vampires aren't _supposed_ to change, and I find it extremely unsettling. Even more startling is the bleak look in his eyes. My Master's face never changes expression as he says flatly, "Robert. What are you doing here?"

Robert says simply, "I heard of your troubles. I came."

Shifting his glittering blue eyes to me, Eric gives me a cold stare. In a chilly tone, he says, "Pamela, I do not recall asking you to bother Robert with my problems." I know that tone of voice very well. As I guessed he might be, my Maker is quite angry with me. I start to explain, but again Robert holds up a hand, stopping me. He gives Eric a stern look, and says sharply, "Nonsense! Someone around here had to show some common sense, and it was quite obviously not going to be you."

At that, the Viking slowly stands up from his chair and glowers down at the Knight, who of course glowers right back. Even though he is not nearly as tall as my Maker, Robert is almost as old. He is powerfully built and very, very strong. If it came down to a real fight between the two of them, I honestly could not predict who would win. I do know that Robert is one of the few vampires in the world that can talk to my Maker in that tone and live to tell about it. My eyes shift back and forth between the two extremely powerful, ancient males and pray that they do _not_ end up in a tussle. Even though I think that they care about each other too deeply to really hurt the other, I doubt there would be anything left of Fangtasia. Still, standing between them is an extremely poor idea, so I do my best to sidle out of the way as inconspicuously as possible.

After a few minutes of this obvious battle of wills, Robert says in a gentler tone of voice, "My Brother, we have had each other's backs for more years than either one of us care to count. Why would I _not_ be here now, when you need me the most? You would do the same for me. Now let us put our wily old heads together and perhaps a solution will present itself."

For a moment, my Master just continues to glare at his old friend as if his words have not penetrated, but then he slumps back down into his chair and buries his head in his hands. Robert turns to me and says, "Pamela, I find myself quite parched after my trip. Would you mind getting one of your waitresses to bring me a bottle of Specialty Blend? My brother and I have some serious planning to do."

As quietly as I can, I slip out of the room, leaving my Maker in the capable hands of the Knight.

*****

Over an hour later, the bar is closed and the last of the staff has gone. Bill and I are sitting at my desk, he on one side and me on the other. I have been so distracted by the current crisis that I am running behind on placing the liquor orders. Unfortunately, bars do not run by themselves and neither do territories. Bill's fingers are flying across the keyboard of my computer, keeping up with Kingdom business. If Sookie was here, she'd no doubt say "Pam, you look busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger," the visual of which always makes me chuckle. As a joke once, I told Sookie that I was thinking about finding a paperhanger and removing one arm, just to see what would happen. She turned an interesting shade of green before I let her off the hook and told her it was only a jest.

While I work, I am careful to listen for the door to Eric's office, and before long I hear it opening. A minute later Robert pokes his head into my office and announces, "Eric and I are leaving for Valhalla. Will you and Bill follow with my luggage? I doubt it will fit into the Corvette's trunk."

I notice that my Master has not bothered to say a word to either of us, but had continued down the hall to the back lot. Robert strides after him. A moment later I hear the familiar sound of the back door swinging shut. Bill and I hurriedly finish up our tasks, shut off the lights, and lock up.

Half an hour later, I pull up to the gates of the Royal Residence. The Royal Guards recognize me and open them immediately. Bill is right behind me in his Cadillac and he follows my car slowly up the drive. To my astonishment, instead of the quiet, nearly deserted country mansion I was expecting, I find that I am going to be hard pressed to find a place to park! The grounds are a veritable bee-hive of activity, and I narrowly miss running into a front-end loader as it comes barreling down the drive from around the side of the house. There are temporary outdoor floodlights set up everywhere, illuminating the exterior grounds directly around the house and continuing in a string heading in the direction of the lake. Directly in front of the house stands a huge new fountain and a pair of extremely dirty plumbers are busily laying the underground water line to it. In fact, everywhere I look, there are workers... digging, planting, toting wheelbarrows heaped with mulch... What in the devil is going on?

Eric's Corvette is nowhere in sight, so I assume for once it has been parked in the garage. I squeeze my minivan in between a panel van and a flatbed trailer, which is still completely covered in hundreds of potted plants of every description. I get out and take in the scene around me, shaking my head in bewilderment, then I walk around to the back of my van to retrieve my cargo. I would get some of these workers to carry in Robert's things, but it is obviously not safe for them to be around Eric just now. Bill walks up behind me and asks, "What in heaven's name is going on?" I have no idea, so I merely shrug and then open the cargo doors. Bill helps, and between the two of us we manage to get all of the bags in one load.

My Master has always teased Robert and I about how much we pack when we travel, inevitably adding that he isn't sure why we bother...we both love to shop so much that we always end up buying more than we brought in the first place. It _is_ true that I like to shop, but half of what I buy is to for Eric himself. _Someone_ has to make sure he has fashionable clothing! One of the things that my Master and I argue over constantly is his obsession with jeans and flip-flops... _he_ claims it is only because it is appropriate garb for Fangtasia... _I_ always contend that of all the businesses he could have started, he chose one that justified his casual wardrobe. Of course, the Knight claims that Shreveport is "sartorially challenged," and refuses to buy so much as a handkerchief here... hence the abundance of luggage. One of the things that I admire about Robert is his style. No matter where he is, he manages to look fabulous. I do _so_ love a man that can accessorize.

The front door to the house is unlocked. We let ourselves in, dropping the bags in the entry hall. As far as I know, this is the first time Bill has ever been here, and he looks around the interior with great interest. Looking up at the magnificent chandelier, he sighs heavily and says, "This place is truly beautiful. I knew it would be." He is wearing his normal cool, remote expression, but somehow I know exactly what he is thinking. His family's home is about the same age as this one, and one of the nicer examples of old Southern architecture in Bon Temps... but it does not even compare to this one. This place is an outstanding architectural gem, at least twice the size of his. He is thinking that he could never have given Sookie anything nearly this spectacular. The irony is, if Sookie had never met Eric, she might have eventually married Bill and without a doubt she would have been proud and content to live in his home. To have come so close to having a woman like Sookie for his very own... to having all that splendid blood and magic all to himself... and then to watch her loving another vampire... how does Bill stand it? For a split second, I feel a very unaccustomed emotion pass through me. If I didn't know better, I would think it is pity.

Before I can think much more about it, Robert comes out of the library and head towards us. He says, "Here, let me help you with those." He grabs my portion of the bags and Bill gets the remainder. "My host told me that I could have my choice of the upstairs bedrooms," Robert informs us, "Apparently, the decorators are still here just putting the finishing touches in place."

He leads the way, choosing the staircase on the right. Once we reach the upper landing, Robert asks me, "I understand that you have been here before. Which way?"

When Sookie gave me the grand tour, one bedroom had furniture nearly identical to what I owned when I was human, so in a uncharacteristically sentimental gesture I point to that room. Robert passes through that doorway and from inside the room, I here a voice exclaiming, "Oh! Good heavens! You _startled_ me!" Then... "Oh, _excuse_ me, sir! We will be out of your way in just a second!"

Following closely behind Robert, I see the proprietors of Rose Mansion. At first I wonder just what they are doing here, and then I remember that Sookie had mentioned that one of them was her interior decorator. They both look tired and a little bleary-eyed, and it occurs to me that they are working very, very late for humans... Ah! I think I finally understand just what is happening here. My Master is rushing to get the house finished, in case he can lure his Bonded home. I glance around the room to see what has been done since the last time I saw it, and it is all I can do to stifle a surprised gasp. I almost feel like I am stepping back in time. It contains the same rich fabrics, carpets, and artwork that would have been appropriate for the boudoir of an upper-class woman back when I was a girl. The finished product is nothing short of exquisite.

The taller of the pair recognizes me and says a bit nervously, "Oh, hello, Miss Pam. It is nice to see you again."

Never having been good at small talk with humans, I merely give him a look. As usual, Robert goes out of his way to be gracious by saying, "I understand you are largely responsible for the interior decoration of Valhalla. Let me commend you for a job well done. The place is lovely."

The smaller of the two men (I believe his name was Kenneth) has not taken his eyes off Robert. His cheeks have a faint blush to them and he looks quite infatuated. In amusement, I wonder if his partner has noticed. Apparently not, but only because he seems to be equally enthralled by the Knight. He responds to Robert's compliment by saying, "Thank you, but Sookie made most of the final choices." Forcing his eyes away from Robert, he turns to me and asks, "So, Miss Pam, how do you like your room?"

"_My_ room?" I have no idea what he's talking about.

In surprise, the man says, "Oh... I thought you knew. Sookie had this room done especially for you. She wanted you to always feel like you had your own space whenever you stayed here. She was very specific about the furnishings. We just finished it... I hope you like it."

Sookie had this room done for _me_? Up until about five minutes ago, I was thinking that maybe we might have all been better off if Sookie had never met my Master. I've been so angry with her for leaving us... I mean, for leaving _Eric_... but now... now I have a very funny feeling in the region of my chest. All I can manage to do is growl, "It is adequate."

Robert looks around in approval. "I for one think it quite charming. I am certain Pam will enjoy it very much."

"I believe we met at the reception," the tall man says to the Knight, "I'm Daniel and this is Kenneth. You are Sir Robert, right?"

Robert answers in the affirmative, and the decorator tells him, "There is another room that I believe Sookie intended to be yours."

Now it is Robert's turn to look surprised. "Mine?" he asks.

The man nods and gestures for us to follow. He leads us to the very next bedroom, which I seem to recall shares a bath with mine. Robert's room is decorated in a very masculine style, with dark jewel tone fabrics and heavy antiques. I recognize some of the artwork and rugs that Robert himself had helped select in New York. The Knight glances around in satisfaction. "Very elegant," is his comment, "I will be very comfortable here."

All this time, Bill had been hanging back somewhat, taking it all in but saying nothing. The short, pudgy human says, "Mr. Compton, you are at the other end of the hall."

For once, Bill looks dumbstruck. "What? One for me?" is all he can manage.

Kenneth says, "Oh, certainly. Sookie told us you might not ever use it since you live so close, but she wanted you to feel welcome anyway." He motions to Bill and the three of them head off.

Shaking his head in wonderment, Robert says, "Well, I for one was not expecting such a warm welcome, even if our hostess is not at home. Which room do you prefer to rest in tonight, mine or yours?"

Actually, I had planned on just going home, but now... "Let's put your things in your room," I reply, "But let us go to rest in mine."

He nods and we pile all his bags in his room. While he unpacks, I check out the bathroom. While not as large and luxurious as the one in Eric's chamber, it is very nicely appointed. Idly, I open one of the jars of bath salts and sniff. The scent is lovely and it makes me long to get in the big clawfoot tub and have a long soak. However, Robert calls to me, reminding me that we need to re-join Eric downstairs. By the time we hit the landing, Bill is already waiting for us at the base of the stairs. "The decorators are gone," he advises us.

"What did you think of _your_ room?" I asked. It isn't so much that I care if he really likes it or not, I just want to see his reaction to the fact that Sookie has gone to such trouble for all of us. Bill's cool response is a completely uninformative, "All the comforts of home."

Grrr. Sometimes he drives me completely crazy! I have to resist the strong urge to punch him. Robert intercedes by taking my arm and practically dragging me towards the library. He slides open one of the pocket doors, and the three of us enter. My Master is standing at the large window, gazing out at all the activity outside. He obviously hears us enter and says to no one in particular, "Does that walkway seem wide enough? Perhaps they should put in another course of stone."

Why in the world is Eric focused on something so unimportant as landscaping rather than the more serious matters at hand? To my surprise, the Knight joins his friend at the window and replies easily, "The rule is that two should easily be able to walk abreast... I believe the width could be improved upon. You know, Brother, I believe that this job is going to require strict supervision to see that everything is done to perfection. My suggestion is that until it is complete, you office from here so that you can keep a watchful eye on everything."

Now I see what Robert is trying to do. He is very cleverly providing a reason for Eric to stay at Valhalla and away from the general public. Even if he does get out of control and kill a bunch of the workers, we could easily contain it here. Those tall gates can keep humans _in_ as easily as they keep them _out, _giving us ample opportunity to deal with any survivors. In response to his suggestion, Eric replies, "I _would_ like to oversee the work, but as you can see the office is not really functional. I have never told Bobby where to put everything."

Instantly understanding Robert's plan, Bill offers, "I will be glad to hook everything up. I for one think this is the perfect spot for the center of operations. For one thing, I am closer to Ruston in case we have more dealings with that irritating Fairy."

After thinking it over for a moment, Eric nods his head in agreement. He points out the various boxes of equipment to Bill, and shows him to an unused room which can be used for an additional office. The three of us briefly discuss exactly what is needed. Bill agrees to bring whatever is else is necessary with him tomorrow night. I can tell by the way that Eric studiously avoids speaking to me directly that he is still quite angry with me. I would _much_ prefer that he meet out a physical punishment for my transgression instead of this coldness... I was extremely wild when I was newly made, and constantly needed discipline. My Maker discovered that I was much more likely to pay attention to a good spanking than anything else... until he figured out that I liked it and would aggravate him just to get one. Then he switched to a more cerebral approach. He knows that I simply cannot stand it when he ignores me or is cold to me... but I suppose I will just have to bear it. Oh, how I wish our Fairy would come home! Only _she_ can set all this to rights.

It is getting on toward dawn, and Bill decides he needs to depart for Bon Temps. To my astonishment, Eric actually invites him to stay at Valhalla, saying that since he is going to take charge of setting up the office the very next evening it will save time. I get the strangest feeling that is just an excuse, though. It almost seems as if he _wants _Bill to stay... as if somehow maybe he feels better with others around him. It must be my imagination, though. My Maker has always been extremely private and self-contained and has no need of anyone but himself. In any event, Bill politely declines, saying that he has several items that he wants to bring back from his house in Bon Temps.

As soon as he is gone, Eric says goodnight to Robert (ignoring me) and heads down to his underground chamber. Briefly I consider going outside and bargaining with one of the workers for a little snack, but decide that heating up some TrueBlood is a lot less effort at this late hour. Robert joins me, and afterwards we still have time for a mutual bubble bath before bed. I leave the Knight soaking in the tub, singing a rather bawdy song in French in his rich baritone. Sookie apparently left instructions for the decorator to provide every luxurious detail, including bathrobes hanging from hooks behind the door. Ignoring mine, I pad naked into my new bedroom and slip between the soft sheets of my new bed. Plumping up the pillows, I prop myself up and await my lover with anticipation.

While I am waiting, I admire my new room. The decor evokes many memories, and my thoughts begin to drift back in time. Unlike some, I have never regretted being made vampire even for a minute, but I often wonder how my life would have turned out if Eric had not come across me that fateful night. I imagine I would have been married within that year, and before long had a pack of children... even though I already suspected that I actually preferred women instead of men. In those days, homosexuality certainly existed but was just not discussed in polite society. I well remember my first sexual encounter. In the spring of my seventeenth year, my parents hired the most beautiful French governess. She was really employed to teach my younger sisters, but she was also supposed to expand and refine my French. She was in her early twenties and obviously very intelligent. I didn't care a fig about her brains, though. I was enthralled with her looks. She was very tall with mysterious dark brown eyes and the most glorious silky brown hair that fell past her waist. Instantly I developed a crush on her and mooned over her almost constantly. One night, I was so crazy with lust that I stole up to her room, dropped my nightgown on the floor, and slid myself naked into her bed. It was a very dangerous thing to do, because if she had raised a fuss I would have been in serious trouble.

To my surprise and delight, she just gave a deep sigh and then began to return my kisses. Emboldened by her response, I untied the strings to her nightgown and then pulled it up over her head. I thought I would faint with excitement when I first beheld her naked body. It was so beautiful... creamy white skin than was soft as velvet, a slender waist, and long shapely legs... and the most magnificent round breasts! Hers were the first breasts I ever suckled and to this very day I remember how wonderfully soft and yet firm they felt in my hands. She allowed me to explore her body, but I had no experience and had no clue what to do... so she showed me. The weather was quite warm that night, and she threw off the sheets so that we could see each other by the light of the moon shining through her dormer window. She slid down to the foot of the bed, and then very gently parted my legs with her hands. I had no idea what was going to come next, and I found myself holding my breath in anticipation. My heart was beating so hard and fast that I just knew my father could hear it from two floors away. My biggest fear was that he would come up and stop her before I could find out what was going to happen next.

She crawled up between my parted legs, and before I knew what was happening, she very gently leaned in to kiss my golden triangle. I thought I would faint with delight! In my innocence, I actually thought that was all there was to it... until she parted my folds with her hands and ran the tip of her warm tongue over my now swollen clit. There was such a rush of adrenaline through my entire body that I almost did faint, then. The firm rhythm of her tongue soon had me in such a state I could hardly keep from crying out loud; and in no time the golden waves of pleasure ripped through my body as she gave me my very first orgasm. I remember her chuckling deeply in her throat as I thrashed around in abandon. Once it was over, I lay panting on her small, narrow bed, sure that I was now going to hell for certain but figuring it was well worth it. Before long I recovered my senses, and decided that I wanted to please my new lover in turn. I will never forget the sweetness of her scent, and the thrill of the first exotic taste of her essence on my tongue.

Due to the risk of discovery, our encounters were infrequent, but I learned a great deal about how to give and receive physical pleasure that summer. It came to an abrupt end when her mother fell ill and she had to return to Paris. The next governess was over forty and had a mustache, and I was not attracted to her in the slightest. After my lover's departure, I was brokenhearted and just about quit eating entirely. I began to lose weight, and my mother was so concerned that she called in the local medic, who prescribed some horrid potion that I fed to the cat when no one was looking. My eldest sister was already married and had her own establishment, and eventually my mother sent me to stay with her, saying that some time in the country would be good for my health.

I loved and trusted my sister, and one day while we were sitting in the garden working on our embroidery, I confessed what was actually wrong with me. To my amazement, instead of taking me straight to church to pray for my sins, she just laughed and told me that it was not all that uncommon for girls to have their first sexual encounters with each other. It was certainly safer than dallying with boys, because of the risk of pregnancy. Shocked to my core, I finally got enough nerve to ask her if she had ever had such experiences. At first she would not say, but then she blushed a little and then gave me a sly wink and a nod. After that, I felt much better. Things went back to normal and in time I got over my first love. Not long after returning to London, I soon discovered that the comely upstairs maid was not opposed to a little discreet slap and tickle. That lasted quite awhile, but it turned out that she also had a male lover on the side. Much to her dismay (and mine) she turned up pregnant and had to get married. There was really no one else that interested me, so I found I just had to amuse myself. The summer after that, I was tired of solitary pleasures, and decided that I was ready to give the opposite sex a try. The little maid had told me all about what sex with a man was like, and made it sound fairly interesting. Eventually I met a boy that actually made me want to find out what all the fuss was about. I started a flirtation, and before long the poor creature was head-over-heels in love with me.

I knew better than to go so far as to have full-out sex with a male without being married (my sister had given me a stern lecture about what caused babies), so all we did on our first tryst was some fairly innocent petting. As luck would have it, it was on my way home that very night that my Maker discovered me. So the first time Eric and I had sex, I suppose I was a technically a virgin, but not completely inexperienced by any means. After getting over the shock of being vampire, I found I did enjoy sex with a male; but before long, I realized that even during sex with him, I fantasized about women. Newly made vampires think any kind of sex is exciting and so I tried out just about everything, but over the years I realized that I really _did_ have a strong preference for women. Robert is the only male that I still enjoy, and right now I am looking forward to our time together.

I do not have long to wait before he emerges from the bathroom and interrupts my trip down memory lane. Just thinking about my first lover has already gotten me quite excited, and by the looks of things, Robert is eager for our joining also. He is truly a magnificent specimen of a man... perfectly proportioned, muscular, exceedingly well-hung. Obviously not my normal type, but still... tonight I find myself craving the comfort of his strong arms. He soon joins me under the covers and cradles me comfortingly to his body. Kissing the top of my head, he says gently, "Eric is being very harsh with you, little one, but do not take it personally. Once his Bonded returns, he will realize how unfair he has been and will then be singing your praises. Take comfort knowing that you have acted in his best interests."

My Knight always knows exactly what I am feeling even when I do not say it out loud. In response to his kind words, I roll into him and give him a rather passionate kiss. Immediately, I feel his huge erection pressing against my belly. His large hand snakes down between my legs and before long his clever fingers are slick with my juices. I willingly spread my legs wider in invitation. In one practiced motion, he rolls between them and positions himself just at my entrance. Knowing well that I do not generally have sex with men, he takes his time sliding into me.... in keeping with my petite frame, I am quite small in that area as well, and I can never take all of him at once. If I wasn't vampire with a high tolerance for pain, I could never have comfortably had sex with either him or my Maker... and certainly not both of them together. Even when things do get torn, they heal right back... another plus.

Now, the feel of Robert's thick cock inside me is quite nice, and I lay back and enjoy every satiny thrust. After all this time, he knows my body very well. My lover knows that I cannot reach climax this way and so after some time he braces himself up on his arms, looks down at me and says in French, "Let me watch you pleasure yourself, my dove."

Needing no further encouragement, I slip my hand between us and begin to massage my nub. The friction of my finger and the slow thrusts of his manhood is exquisite. After only a very few minutes, I cry out as the ripples of my orgasm begin, and the minute the contractions begin to massage his erection, Robert lets himself go. As soon as he is finished with his own pleasure, he immediately rolls to the side, knowing that I do not care for the weight of a male body lying on top of me for very long. Although I will allow my lover to take some of my blood if he wishes, he almost never does; and as with most very old vampires, he seldom shares his either, even with me. Maybe that is why we have been able to remain such good friends. He kisses me again and then takes my hand in his. I also dislike the feel of anyone next to me while I rest, so he politely leaves a little room in between us. In the darkness of the room, we lay quietly holding hands, each lost in our own thoughts. Finally, I ask the question that I have been terrified to ask, "Robert. What will happen if Sookie _doesn't_ come home?"

He brings my hand to his lips and then replies, "I honestly do not know... but I am going to do my best to make sure we never find out. I am going to do whatever it takes to make this come right."

"Sometimes I wish that none of us had ever laid eyes on her," I blurt out, suddenly angry all over again, "She has caused nothing but trouble. Until we met her, everything was just fine. My Master was perfectly happy before, fucking and feeding on anyone who caught his fancy with no strings attached. Why did he have to pick _her_, out of all the thousands of women in his long life?"

Although I had meant the question to be rhetorical, Robert answers seriously, "Was he really so happy, Pamela? Underneath that _bon vivant_ exterior, I think my Brother was very lonely. I believe he has been waiting his whole life for this woman. I truly believe our little Fairy is the only _possible_ mate for the Viking. I hear the anger in your voice, little one. Do you know what I think? I think you are angry at her because she is injuring your Maker, but also because she has hurt _you_. You have feelings for her, do you not? Perhaps very complicated ones?"

That Robert. Just because he's old, he thinks he knows everything! I am just about to protest that I certainly do _not_ have feelings for any human, or part-fairy, or anybody else, when the sun sends us both to our rest.

******

**Bill's POV**

As soon as the last flash of sun dipped below the horizon, I began to stir. Opening my eyes, I stared up at the ceiling for few minutes and contemplated the night ahead. Since I still had that gnawing, empty feeling inside, I was fairly certain that Sookie had not returned... not that I was really expecting it. No one could possibly know any better than I did how stubborn the former Miss Stackhouse could be, and how long she could hold on to her anger. That she was avoiding dealing with her problems directly did not surprise me in the least. After her abrupt departure from Las Vegas, I had thoroughly expected her to withdraw to her old farmhouse and hole up there until she cooled off and Eric could sweet-talk her into to returning to him... which only served to illuminate the fact that even after all that we had been though together, I obviously still did not understand the first thing about her. For Sookie to completely abandon her home, her friends, and her life and disappear into the Portal _did_ shock me. I never could have guessed that she would have left her Bonded to suffer for so long... I honestly hadn't known that it was in her nature to be so cruel. Perhaps the Fairy blood was to blame.

If only we could have caught her before she left Las Vegas! Eric could have forced Sandy to explain to Sookie that he had already rejected the Proposal then and there. Sookie would have learned of Sabriel's "accident"... and while her death did not exactly prove that Eric had _not _been having an affair with her, men seldom shred their paramours if they are still fond of them. I still held that miserable dog Luke responsible for helping her to elude us. Although I would never have said so to Eric, I wondered just what had transpired on that long flight home. If I were the Viking, I would have already arranged for Luke to have a fatal accident, before that snake managed to insert himself any further into my nest... Of course, Luke not being exactly a push-over, that might have been easier said than done. If only I could have gotten rid of _my_ rival, before it was too late... Before I could finish that thought, I stopped myself cold. I knew I should be honest with myself. The chances of me _ever_ having been able to best a vampire like the Viking had always been exceedingly slim. The minute he decided that he was going to take her from me, I should have just given up... but my pride and my love for her just would not allow me to do it. I suppose in my own way, I was every bit as stubborn as the two of them.

However, I knew I should not be lying around dwelling on the past. I had promised my King that I would set up electronics at his home and that was going to take several hours. After rising, I quickly bathed and then dressed, choosing jeans and a t-shirt since I would be crawling around on the floor hooking up office equipment. Such mundane tasks should really have been relegated to an underling, but under the circumstances I felt it best to do it myself. For one thing, for security reasons I didn't really trust anyone else to set up the proper encryptions and so forth... for another, it didn't seem wise to further aggravate Eric with having strangers inside his home just then. Last night, I had immediately caught on to Sir Robert's plan to keep Eric as isolated as possible and thought it an excellent idea. In any event, I should have already thought of the necessity of setting up a full office in Valhalla. Since it was the new Royal Residence, there would no doubt be many occasions where such facilities would come in quite handy. I had been surprised to learn that it had not already been handled, because Eric was usually so on top of things.

As soon as I was dressed, I gathered up some paraphernalia I knew I would need from my office. There was one item in particular that I wanted to show to Robert, so I opened the concealed safe in my office to retrieve it. It was sitting right next to the small black ring box which held the two-carat diamond engagement ring I had purchased for Sookie. Ironically, I had bought it only a week before Lorena had called me to her. I had been intending to propose as soon as the database was complete. I was going to deliver the disks to Sophie-Anne, and while she was in a good mood, get her permission to marry Sookie. I planned to come straight back to Bon Temps and pop the question... and then came my summons from my Maker and nothing was ever the same again. Sighing deeply, I left the small jeweler's box where it was now destined to remain and removed the item I was after. The Knight was obviously knowledgeable in many areas, and perhaps he might know what to do with it. Just in case it became necessary for me to stay at Valhalla, I packed an overnight bag and placed the small object inside. I had been very, very surprised when Eric had invited me to stay in his home the night before. Even when he was Sheriff, he was well known for being extremely elusive when it came to his private life. No one except Pam had ever known the location of his homes, and I doubted that even she knew them all. Before last night, the only one I had ever been to was the one in Shreveport that Eric had furnished for Sookie. Now that he was King, obviously he had decided to change his habits and rest in one location most of the time, but I was willing to wager that the list of those allowed to stay under his roof was exceedingly limited... and it still felt quite odd to me to be included in that very intimate group.

Nonetheless, I was prepared to stay if that was his wish. Juggling both the large box and my overnight bag, I headed out the door. Just as I was locking up, I heard a vehicle pulling up the drive. As it came around the last curve, I recognized the jeep belonging to Sam Merlotte. He came to a stop just in front of the house, and turned off his engine. A moment later he was standing at the base of my front steps. He looked up at me and said, "Hey, Bill. I'd like to have a word, if you don't mind."

From the beginning, the Shifter and I had never cared much for one another. It had been obvious that he was in love with his best waitress but was too timid to pursue her. That didn't stop him from trying to keep her away from me, though. He never pretended to like me, but at least we eventually came to a place where we could tolerate each other... about the time that it became clear I had lost Sookie for good. I still made it a habit to go by his bar from time to time, just to maintain my standing as the friendly town vampire if for no other reason. Over time, I had come to realize that Sam was really not a bad sort... for a shifter. I could not help but wonder what his purpose was for coming to my home. I doubted very much that he was there on a social call. Before responding to his friendly greeting, I looked him over. In serious need of a shave, he looked as scruffy as ever. His shaggy reddish-golden hair was sticking out in every direction,. Why men who _could_ shave every day and keep their hair barbered in fashionable manner would choose not to do so always baffled me. Clad in his normal outfit of old blue jeans, western-cut plaid shirt, and beat-up cowboy boots, he looked more like an out-of-work redneck than the owner of a very successful bar. No wonder Sookie had never fallen for him, even before she met her first vampire. I sighed and responded, "What is it? Is the new jukebox not working out?"

"No, no. That's all fine. I was just wondering... when Eric came in the bar the other night, he was obviously out-of-sorts. Sookie wasn't with him, and when I asked him about it, something about the way he answered made me a little nervous. I've tried to call Sookie a couple of times since then, and she hasn't called me back. I talked to Amelia and she hasn't heard from her either... and that's just not like Sookie. I know that you are still pretty fond of her, too, so I thought maybe you might tell me the truth. Is Sookie... okay?"

I hesitated before answering. Sookie's whereabouts were no longer any of his affair, and I knew Eric would be quick to tell him to mind his own business. However, I knew that he did have Sookie's best interests at heart; furthermore, if I did not tell him something he might raise a hue and cry with the human authorities... and how would we ever be able to explain where she really was? No, it would be much better to throw him a bone. Finally, I said, "As far as I know, Sookie is fine. She is visiting Niall, which is why she has not returned your calls. She should be home soon." As far as it went, every word of that was absolutely true.

He gave me a searching look, as if he were trying to decide if I were telling him the truth or not. Reluctantly, he said, "Well... all right. Please have her call me as soon as she gets back. And by the way, did that license plate number I gave Eric help at all?"

I had been so busy keeping all the other plates spinning that I hadn't even had a chance to pursue that lead, so I said, "Not yet, but perhaps it will eventually lead to something. If you have any more information, call me instead of Eric. He's very busy right now."

Sam gave me one more piercing look, and then went back and climbed into his jeep. As he put it in gear, he called out, "Thanks for the info, Bill. And by the way... if you see Jason around, I'd be very careful if I was you."

Before I could ask him exactly what he meant by that cryptic remark, he hit the gas and tore off down the drive, scattering gravel in all directions. Shifters! Always trying to be mysterious! Shaking my head, I stowed my gear in the back seat of my car, and then got in. Before heading to Valhalla, I decided to check on Sookie's farmhouse. As usual, it had been fairly difficult to get someone out there to fix the damage that Eric had caused. In northern Louisiana, people still were not all that fond of doing work for vampires. I could have called in some favors and had the Were Herveaux send a crew, but I just never cared much for him. Instead, Terry Bellfleur had taken on the job. He was slow as molasses, but steady.

Driving my car around to the farmhouse, I got out to survey the progress. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a movement. I was instantly on my guard until I recognized the familiar figure of Bubba. He was just emerging from the woods, lugging what appeared to be a dead bobcat under one arm. Seeing me, he grinned and drawled, "Hey, Mr. Bill. What's up?

"Not much, Bubba. How is the house coming along?"

Transferring the bobcat from one hand to the other, he reached into his pocket and produced a piece of paper. Handing it to me, he said, "Terry left you a bill. He said he's done as much as he can do without more instructions."

I put the folded bill into my own pocket."I'll send it along to the accountant. By the way, what are you doing with that bobcat?"

Bubba just gave me that famous grin of his and replied, "A cat is a cat, as far as I'm concerned. When I came outside awhile ago, the first thing I smelled was cat and it made me real hungry." He looked sad for a moment, and then continued, "You know, Miss Sookie never keeps any kitties around here... but I knew one had been around. I went hunting, and I found this fellow. I already had a little snack, but I'm saving most of it for later... there's a movie on TV I want to watch."

I felt a little queasy. Vampires can survive on the blood of almost any mammal, but I personally could never stomach the taste of most wild game. "That's just fine, Bubba," I told him, "You enjoy your snack with your movie... but be sure not to make a mess in Sookie's living room. I've got to get over to the Residence now. I'll check with you later."

*****

About twenty minutes later, I arrived at Valhalla. The outdoor scene was even busier than the prior night, but it was easy to see that great progress had been made in just a few hours. The fountain in front was now fully operational and a gardener was just tucking the last few blooming plants into the broad flower bed around its base. A row of newly planted crepe myrtles ran down a path leading around the far side of the house. A couple of electricians were up on tall extension ladders, installing floodlights into some of the larger trees. The sharp sounds of nail guns rang out from the back yard. I knew it all had to be costing a pretty penny, but after overseeing the Kingdom accounts for the last few weeks, I knew that Eric could well afford it. The housekeeper came to the door to let me in, and I struggled a minute before remembering her name. Politely I said, "Good evening, Juanita. I am here to see Eric."

She gave me a smile and a nod, and then replied, "Please come in, sir. Mr. Northman is in his library with Mr. Robert." At the mention of Eric's visitor, she blushed. Hmph...yet another female unable to resist the allure of the Knight. Besides being so old and strong, I supposed he _was_ quite handsome and very, very charming... I didn't care if he _was_ Eric's former nestmate. If and when Sookie ever decided to come home, Eric would do well to keep him completely away from her. I followed the small human to the doors of the library. The doors were standing open and Robert and Eric were looking out the window again, this time apparently discussing the optimum depth of the new koi pond. As far as I knew, Robert had been a city-dweller for the past couple of centuries and I wondered how it was he knew the first thing about it... or any other landscaping, for that matter.

Eric heard us standing in the hallway, and immediately turned in our direction. Although it had only been a few hours since I last saw him, his face seemed to be different... somewhat haggard. Pam had told me about his refusal to feed, and I supposed this was the result. Obviously his mood was no better, either. He said shortly, "Bill, it is about time you arrived. Juanita, bring Bill a blood. I believe he prefers O-Positive." Noticing the box and overnight bag, he ordered her, "After that, take his bag upstairs. He will be staying here for a few days."

She answered him, "_S__í__, Patr__ó__n_. I will see to it. May I bring you something to drink as well?"

Almost angrily, the Viking replied, "No." With that, he turned back to the window. To my surprise, I caught a glimpse of the housekeeper's face before she scurried away to do his bidding... and I could swear that the look on it was one of pity. Setting my bag outside in the hall, I carried my box into the room and cleared a space on top of Eric's desk. Immediately I noticed two cell phones laying side by side on his desk, one new and one old. "I see your new phones must have come in," I remarked, "Is yours still the same number?"

Without turning around he answered, "Yes. It took a few days to get the model I wanted, and Bobby dropped them off this afternoon. I still had Sookie's old phone downstairs with me, though. Those are hers there on the desk. Do you know how to switch them out?"

I picked up the new phone and inspected it. "Yes," I answered, "This is very similar to my new phone. It is fairly easy to do." After a few minutes of toying with it, I managed to switch the SIMM card and get the new phone fully functional. Juanita had delivered my bottle of blood by then, so I sipped on it while I fiddled with the phone. I scrolled through the address book to make sure that everything had transferred properly. I found that I could not quite resist looking to see exactly who Sookie had included in her address book. To my surprise, it was a fairly short list. After making sure that I could get a dial tone, I laid it back on the desk and then got down to the business of setting up the office equipment. Eric and I had a brief discussion of where everything should go. He had decided that he didn't want a lot of electronic gear cluttering up his handsome library, and since most everything was the latest wireless technology, it could easily be put in the nearby spare room and still be convenient. The room was large enough to make an informal office for Pam or me to use if necessary. I began toting the cartons of equipment to that room.

I was on my second trip when I heard Eric's new cell phone ring. He answered it, "Yes? Yes, this is Eric Northman... WHAT! What do you mean, there has been a "slight mix-up"? That car was supposed to be here tomorrow!" Eyes blazing, the Viking began to pace back and forth. "That was the only car in the country that met my specifications!... I _cannot_ wait for another one to be shipped from Austria! How could you allow someone else to take delivery of MY CAR! ARE YOU INSANE?"

At that outburst, Robert calmly reached over and plucked the cell phone from the hand of the totally irate Viking. Putting the phone to his ear, he said smoothly, "This is Robert de Craon. I want to know the name of the person that received that car, and also his address. We will purchase it directly from him... Privacy laws? My dear fellow, you must be joking. You _do_ understand with whom you are dealing? Perhaps you would prefer for one of our number to pay you a personal visit this evening to help persuade you... ah, yes, of course I will hold." Robert grabbed a pencil from the top of the desk and a moment later scribbled down some information.

All the while, Eric paced and growled. The minute he disconnected from the call, Robert said in disgust, "What imbeciles! I wish I had known about all of this sooner. I would have stopped in Miami and handled all of this personally. Now, Brother, do you not have a good relationship with someone in that area, someone willing to do you a favor?"

The Viking replied, "Yes. Jean is still there. He will be more than happy to help... for a price." Robert tossed the phone back to him, and a moment later Eric was saying, "Jean, you old pirate! How are you? Eric Northman here... Yes, thank you, it _is_ good to be King.... you _did_ receive the invitation to my Coronation? …. wonderful. I will look forward to seeing you then. How's the strip club business? Excellent. Now look, Jean, I have a small favor... I needed a very specific BMW as a gift, and found one there in Miami. Just before the transport arrived to pick it up, the idiots at the dealership mistakenly let someone else take delivery of that same vehicle. I have the name and address of the buyer right here. I would like for you to send someone there to negotiate the purchase of that car. I am willing to pay the buyer a significant bonus for letting us have it... and a fee for your troubles as well, of course... yes, send someone _very_ persuasive, someone able to close the deal even if the man proves to be recalcitrant."

It went without saying that it would be in the man's best interests to take the bonus. Once the fees were negotiated and that call ended, Robert took over and arranged for the car's transportation. Fortunately, it seemed that if all went well, it would only delay the arrival of the car by one night. Eric was not exactly happy, but there was very little he could do about it. It finally occurred to me that Pam was nowhere to be seen, so I asked where she was. Robert explained that she had left at first dark for Fangtasia to oversee everything from that end.

For the next few hours, I was mainly working in the spare office. With Eric's permission, I commandeered several items of furniture from other areas of the house to use until we could order permanent ones. I was so wrapped up in my task that I was surprised to see how much time had elapsed when Juanita came in, bearing another warmed bottle of blood. She set it down on a small table to the right of the door and said, "Mr. Compton, it is time for me to go for the evening. Can I get you anything else before I leave?"

Busy trying to program the fax settings, I declined. I fully expected her to leave, but instead she seemed to hover indecisively. Finally she blurted out, "Forgive me, senor, but Mrs. Northman has always spoken so highly of you that I know that you are her friend. It is obvious that Mr. Northman trusts you, too, so... I know it is none of my business, but... I can tell that he is not eating properly. He is beginning to look... not so good. I am ashamed to say that I know very little about your people's habits. How long can he go without blood? Is there anything I can do?"

Hearing the sincerity in her voice, I looked up from my task and observed the housekeeper closely. Vampires are not usually too forthcoming about feeding habits, other than to tow the party line about being able to survive on synthetic blood. It would be akin to a human discussing what cut of beef he prefers with his cow. However, I could tell that the diminutive brown human actually was concerned about the Viking's well being. Sookie had once told me how fond she was of the woman and so I decided to be truthful... mostly. "The older the vampire, the less blood is required. Eric is very old, indeed. I suspect he could go for a very long time before the situation would become critical... but of course it would be better if he would feed more."

"Would it help if I offered him a different brand of blood? I believe they have many kinds available now."

I thought for a minute before replying, "Perhaps he might be tempted by something different or unique, or possibly fresh." Seeing the look on her face, I hastened to add, "...which can be obtained from a blood bank. I will mention the specialty blood to Pam, and have her bring some. Eric is somewhat out-of-sorts just now. It is probably best if you stay out of his way as much as possible for the next few days. "

Sighing heavily, she said, "Yes, _el Patr__ó__n_ certainly has been a bit testy lately. I certainly wish _la Se__ñ__ora_ would come home. I don't know what he did, but no man should be left sleeping in the doghouse forever, _verdad_?"

It took me a minute to figure out what she meant... but then I felt the corner of my mouth twitch up. The mental picture of the Viking's long legs protruding out of the opening of a rather large doghouse was fairly amusing... not to mentions the fact that as usual, the domestic staff had obviously figured out exactly what was going on in spite of our vague explanations. I think it took her a minute to understand what I meant, too... it just was not safe for her to be around Eric except for the bare minimum. To her credit, after a moment, she said, "I must be going, but I will be at work tomorrow at the regular time. _Buenas noches_, Señor Compton."

As soon as she left, I got back to work. After setting up the new wireless router, I needed to enter the proper codes into Eric's laptop to make everything functional. I went into the library only to find it empty. Taking a seat behind Eric's desk, I began navigating through the screens on his computer. Just as I was getting started, Robert came walking through the door with his own laptop tucked under his arm. In explanation, he said, "Eric is out surveying the progress. I thought you might do me the favor of configuring my machine to work on this new network. I am determined to stay and see my brother through this situation, and there is no telling how long that might take."

I nodded, and he set the small black computer on the edge of the desk. Instead of taking a seat, he paced around the library for a few minutes, finally coming to a stop directly in front of me. Obviously he had something on his mind, and I waited patiently for him to decide if he wanted to discuss it with me or not. After a minute, he spoke."Bill, even though we have now fought a campaign together, we still hardly know one another. If we are to work together, I feel I should clarify a few things. Let me begin by saying that I do know about your prior relationship with Sookie, and now I am even privy to the fact that you share some sort of unusual, lesser Bond with her. Because of those things, I am guessing that you are still very loyal to her and want her to return for your own reasons. What I do _not_ know is how loyal you are to your King. I must know if your loyalties lie with Sookie, or with Eric?"

The Knight was right about one thing... we did not really know each other all that well. I had no intention of delving into a lot of intensely private and complicated issues, so I responded, "I am loyal to _both_. As I see it, it is exactly the same thing. They are married _and_ twice-Bonded, which means that for all intents and purposes, they are one; therefore, what is good for one is equally good for the other. I think they belong together, and I will do whatever I can to make that happen."

For a long moment, he just stared at me, as if he was deciding exactly how much he could really trust me. I must have passed the test, however, because he finally said, "Clearly something must be done before the Bonding Sickness gets much worse. It will be increasingly difficult to conceal the King's condition. Once it gets out, it is possible that others will try to use that to their advantage. Louisiana could become a target for yet another take-over. I think you will agree, that is totally unacceptable. Therefore, we must put our heads together, and come up with a solution."

Once more, he began to pace, but he continued speaking, "As I understand it, Sookie believes that she has been brutally betrayed by her Bonded and that all vampires are liars. At this point, mere words will not suffice. No, our only hope is to produce solid evidence that will exonerate Eric of these charges. Of course, even if we _can_ obtain such evidence, we still have the issue of getting in contact with her. Obviously, that will be extremely difficult. Eric places great hope that she will respond to his letters, but I am not as hopeful. It has been my experience that Fairies can be very deceptive, and I do not trust this Claude one bit. As you heard, hopefully his car will be here sometime tomorrow night, but I think we should be formulating a back-up plan in the meantime."

"I agree," I said, "As you can imagine, I have been giving the whole thing a enormous amount of thought. If only we had some _other_ Fairy to get Sookie to listen... Claude's sister Claudine is much more reasonable, but I've had people watching her apartment night _and _day as well as checking at her place of employment. There has been no sightings at all. Do _you_ know any Fairies that might be willing to help?"

With a rather shark-like smile on his handsome face, the Knight responded, "No... I'm afraid not. Most full-Fairies that have made my acquaintance are no longer available for consultation."

Hmm. Something about what he said tweaked a faint response in the very back of my brain. It was skittering around just on the edge of my consciousness... OH! Quickly, I grabbed Sookie's new cell phone off the edge of Eric's desk where I had set it earlier and frantically navigated through her list of names. Triumphantly, I located the right one. As calmly as I was able, I asked, "We don't know any other _full_-Fairies that would help, but what about a _half_-Fairy? If Sookie can get into the Portal with as little Fairy blood as she has, doesn't that mean that maybe a half-Fairy could, too?"

"I must confess to a shocking lack of knowledge about the Portal, but it sounds logical," Robert replied, "Who did you have in mind?"

"When Sookie and Eric got back from their honeymoon, she told me all about a beautiful half-Fairy named Faeryn that she had met. She helped tutor Sookie in magic, and Sookie sounded like she was very fond of her. This half-Fairy lives there in the islands... and her phone number is right here. Maybe we could convince _her_ to help."

Instantly, the Knights eyes began to glow in excitement. "Of course!" he exclaimed, "In New Orleans, Eric told me of this woman also... I cannot believe that I did not think of her myself! Bill, let us keep this between ourselves until I have had a chance to contact her. In the Viking's current condition, he is liable to frighten or anger her."

Since I was able to see the wisdom in that plan, I nodded my agreement. The sound of the front door being opened and the soft tread footsteps approaching prohibited any further conversation. Eric rounded the corner, Pam at his side. He was telling her "You should go out and see the koi pond. It is coming along nicely." It might have been a trick of the light, but I swear I saw her roll her eyes. Eric obviously didn't catch it, though. He saw that I was done with his computer, and had started on Robert's. He asked me, "Is the Internet up yet? I am expecting an email from the man in New York who is designing Sookie's gown for our Coronation. Robert, wait until you see what I have in mind. It will be perfection! By the way, I sent the gold for my ring with Roland... did you get it?"

"Oh, yes, I did indeed. What good fortune to have recovered Sophie-Anne's ring! I left the gold in the care of my best jeweler, so that it can be ready in time for your Coronation."

Calmly, Eric said, "Good. I want you to use a portion of the gold to make a ring for Sookie."

At that statement, the three of us stared at him in amazement. The gold in those rings were reputedly a source of power, and to waste even a small portion of it on a mostly human woman who might not even benefit from it was... well, it was very, very unorthodox, to say the least. Pam was so shocked, she did not stop to edit her words before blurting out, "But Master, Sookie is not vampire... what good will a ring of power do _her_? And even if you _don't_ like hearing it, you've got to face facts! She really may _not_ be back in time for the Coronation..."

In all my years I had never seen a vampire move as fast as Eric did just then. Nearly faster than my eye could even perceive it, he was no longer sitting behind his desk calmly checking his emails, but on the other side of the library, standing about two inches from Pam's face. The Viking's eyes were reduced to frigid blue slits and his fangs were fully extended as he stared down at his petite child. The room had become extremely quiet. Robert and I stood stock still, preparing ourselves to intervene if necessary. Pam and I had our differences over the years, but I knew that she had spoken without thinking. She definitely did not deserve too severe a punishment for merely speaking carelessly, and if her Maker was in his right mind he would never have taken offense at such a minor infraction. Knowing exactly what peril she was in, Pam immediately dropped to one knee and offered him her throat. She said something to him in his old language, which I did not understand. His reply was given in the same language, icicles dripping off every word. In English, Robert said soothingly, "_Of course_ your Bonded will be back in time for your Coronation! Pamela misspoke, but it is only because she is distraught. She is missing her Queen, just as we all are, and is quite anxious for her to return. As for the ring, you must admit it is highly unusual for anyone but a vampire to possess a Monarch's ring... however, I believe I can see your reasoning. You want to make it clear to everyone that your Queen is very much your partner, and even though she is not vampire she does have some authority and needs to be respected."

At first, the Viking said nothing, but continued to stare down at the top of Pam's blond head. Finally, he replied, "I think my Bonded is more special than any of us can guess. I believe that whatever magic the ring holds might give her some added protection. And you are right... it _is_ also very symbolic. As for you, Pam, I have already warned you once. I _never_ want to hear you suggest that your Mistress is not coming back, or the next time you will be punished. She _will_ return to me. She _will_ be by my side for my Coronation. This I know."

Pam apologized again, this time in English. Eric gave her one more cold look, and then turned his back on her and went back to his computer. Almost immediately, Robert suggested, "Let me take you out to see the marvelous progress that has been made today, my dove, and then I believe we might retire a little early." He hustled her right out of there, and I could tell by the look of relief on her face that she was more than happy to go. At first, I thought seriously about taking myself out of the line of fire, so to speak, but then Eric glanced up at me and stated, "Everything here seems to be working perfectly. You have done a good job."

"Thank you. If there is nothing else you require tonight, I suppose I will head back to Bon Temps."

Eric said, "The car transport should be here not long after first dark, and I want you to make sure the Fairy receives his tribute as soon as possible. Also, I have a few extra letters to be delivered.. Why don't you stay just here tonight?" He said it quite casually, but I got the distinct impression that he really did want me to stay. I had noticed earlier that he seemed less... agitated while one of us was with him, so maybe he was craving the distraction of house guests to keep his mind off his problems. I was in no real hurry to get back home, and to be honest, I found myself slightly flattered.

"I suppose that _would_ be the most efficient use of time," I agreed.

He glanced around his library, and said a little stiffly, "Help yourself to any of the books here. There is satellite television and movies in the other room, and plenty of blood in the refrigerator."

Obviously, he was not really accustomed to acting the congenial host. What he really wanted was a little company to keep him from feeling so alone. I replied, "Thank you. I did see a title I was quite interested in earlier."

I went to the shelf and pulled it down, and then took a seat in one of the large, comfortable chairs by the fireplace. Eric went back to his computer, and I opened the book in my lap and began to read. We sat for a long time in companionable silence. The lovely antique clock on the sideboard was tick-tocking away, and the only other sound in the room was the scratching of the Eric's pen as he scribbled away on some of his Royal stationary. From time to time he would pause and stare up at the wedding portrait that was propped on the mantle. Although his face never changed expression, I knew that he was deeply pining for his Bonded... in fact, I knew _exactly_ how he felt. I found myself secretly studying the vampire to whom I had sworn my fealty and thinking back on exactly how that had ever come to pass. Eric and I had always had our issues from the word "go." I was very young when I first met him, and very full of myself. Even back then, I found him insufferably arrogant. Over the years, I ran into him from time to time and he was always the quintessential vampire: good-looking, old, strong, emotionless, devious, and completely ruthless. I told myself I disliked him because he was everything I did _not_ want to become...

As I stared at the strong planes of his face, I realized now that maybe it was really because I had just been envious. I had to admit it... for a male, Eric _was_ fantastically handsome. Beyond that, he had survived for over a thousand years by his wits alone. Even at my age, I really could not imagine the things that he had witnessed in that enormous span of years, and how difficult it must have been to survive all that time. Obviously, he was not just ruthless but enormously intelligent and extremely wily. Judging by the titles in his library, he must speak and read at least two dozen languages. When in New Orleans dealing with the aftermath of his ascension to power, I was able to get a small glimpse of how wealthy Eric already was _before_ he inherited the Kingdom assets... and I was absolutely stunned. He had never once flaunted his vast wealth. After seeing him in action on several occasions, I could personally attest that his reputation as a brilliant strategist and a fearless, nearly invincible fighter was well-earned. I had seen how well he protected and treated anyone who owed him fealty... at least, before the Bonding Sickness set in. Through observing his various dealings, I had come to know that he was actually quite honorable. Over time, I found that my contempt had somehow turned to a grudging admiration. There was still no doubt about the fact that the Viking _was_ arrogant, but he had every reason to be. I had finally realized that this man before me was truly one of the greatest vampires in existence... and in spite of our former adversarial relationship, he had come to trust me enough to make me one of his Lieutenants.

But of course, that was not the _only_ reason I now found myself loyal to the Viking.

My gaze shifted away from Eric and came to rest on their framed portrait. It really _was_ a beautiful picture of Sookie. The photographer had managed to capture the radiant joy that she was experiencing on her wedding day. Ah, God! How I missed her! If only I could see her sweet face... hear the honeyed tones of her voice, and the musical sound of her laughter... What if I never saw her again? The very thought made me completely miserable... but I knew that compared to Eric's, my pain was _nothing_. If _he_ could bear it, then so must I. I tried to shove my own sense of longing back into the furthest recesses of my non-beating heart and regain strict control of the emotional blocks I had erected. Suddenly, I felt the weight of the Viking's stare, and I slowly turned to face him. Those startlingly blue eyes held mine, and for just a moment we silently acknowledged the other's agony... and against all odds, we both seemed to derive a modicum of comfort from that brief exchange.

I was the first to break eye contact. Quietly, I said, "With your permission, I believe I will retire now."

Eric said nothing, but gave me a brief nod before returning his attention to his missive.

*****

Slowly, I climbed up the magnificent staircase, marveling at the enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling. As befitting his new status, the house Eric had provided his mate was truly magnificent. It was naturally much better than anything I could have ever hoped to provide her. Making my way to the room that Daniel and Kenneth had shown me the prior evening, I opened the door and stepped inside. The housekeeper had left my bag sitting on a chest at the foot of the bed. I had been stunned to see the thought and care Sookie had put into this room. The decorator had told me she had been very particular about the details, emailing them very specific lists of amenities she wanted included. When we were together, she had always loved spending time in my bedroom, claiming that it was the coziest room in the house. Many times when I rose for the evening I would find her napping peacefully on the big old four-poster bed. In this room, she had chosen nearly identical furniture and linens. At the far end of the room was a couple of comfortable chairs for reading, a small desk, and a glass-fronted bookcase filled with titles that she knew I might enjoy. Checking out the bathroom, I found a variety of handmade soaps and jars of bath salts in my favorite aromas, and even a bottle of my usual cologne. On the back of the door hung a robe similar to one I owned. Just like I had told Pam last night... all the comforts of home.

After all the crawling around on the floor hooking up cables, I needed a bath before bed. While running the water into the deep tub, I poured in some of the scented salts and then removed my clothes. I slipped into the hot, fragrant water, leaned my head back against the cool porcelain, and let my mind wander. Immediately, a vision of my little sweetheart floated into my mind's eye, and as much as I tried to banish it I could not. I almost wished I had not accepted Eric's invitation. At Valhalla, Sookie's subtle stamp was everywhere, and being in her home was very much a double edged-sword. It made me feel closer to her, but at the same time it made me yearn for her more desperately than ever.

As I had a million times before, I thought about what had gone wrong with our relationship. I had spent more hours of my life than I cared to count obsessing over the awful mistakes I had made. First and foremost, I should never have been so secretive. I should have tried to explain to Sookie about Lorena calling me and why I had to go. What I told Sookie not long ago had been nothing less than the truth. My Maker called me to her, and then compelled me to have sex with her. I really had no choice... but all the while I despised myself for doing it. Later, when Lorena was torturing me, I almost felt like I deserved it for betraying the one woman who had given me back at least a shred of my former humanity. Then came the terrible incident in the trunk of the car, when I had for all intents and purposes raped the love of my life. After everything I had been through... sleep deprivation, starvation, extreme torture... I reacted exactly like any vampire my age would, but once I came to my senses and realized what I had done, I very sincerely wished Lorena had finished the job and sent me to my final death. Even knowing that a vampire as old as Eric in all probability would have had the same instinctual reflexes did not make it any better.

After that, Sookie was understandably hurt and very angry with me. At that point, I should have _made_ her listen to what had really happened and then told her the truth about why I was in Bon Temps in the first place... but I knew if I did, there would _never_ be a chance of reconciliation. Besides, I would have been violating my solemn oath of secrecy to my Queen... I believe that is what humans refer to as "being caught between a rock and a hard place." I did so many stupid, stupid things... like trying to make her jealous with Selah. What on earth was I thinking? Still, no matter how many foolish mistakes I made, in the end it didn't really matter. It took me a very long time to come to terms with the truth, but the inescapable fact was that even if I _had_ done everything right, Sookie _still_ would have ended up with the Viking. Eventually, I had become convinced that she was _destined_ to be his true mate all along, and it wasn't only because I heard the Ancient Pythoness proclaim it to be so... I believed it because I could _feel_ it.

Since we had exchanged blood when we were lovers more than once, I had always "known" things about Sookie... like where she was and if she was in trouble; but then, on the night she was shot by Victor Madden's henchmen and I saved her by giving her my blood, a highly unusual secondary bond was formed. From that point forward, I had been able to feel her emotions to a certain extent; end even more incredibly, I could even feel faint echos of Eric's. I had assumed that they were so vague because I was not getting them directly from the vampire himself, but filtered through Sookie... but then came the night of their formal Second Bonding.

In deference to my feelings, Sookie had offered me a chance to leave before the ceremony started, to escape the sure agony of witnessing my rival making her irrevocably his forever. Stubbornly, I had made a conscious decision to stay, hoping the sheer agony of watching my rival consummate the most sacred of bonds with the woman I still loved would not only sever our strange bond but would destroy the love I felt for her as well. When they spoke the ceremonial words rejecting all prior bonds, I honestly expected my strange bond to Sookie to be broken... but that is not what happened. To my complete amazement I discovered I could feel her emotions more strongly than ever. That was startling enough, but then I realized something even more incredible... I had a much stronger tie to the Viking as well.

So, instead of being free of my involuntary connection to them, I found myself more firmly ensnared than ever. I could feel Sookie's overwhelming love for Eric; and even more amazingly, I felt his for her. I was absolutely stunned at the depth and purity of it. I knew that I could only perceive a fraction of what they themselves were feeling, and if that was the case, the love they shared was truly extraordinary. During that most sacred of all ceremonies, I knew the very instant when their souls became intertwined. It was at that precise moment that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Sookie was always intended to be Eric's and that everything the Prophetess had proclaimed was absolutely true.

Then came the moment I had been dreading, the public consummation of their Second Bond. As Eric carried his wife to the platform, I felt my little Southern Belle's embarrassment at the coming ordeal; but then, her desire for her mate to claim her overcame her natural shyness. Her total love and passion for her vampire was simply overpowering. As for the Viking, I felt not only his great love for her but also his pride and elation that she was finally, completely his. If that were not astonishing enough, as they made love, it was if I was sharing the entire experience... and not just the emotional one. Instead of an out-of-body experience, it was the exact opposite. I was a part of them, and they were a part of me. I felt _everything_ Sookie felt... the thrilling, blissful physical sensation of the Viking's smooth hardness as he first entered her, and then each powerful thrust as he gave her such indescribable pleasure... for a man to be able to experience what a woman feels during sex was completely mind-blowing. That was incredible enough, but simultaneously I also felt everything _he_ felt...how her small soft body felt so perfect under him, and the way her hot, velvety center enveloped him, stroking him, driving him wild with passion. Their lovemaking was intensely erotic but also somehow ethereal and pure. My mind and my body was completely overwhelmed with sensation, and as they reached their shimmering, golden climax... so did I.

Once it was over, I sat slumped in my chair, completely disoriented. I was dizzy... stunned... elated. It had been the most profoundly mystical and beautiful experience of my life and if I lived to be as old as the Viking I knew I would never again feel anything approaching its intensity. It was as close to a religious experience as a vampire could possibly ever get. As soon as I was able to gather my wits about me, there were several things that were crystal clear. One, that Eric really _was_ Sookie's intended mate; two, that in some unexpected and mysterious way I was now bound to _both_ of them; and third, and most importantly, that I could never, ever let Eric learn of our connection.

It went without saying that one such as the Viking would _never_ be able to stand another vampire knowing that much about him. If he ever found out, he would send me to my final death without hesitation. I knew from prior experience that their Bond was so intense that as long as they were together, they could not feel any of my emotions. The danger would come when Sookie was _not_ present. I would have to be extremely careful to attempt to block this strange connection when around the Viking, and I only hoped I was vampire enough to do it.

My first test came that very night, after returning to the Royal Residence. Sookie had gone upstairs to bathe, leaving my new King and I in the courtyard alone. I had concentrated very hard to veil our connection and was quite relieved when it became apparent I had succeeded... at least with him. I was not so successful with her. When Sookie came down to get Eric, I felt her presence as she slipped up behind me. I smelled her fantastic Fairy scent, and it made me dizzy with longing. I discovered that I loved her and desired her more desperately than ever, and yet... suddenly, I knew that I could never betray _him_ by acting on those desires. I realized that during that mystical ceremony, my own feelings towards Eric had shifted dramatically. I had experienced for myself just how much he adored his Bonded... I had a glimpse of the power and majesty that dwelt inside him, and understood that he was indeed destined for greatness... and I knew that no matter how it had occurred, whether it was for better or for worse, I was now permanently connected to him.

That night in the courtyard, I took great care not to look directly at Sookie, for fear that I would give myself away. When she reached down and stroked my face with her hand, I felt her love flow through me. It seemed to me that somehow _she_ knew exactly what had occurred, and was letting me know in a subtle way that she was not mad about it. Once they went to their room, I knew that they would be celebrating their victory by making love once more, so I hastened back to my own hotel. Fortunately, it was far enough away that I could not feel them.

Over the next few weeks, I tried to adjust to my new situation. I came to understand that bond with Sookie was really quite strong and try as I might I was never totally able to block her out. We were both very careful not to speak of our new, much deeper bond. I became very adept at keeping the barrier up around Eric, until I eventually slipped one day and let it partially down. To my surprise, it was clear that he still could not feel my emotions... perhaps because he had so many other issues on his mind. I had come to understand that my new King was truly a brilliant man. His brain was always whirring, thinking about several problems simultaneously. The possibility occurred to me that perhaps it wasn't only because he was distracted... maybe he just _couldn't_ feel me as much as I could feel him... but to find out the answer to that question was taking an unacceptable risk. After that incident I was even more diligent to keep the bond blocked.

Eventually, though, I became comfortable being around my King and Queen. In fact, most of the time it was actually enjoyable, because oddly enough I could relax then. As long as they were together, they could only feel each other and not me, so I did not have to worry about maintaining the block. It was bizarre how much their moods affected me. During that time, they were busy but very, very happy; and therefore, so was I. The only time our three-way bond was really a problem was when they were off having sex... which was frequently. (That was obviously another area in which the Viking's prowess had not be exaggerated in the slightest.) Sookie had insisted that I move from the hotel into the Residence, and in fact she assigned me a suite just two doors down from theirs. I tried my best to go out as much as I could, but as they almost always made love just before and just after sunset when I was by necessity in my own room, it was not always possible. During those early days, maintaining the barrier at those times was definitely a struggle, in more ways than one.

The more Sookie and Eric had sex, the more I craved it myself. During those weeks in New Orleans, no decent-looking blond within a six block radius was safe from my vampire charms; but still, the memory of the ecstasy I had experienced through the Bonded pair haunted me. It was impossible to forget.. and as it turned out, on a couple of occasions, impossible to resist. It was sheer torture, finally knowing that the love of my life was truly Eric's in a way that she had _never_ been mine, and that I would never lie with my darling in the flesh, ever again... and yet, through Eric, I could still feel a taste of the ecstasy of making love to her. It was like a man dying of thirst in the desert coming across a few precious drops of water now and then. It was heaven, it was hell... and I figured in a way it was my punishment for having hurt Sookie so badly in the past. Luckily for me, since it is nearly impossible for a vampire to feel shame about having sex (even once removed, so to speak) I felt none of that totally useless emotion. Still, I knew that due to Sookie's upbringing, she would probably be very upset about it if she knew; so in deference to her human sensibilities, I tried to avoid the temptation as much as possible. Sometimes, though, I would find her staring at me with those fascinating blue eyes of hers with a knowing smile on her lovely face, and it made me wonder...

Once the Twice-Bonded pair left New Orleans, my life became much easier. I did not have to be constantly on my guard. It came at a price, though... I seriously pined for Sookie, and to my amazement I even missed Eric. I came to realize that I had become seriously addicted to that intoxicating feeling of happiness that I absorbed when they were around me. I was totally disgusted with myself. What kind of pathetic creature was I, allowing myself to become dependent on the pair of them for my own happiness? I told myself that perhaps the bond really _wasn't_ permanent, that maybe it would fade with time and distance. Perhaps if I moved far away, I could live my life independently. Someday, perhaps I could find someone else to take Sookie's place in my affections and be happy even without the two of them.

Before I left for Las Vegas, I had convinced myself that I would see Eric through his Coronation, and then gracefully bow out. He and Sookie had each other, and could probably care less whether I left or not. On the flight to the desert, I carefully rehearsed exactly how I was going to ask my King to be allowed to leave his employ and his territory. I made up my mind that I was going to inform Eric of my decision to relocate as soon as possible. However, the very instant I opened the door to their suite and Sookie ran to me and threw her arms around my neck, all thought of leaving was completely thrown out the window. As her wonderful energy flowed through me, I could clearly feel that she had actually missed me, too; and that in some small way, she still loved me. How could I _ever_ leave this fantastic woman?

Then Eric strolled into the room, as always totally in control and fairly radiating power. Instead of punishing me severely for touching his Queen, he actually made a joke about it. It dawned on me then exactly how much I had come to respect and admire him. A vampire any less self-confident than the Viking would _never_ have allowed me anywhere near his mate, especially given our history. On top of that, for him to have gone one step further and offered me such a trusted (not to mention lucrative) position was highly unusual. Eric was not the kind of vampire who would place me in such a powerful position unless he was absolutely convinced that I was worthy. Only someone as long-sighted and practical as the Viking would have overlooked our rather adversarial past and instead focused solely my rather unique skill set.

At that very moment I knew that I could _never_ leave either one of them, and the reason why hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks. Our unprecedented bond was just too unusual to be completely random. Something deep inside of me told me that whatever great thing that they were destined to do, I was somehow part of it. As if the scales suddenly fell from my eyes, it became crystal clear to me that _my_ fate was to protect and serve the two of them to the best of my ability. I made up my mind on the spot that I was going to accept the position as Eric's Lieutenant instead of leaving his territory like I had planned. All of this ran through my head at the speed of light, and even though my emotions were in a complete uproar, I did my best to appear calm and collected. During our debriefing, I sat across from Eric and watched as he drew Sookie onto his lap and cuddled her to his chest. Instead of feeling jealous, I remember quite well the sensation of happiness and contentment that seeped into me from them. That feeling _was_ completely addicting, and for me at least, totally irresistible. From the affectionate way Pam was rubbing Sookie's feet, I began to wonder if she was somehow able to feel it, too.

The rest of that fateful weekend had been practically perfect. It was very enjoyable attending the special events, and I freely admit that being in the personal retinue of a new King was heady stuff. I was both pleased and proud when Eric introduced me with my new title. Being with the Bonded pair again was wonderful, and I greedily absorbed their happiness like a sponge. In fact, all four of us seemed to get along so well it was very much like being a part of a successful nest. I was quite worried when the first little dust-up over Sabriel happened, but Eric seemed to be much better than I had ever been at soothing Sookie's insecurities. By the next night it appeared that everything had worked itself out, and at the Coronation Sookie seemed perfectly happy. When Sookie stunned all of us by sharing that spectacular magic of hers the very next evening, there was no doubt at all that my decision to stay had been exactly the right choice. Since becoming vampire, I had _never_ felt anything like it. It was if all the dark, twisted snarls in my soul suddenly relaxed, allowing a lightness that had long been buried to float to the surface. That lightness was joy, and it was utterly intoxicating. I was having the best night of my life right up until that awful moment when Sookie disappeared.

The entire event was so shocking that I totally forgot to block my connection with Eric, but it didn't matter. He was out of his mind with anger, worry, and grief. In fact, his emotions were so intense that I finally had to put up the block just to protect myself from them. In the days to come, I often wondered how he could survive such intense grief and longing. I was only able to feel a fraction of what he was feeling, and even that threatened to overwhelm me. Watching the ancient, proud, and powerful vampire descend into the depths of the Bonding Sickness would have been painful enough, but because I could actually feel some of what he was experiencing made it beyond excruciating. It would have been much easier to find excuses to stay away from him, but I was determined to see my King through his personal crisis and do whatever I could to help him recover her.

Since her departure, I had spent hours wracking my brain for a solution. As I lay soaking in the big old tub, several possible strategies ran rapidly through my head, but I had to reject most of them as just a waste of time and energy. I was just about to give up and get out of the tub when I heard the door to the bathroom open and shut. "My, my, my," Pam's voice said dryly, "Sookie was right. There certainly _is _more to you than meets the eye."

Without opening my eyes, I said wearily, "Pam, what do you want?"

"Robert thought we should all have a little chat. He'll be here in a minute."

Sighing, I got out of the tub. Pam tossed me a towel, and then stood around and leered while I dried myself off. It didn't bother me in the slightest, since I knew she was merely doing it to irritate me. By the time I slipped into the bathrobe, I could hear Robert stirring around out in my bedroom. Pam followed me out of the bathroom, and I motioned to the seats at the far end of the room. Robert sat down and affectionately pulled Pam onto his lap. Holding her loosely in his arms, he began. "Our conversation was interrupted before we could complete it. As I was saying, I think we need to see if we can come up with some alternate strategies in case the Fairy Claude refuses to deliver Eric's letter."

At that, Pam shoved his arms away. She jumped up and began to pace around the room. Clearly our Pam was not much of a cuddler... which didn't surprise me in the slightest. Obviously agitated, she said, "Let's face it. Even if Claude _does_ deliver the letter, there is no guarantee she'll read it. You've seen how bad he's getting... we are running out of time. What if she never comes back? What we _should_ be doing is figuring out a way to break their Bond. Surely it can't _really_ be unbreakable. That Wanda from Oklahoma seemed like she knew a lot about it... let's call her."

Unexpectedly, the mere suggestion that Sookie and Eric's Bond could possibly be broken actually sent a cold chill through my body. If their Second Bond was broken, I was certain that my tie to them would be severed as well. I probably should have been excited by the idea of being free of my unasked-for bondage, but instead I found that the very idea made me slightly ill. Fortunately, Robert shook his head and said firmly, "As far as anyone knows, that Bond really _is_ unbreakable... and Pamela, my sincere advice to you is that you _never_ mention that notion in front of your Maker. I think in his current condition, you would not survive his reaction. Besides, I do not think you _really_ want that at all."

"All right! I admit it! I want Sookie to come home as much as everyone else, but I just can't stand to see what all this is doing to my Master!" the normally unemotional vampiress wailed, "I just can't think of anything to do!" Then, turning her gaze to me she demanded, "Eric is always telling me how smart you are! _You_ think of something!"

After Pam's unexpected outburst, it was quiet in the room. "There _is_ something I brought for you to see," I said finally. Going to my bag, I pulled out the small object that had been stored in my safe since returning from Las Vegas. Carefully unwrapping it, I displayed my treasure to the other two vampires. "This is the glass Sabriel used to drug Eric," I explained, "I had it in my hand when he first went after Sabriel, and I didn't even realize I still had it until we went back to the suite and found that Sookie was gone. Even though I couldn't see how it could help, just in case I stowed it in my bag before going out to look for her. Pam hauled it back to Louisiana with the rest of the luggage. It has been kept in my safe ever since. I just can't figure out how it could possibly help, though. Even if one of us _could_ show it to Sookie, it doesn't prove a thing. The glass itself is unremarkable. It probably bears both Eric and Sabriel's fingerprints, but of course _her_ fingertips are no longer around for comparison. There is a tiny bit of dried blood inside the glass, but of course Sookie doesn't have the ability to distinguish Fairy blood from any other kind."

Robert said thoughtfully, "True, but perhaps we should have it analyzed... although I doubt an ordinary human analyst would be able to tell the difference either... maybe it contains some component not visible to the human eye. With Fairies, who knows?"

Pam said glumly, "If only my Master and I had killed Sabriel's warlock when we had he chance, _before _he had a chance to remove the Fairy smell from the blood..." Suddenly she stopped, realizing exactly what she had just said.

You could have heard a pin drop in that room, it was so quiet. Both Robert and I turned to look at her. Carefully, he said, "Pamela, my dove... tell me _exactly_ what you remember about him."

In the very brief time we had left before dawn, the three of us frantically came up with an alternate plan. We agreed that we were not going to tell Eric any of it, since he was already under such intense stress. If our plans failed, he would be even more depressed and I don't think any of us could bear to see it.

*****

The next night, Pam left for Fangtasia almost immediately after first dark, saying she was meeting several vampires who were checking into the Area. It was obvious to everyone that she was trying to avoid irritating Eric further by spending as little time in his presence as possible. As for myself, as soon as the little housekeeper heated a blood for me, I headed for Ruston. I was to wait for the transport which was delivering Claude's BMW, and ensure that the transfer went smoothly. As I was getting into my car, Eric handed me a whole stack of letters addressed to Sookie. Over the last few days, I had seen him writing letters on several occasions, but had not realized until that minute that he had been writing them all to Sookie. I could tell that he really wanted to come with me, but Robert had cautioned him against it for obvious reasons. I promised that I would call as soon as I knew anything.

The evening was warm but damp. It had apparently rained briefly in the late afternoon, but not enough to stop the work at Valhalla. I had not taken enough time to look that day's progress before leaving, but it seemed to me that the landscaping should be finished soon. I wondered how Robert was going to talk Eric into staying home after that... although, maybe by then Sookie would have received the letters and decided to come home.

After pulling into the lot of Hooligan's, I briefly considered going inside; but decided that as I was not in the best of moods, myself, that it would probably be best for me to wait outside until the transport arrived. I used the time to make some calls for Kingdom business. While I sat there, I observed the arrival of several females who were clearly in high spirits and ready to have a good time. As luck would have it, I also saw the handsome young vampire who had been ordered to dance for Claude getting out of his car. He reached into the back seat and pulled out a garment bag and a small carton. Recognizing my car, he came over to say hello. "Hey, Bill. How's it hanging?"

As Eric's second in command, I deserved a great deal more respect than he was offering with that casual greeting. It seemed that young vampires just did not inherently understand the proper way of doing things the way the older ones did, maybe because they were raised with no manners and a shocking lack of respect for their elders in their human lives. Eric was very progressive in many ways, but he was very old-fashioned when it came to protocol. It was my job to set this young pup straight before he said something rude to his King. I was doing us all a favor, because in Eric's current condition, Louisiana would have one less vampire and we would have to go to the trouble of finding another dancer for Claude.

It took less time to get out of my car and have my hand firmly wrapped around his throat than it takes to tell about it. By vampire standards, I was not considered very old, but I had always been quite strong and faster than average. He was not expecting such a swift reaction, and I could tell by the way his eyes were bulging in fright that I had managed to capture his attention. Coldly, I told him, "Brett, when you address me in that fashion, you are showing disrespect to your King as well as to me. When you speak to your betters in the future, you _will_ do so with respect. Otherwise, you will learn just how painful it is to re-grow limbs. Do you understand?"

He couldn't speak, but he did manage to nod. I was just about to let him go, when from across the parking lot I heard a voice saying sarcastically, "What's the matter, Compton? Having a little lover's spat?"

It was of course the Fairy, Claude. Ignoring the jibe, I let go of the young vampire, who coughed once and then said hoarsely (but very politely), "I meant no disrespect, sir." He bent down to retrieve his packages that he had dropped.

By this time, Claude had strolled over and come to a stop at what he considered a safe distance. Since we were outside and the wind was blowing away from us, his smell was not really a problem. My fangs were still down for an entirely different reason, but I found it difficult to get them to retract anyway... the damned Fairy was just so irritating! Nonetheless, I knew it was in all of our best interests if I appeared as non-threatening as possible, so by force of will I made them disappear. The Fairy was obviously not as concerned with the younger vampire, who was probably not fast enough to be considered very dangerous. Claude pointed to his garment bag and asked, "Is that the costume we discussed?"

Brett nodded enthusiastically and replied, "It sure is! That costume store had all kinds of cool stuff, and since Halloween's so far off the Count Dracula outfit was half price."

It was all I could do to keep from rolling my eyes and sighing. Claude said, "Great! Judging from last night's reaction, the ladies will go crazy for it."

"What? Last night?" I said angrily, "We only bargained for one night a week, Claude. You can't force him to work any more than the agreed upon amount."

Brett spoke up and said hurriedly, "Mr. Brigant is not _forcing_ me to do anything. It turns out that the clientèle here really like me, and I made more in tips in one night than I did working at the all-night dry cleaners in a week. He offered me a gig as a regular."

To my astonishment, Claude sidled right up next to the young vampire and ran his finger down his bulging biceps. Dreamily, he said, "It turns out that Brett is _very_ popular with the ladies, and with a little guidance will be a huge draw. Who could have guessed vampire males were so... gifted? I always thought the nasty disposition was due to certain... inadequacies." As soon as he had drawn so near, the delicious scent of Fairy wafted across the pavement. My fangs made a rapid and uncontrollable re-appearance. His smell was so much like Sookie's that I developed an instant erection as well, and I imagined that my pupils were as big as saucers. Oddly enough, Brett showed absolutely no reaction. How on earth could a vampire as young as he show such restraint? For once, I must have looked as astounded as I felt, because Claude just smirked and explained, "Brett was born with no sense of smell, and that carried right on over when he was turned... so of all the vampires you could have picked, he really _is_ the perfect candidate for the job. As long as he keeps those fangs to himself, we'll get along splendidly. Brett, you had better get going. I want you in one of the prime-time slots tonight, so you don't have long to get ready."

The vampire nodded and then turned to me and said, "Is it okay with you, Bi... uh, sir?"

I was happy to see that my lesson in manners had apparently taken hold. I gave him my permission to depart and he turned and walked gracefully towards the building. Part of me was glad that we had picked a vampire that was fitting in with the least amount of problems, so that Claude would have no cause for complaint... but in the back of my mind was the hope that one day, after Sookie was safely back at home, Byron would suddenly develop a burning desire to try a little Fairy blood, whether he could smell it or not.

Just as that happy thought floated through my mind, I heard the rumble of a large diesel engine. I turned just in time to see a truck pulling into the parking lot. It was a closed panel van, similar to the ones used to haul expensive race cars around the country. Apparently Eric had not wanted to take any chances with any dings or scratches that could have occurred with a regular open car hauler. The driver parked the vehicle and jumped out. I walked over to him and introduced myself and then watched with interest as he ran around to the back of the truck and began to prepare to unload his precious cargo.

After sliding up the overhead door, he pulled a lever that hydraulically extended two long metal ramps. He walked up one and disappeared inside the enclosure. A few minutes later, the smooth, low sound of the powerful engine coming to life echoed out, and then the car began to slowly back down the ramps. The Fairy's eyes began to glow in excitement. The driver pulled the car around and parked it close to where we were standing, got out, and then stood patiently to one side as Claude minutely inspected every square inch. The driver handed him a small remote control, and Claude took it and pushed a button that made the top retract. While he was inspecting the interior of his new toy, the driver went and retrieved some paperwork from his truck and brought it back for me to look over. I asked Claude if everything was to his liking and he said yes, so I signed all the releases and handed the clipboard back to the driver. After closing up his truck, he told us he was going to grab a bite from the seafood restaurant next door before heading back to Florida. I watched his retreating figure as he walked across the parking lot before turning my attention back to Claude.

Sookie's cousin was busy playing with all the electronics. While he was still occupied, I went back to my own car, gathered up the stack of letters that Eric had given me, and then went back to stand next to the BMW. Claude was fiddling with the radio, and music was blaring through the speakers. "Claude!" I said loudly enough to get his attention, "We have now fulfilled our part of the bargain. Here are some additional letters. How soon can you get them to Sookie?"

The Fairy just stared at the stack of letters in my outstretched hand, but made no move to take them. "I only agreed to take _one_ letter," he said sourly.

Instantly, my vampire temper flared out of control. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to catch the Fairy in front of me and rip it to shreds. I wanted it so badly, I could almost taste it... but a tiny little voice in the back of my vampire brain was reminding me that I _had_ to keep my cool, since so much depended on my ability to stay calm and negotiate the situation to a successful conclusion. Nonetheless, it was a serious struggle and for once I wasn't sure if I could do it. For the past several weeks, to my dismay I found I was suddenly having trouble maintaining the cool, remote exterior for which I was known. In my human life, I had always been a quiet man but never felt the need to conceal my true feelings. My life was orderly and prosperous. I was very happy and content and not afraid to show it in the least. My wife could read my expressions like an open book, and my children had been quite adept at it as well... but then came the War. After just a short time, the horrors I encountered changed all that. I turned from a fairly cheerful, outgoing man into someone who felt the only way to keep from going stark-raving mad was to keep an extremely tight reign on the one thing it was still in my power to control... my outward reactions to my inner devastation. As death and destruction raged around me, I became ever more cold and remote.

Once the War was at an end I might have eventually regained my former light-hearted ways, but I never had the chance. Lorena came along and turned me into a dark creature of the night, using her talent of keeping her children enthralled to bind me to her for over eighty years. During my first years as vampire, I allowed my wild, dark emotions full reign, encouraged along that path by my Maker. I was one bad, bad vampire... but eventually, I began to come to realize what I had become... and I began to loathe myself for it. I no longer took such great pleasure from causing terror in my victims. I began to prefer to give pleasure instead of pain while feeding; and then I trained myself to be quite adept at glamour so I could just let my victims go free. This disgusted Lorena, who took great delight in punishing me for what she considered un-vampire-like behavior. To keep Lorena from discovering just how much my attitudes had changed, I resumed my old habit of concealing my true emotions. Even among my own kind I became known for being cold and remote. One day, it occurred to me that I had succeeded a little too well. My interior had become as cold as my exterior.

In a strange way, that coldness eventually worked in my favor. Lorena got tired of me being so "boring," and eventually made another child whose newly-made wild behavior was more exciting to her... and she let me go. Once on my own, I began to travel. I made many acquaintances, but few friends. I tried joining a nest or two, but never stayed for long. It finally began to occur to me just how joyless my existence had become. Somewhere along the way, I had begun to study humans, trying to figure out how they lived such short, often challenging lives but still managed to enjoy them. It wasn't exactly that I wanted to be human again... I just envied them their ability to be happy even under less than optimum circumstances.

Then, Fate took a hand. After Lorena had let me go, I found myself drawn back to Louisiana from time to time, but for some reason always avoided going home. I made the acquaintance of Sophie-Anne, who took a liking to me. On one visit, she had invited me to come live in New Orleans. I finally settled there for a number of years, until she ordered me to return to Bon Temp and find out everything I could about Hadley's cousin Sookie. Maybe it was the shock of finally being back in my old home, but for the first time in over a hundred years, the first smidgen of emotion began to trickle through that ice-cold barrier. After only a few days, I realized that I actually _wanted_ to stay in Bon Temps and try to make a life there. Then, almost the moment I laid eyes on Sookie, I fell deeply, irrevocably in love with her. In Sookie, I finally found the key to unlocking the feelings and emotions I thought long dead. I was truly happy for the first time since being turned. In her own way, the strange, outcast human girl had brought me back to life... in a manner of speaking, anyway.

If only I had not ever started that cursed database! By the time I had arrived in Bon Temps, I was already fairly comfortable as far as money was concerned, but Sophie-Anne had offered me a fortune for my creation. In returned for giving me what I had craved for so many years, I desperately wanted to be able to give my new love everything _she_ had ever desired; and besides, it was a project that both fascinated me and gave me a since of purpose. It seemed that true, lasting happiness was finally within my grasp... but then came the Maker's call from Lorena. My inability to resist her call set off the chain of events that eventually resulted in me standing in the damp, humid parking lot of a strip club, trying my best to bribe a haughty, sarcastic, devious Fairy... whom I now wanted so desperately to kill. It seemed that stuffing the genie of my emotions back in the bottle was easier said than done. Now, when I desperately _needed_ the remoteness and rigid control it had taken me a lifetime to acquire, it had apparently deserted me.

Oddly enough, what finally saved me was a quick flash of the hollow, gaunt look on Eric's handsome face as he handed me his precious bundle of letters. Of all the vampires in the world he could have picked for this all-important task, he was counting on me, and I could _not_ let him down. Mustering every ounce of willpower I had, I finally regained my composure. Much more calmly than I felt, I said, "Claude, it takes no more effort to deliver ten letters as it does one, and you know it. We have done everything you requested. Are you going back on your word? I would have expected more honor from Prince Niall's grandson."

"Oh, all _right_!" Claude spit out, obviously stung by that minor barb. He grabbed the letters from my hand and tossed them carelessly in the seat beside him. Putting the car in gear, he said, "I will keep my word. I'll do exactly what I said I would do. I'll deliver them... when I get good and ready." With that, he pushed the accelerator to the floor. The tires spun briefly before gaining traction on the damp concrete and then the car shot forward like a rocket. As it careened out of the lot, the Fairy gave me a triumphant, self-satisfied grin and one last cocky wave of his hand.

It was a good thing the hateful Fairy had taken the car with him, otherwise I would have been tempted to follow my King's example and smash it with a nearby dumpster.

****

On the way back to Valhalla, my phone rang many times but it went unanswered. I knew without looking that it was Eric calling for an update. I just could not bring myself to tell him such bad news over the phone. Even though it was dangerous, I felt it would be much better if I told him exactly what just transpired in person. I pulled into the long drive, this time noticing that most of the extra vehicles were now gone. The work seemed to be coming to a conclusion. I was able to park close to the front door for once. Not waiting for the housekeeper, I let myself inside and drifted down the hallway towards the library. Although I was being as silent as possible, the sharp ears of the Viking must have detected my presence. Before I could round the corner into the room, he bellowed, "Compton! Why have you not been answering your phone? Get in here at once!"

That tone brooked no nonsense, so I hurried into his presence. Robert was sitting on the sofa with a book in his hand, but as soon as I entered the room he laid the book aside and rose to his feet. Eric was sitting in a wingback chair, an enormous sword across his lap. He had been patiently honing it with a small stone, although it was obviously as sharp as it could get already. I had not been looking forward to relaying my information, but after getting a look at that sword... ! Still, I had no choice but to do my job. Once again summoning my cool facade, I told my King, "The car was delivered without incident. The Fairy agreed that we have now fulfilled our part of the agreement. He even took the additional letters you sent." I paused for just a moment and then forged ahead. "He said he would deliver them, but would not say when. I got the distinct impression it might not be any time soon. Before I had a chance to negotiate further, he left."

For a moment, the Viking sat perfectly still. I thought for a minute that I was about to meet my final death, but then to my astonishment, he jumped from his chair and in one swift motion laid the sword across the arms of a nearby chair. He moved past me in a blur, and the next thing I knew, I heard the distinct sound of the front door being thrown open. I had no idea where he was headed, but if Claude had any sense at all he had taken that car of his and disappeared. There was no use in trying to follow Eric. He was much too fast. Robert must have come to exactly the same conclusion. He merely shook his head and said slowly, "It is as I thought. Never trust a Fairy, Bill, no good ever comes of it. It is time for us to put our plan into effect."

**Eric's POV: Valhalla**

Two more excruciating nights have now passed since the Fairy agreed to take my letters to Sookie... eventually. After learning of Claude's less than satisfying response, I had immediately taken to the sky, heading for his club in Ruston. By the time I arrived, though, I had cooled off enough to realize that my only hope was to back away and allow the Fairy his little game. What other choice did I have? For the rest of the night, I roamed. As long as I was moving, my anger and my pain seemed less intense. Eventually, though, I returned to Valhalla, only to discover that it was completely deserted. Robert had left me a note, saying only that he was going to pursue other avenues of dealing with the situation. Bill and Pam were also gone, leaving me alone with nothing but my own company. Fortunately, it was very near dawn, so I had wandered down to my chamber and tried my best to establish a connection with my Bonded through a dream. To my extreme disappointment, I had been unsuccessful.

Since that night, I have tried many times to feel even the slightest connection with my Bonded, with no result. It has finally become clear to me that Sookie has figured out our ability to share dreams and somehow blocked it. The loss of that last, fragile tie has been nearly more than I can bear. I ask myself how things ever got to this point. I have spent hours obsessing over just what I should have done differently. I frequently tell myself that I should have turned Sookie long ago, while I still had the chance. She might have hated me for it, but as my child she would have never been able to leave me unless I allowed it... and I never would have. I would have kept her close to me, always, making her submit to my every whim... but of course, deep inside I still have enough sanity to know how wrong that would have been.

Tonight as I sit alone in my library I stare blankly at our wedding portrait, thinking that any second I may go stark raving mad. How can I stand this agony one more minute? My friends have obviously deserted me and I cannot say that I blame them. Even though the Bonding Sickness is relentless in its progression, I am still self-aware enough to realize how dangerously unstable I have become. Pam claims to be so busy at Fangtasia that she doesn't have time to drive back and forth to the country. At least Bill came back to stay with me for a few hours last night, lending that strange comfort that I seem to feel when he is around; but then, he too disappeared without explanation. Now, I am completely alone with no one at all to distract me from my misery.

Now, I hear soft footsteps approaching. After a tentative knock, one of the pocket doors slides open. Hesitantly, the little Mexican housekeeper steps into the room. In one hand is a glass of blood. It is very late, way past the time that she normally leaves, and so I am surprised to see her. Crossing the room, she gingerly sets the glass down on the table next to me. She distinctly smells of fear, but in spite of that she looks me straight in the eye. She says firmly, "_Patr__ó__n_, you do not look so well. You need to drink this."

How DARE she say that to _me_? Enraged, I leap to my feet, bare my fangs at her and growl. Terror leaps into her eyes, and she jumps back... but then, again she surprises me. Mustering her courage, she plants her feet and stands her ground. Nervously clearing her throat first, she says softly in Spanish, "She will be back, you know."

I continue to glare at her for a long moment, but eventually retract my fangs and sit back down. She comes over and actually pats my arm with her warm brown hand. "Miss Sookie loves you, _Patr__ó__n_, perhaps even more than you can guess," she says soothingly, "Whatever passed between you, she will soon come to her senses and come back to you. You _must_ stay well, for when she returns."

Something seems to be wrong with my voice, so I do not reply. Instead, I turn my head and stare blankly out the window. After a moment, I hear her treading quietly out of the room and sliding the door closed. It took a great deal of courage for the little human to come in here and confront the crazed vampire in his lair, and I am completely amazed that she did it. After a thousand years, apparently I still have many things to learn about humans. I heartily wish that I could believe what she said about Sookie coming home. I glance over at the glass of blood she left for me and sigh. Even though Pam has been constantly nagging me to feed, I have stubbornly refused. However, something about Juanita's words seem to penetrate my foggy brain. I suppose she is right about one thing... I probably _do_ look terrible. Two weeks without more than a few mouthfuls of blood is not good for any vampire, although not by any means fatal. What if Sookie _does_ come back? In my hunger, would I take too much and _really_ damage her this time? Perhaps my vow was not well thought-out... my reasoning skills are obviously not at their best just now. Reluctantly, I take a sip from the glass. From the taste, I can tell it is not synthetic. It is real, fresh blood and in Sookie's blood type to boot. Idly, I wonder just how the housekeeper obtained it. It actually _is _much better than bottled blood, and I manage to choke down the whole glass. Surprisingly, afterward I _do_ feel a little better, and wonder if it was the blood or the sympathy of the little human that did it.

For the rest of the night, I try in vain to distract myself from my overwhelming obsession with my missing wife. Eventually, I give up and go down to our chamber. Wearily, I crawl into bed; and as I have done each night since her disappearance, I pull Sookie's nightie from the drawer and rub it against my face. Deeply inhaling the increasingly faint scent, I savor it, knowing that soon it will fade away entirely. For some reason, that sad thought is the last straw. A surge of pain and grief wells up inside me and to my shame, moisture springs to my eyes. Now I am _glad_ I am so alone, so that no one can witness the final downfall of what was once a strong and proud vampire. Covering my eyes with the soft fabric, I pray for the sun to rise and put an end to my agony.

**Sookie in the Portal**

The next day, I woke with the now familiar sense of depression and sadness. Instead of shoving it aside, though, I allowed it to flow over me. Somehow, I felt like an essential part of me was missing. If I didn't know better, I would say I was experiencing a case of Bonding Sickness. Instead, I figured it was really just a roaring case of plain old-fashioned homesickness. Knowing I would feel better if I was around others, I dragged myself out of bed and got ready for the day.

After breakfast, I posed for Faeryn one last time. She said the portrait was nearly done and that she just needed to put on the finishing touches. It seemed that I was not the only one out of sorts. For some reason, my friend seemed somewhat distracted, as if she had something other than the painting on her mind. Although by now I was used to her staring at me, somehow that day it was different. On a couple of occasions, she opened her mouth and started to say something, but then apparently thought better of it. Finally I asked her, "Faeryn, is something bothering you?" She stopped painting long enough to come over and re-position me slightly, and as her lovely eyes regarded me (that day, they were lavender to match the outfit she was wearing) I could tell something was really bugging her.

"I am worried about a very dear friend of mine," she finally admitted, "She may be about to make an awful mistake and I am unable to help her... but I have talked it over with Mother, and she tells me that everything will work out for the best. I can only hope that is true."

I just could not bear to see my friend look so sad and out-of-sorts. Almost unconsciously, I reached out and began to stroke her arm, as Niall had done to me many, many times since I had been in the Portal. I really, really wished that Faeryn would feel better and go back to being the happy half-Fairy she always was. Without even giving it much thought, I allowed some of my energy to flow into her. Those amazing eyes opened wide in surprise, and to my delight she gave me a brilliant, happy smile. "Oh, Sookie!" she exclaimed, "I feel so much better now... thank you! I had no idea that you inherited Niall's gift of healing. That is very strong magic, indeed!"

At first, I had no idea what she was talking about. I said, "I can't heal anyone. As far as I know only vampire blood can do that."

Eyes twinkling, she replied, "True... but it _is_ sometimes possible to heal the the spirit, which full-Fairies consider much more important than the physical body. Like all supernatural beings, Fairies have individual talents. This type of healing is a Brigant family trait... and even then they have it to varying degrees. You obviously have at least a touch that gift. Why have you never told me about this before?"

I started to argue with her and tell her that what just happened was just a fluke... but then the memory of how I had helped take Felicia's fear and pain away when she had been attacked by the drainers came floating back through my head... and then, how I had given my three vampires a serious dose of happy magic right before... right before... oh, hell. I had just better face it. I had foolishly given my vampires a big dose of healing magic just before I discovered Eric fucking Sabriel. Suddenly, I found myself so overcome with grief I could not speak. After a moment, I got myself back under control. Sighing heavily, I said, "Honestly, I just never thought much about it until now.

Faeryn looked at me like I was completely and totally nuts. Shaking her head in wonder, she said, "Sookie, you never cease to amaze me. This is the first time since I've been here that I have seen you use your magic. Quite obviously, your gifts are starting to develop... why aren't you using them? Don't you _want_ your magic? I just... don't understand."

How could I explain it when I didn't really understand it myself? Hesitantly, I began, "When I first got here, I thought I was just afraid of embarrassing myself, or maybe Niall. My whole life I have been a misfit, and I couldn't bear feeling like one here, too. Lately, it began to dawn on me that it was way more than that. I really didn't _want_ to see how well my magic could work here. I think I was telling myself that I would _never_ fit in here, so it would give me an excuse to go back home."

"I see," Faeryn said slowly, "...and now? How do you feel now?"

I thought for a moment before replying, "Honestly, I really don't know. I'm making friends, and I love being with Niall. Maybe it doesn't really matter if I'm not as magical as everyone else. Maybe I _could_ stay in the Portal and be happy... but do I _want _to?"

Faeryn studied me intently for a moment before saying, "It sounds to me like you are seriously thinking about staying."

"Not really. I don't seem to be any closer to making up my mind than I was when I got here."

After giving me another long, searching look, my friend merely sighed and said, "Little sister, I wish more than anything I could give you advice. Now... believe it or not, your part here is done. All I need is a few more hours and I will be finished with your portrait."

*********

It turned out that Faeryn was so consumed with finishing the job that she didn't even want to stop for lunch. After eating, I was at loose ends and eventually joined Rhiannon in the "family" room. The beautiful Fairy was sitting by the open French doors, calmly stitching on an intricate needlepoint. Curiously, I asked her, "If you can make anything you want with your magic, why do you bother doing something so time-consuming?"

She just laughed and answered, "I find it very satisfying to make things with my own two hands. There is something about the rhythm of the work that soothes me. It is almost a form of meditation. Would you like to try it?"

Me? Making something that pretty with _my_ hands? Gran had attempted to teach me to crotchet once, but finally gave it up as a hopeless task... but Rhiannon made it look like fun. Much to my own surprise, I said, "Yes. Yes, I would... if you wouldn't mind teaching me."

"My dear, I would be delighted. Now come sit by me. Tell me, what sort of design do you have in mind?"

I thought for a minute as I pulled up a chair. "Something with roses would be nice."

"Very well. Hold out your hands."

I did as she asked and instantly a canvas with a lovely rose design appeared along with all the necessary wools and needles. Rhiannon soon demonstrated the proper technique, and to my amazement I caught on immediately. We spent the rest of the afternoon stitching in companionable silence. She was right, the work _was_ soothing; and as I stitched, I allowed my mind to wander back to Louisiana for the first time in days. Gazing down at the work in my hands, I smiled to myself, knowing that my old-fashioned Bill would definitely approve of this very lady-like pastime. Oddly enough, I bet Pam would, too. I remembered how astonished I had been to learn that she enjoyed doing embroidery. Obviously there was a lot more to Pam than met the eye. As much as I had been around her in the last few months, I realized now that I knew remarkably little about her personal "life." Partially that was because I knew that vampires were very secretive by nature, and I didn't want to pry; but I had to admit that it was also because I had been so self-absorbed in my own issues that I had never taken the time to try and get to really know her. Maybe she would have been less willing to help Eric in his deceptions if I _had_ been more of a friend.

I wondered if by now Eric had hired some extra help to take some of the pressure off of her. Of course, since Bill was back from New Orleans, maybe he was helping out. I wondered if he was staying in Shreveport... surely it was too far for him to drive back and forth from Bon Temps every night. A picture of my dark vampire floated into my mind, and I had the most irrational desire just to talk to him. I wanted to sit on the porch swing of my farmhouse, holding hands like we had so many nights in the past... to talk this whole mess out and then get his opinion on what I should do. How completely crazy was that? As much as I hated to admit it, I had to be honest with myself. No matter what part they had played in covering up Eric's secrets, I really did miss him and Pam both. Directly after "the incident," I told myself that I should have let the Rattrays drain that nasty, deceitful vampire Bill Compton, because then I would never have become involved with the other nasty, deceitful vampires... except that to hear the vampires tell it, I had no choice... all of that _had_ to happen, because it was Fate.

Fate! Hmmph. For a minute there, I had nearly started to believe in it myself... but I guess the recent events pretty much proved what a load of crap it all was. I guess I really _was_ just a gullible little idiot, to believe something so patently absurd... I was so absorbed in my thoughts, my hands had been on auto-pilot. As I jabbed the needle through the canvas, I pricked the finger of my other hand... ouch! Jerking my hand out from under my work, I stared at the tiny drop of blood as it welled to the surface. Sighing, I asked my companion, "Rhiannon... do _you_ believe in Fate?"

Those amazing green eyes gave me a piercing look. Their owner hesitated a moment before replying, "Yes... but maybe not in the way that you do. I think that sometimes certain individuals are born with the potential to profoundly effect the rest of us. I think they have a very specific role to play, and that they are compelled to travel down a particular path in their lives to get them to that point. However, I believe that there is always more than one potential outcome... that it is possible for that individual to be diverted from his or her intended path. That is where free will comes into play. Somewhere along the way, there might be a fork in the road...a choice must be made... to accept your proper fate and continue down the road ahead of you, or turn your back on it and head off in a different direction."

"... but how do you know which path is the right one?" I wanted desperately to know the answer to this.

"Daughter, how many times have you had a feeling that comes over you for no reason... a tiny little voice in the very back of your head telling you that you should do something or other... but then, your rational mind tells you to just ignore it... and then later you wish that had not? You have to learn to to be very still and listen to that little inner voice. It will seldom steer you wrong."

Huh. That little voice was the one that told me to go save the vampire from the drainers... to accept Eric's marriage proposal... to create the Second Bond... but if I _hadn't_ done all those things, obviously I wouldn't be sitting here now. Maybe staying in the Portal _was_ my Fate. I certainly wish that little voice would speak right up, do a little shouting even, and let me know what the heck to do now...

My thoughts were interrupted by my great grandfather's arrival. "What a lovely picture you two make," he remarked fondly, "I confess I am old-fashioned, but I still enjoy watching my beautiful ladies engaged in such a charming and yet useful pastime."

In answer, Rhiannon just gave him a sweet smile and asked if he was wanting his tea. "Yes, indeed," he replied, "Claude and Claudine should be here any time, and you know how much they both love sweets. Make sure Celyn puts out plenty of cakes."

The beautiful Fairy nodded and then called, "Celyn!" Instantly the little Elf appeared, and Rhiannon ordered a very elaborate tea. No sooner than the last plate was set in place than Claudine appeared, wearing a pair of Capri pants and a colorful tie-died halter top. An enormous floppy-brimmed white hat sat atop her head and the lenses of her sunglasses were so large they covered half her face. A camera hung from a strap around her neck, and a huge straw tote bag was casually slung over one shoulder. Her normally ivory skin was lightly burned, and her long black hair had been elaborately styled in cornrows tied off with small colorful beads. Obviously she was just now getting back from her vacation. Setting down her bag, she greeted Niall and then gave Rhiannon a fond kiss on the cheek. I received a huge hug and kiss. Holding me an arm's length away, she gave me a serious once-over. She said with approval, "Sookie, you look wonderful! I knew our Prince could make you better."

"Yes, he has spoiled me rotten since I got here," I responded honestly, "No one could have taken better care of me. How was the vacation?"

Laughing, she replied, "It was wonderful! I love Cozumel! Here... I brought you a dress." From out of the straw tote, she pulled a cute cotton sun dress and handed it to me; and then she dispensed some gifts to Rhiannon and Niall, too. She asked where Faeryn was, because she had brought some special silver wire that she had requested. No sooner had she spoken the words, the half-Fairy appeared. She was still wearing her artist's smock, her beautiful long hair slightly mussed. A long-handled brush was stuck behind one ear. There was a smear of cerulean blue paint along one jaw, and a dot of yellow on the very tip of her nose. After giving Claudine a fond greeting and then thanking her for the silver, she said triumphantly, "Well, I've finished it! I want you all to tell me what you think." With a wave of her hand, an easel appeared in the room and on it sat my portrait. Of course, I had been looking at the canvas everyday, but seeing it in a different setting made me realize what a masterful job she had done... except that she had made me look much more like Niall that I actually did. Everyone oohed and ahhed over it and gave the artist a great deal of well-deserved praise. Niall seemed especially proud of the painting, and proclaimed he was going to hang it where he could see it every day. I gave Faeryn a huge hug and told her how much I loved it.

Before we had even taken our seats for tea, Claude popped into the room. Of all things, my breathtakingly handsome cousin seemed to be carrying a plastic grocery sack. After receiving greetings from everyone else, he finally turned to me and said casually, "Hey, Sookie. Good to see you. I guess these are yours."

In my wildest dreams, I couldn't imagine what was in the bag. Without further ado, Claude upended the small sack onto a nearby coffee table and out slid a whole pile of envelopes. I took one step closer and realized instantly that I knew that thick crème colored stationary with the Royal emblem all too well... I had picked it out myself. The envelope on top of the heap was very formally addressed to: _HRM Sookie Northman, Queen of Louisiana and Arkansas_. After receiving so many morning notes from him for the last several months, I could recognize Eric's careful handwriting anywhere. As if from a distance, I heard Niall say sharply, "Claude! How long have you had these? Didn't Ieuan inform you that Northman might be bringing some official correspondence by? These should have been delivered immediately!"

I stood frozen in place. All the time I had been in the Portal, there had been no attempt at contact after that very first phone call. My heart started pounding away in my chest. Obviously my vampire _was_ still thinking about me... enough to write all of these! Excitedly, I wondered what he had to say... and crazily, I wondered if the envelopes would contain even a smidgen of his very special scent. Eagerly, I reached out to pick up the first one and take a good, long sniff... and that thought was enough to bring me up short. What on _earth_ was wrong with me? Did I _really_ want to read those letters? Wouldn't they just be filled with more of Eric's lies? Judging by my knee-jerk reaction, obviously I was still under his spell in spite of what he had done to me. Still, I was hovering indecisively... until Claude's answer to Niall's question floated into my consciousness. A little belligerently, my cousin retorted, "I was just protecting Sookie! That vampire is dangerous! He tried to attack me in my own club, and when my friends came to my rescue he threw a dumpster on my car and completely trashed it!"

Eric... did... WHAT? He had tried to _hurt _my cousin and then ruined his prized BMW?... and I was even _thinking_ about reading what that horrible vampire had to say? Without warning, my magic welled up inside me. I focused my gaze at the pile of letters and let go. From the tip of my still outstretched hand came a jolt of raw energy, and instantly the pile of letters burst into flames. Within seconds, they were reduced to nothing but a heap of smoldering ash.

For a moment, the room was totally silent. Claudine was clearly startled, her mouth forming an O; Faeryn looked shocked and unaccountably distraught; Rhiannon was watching me closely, as if she was waiting for the other shoe to drop; and Claude just snickered and said, "Wow, Sookie! You go, girl!"

"Claude! Shut up!" Claudine said sharply, and then gave me an apologetic look. Niall was glowering at his grandson, and said in a chilling tone, "Claude, you and I are going to have a _serious_ chat later."

At that, Claude looked a little green around the gills. As for myself, I stood staring at the remains of the letters. Part of me rejoiced that I had been strong enough to turn my back on temptation, but the other part was absolutely devastated that I would never know what was written in those letters. I desperately wanted to use my magic and make them go back to being whole again... but instead, I just burst into tears.

Immediately Niall rose from his chair, came straight to me and pulled me up into his embrace. He laid my head on his shoulder and stroked my hair. This was the first time he had held me in his arms like that; and if I hadn't been so miserable, it would have been a wonderful moment. For once, he was acting just like a human grandfather instead of a Fairy Prince... that is, until I felt his comforting, healing magic flowing around and through me. Oddly enough, right then I was just as happy that he _wasn't_ human.

At that very minute, I dawned on me that I had finally accepted Niall for who and what _he_ was; and more importantly, I think I finally accepted who and what _I _was. Ever since I had learned of my Fairy heritage, it had just seemed so unlikely, and so... weird, that I had clung to my humanness like a shield. Faeryn was right. I had even taken my magical gifts lightly, regarding them as nothing more than a kind of parlor trick: sometimes useful to have but not truly part of who I was as a person. In that moment of clarity, I knew that although I was still very much human, I was _also_ Fairy. I was _proud_ of being the great granddaughter of the Prince, and never again was I going to deny the Fairy part of myself. I _did_ belong in the Portal amongst these lovely, magical creatures. They accepted me as one of them in spite of all my human limitations. They _were_ my family, connected to me not only by a slender thread of genetics but by my choice. Even if I didn't remain in the Portal forever, I at least knew that I _could_ stay if that was my wish.

Finally, my tears wound down (at least no one in the room tried to eat them as a treat). Niall gave me one last pat on the back and let me go. On cue, Aderyn popped into the room, handed me a handkerchief, and then popped right back out again. I mopped my face, gave a couple of big sniffs, and choked out, "Sorry, everyone. Claude, I am _so_ sorry about your car. I don't know what to say. I have a little money of my own left, but it isn't nearly enough to buy you a new one."

At that, my cousin got an uncomfortable look on his gorgeous face, and stammered, "Ah... don't worry about it, Sookie. It's no big deal, really. I... I'm sorry I upset you."

Rhiannon calmly walked over and took my hand, and then pulled me over to sit next to her on the sofa. She said lightly, "Come, everyone, let us have some tea. It will be good to settle everyone's nerves. Now, my dear, I think you should do the honors." She nodded to me, and I knew that in her wisdom, Rhiannon was urging me to take control of my raging emotions and act like the strong daughter of the House of Brigant that I was. Not wanting to let her down, I squared my shoulders and took control. I picked up the tea pot and one fragile teacup, looked at Niall as calmly as I could and asked, "Sir, would you like milk in your tea today?"

*******

I had just served the second slice of seed cake to Claude, when Rhys popped his handsome blond head through one French door and grinned. "Am I to late to beg for a cup of tea?" he asked in his most charming tone.

To my surprise, Claude answered enthusiastically, "Of course, Rhys! Please join us!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Claudine roll her eyes and I could swear I heard a heavy sigh coming from Faeryn. Rhys came in and took a seat, and I poured him a cup of tea. He joined into the conversation seamlessly, and much to my amusement I could see Claude hanging on Rhys' every word; furthermore, while it was clear that Rhys was tolerating him, he really was _not_ interested in my cousin in that way. After everyone was finished eating, Rhys said, "It is a beautiful afternoon. Why don't we go outside and play some lawn games?"

One thing about Fairies I had discovered was that they were all _very_ fond of games of any sort. Even though I had finally managed to regain my composure, I was still not exactly in a game-playing mood; but everyone else seemed to think it was a splendid idea. I didn't want to be a party-pooper, though, so I tried to muster up some enthusiasm. I followed the rest of the group as they filed outside to the flat expanse of lush manicured lawn next to the reflecting pond. Instantly a couple of Elves appeared and produced lawn chairs for Niall and Rhiannon, who said they were content just to watch the younger Fairies play and act as referees as needed. Some wickets were set around in a pattern and brightly painted wooden balls produced, and so I assumed we were going to play croquet. I was looking around for mallets, when Rhys laughingly explained that the balls were pushed through the wire hoops with little bursts of magic.

Even though I had just vowed that I was not going to be shy about using my magic, it was clear that I could not possibly hope to compete against everyone else. I really shouldn't have worried, though. As always, Niall was way ahead of me, and decreed that the other Fairies were only allowed to use their magic at half-power. To my surprise, after a few humorous false starts, I was able to play with fair success. I couldn't push my ball very far, but it turned out that I had good aim. No one seemed to look down on my weaker magic at all, and in fact seemed to be cheering me on. I had to admit to myself that it felt very comforting to be surrounded by my family and friends.

Claudine ended up winning that round of croquet, and after that we tried a game that consisted of Niall launching a small pink bird into the air, and the rest of us trying to entice the bird to land on an outstretched palm using only "charm" and no other magic. Rhys won that one hands down. We played that one a couple of times, using different sorts of birds, but always with the same result. I had heard the phrase "he could charm the birds out of the trees" my whole life, and now I knew where it came from! After that, Niall insisted on a game that required no magic at all; so he conjured up a badminton set and we picked teams. Since he had just won the last game, Rhys said he would sit out so the teams would be even. After some good-natured squabbling as to who got the only experienced player (me), Faeryn and Claude took one side and Claudine and I took the other. I had to laugh, because without being able to use their magic, they were no better than the average human at getting the shuttlecock across the net. In a fit of frustration, Claude quite obviously ignored the ban on using his magic and made the little red-tipped shuttlecock fly way over our heads. Niall was still very irritated at his grandson and had been quick to award penalties to him during every game. After that clear violation of the rules, he gave him the evil-eye and awarded that round to Claudine and me in default.

To my surprise I ended up enjoying myself, but all the while in the back of my mind I just could not help thinking about Eric's letters. Quite obviously, he hadn't given up trying to reach me, and I suppose for the first time I realized exactly how well I had managed to isolate myself from him. I quite literally never had to see or hear from him ever again, if that was my wish... but was it? That was the million dollar question. At the same time that thought flew through my mind, I heard Rhys calling to me, "Come on, Princess, I challenge you to a game just between the two of us." Glad to have a momentary distraction from my thoughts, I smiled and accepted his challenge.

******

A little later, our playful little group disbanded to get bathed and dressed for dinner. Apparently Niall had already invited Rhys to join us earlier for this dinner party in the week. Claude offered to let Rhys share his room and his house Elf, which Rhys rather gracefully declined. Instead, he popped himself on home, promising to return by the proper time. Just before I left for my room, Niall called me aside to tell me that this was going to be a very special evening. For the first time I learned that he had decided to take a risk by inviting some of his closest and most trusted friends to the Palace to meet me. His announcement was quite surprising but at the same time it made me feel very, very good.

In honor of my new-found acceptance of my place as a member of this family of Fairies, I popped myself back to my room instead of walking. Morwenna was already there waiting on me, and I could see her eyes glowing with approval when I materialized. She had never seen me do an ounce of magic, and it occurred to me that maybe she thought I didn't have any. Just to show her that her Fairy wasn't completely worthless, I held out my hand and called my golden hairbrush to me. To my satisfaction and relief, it came into my hand easily. Morwenna gave me a big smile and said, "I have your bath already drawn, Your Grace. Wait until you see your new dress! The Prince himself sent it for you to wear to dinner. It is very beautiful!" The little Elf chattered contentedly the entire time she was getting me ready, but I was really only half-way listening. Instead, my mind kept wandering back to that pile of letters...

*****

Sometime later, Claudine came by my room to get me. She looked wonderful in a long, flowing gown of sea-foam green. Gone were the beach vacation cornrows. Now her silky black hair was elaborately wound into a hairdo that I would have expected to see on a Greek statue, and her Elf had tucked some tiny little glittery blossoms here and there. The whole effect was... very fairy-like. She took one look at me and said, "Sookie, that dress is stunning. You are truly beautiful, and I am proud that you are my kin."

"Well, you took the words right out of my mouth!" I told her, "Claudine, I'm glad you had a vacation. I know I've been a handful to keep safe, and I just want to say thank you for all the times you've come to my rescue."

"Oh, Sookie... I feel badly that I was not here for you in your time of need. Niall sent me away. I think he wanted to be the one to "rescue" you this time... and I can see that he has done an excellent job. Our Prince is one amazing Fairy, is he not?" My godmother beamed with pride.

I gave her a big hug, and said, "Yes, I am just beginning to realize exactly how amazing he is. Now, we shouldn't be late, so let's get going." With that, I took her hand and we popped down to join the rest of our family.

*****

The dinner went remarkably well. My great grandfather made me stand next to him as he greeted his guests in one of the huge formal areas, and he introduced me to each of them with just a hint of pride in his voice. Even though there were no mirrors, I somehow knew that I was looking my best. The gown he had given me was nothing short of spectacular. Ironically, it was white with gold trim. I had no jewelry with me other than my wedding rings, but Claudine had loaned me a fabulous gold necklace and earrings to compliment the dress.

The dinner itself was the most elaborate affair I had ever attended. Each chair at the long dining room table was filled, and the huge candelabras down the middle were ablaze. The heavy draperies in all the rooms had been drawn and the lights dimmed so that it seemed like it was night outside, even if it wasn't. There were several additional serving Elves present with Celyn overseeing every tiny detail. On the menu were many delicacies from the Portal, as well as several selections from my world. Each course was served with a different wine, and it was obvious by the light-hearted conversations and laughter everyone was having a wonderful time. I was treated very politely by all. After dinner, Niall led his guests to the smaller, more intimate of the two ballrooms in the palace, where a band of Elves had already set up some very unusual looking instruments and begun to play. The Prince led me out to the floor for the first dance and spun me around the room. For once, I felt just like... a Princess.

After that, I accepted a few dance invitations from some of Niall's other male guests and made polite chitchat with each one. I knew my great grandfather was taking a risk by allowing even this small group to learn of my existence, so I tried my best to be as charming as possible and do my great grandfather proud. After a couple of hours, though, I found myself growing a little weary. I felt like perhaps all I needed was a little fresh air, so I slipped out of the ballroom and made my way through the labyrinth of hallways to the family room. Opening one of the huge French doors, I slipped out onto the terrace. I was a little disoriented to find that outside it was still broad daylight. Leaning over the balustrade, I drew in a few deep cleansing breaths. Of course, almost immediately thoughts of Eric began to flow through my head, just as they had for the last several days. I had promised Rhiannon that I would stop blocking them, and since then I had tried to keep my word. So far, she had been absolutely right about one thing... it _was_ painful. I only hoped that she had also been right when she said it would lead to a solution, because so far I didn't seem any closer to one than I had been at the start.

I had not been outside for very long when the door opened and Rhys stepped through it. He sauntered over and said, "I saw you slipping away and thought I'd join you."

Smiling faintly, I replied, "I just needed some air. I'll go back in a minute."

My new friend was looking sharp in a formal black tuxedo, and had his hair combed straight back in a very becoming way. Joining me at the railing, he smiled and said, "I would be just as happy if you stayed out here with me. I never seem to get you to myself anymore."

I really couldn't think of a response to that, so I said nothing. Rhys had left the door standing open, and I could hear the strains of the music drifting out. The tune reminded me of that last fateful night at the Coronation ball, where I had been so happy to be dancing in the arms of my handsome Viking... without warning, tears flooded my eyes. Catching my hand in his large one, Rhys said quietly, "You're thinking about the vampire, aren't you?"

Sighing deeply, I nodded. Somewhat bitterly, Rhys said, "Sookie, unfortunately this is one thing I know something about. Vampires are dark, cruel creatures by nature. Northman is _never_ going to change. Why not try and make a new life here, among your own kind?" The Fairy laid his hand on my shoulder and pulled me around to face him. Taking a step closer, he gazed down into my eyes and said, "Forget him, Sookie. Stay here with your family. Stay... with me. I swear I will make you happy... I can give you things that he _never_ could."

For the first time since I had known him, the playful look on Rhys' handsome face was replaced with a serious one. He said softly, "Very well, Princess... I promise, the only magic you will feel is the deep attraction a man feels for a beautiful woman." Delicately caressing my face with his hand, he gave me a searching look and then gently touched his lips to mine. The first time he had done it, I had still been in shock and not thinking clearly. This time, I was much more in control of myself. I very nearly stopped him, but then realized that maybe this was _exactly_ what I needed to get me off dead center. If I still felt an attraction for Rhys even without his "charm," it would be proof that my relationship with Eric had not been nearly as deep or profound as I thought, and perhaps a life here in the Portal really might be possible. Yes, this was the perfect opportunity to test my heart, so I stepped into the Fairy's embrace and very deliberately let him give it his best shot.

**Faeryn's POV:**

My mother and I stood and watched from a window as Rhys pulled Sookie into an embrace and kissed her. I could see that she stood still and allowed it; but a moment later she broke away, said something to him, and then went back inside. For a moment, Rhys looked very sad, but then I saw a slow smile come across his handsome face. I could tell that whatever my friend had told him, it had not discouraged him in the least. A moment later, he hurried inside after her. Before I could even speak, Mother said, "I can see we have no time to waste. Nudd!"

Instantly, the small house-elf appeared. Mother held out her hand, and in it appeared a crystal goblet identical to the one that Sookie was accustomed to receiving at bedtime. She said, "Nudd, I have prepared a very special bedtime drink for Queen Sookie. Please give her this when she calls for it."

Used to taking orders from Mother and knowing her place as Niall's mate, Nudd never even asked why she was providing the drink. He just took it and disappeared. Mother said, "Now, in a little while, we will need to pay Sookie a visit."

We waited for what seemed like forever, but then finally Mother transported us both into Sookie's room. The curtains had been drawn and the room was dark, so Mother produced a glowing light for us to see by. Sookie was already asleep, and Mother went and sat by her still form. She took one of my friend's hands into her own and stroked it while saying softly, "Sookie, dear, I want you to listen to me. Even now, you carry a piece of your Bonded's soul within you. When you dream, you will see and share some of your vampire's existence; and in this way, you might know the truth about who he is and understand his true feelings for you. It will not always be easy to bear witness, so to get you started, I will give you the gift of knowing him in his human life..."

From my Mother, I could both see and feel her great magic rising within her. A golden aura enveloped both she and Sookie, and I knew by the gentle smile on Sookie's face that her dreams had begun. I knew she would be asleep for hours. I was much too antsy to paint or work on my jewelry... what was I going to do with myself in the meantime? After a moment of thinking over my options, I realized that I probably needed to pop back home to the Islands. When I left, I had not planned on being gone for nearly so long. I was determined to stay here as long as my friend needed me, but I had to make sure my assistant at the gallery was getting along all right without me. I could pop home, check on things, and be back before Sookie awakened... so that is exactly what I did. Since my cell phone did not work in the Portal, the first thing I did when I got home was check my voice mail. The very first message began, "Faeryn, my name is Robert..."


	30. Chapter 30

_Author's Notes:** **** This story is now safe for everyone to read! Woo Hoo!******_

_*****So here it is, the elusive, much awaited chapter 30. It contains both Sookie's and Eric's points of view. I'm warning you all now, although both viewpoints contain unique information, certain sections** are** somewhat repetitive; but I thought at least some of you would want to see how this particular event effects both of them. If you don't like going over the same scene twice... pick one. *Additional note: I am sorry this was not posted Monday as promised, but the site was having problems. I tried!!!  
_

_*I want to thank KLloyd, who once again graciously provided the translations for Eric's language._

_*Ingredient list for chapter 30:_

_1 box of tissues_

_1 bottle of wine or other adult beverage_

_2 glasses, one for immediate use and one for later_

_several candles_

_Recipe_:_ Find comfortable, quiet spot. Firmly eject all children, small animals, and significant others from space. Lock door. Light candles. Pour wine. Make sure box of tissues is close at hand. Take a cleansing breath, and then begin to read. Once finished, leave review for BTB. Leave candles burning and retrieve Viking... er, I mean significant other... and replay your favorite lemony scene._

**Chapter 30**

**Sookie's POV: In the Portal, after the dinner party**

This time as the handsome Fairy kissed me I really _tried_ to let myself go. I _tried_ to feel some response to this beautiful, warm man... and I had a reaction, all right, but it certainly wasn't the one I had been expecting. Instead of feeling the slightest bit of lust for this gorgeous, great-smelling, light-hearted man, I was literally overwhelmed with longing for my vampire. In a moment of blinding clarity, the awful truth hit me like a ton of bricks. I _wasn't_ just homesick. I didn't just _miss_ Eric because he represented such a big part of my life that was now gone. No matter what Eric had done to me, and even if he had _never_ loved me_..._I still loved _him_, quite passionately, and probably always would. The realization of just how deeply I did still love him even with our Bond being closed shook me to my very core. Suddenly quite dizzy, it was was a good thing that Rhys had me in such a tight grip or I probably would have fallen to the floor. There was really no point in leading Rhys on any more than I already had, so I broke the embrace and stepped away from him. Very gently, I said, "I'm sorry, Rhys. I just can't do this."

Reluctantly, the handsome Fairy let go of me. Giving me a crooked little grin, he said, "Don't worry, Princess. I'll be around if you change your mind."

*****

I went back to the party for a brief time, but I could hardly keep my mind focused on social chitchat. Before much longer, I went to my great grandfather and made my excuses, and then popped myself back to my room. It had been a very long and eventful day. Emotionally and physically exhausted, I slumped into one of the chairs near the window. Now that I was in the privacy of my own room, I was able to let go of the emotions I had been holding in check since that critical moment with Rhys. As the tears rolled silently down my face, I wondered what in the world would become of me. There was absolutely no doubt about it... I still loved Eric. I loved him so much I literally ached to see him, to touch him.... but of course, that was only half of the equation. Even though I _did_ love him, could my heart survive another incident like the one in Las Vegas? Could I really learn to ignore the fact that he had another Queen? And what about his other lovers? What Rhys had said was true. Eric was too old to change. Obviously if I went back to him, that lying, cheating behavior was exactly what I could expect... for the rest of my life. The very idea of having to share him with other women made me physically ill. Nauseated, I had just leaned my head back and closed my eyes, when I sensed someone popping into my room. Without even opening my eyes, I knew it was Claudine from her smell. She said softly, "Sookie, are you all right?"

Opening my eyes, I lifted my head and replied, "Yes, just having my second meltdown of the day... nothing to worry about."

My cousin smiled faintly, and then came and sat in the chair next to mine. "I saw you coming back inside with Rhys in hot pursuit. Did he say something to upset you?"

I shook my head and replied, "No. He's a nice guy, and I wish... I _almost_ wish I could just fall into his arms and go on with my life. What he _really_ did was make me realize that I still love Eric."

Claudine had never been a huge fan of vampires, but she had finally come to a sort of truce with Eric; that is, until that last night in Bon Temps when Fairy-Vampire relations had been at an all-time low... so her next words surprised me. "If you are sure that you still love him, why don't you go home and work things out?" she asked, "Maybe you can come to some sort of compromise."

"Like what? My husband gets to have another wife, _and_ a girlfriend, and God only knows who _else_ on the side... and I get to live in a big fancy house and play the dutiful wife? " I responded bitterly, "How many lies has he told me? Who the heck _is_ he anyway? Everything I thought I knew about Eric Northman is out the window."

Claudine said, "I suppose it would be very difficult to know a vampire as old as Eric very well, especially in the short time you've been together."

"I thought I knew all I needed to know... but obviously it was not nearly enough. I really thought he loved me as much as I loved him."

My cousin sat back in her chair and regarded me thoughtfully. She said, "Maybe the vampire _does_ love you. Look at all those letters he wrote to you."

For about the hundredth time since I burned them, I desperately wished I could undo that particular bit of magic. I said, "That's true; and honestly, now I wished I _had_ read them... but when I heard that Eric had _attacked_ a member of my family, I just lost it! If he wants me back, why would he do such a stupid thing?"

Looking at me very strangely, Claudine said, "Well, besides the fact that my brother can be extraordinarily irritating, if I had to guess I would say that the Bonding Sickness was beginning to take its toll on your vampire."

I laughed sourly and said, "What Bonding Sickness? It only effects the human half of the Bond. After I had it in New York, Eric seemed perfectly fine."

"Well, _of course_ Eric would not appear to be sick, Sookie! He is vampire. The Sickness affects them much differently. It erodes their mind and their spirit, not their body as it does yours."

Until this very minute, it had never even crossed my mind that a vampire _could_ get Bonding Sickness. Shocked, I asked uncertainly, "Oh, Claudine... are you sure?"

"You can ask Niall, but I am fairly positive," she answered calmly.

Even though I still was not entirely convinced that such a thing was possible, my mind began to whir. Thinking back to my last round of Bonding Sickness, I remembered how many waitresses had quit while I was gone to New York... Okay, so Eric might be a little out of sorts, so what? Cranky vampires were not exactly uncommon... except that _my_ vampire had always surprised me by being mostly calm and very much in control at all times. What would happen if he lost that iron control, especially now that he was King and really had no one who could stop him? Sourly, I thought... _heads will roll … _and then, the memory of him grinning and playing bowling for vampires floated through my head. Ugh. I thought back to my recent nightmare, in which Eric had killed one of the waitresses for apparently no reason. Obviously it had just been a dream, but what if the Bonding Sickness made him so sick he started really _did_ start to kill humans again? Without question, Eric was one of the most dangerous vampires currently in existence, and if he started killing humans with impunity how long would it be before the humans caught on and came after him with stakes? Now I was _really _sick. Obviously, I must have turned quite pale, because Claudine looked at me with concern in her eyes. "Sookie, what is it?" she asked in alarm.

"I just can't believe that all the time I have been up here petting unicorns and going to parties, Eric has been getting sicker and sicker! Why didn't someone _tell_ me?"

Suddenly, Claudine reminded me of Niall when he was handing down his grim sentences. With a cold gleam in her eye, she said, "Why would we? You claimed you hated him. Don't you think he deserves to suffer a little, for what he has done to you?"

Did I? Perhaps the normal thing for a woman in my position would be to celebrate every minute of their cheating spouse's discomfort, but surprisingly all it did was make me feel distraught and sick. Claudine said, "Oh, Sookie, I can see that you are very distressed by this news. Perhaps I _am_ wrong, and Eric is just fine. Niall is still busy with his guests, and you are obviously exhausted. Why don't you get some rest, and when you wake in the morning, you can discuss it with the Prince?"

Now my stomach was completely twisted into knots. If Eric really _was_ suffering from Bonding Sickness and I _didn't_ go back, what would become of him? He was immortal. It would not send him to his final death, but what _would_ happen... and how quickly? I had no idea how long I had even been in the Portal. How could I stay with Niall and forge a happy life for myself when I knew that I was the direct cause of someone's misery... even if they _had_ brought it on themselves? That would take a very cold-hearted person, and I had never thought of myself as being that way. On the other hand, if I went back and had to share my husband with other women, _I_ would be the one suffering. It was beginning to look like no matter what, one of us was destined to be miserable.

A couple of years before she met René, my former friend Arlene had caught her second husband cheating. After a couple of weeks of tears and awful fights, she had taken him back. At the time, I had been furious at her for having so little self-respect and told her so. She just smiled ruefully and said, "But Sookie, I _love_ him. We have a life together. He's got lots of good things about him, and I don't want to lose him." About six months later, he had cleaned out their joint bank account and ran off with yet another lover. I had never understood why on earth any man was worth that kind of heartache, and had vowed to myself I was _never_ going to be that kind of woman... and yet, that was exactly what I was contemplating. While all these conflicting thoughts tumbled through my head, I had not said a word, but apparently Claudine could see what an internal struggle I was having. "Please, Sookie! You can't think clearly when you are so tired," she said gently, "Get some rest, if only to please me. A few more hours will not make any difference one way or the other."

Reluctantly, I nodded. Claudine called to Aderyn to get me undressed, and she stayed with me until I was safely tucked into bed. I called Nudd to bring me my bed-time drink which I knew that I needed now more than ever. Oddly enough, the elixir seemed much darker in color than usual, but I put that off as just a trick of the light. Claudine perched on the side of the bed and held my hand until I fell asleep, just as she had the very first night of my arrival. My last words to her before I nodded off were, "Claudine, have I ever told you that I love you? You are the best cousin in the world."

******

_For the first time in many days, the minute my head hit the pillow I found myself in the midst of a dream. It was unlike any I had ever had in my entire life. This one was so startlingly realistic that I could swear it was actually happening. I found myself transported to a world where everything around me was so lush and green and vivid I knew that I was no longer in the Portal. I was standing on the bank of a river, and ahead of me I could see a little village made up of strange, primitive-looking houses. There was no real street or road but only a well-trodden path. Striding down this path was a breathtakingly beautiful man. He was very tall and muscular and had long, flowing golden hair. He was curiously dressed in strange-looking leather pants and an open vest made of some type of soft animal fur. On his broad shoulders sat a tiny blond girl and running in his wake were a pack of tow-headed children. The handsome man was laughing, his even teeth flashing white against his lightly tanned skin. When he reached the edge of the village, he put the small girl down, patted her head affectionately, and said, "Gå tillbaka till mor din, hon saknar dig säkert redan." _

_Even though it didn't feel like I was dreaming, I knew I must be, because I could understand every word that the man said! He had said to the child "Go back to your mother, she will be missing you." In her little girl voice, she replied, "Yes, Uncle," and she turned and ran back up the path._

_The other children were still giggling and slapping at his legs until he turned and gave them a pretend growl; and at that, they all scattered, laughing and shrieking. He just shook his golden head, grinned, and continued on his way. He was headed right towards me, but for some reason did not appear to see me. Once he passed me by without stopping, I had the overwhelming urge to follow the gorgeous man and see where he was headed. His legs were so long, I had to nearly run to keep up with him. I followed him quite a long way down the winding path. A couple of times, he stopped and pulled some red berries from some low-growing bushes, and as he walked he would toss them in the air and try to catch them in his mouth. He was pretty good at it, too, and only missed a few. I heard him laugh out loud when he missed... a wonderful, rich, melodious laugh. Eventually, he came to a place in the river where it was joined by a smaller creek. He turned and followed this smaller stream until it came to what my brother Jason would call a "blue hole." It was a round, deep place, with practically no current and clearly a good place for swimming or bathing. _

_It was a brilliantly sunny day and very warm. Almost immediately the tall man began to strip off his clothes. Even though he made no indication that he was aware of my presence, I hung back slightly. I watched as he plunged into the water, which in spite of the warm day seemed to be cold. The man shivered a little at first and broke into goose-bumps; but then took the plunge and completely immersed himself. When he came back up, he sputtered and gasped; but as his body adjusted to the water he chuckled a little and then began to sing a loud, rather bawdy song as he washed. I watched in fascination as he scrubbed himself quite thoroughly, and then took a short swim around the pool. Finally, he came out of the water and glistening droplets of water rolled off of his muscular body. After combing his long hair back with his fingers, he found a soft patch of grass in the sun where he he lay down and closed his eyes._

_Some unknown force propelled me forward. I drifted closer and closer to him, mesmerized by his startling physical beauty. He was a giant of a man, at least 6'5" tall, and everything about him was large. His hands, his feet, his... well, even at rest, his manhood was just as large as the rest of him. His entire body was very muscular, especially his arms and chest. Many scars puckered his skin in various locations, and I had the strangest desire to trace them with my fingers. I knelt by him, and tentatively reached out a hand... but then snatched it back at the last minute. Without meaning to, I let out a sigh. Immediately, the man's eyes flew open, and I could see that they were a vivid, intense sapphire blue. Up until that very minute, he had been totally unaware of my presence; but I could tell by the way his eyes widened, he could certainly see me right then. At first, he spoke not a word, but took in my appearance. I looked down at myself, to see what he was seeing. I was dressed in a long, flowing gown made out of the sheerest fairy cloth, and I could see it shimmering in the sun. The gown was so transparent, it left nothing at all to the imagination; but oddly enough I was not embarrassed at all for this man to see me. The beautiful man finally spoke, and the first thing he said was a rather confused, "Maiden... who art thou? From whence did thou comest?"_

_I thought about telling him that I wasn't really there, and neither was he... that we were both in my dream; but something stopped me. I just shook my head, not sure that he could understand me if I spoke to him. He studied me for a minute, and then finally said, "I know who thou art. Thou art the goddess Freya." _

_At that, I had to laugh. No longer afraid of speaking, I opened my mouth and said, "No, my name is Sookie. Who are you?"_

_His lovely lips formed the strange word as he repeated, "Soo-kee. That is a strange name for a goddess. My name is **E**iríkr."_

_His voice was deep and melodious just like his laugh, and I wished he would go on speaking just so I could listen to it. Instead, we just sat and stared at each other, until I found that I could no longer resist the urge to touch him. The first thing I did was reach out and run my fingers over his luscious, perfectly shaped lips. They were so warm! I don't know why that surprised me, but it did. I found that I could not help myself... I leaned forward, and touched my lips to his; and the moment they met, a jolt of energy ran between us. Startled, he murmured, "So you are a goddess, Soo-kee" and with that, he pulled me to him and kissed me for real. Immediately, my entire body flushed as the rush of pure lust ran through me. I finally gave in to my earlier desire to run my hands over that fantastically muscled body, and I did. It was rock-hard, and I first felt his arms and chest, then his flat stomach, and then... as my hand encountered his erection, he drew in his breath sharply. His breath! He had... breath! Again, I had no idea why I thought that was so strange. His kisses intensified, and before I knew it, he sat up and was attempting to remove my gown. I willingly held my arms up as he slipped it over my head. He stopped long enough to regard my now naked body. His blue eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire, but he said nothing. His thoughts floated into my mind, though; and they were as clear and uncomplicated as the water in the nearby stream. He was thinking, Dare I make love to this goddess? She is so beautiful! If I died in battle this very day, I would go to my death happy, knowing that I will surely see her again in Valhalla...._

_He took my breasts in his rough, calloused hands, and then leaned forward and kissed them reverently. He pulled one taught nipple into his hot mouth and began to suck greedily. Immediately my nether regions became dripping wet. Throwing my head back, I moaned with pleasure at the feel of his warm, persistent tongue. Boldly, I took his hardness in my hands and stroked him while he suckled... and then it was his turn to moan. The feel of his warm, rigid flesh made me long to taste him, and so I pushed him gently onto his back. I leaned over and put as much of him as I could get into my mouth, and the rest I continued to stroke with my hand. He gasped and then moaned in pleasure, "Ah... ah...!" I looked up, only to see that he had closed his eyes in ecstasy. I wanted to see those fabulous blue eyes, and so I stopped long enough to command, "No! Don't close your eyes! Watch me!" Then I resumed what I was doing. He did open them, and as I continued my attentions I could see them begin to glaze over. Before long, I could feel the slight swelling of his erection and I knew he was about to reach his climax. I was so ready to taste him! Surprisingly, though, he stopped me. Reaching down, he grabbed my arms and then pulled me on top of him. In one swift move, he flipped us both over so that I was now under him. He kneed my legs open and then slid into position. I could feel the heat from his tip as he nudged my entrance. He raised up on his arms, looking down at me. He said very seriously, "Goddess, I do not wish to waste my seed where it will do no good. I want to plant it where it may grow and flourish. Perhaps I will be the father to a god."_

_With that, he slid himself into me fully. The minute he did, two things happened. Both of us gasped with pleasure, and quite suddenly, I knew who this beautiful man really was. This was no stranger, this was Eric! My lover, my soul-mate... my life! I cried out, both in pleasure and with relief at being joined with him again. He proceeded to thrust into me with abandon and soon we were completely lost in our passion. Even then, in the back of my mind I wondered at the way his body felt so familiar, and yet not. He was clearly rougher in his lovemaking than he would one day become; but more than that his body was very warm, almost hot to the touch. I could hear his breath catch in his throat as he struggled to keep himself from reaching his climax too soon. Even though he did not have the iron control that he would later develop, he held out long enough for me to begin building to my own peak. As I came, I cried out, "Ah... Eric!"_

_With that, my lover could hold back no more. He threw his head back and shouted as he spilled his hot seed inside me. Afterward, he collapsed on top of me and panted as he tried to catch his breath. Miraculously, I could feel the wild beating of his heart against my chest. He began to nuzzle me, whispering softly in my ear, "No matter how long I live, I will never forget that once I made love to a goddess..."_

_Unfortunately, that wonderful, intensely erotic dream began to fade. Abruptly, I could tell that another dream was taking its place, and it seemed that time had somehow shifted forward. Now I was not physically present in the dream, but I could see Eric; and this time he was in the midst of a raging battle. I knew both from his tanned skin and from his emotions that he was still human; and although he was fighting with great strength and valor, he felt both fear and pain. He was bleeding from several wounds, but still he kept swinging his sword. As he fought, he was both terrifying and beautiful, and I could see that he was indeed a mighty warrior..._

_Again, the dream seemed to fast-forward. I somehow knew it was just after the same battle. Fallen bodies were scattered across the battlefield. My Viking was wounded, and so exhausted that he had fallen asleep where he sat, propped up by a boulder. I could see a blur moving towards him and suddenly a huge male vampire was sinking his fangs into Eric's neck. Waking with the sudden attack, the Viking struggled mightily in spite of his wounds, but to no avail; and eventually he lay still on the ground. I watched as the vampire lifted his body as easily as he would a baby's, and then flew off with him. The vampire went quite a long way, until eventually he came to a primitive building. He set his captive down on the ground just to the back of the structure, and began to slap Eric back to consciousness. The minute the Viking came to, the vampire again began to feed, and this time it was clear that he intended to drain his victim. Eric's Maker was a cruel one, and did not let him feel the ecstasy that it was within his power to bestow; but instead, was deliberately making it as painful as he could. I could feel Eric's pain and terror as he realized that he was dying. I could feel the beat of his heart slow as his life force drained out of his body. Just before the very last flicker of life was extinguished, the vampire whispered into Eric's ear; and then he bit into his own wrist and held it to Eric's mouth. _

_Even in my dream state, I was screaming, although no one could see or hear me. It was an agonizing choice. Part of me wanted Eric to refuse to drink and save himself from darkness... but the other part of me wanted him to drink so that he would live again, and eventually turn into the awesome creature he was destined to become... and of course, that is exactly what he did. I felt Eric's horror and revulsion as the bitter blood passed his lips, and felt the blackness of death as it overcame him. His Maker then tossed him carelessly into a shallow pit and kicked dirt on top of him..._

_And then, I watched as my vampire rose for the very first time. He was filthy, completely covered in blood and grime. The feelings that passed through him then did not even have a name, they were so dark and terrible. Gone completely was the light-hearted, honorable warrior; and in his place was the pale creature of the night, whose first horrible desires and instincts were just unbearable. Sharing even a fraction of that horror was almost more than my mind could handle and still remain sane..._

_And so, I moved forward in time a little further. By then, I could see that Eric's Maker had others vampires in his nest, each one of them chosen because of their physical beauty as well as their fighting skills. The evil vampire relentlessly drove his children into battles, and if they did not perform as well as expected, his punishments were horrible. I witnessed the Maker taking a rock and smashing the sensitive tips of Eric's fangs because the Viking had not killed enough to suit him during one skirmish. He then held Eric down, ripped off his pants, and forced him to submit in the worst possible way... again, the pain, rage, and humiliation that my vampire felt was almost more than I could bear. So again, I slipped forward in time again..._

_...and saw my vampire observing his Maker add yet another member to his fighting elite. I could now feel the iciness that had descended upon Eric's soul in the many, many years since he had first been made vampire... and yet, I could feel a tiny bit of pity break though the barrier that he had erected to keep from feeling things too strongly. He saw how dearly the pious man clung to life, and unlike some of the others he fiercely tried to refuse the darkness that was offered him. In fact, he resisted until the very last instant... I watched as the Viking risked severe punishment and did what little he could to help ease Sir Robert's awful transition from Knight Templar to vampire. _

_After that, the long years rolled forward with increasing speed. I could not see all the events of Eric's long life, but just brief scenes here and there. As time flowed past, I could tell that my vampire had finally come to terms with what he had become and in fact had begun to embrace it. The memories of his human life were all but gone. Strangely, his passion for "living" was gaining strength as he aged. Somewhere along the way, he had become the ultimate vampire: brilliant, incredibly strong, totally ruthless, extremely wealthy, and very, very devious. I came to understand that he had acquired languages and money out of necessity but also because he enjoyed it. The Viking still valued loyalty highly, and if he ever gave his word to someone, he almost always kept it. His mind had become the icy, tangled, snarly mass that I would one day read in an unexpected flash at Fangtasia. Although Eric used humans as a source of blood, sex, and money, he actually preferred to have as little to do with them as possible. He had many vampire acquaintances, but he trusted absolutely no one except his old nest-mate Robert, and had no other real friends besides him. His cruel Maker was now long since dead, and he was free to join another nest for companionship; but he could never bring himself to trust other vampires enough to do so. As the years flashed past, I could feel my vampire's ever-increasing sense of loneliness._

_Then one night in London, Eric was out walking when he came across a young girl slipping home after a tryst with her beau. His loneliness was nearly crushing him that night, and so... in desperation, he made himself a companion. I observed as he held Pam in his arms as she first learned what she had become. I felt both his sorrow and his elation at what he had done. Unlike his own Maker, my vampire was always tender with his new child and treated her like a Queen. He taught her everything that she needed to know to survive right away, and made sure she had plenty to eat until she could fend for herself. By the time of Pam's making, Eric was already extremely wealthy. He showered his child with gifts and clothes and jewels. He had expensive, ornate coffins built for her, so that she would never have to rest in the dirt as he once had. They were constantly on the move and never stayed anywhere for long. They each had several coffins, which were sent ahead to various locations well ahead of time, so that if Eric felt one place had become unsafe they had alternatives. Every morning before dawn he would tuck Pam carefully into her coffin and shut the lid himself, making sure that she was safe for the day before he went to his own rest. I could tell that he was quite fond of her, but still she did not fill that emptiness inside of him..._

_I saw some of Eric's adventures in the New World including his arrival in Louisiana.... and eventually, I came to the part of his history that I already knew, because I was part of it. I saw myself as he had seen me that very first night at Fangtasia. I felt his immediate and intense attraction to me... and eventually, his confusion and frustration as he began to realize that he had done the worst possible thing that a vampire could do by falling in love with a human woman, particularly one that was apparently as resistant to his charms as I was. Later, when we made our first Bond, I experienced his surprise and pleasure as he first realized that we could feel each other's emotions. Those feelings turned to elation when it finally sank in that he no longer felt alone for the first time in a millennium. I felt his shock and amazement as he sat on my bed in Bon Temp directly after Felipe's takeover, when his memories of our time together came flooding back... I could feel his overwhelming love for me as he slipped my wedding ring on my finger... and his intense satisfaction and pride as we publicly consummated our Second Bond.... and through all this, although he might not tell me everything, I was able to see that he never once lied to me... and it was clear that even though sometimes it went directly against his very nature, he tried extremely hard to live by my human rules just because he wanted to please me. _

… _then, even in my dream state, I knew I was approaching the bad time... that period of time that I knew my new husband must have been betraying me. I knew what was coming, but I also knew I just couldn't stand to see it... I wished so hard that I could wake up! I just had to wake up! I only managed to get part of my wish, though. Instead of waking, my dreams of Eric ended abruptly and instead, I began to dream of my Gran. She was standing in our woods, close to the entrance to the Portal. She gave me a stern, no-nonsense look, and said, "Sookie Stackhouse, you are making me ashamed. Even in your sleep, you are trying to avoid facing the truth! _

_I hung my head and said, "I'm sorry Gran. It just hurts too much."_

"_I know it hurts, honey, but you're a grown-up now. You told me how much you loved your husband, and yet at the first sign of trouble you run off! Married people have problems, girl! You learn to work them out, and you start by listening. Have you even given the poor vampire a chance to explain? To apologize? Don't you think that by running off, you might have hurt him?"_

"_But Gran, he's a vampire! He doesn't have any feelings to hurt... he was just pretending to have them so I'd fall in love with him. Besides, I bet he's got plenty of woman offering him as much comfort as he can stand."_

_Gran sighed deeply and shook her head. "Baby girl, haven't you been paying attention? After sharing so much of your vampires life with him, how can you still think that? The vampire's biggest secret is that instead of having no emotions at all, they actually feel things much more intensely than humans.... at least, at first. They have to shut down most of those feelings in order to survive, and eventually they themselves come to believe they have none. Your vampire is no exception. He has had centuries to build up layer after layer of insulation from those pesky emotions... that is, until you came along and smashed through those barriers. You taught him to love again! Only you, out of all the women he's known... and you think he hasn't been affected by your loss? Sookie, I think you need to experience one last thing... and no wishing it away, either!"_

_The next thing I knew, I was back in Eric's underground chamber at Valhalla. I knew that once again, I was not physically present in this dream but only there as an observer. I watched as Eric came down the stairs into my view. Instead of the sure, confident stride he usually exhibited, he seemed to be practically forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other. He didn't go to bathe before bedtime like he normally did, either, but slowly stripped off his clothes and crawled straight into bed. He rolled onto his side and lay staring at a snapshot that was propped up on his nightstand. With a shock, I realized that it was the picture of me from our honeymoon, the one that had started all the problems with the shifter Shaun. After a few minutes of looking wistfully at the photo, Eric opened the drawer in the little table. He pulled out a small piece of white fabric, put it to his face, and inhaled deeply. _

_Up until that very minute, I had been able to see him but not feel his emotions at all... sort of like having the volume turned all the way down on a television set. The instant he breathed in the scent from the cloth, two things happened. First, I realized that the cloth he was rubbing against his cheek was actually my white nightie. Second, as if the volume had been cranked all the way up, I was suddenly filled with his emotions and his senses. Even more than that... it was if I was him. I could hear, feel, and smell everything exactly like my vampire did, and it was absolutely incredible. Everything... everything was enhanced about tenfold from what I was used to in my normal human body. I could smell a hundred individual scents in our bedroom that I had never even noticed before. Everything that passed before Eric's eyes seemed so sharp and well defined. Even tiny details from way across the room were easy to see. Although it was very quiet in the room, I could hear a very faint, low humming. With a start, I realized that it could very well be the sound of electric current passing through the wires inside the walls. My puny little human mind was scrambling to keep up as it was bombarded by on overload of sensory input... how did vampires stand it without going crazy?_

_The smell that was coming from my nightie was much stronger than I expected it to be, but the real surprise was the reaction it produced within my vampire. At first, it was one of pure pleasure... the perfect combination of love, comfort, and lust. Almost immediately, though, it turned into the most intense loneliness and sorrow imaginable. Eric's ancient vampire emotions were so strong, so agonizing, that I could hardly bear to share them even in my dream state. I wanted to scream to relieve the crushing weight of those horrible feelings; but of course, I couldn't. Just when I thought that even he couldn't bear the pain another instant, from the depths of his very being came an even more acute wave of emotion; and this time, the incredible happened. To the vampire's complete mortification, tears rose to his old eyes. He hurriedly placed the white satin fabric over his face and clutched it there tightly... and in witnessing that one sad gesture of total despair, my own heart broke completely in two. More than anything I had ever wanted in my life, I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to wrap him in my arms and let whatever magic I possessed to flow through him, healing his broken mind and spirit. Suddenly though, I felt a strange, nearly indescribable feeling creeping up through Eric's body and consciousness... a kind of lethargy.. and then, nothing. The sun had finally risen and mercifully sent him to his rest..._

…and also catapulted me out of sleep. My heart was beating like a kettle drum and my pillow was soaked with tears. At first, I was disoriented. My dreams had been so vivid and intense I had to take a moment to disengage from them and reconnect to the real world. Even after I did come to my senses, my body and my heart were still literally aching for my vampire.

As I lay in bed, I tried to come to terms with the dreams. Although I could only remember small bits and pieces, they seemed to be telling me Eric really did love me very passionately. Even thought I still had no idea why, I _did_ fill the lonely place inside his soul; and if for no other reason than that, he would cherish me until the day I died. The problem was, my heart and my dreams were telling me one thing and my head was telling me another. I tried desperately to reconcile the intense feelings that the dreams had produced with what I knew to be reality. One thing was certain. I could no longer hide from my problems. I knew that the day of reckoning had finally come, and I thought that I maybe I was finally strong enough to face it.

In the cold light of day, the facts as I knew them were: Eric had clearly lied to me on multiple occasions. He had gone behind my back to negotiate a political marriage. I had witnessed his infidelity with my own eyes... and yet... my dreams had told me he loved me very much... that even if he _was_ vampire, he actually took his vows very seriously... and that my leaving had hurt him deeply. In fact, I still had a nearly overwhelming urge to go straight home to make sure he was all right, to comfort him... how crazy was that? Fiercely, I reminded myself that no matter how vivid they were, dreams were just a form of wish fulfillment. Obviously, it would be foolish to take them too seriously. On the other hand, I _had_ learned several important things since I had been in the Portal, things I _did_ trust. For one thing, Rhianon had told me that Eric did not have the ability to manipulate our Bond the way I thought he did... but if he couldn't, then how did he manage to lie and cheat without me knowing it? If the Second Bond could not have formed unless he loved me... and the love I felt through our Bond had been real... then why was he having an affair with another woman? None of it made any sense!

As I lay in bed wrestling with such glaring inconsistencies, Faeryn unexpectedly appeared at my bedside. The lovely half-Fairy looked somewhat flushed and seemed to be awfully excited about something. She perched on the side of my bed, took my hand in hers and squeezed it. "I am sorry to intrude on you, Sookie, but I need to speak to you right away," she began rather breathlessly, "While you were asleep, I made a quick trip home to arrange things so I could stay with you a little longer. While I was there, I was contacted by an interested third party. He has convinced me that he has solid proof that will exonerate Eric. All he asks is that you give him a chance to present it."

What? Faeryn's words came as such a shock, at first I couldn't even make sense of them. As their meaning began to seep into my brain, I admit that in spite of myself, a tiny flame of hope began to burn inside my heart. Someone had proof that Eric wasn't guilty of... what, exactly? And just who could this third party be? Practically no one but Eric had ever heard of Faeryn, except maybe Bill... and I wasn't about to take _his_ word for anything. I asked cautiously, "So, who _is_ this mysterious person?"

"He said his name is Sir Robert," she replied, "He said to tell you that he guarantees on his personal honor as a Knight Templar that no harm will come to you; and also, that he will be the only vampire present at this meeting. Do you trust him, Sookie?"

I thought hard about her question. For weeks, my opinion had been that _all_ vampires were lying rat bastards, but Robert...well, even if I _was_ right about the others, I _still_ felt that Robert was different. I doubted that the Knight that was still buried inside him would allow _him_ to swear on his honor and then not keep his word. Slowly, I said, "Yes, call me crazy, but I _do _trust Robert.... to a point, anyway." I was silent for just a moment, thinking. Finally, I burst out with, "Oh, Faeryn, what do _you_ think? How could _anyone_ have "proof" that Eric is not guilty? I saw him in Sabriel's arms with my own eyes!"

The half-Fairy's eyes began to glow. She answered, "Sookie, try to put that aside for one moment. Look into your heart. Do you think you could live with yourself if you _didn't _hear what this vampire has to say?"

If I hadn't just awakened from that incredible dream, I very well might have had a different answer. Because of it, I just couldn't shake the feeling that my vampire _did_ love me, and that he was really suffering without me... Faeryn was right, I had to give Robert a chance. If there was even the slightest chance to fix my marriage, I knew I had to take it. Just a few minutes before Faeryn's arrival, I had been telling myself that I was strong enough to "man up" and face the shambles I had made of my life. I guessed this was an opportunity to prove that I could do it. But was I _really_ ready? Could I tell more lies from the truth? Maybe I was so anxious to go home, I was ready to believe anything. As much as I felt I owed my marriage a chance, I didn't want to be a gullible little fool, either. I closed my eyes, and said a quick prayer for wisdom. "What does Robert want to do?" I asked.

"He cannot come here, as you know. He proposes that we meet on your own territory, at your farmhouse in Bon Temps. He knows that you can rescind his invitation there at any time. I can take you there. If you remain unconvinced, I can bring you back to the Portal if that is your wish."

I swallowed hard, and then managed to squeak out, "When?"

"In anticipation of your acceptance, Robert is staying in Bon Temps and can be at your house any time after first dark tonight...which is only about an hour from now."

A single tear rolled down my face as I replied, "All right. I will at least listen to what Robert has to say. Tell him we'll meet him there about an hour after dark."

A brilliant smile lit Faeryn's face. Obviously she had really wanted me to agree to go. Excitedly, she said, "When do you want to leave?"

I thought for a minute. "I want to talk to Niall first, and then I better bathe. As far as I know the Knight has no immunity to Fairy smell. You will need to stay as far away from him as you can. He is nearly as old and fast as the Viking. Tell Robert to be at my house about thirty minutes after dark."

"All right, my dear. I will go to Ieuan's office to call Sir Robert and tell him when to be there." Immediately, she popped out of my room. Now that I had made up my mind, I was really anxious to get moving... but I needed to talk it over with Niall first. Not wanting to take the time to dress, I slipped a blanket around myself and popped down to the east terrace. Sure enough, the Prince was in his customary place, sipping a cup of tea. He didn't even look surprised at my appearance, although I was pretty sure I had a serious case of bedhead.

Quite calmly, he said, "Good morning, my dear. Is something the matter?"

Trying to be as rational and concise as I could, I explained what was happening. My great grandfather sat very still for a long moment, clearly thinking things over. Finally he said, "Of course you must go, if only to set your mind at rest. I feel I should go with you to lend support and advice... or perhaps you would prefer Claudine to go."

"No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but it really is time for me to stand on my own two feet. Faeryn offered to take me there and she said she would wait and bring me back if necessary. I just wanted to tell you myself what I was going to do."

He stood, gave me a kiss on the cheek, and said, "You are a strong woman, Sookie, and a true Brigant. I want nothing more than for you to be happy. I will abide by whatever choice you make... but I must say, I will miss you if you decide to remain in your world."

I gave him a big hug and kiss. "Whatever happens, I'm glad I came to stay with you. You have been wonderful to me. I love you, great grandfather."

The Prince of the Fairies hugged me right back and said, "...and I love you, Sookie. Now, go get dressed. No daughter of this house will go to a meeting with a vampire wrapped in a blanket." He clapped his hands together, and commanded, "Aderyn! The Queen needs her bath!"

EPOV: Valhalla, first dark

For the first time in too many years to count, I realize that I have actually slept right up until first dark. Still, I am weary and see no point in rushing to get up. My mind is a jumble, and every night that passes it becomes harder to think clearly. I look down to find that I am still clutching Sookie's nightie. I run the soft fabric through my fingers several times before bringing it to my face. Unexpectedly, the scent of it brings to mind the faint memory of a dream I had during one of my waking periods. I try to recollect the details, but all I can remember about the dream is that in it I was still a young human, and I chanced upon a goddess one day while bathing. As I made love to her, two things became clear. One, I would never love another and that someday far in the future, my goddess and I would be together forever; and two, that the goddess of my dreams was none other than my wife Sookie. Now, I heartily wish that I could just go back to sleep and recapture that wonderful fantasy... but I suppose there is really no point. I tell myself that our connection has become so fragile that my Bonded and I can no longer share dreams... which is easier to face than the possibility that Sookie discovered that last connection between us and shut the dreams down herself.

Finally, I force myself to sit up. I slide the offending white fabric under my pillow, so that I cannot smell it. Sitting on the side of the bed, I glance at the photo of Sookie that I have propped on my nightstand. Of course, the mere sight of my Bonded's smiling face sets off the horrible longing yet again. My head sinks into my hands, and as I sit there dejectedly I try to force my mind to think of other things. I know that I should make myself go warm up a bottle of blood, but the mere thought of that metallic taste revolts me. Juanita was right in one way. I really do need to stay healthy, but not because of the increasingly remote possibility that Sookie will return home on her own. If Niall does not allow me to speak to my Bonded soon, I fear I will need all my strength and speed. Fairies such as he are very quick, and quite hard to kill. As for her cousin Claude, I will take great pleasure in making his death as painful and terrifying as possible.

With such dark thoughts swirling in my brain, I feel my anger begin to rise again. I struggle to control it before it drowns me. Suddenly, the quiet of my chamber is disturbed by the sharp, unpleasant ringing of my cell phone. I have given up hope that it might be Sookie, so at first I just let it ring... but finally give in and answer it just before it goes to voice mail. It is Robert, who says, "Brother, I may have some good news. Be at Compton's house precisely one hour from now. Wait there for my call. Under no circumstances approach Sookie's farmhouse until you hear from me."

Although his voice is steady, I can hear the underlying excitement in it. A fierce sense of hope rips through my chest. "What is happening? You must tell me!" I demand.

Calmly, he replies, "No. It is best if you just follow my instructions. If all goes to plan, you will be able to see for yourself. Now, I must go. _Adieu, mon frère_."

I snap my phone shut. An hour! I rush to shower and dress. I throw on a pair of black jeans and a t-shirt, and then quickly run a brush through my tangled locks. That hardly takes any time at all... now what should I do? I have to resist the overpowering impulse to fly over to Bon Temps right this instant, but Robert was very specific. I fear that if I do not follow his instructions to the letter, I might inadvertently endanger some critical piece of his plans... whatever they might be. I pace around my sleeping chamber like a caged animal and then move upstairs to my library to pace some more. Thoughts are spinning around inside my head at the speed of light. What has the Knight discovered? Could it possibly be that my Bonded has consented to return? No, Robert would not possibly be so cruel as to keep me away from her, even for an instant. Perhaps Claudine has surfaced and agreed to begin negotiations for Sookie's return. Ah, this waiting is total agony!

Finally, I cannot wait another second. After slipping on my leather jacket, I go outside and immediately take flight. The evening is warm and clear with only a sliver of a moon showing. The trip to Bon Temps in a short one, and I cannot resist flying close enough to Sookie's old farmhouse to catch sight of the glow of the security lights. As hard as it is to stay away, I force myself not go any closer... Robert was very adamant on that point. Without our Bond being open, I have no way of knowing if Sookie is there or not.... which is sheer torture. I glance at my watch. Even though I am still a few minutes early, I land in front of Compton's house and approach it. Although there are no outside lights burning, I can see my Lieutenant sitting in a wicker chair on the broad old veranda. In his cool, dispassionate voice, he says, "I _knew_ you wouldn't wait. Come sit down, and I will tell you what is happening."

******

**Sookie's POV: Bon Temps, Louisiana**

A little more than an hour later, Faeryn and I were standing in the living room of my old farmhouse. I only had a minute or two before the meeting with Robert was scheduled to begin, so I didn't have much time to do more than glance around. The first thing I noticed was that a brand-new front door had been installed. At least Eric had the decency to fix the damage he caused... although, since the very first time I met him, he had always been good about things like that. If Eric hadn't taken care of it, the whole house probably would have been overrun with raccoons and skunks and no telling what else. Funny that in all the time I was in the Portal, _I_ had never stopped to worry about what had become of my Gran's house. I had been so caught up in my own drama, I totally neglected my family home. I knew that Gran would have been very disappointed in me and it made me feel just awful.

The second thing I noticed about the house was the smell of fresh paint, and I wondered where it was coming from. Also, it looked for all the world like someone had been in my living room. It seemed like the furniture was slightly askew and a pillow and blanket were piled at one end of the sofa. Idly, I wondered if Amelia had a fight with Trey, and moved back in... oh my goodness! Amelia! I hadn't ever gotten around to contacting her! Oh... crap! Now I realized how self-absorbed I really _had_ been. I had literally disappeared off the face of the earth, not even letting my non-vampire friends know where I was so they wouldn't worry. In addition to being a crappy homeowner, I was also a crummy friend. I resolved that even if tonight's meeting went badly, I was going to take the time to get in touch with Amelia and Sam before going back to the Portal.

It suddenly hit me how strange it felt to be back home, almost surreal... which was pretty humorous considering where I had been for the last several weeks. I had never realized exactly how vivid and beautiful all the colors were in my world. I had taken them for granted my whole life, but now I drank them in greedily. I almost wished that I had set the time for the meeting a little bit later, so that I could have some time to get re-oriented to this time and place. On the other hand, maybe I didn't _have_ time to be lollygagging around. I was already beginning to feel slightly ill, and I figured it was the Bonding Sickness at work. Niall had warned me that being in the Portal only suspended it temporarily and once I re-entered the "human realm" it would begin to affect me in an accelerated fashion. Feeling a little queasy wasn't the worst of it, either... my sudden and intense longing for my Bonded was almost overwhelming. However, I was determined to be strong and not let that feeling sway me from making a rational decision.

There was only about another minute before it was time for Robert's arrival, so I looked down at myself and rather nervously smoothed the skirt of my gown. I was somewhat startled to see that the colors in the cloth no longer swirled here but had become a set pattern. It must have frozen in place when I crossed the veil back into the human realm. Since I had first arrived in the Portal clad only in Luke's shirt, the only other human clothing available was the sundress Claudine had purchased for me in Cozumel. That dress would have been just fine with me, but Aderyn took one look at it and was completely scandalized. The little Elf was already beside herself, because out of an abundance of caution I would not allow her to bathe me or rub in my usual creams. I wasn't sure if vampires got excited by Elf-smell or not, and there was no sense taking any chances. Instead, she hovered nearby anxiously wringing her hands. She looked as worried as if I was about to go on a trip down the Amazon to visit a tribe of cannibals or something.... although, I guess a visit with vampires was about the same thing as far as she was concerned. When it came time for me to dress, I found that the little cotton dress had disappeared and in its place was a flowing, floor length gown made of delicate pink-and-white Fairy cloth. I protested at first, trying to explain to my Elf that such an outfit was a little over-the-top for backwoods Louisiana, but she looked so distraught I really didn't have the heart to say anything further. Now the meeting was about to begin, I was glad that she had gotten me to wear something that reminded me that I wasn't exactly the same backwoods hick that I had been when I left.

It was time for the scheduled meeting, so Faeryn and I stepped outside onto my old front porch. We left the front door standing wide open, so we could dash back inside for safety if necessary. I made sure that the security lights were on, which provided illumination around the perimeter of the house. For about the fifth time, I warned Faeryn to stay well away from Robert. She just smiled at me and said in a soothing voice, "Don't worry, Sookie. Remember, I am only half-Fairy. Here my scent is much less potent than it is at home in the islands or in the Portal. As long as we remain outside I should be fine."

Everything had happened so fast, I hadn't really had time to get nervous... right up until that very minute. Besides feeling queasy, my emotions were doing cartwheels. In fact, I was a complete wreck. I was about to go into the most important meeting of my life, and I had never felt less in control of myself. Suddenly, I brought myself up short. Had I learned nothing while I was in the Portal? A picture of Rhianon floated through my mind. The beautiful Fairy had shown me by example that a great lady appeared poised and graceful in all circumstances... and although I wasn't exactly a great lady... at least not yet... I _was_ the beloved great-granddaughter of a very powerful Fairy Prince. I was _also_ the granddaughter of another great lady, Adele Stackhouse. I was determined not embarrass either branch of my family by appearing weak. No matter what, I was resolved that on this occasion neither Robert or any other vampire was going to see the tears of a Brigant woman. By sheer force of will I corralled my stampeding emotions. I squared my shoulders and raised my chin, then turned to Faeryn to signal that I was ready to begin.

In her melodious, clear voice, Faeryn called out, "Approach, vampire."

Almost like a magician's trick, the Knight materialized out of the darkness. He stepped silently into the pool of light in the front yard so that I could see him. I drew in my breath sharply. I was simply unprepared for how beautiful Robert looked to me. He was dressed as impeccably as ever in a perfectly tailored suit, his long dark hair pulled back into its signature ponytail... and of course, his skin had that little vampire glow. In general, he was his normal devastatingly handsome self. Off to my left, I heard Faeryn draw in _her_ breath, but she said nothing.

Robert came to a halt several feet from the house. From the Knight's raised right hand dangled a small oriental man whose mouth and wrists were bound. The vampire lowered his captive to the ground and then shoved him roughly to his knees. The Knight lifted his gorgeous sea-green eyes to mine. For just a moment he stared at me very intently, almost as if he had never seen me before; but then he broke eye contact and bowed deeply from the waist. In his lovely French accent, Robert said formally, "Greetings, My Lady. I am honored that you chose to trust me enough to hear me out."

I acknowledged his remark with a slight incline of my head, but remained silent.

"The moment I heard about what had transpired in Las Vegas, I was determined to get to the bottom of things," the Knight continued, "First, let me say that I have known from the beginning that Sandy intended to pursue a Royal vampire marriage with the Viking. She saw an alliance with him as a way of shoring up her rather precarious hold on Nevada. I assure you that Eric turned her down on more than one occasion. However, I realize that your trust in vampires is understandably in short supply just now, so I have here some documentation. These are the formal proposals of marriage from the Queen of Nevada to the King of Louisiana, as well as his formal rejections. May I approach?"

I trusted Robert... to a point. He was plenty close enough to suit me. In a voice colder than I intended, I said, "No. Please just hold them out in front of you."

The vampire did as I asked. I held out my hand, summoned my magic, and called the papers to me. I guess either my time in the Portal had made my magic stronger or my adrenaline was pumping enough to give me a boost, because they appeared in my hand with no problem. Robert looked a bit taken aback, but said nothing. He waited patiently while I read the documents now in my possession. They all bore the embossed seals of both monarchs as well as their signatures, and appeared to be genuine. I swallowed hard when I saw the handwriting that I knew all too well. Quickly I scanned each document. There were three proposals and three rejections. The first one was dated during the first week Eric and I had returned to Shreveport from New Orleans. The second one was from the very night of Sandy's Coronation. The last one, dated about a week after that, read:

_**To Sandy Secrest, Queen of the Nevada territories:**_

_**Madam,**_

_**Your proposal is hereby rejected for the third and final time. Any further attempts to pursue this matter will be seen as an act of aggression against this Kingdom and will result in immediate action.**_

_**Eric Northman**_

_**King of Louisiana and Arkansas**_

I felt a little faint. Obviously, this really _was_ proof that Eric had not been guilty of at least one thing I had accused him of. Although he should have told me all about it, he had clearly rejected every proposal, each more vigorously that the last. Robert said, "Sookie, Eric was unwilling to upset you. He thought that you would never even have to know that such a thing was possible... at least until you felt more secure in your own marriage. As far as he is concerned, there is and will only ever be one true Queen."

In what I hoped was a steady, neutral tone, I said, "All right, what else?"

The Knight continued, "As to the issue of the Viking's infidelity, I can say without question that he was lured into a trap. I had the misfortune to know Sabriel myself. When it came to getting what she wanted, she was completely ruthless. The minute she heard that Eric had become King, she set her sights on him once again. When she renewed her pursuit, he told her flatly that he was not interested. He underestimated her determination, however. When she saw for herself how much he loved you, it drove her completely insane. She has always kept in her employ a witch or sorcerer. The worm you see groveling in the dirt before you was her last one. I am now going to let you hear the truth of the situation from his own lips."

Sir Robert reached down and pulled the gag from around the little man's mouth. At first the small man just glared at me with hatred. I thought he would refuse to speak, until the Knight leaned down and spoke in the man's ear. In a deadly voice, he said, "Tell the Queen the truth, or you will wish to God you had." He looked very, very dangerous when he said it, too.

Apparently the man recognized the truth in Robert's threat, because almost immediately he began to speak in broken English. The minute he opened his mouth, I realized with a shock that this was not the first time I had ever seen him. It was the man who had knocked my purse to the ground outside of the bathrooms the night of the Coronation! "What this vamp say is truth. When Viking become King, my Mistress want him again. She no care about you... you just no-account human. She think if Viking have sex with her again, he forget all about you. I lay trap for Fairy. Fairies pretty tricky... tough to catch. I tell you, plenty hard work!" He paused for a moment to smirk, obviously proud of his skills as a warlock. Robert poked him, hard, to get him talking again. "I catch and take enough blood for spell. Sabriel, she take the rest... not so good for Fairy. I fix blood so Viking not smell it. My Mistress plan to slip him a mickey, make him go nuts!"

I felt sick. So Sabriel had trapped my vampire into having sex with her by giving him pure fairy blood. Even a vampire as old and strong willed as Eric could not overcome the intoxication produced by pure fairy blood, and especially since he had taken so little of mine right before then. An overwhelming desire for feeding and sex with the first available body was the inevitable result. Total rage began to build inside me. First, for the damage this man and Sabriel had done to Eric and to me; and second, for the poor Fairy who had been killed by them. No wonder Fairies hated vampires so passionately! My magical energy was swirling inside me with the force of a hurricane. I raised both of my arms, pointed my hands right at Sabriel's henchman, and thought about letting it go. I knew with every fiber of my being that as upset as I was, I would surely kill him... and he was human. A really crappy example, but still... human. I was always lecturing Eric and the other vampires about the value of human life, and if I killed him that would make me nothing but a hypocrite.

Ever so slowly. I lowered my arms to my sides. It took me a few moments to get everything back under control. Barely able to speak, I choked out, "Robert, do whatever you want with him. Is there any thing else?"

Robert said gently, "Yes. Although I cannot actually prove it, I believe it is important for you to know that Eric never actually penetrated Sabriel. By sheer force of will, he managed to overcome his natural vampire instincts before it went that far. Eric tried to tell you the truth of it... in person, by phone, in his letters... but you refused to listen."

I stood very, very still. I had heard every word that the Knight had said, and it had the unmistakable ring of truth to it. I _had_ completely cut myself off from having to listen to any explanation... and I had even burned Eric's letters without reading even one! Obviously, I had been wrong about nearly _everything_. As if I was being mowed down by a Mac truck, the realization of what I had nearly thrown away due to my own immaturity and pigheadedness slammed into me. Oh my God! _WHAT HAD I DONE_? Without warning, my head began to spin and I felt so... dizzy... and everything...seemed to be going... black.

The next thing I knew, I was being held in the strong arms of the Knight. He was sitting on my old wooden swing, cuddling me to his chest and gently rocking us back and forth. Faeryn was hovering nearby (but not _too_ nearby), looking on with great concern. Robert gazed down at me with his lovely eyes and even though they were slightly dilated, I found that I was not alarmed in the slightest. "Do not worry, _ma petite_, you are safe with your old Knight," he said softly, "You just had a little fainting spell, that is all."

I knew I should be ashamed of myself for passing out like a complete wuss, but at least I had kept my vow not to cry... at least, not until that very minute. Suddenly, tears began to roll down my face, faster and faster until finally I was just sobbing my heart out. It took a long time before I began to regain some composure. Robert ran a finger under one eye and on the tip of that finger glistened a fat teardrop. He looked at me with a little half-smile and asked, "May I?"

Still unable to speak, I just nodded. He popped the tear into his mouth, and sighed contentedly. Immediately, his eyes dilated even more and his fangs came popping out, but I still felt perfectly safe in his arms."That was quite a treat, my dear," the Knight said with a gentle smile.

Cautiously, Faeryn came forward and held out a handkerchief to Robert, who took it from her hand. For a long moment they stood staring at each other, as if to gauge each other's response; and when nothing happened, both seemed to relax a bit. Even so, Faeryn again retreated to a safe distance. The Knight handed me the handkerchief, and I mopped up the rest of my face and then blew my nose. For another moment, I just lay there and let Robert hold me while I tried to get my mind around what I had just learned. I could hardly bear to think about the implications. It took me three tries, but I finally managed to get out, "Robert, why couldn't Eric just trust me with the truth about Sandy? I would have understood..." But I had to be honest with myself. Would I have _really_ understood? When confronted with the knowledge that it was possible for him to make another marriage besides ours, wouldn't I have blown a gasket even if it had been him that told me? Look at the fit I had thrown over the first incident with Sabriel, when all I had seen was him talking to her.

"Ma petite, you must understand that after surviving so long by relying on our own instincts, having to explain things to others does not come easily to vampires of our age and disposition," Robert said with a slight smile, "Over the centuries, it is natural that we become a little authoritarian, yes? The Viking acted according to what he thought was in your best interest. I imagine that for a modern woman, that sort of old-fashioned behavior must be difficult for you to accept."

Snippets of my dream of Eric's life rolled back through my head. Of course, I knew it was only my own subconscious' version of events instead of reality, but nonetheless I was willing to bet it wasn't too far from the truth. My vampire _had _survived and thrived for a millennium by trusting his own instincts, which resulted in that amazing sense of self-confidence that I found so attractive... and on occasion, so irritating. Secretive? Authoritarian? Absolutely... but honestly, how could he be otherwise? Had I really expected him to change such deeply ingrained behavior in such a short time? Looking back, I could see that he really had made an effort to change. Since our marriage, he had trusted me with some of his most important secrets, like the combination to his safe and the location of his resting places. He had even begun to share his history with me. Deep inside, I had self-centeredly thought _I_ was the one having to make all the changes to my lifestyle for the sake of the relationship, when in reality the Viking was making just as many.

Robert said softly. "Sookie, I know it must be difficult for you to adapt to our world. You have handled great danger with courage and grace on many occasions, but when it comes to affairs of the heart you are very young still. Your Viking loves you, like no other can or ever will. I have known him for nearly nine hundred years, and I have never known him to love another. You are Fated to be together. Will you not let him come to you, now?"

I closed my eyes and asked, "Robert, can we ever forget this?"

"No," he replied, "...but you can and will learn from it."

With that, I sat up and swung my feet around so I was sitting in the swing next to the handsome vampire. I sat in silence for a few minutes, my thoughts swirling around in my head. I had called Eric just about every bad name in the book, and then run off for weeks. I had hidden in the Portal like a coward. I had refused to talk to him even once, and even forbidden Niall from communicating with him. After such infantile behavior, why would Eric even _want _me back? A jolt of fear shot through me. Uncertainly, I quavered, "Oh, Robert... are you sure he even _wants_ to see me?"

"Oh yes, little one, the Viking is quite anxious to see you… he of course was not immune to the Bonding Sickness, as you were. Look, there..."

The Knight gestured towards the old gravel drive; and almost reluctantly, I turned my head and looked. Out of the darkness, the Viking silently appeared. He came to a stop just outside the edge of the pool cast by the security lights. In the gloom, he looked huge and extremely dangerous... and yet, so very familiar. He was dressed in black from head to foot and seemed to be a part of the very darkness that surrounded him. Almost involuntarily, I rose to my feet. The moment I had both dreaded and craved for weeks was finally at hand. Hesitantly, I held out one hand, palm up. Eric moved forward into the circle of light. At the sight of him, my heart began to pound away in my chest and I drew my breath in sharply. He was so incredibly gorgeous! His long golden hair was swept back from his forehead and flowed loose over his broad shoulders. His strong proud features glowed lightly, and at this distance his eyes appeared almost as black as his clothing. Because of the Sickness, our Bond was not completely reopened but at least I could feel his life force again! I wanted to cry out with the sheer pleasure of it! I wanted to run to him and wrap myself around him like a piece of velcro; but my limbs seemed frozen in place, completely incapable of movement... and the cause of my immobility was simple fear. Not fear of bodily harm, but of something which would be even more painful... fear of rejection. Robert had said that Eric loved me, but what if he was wrong? What if the only reason that the Viking needed me to come back was to save himself? What if my behavior over this affair had caused him to stop loving me? That thought was almost too awful to contemplate.

Before I could force myself to move, the Viking took matters into his own hands. In the blink of an eye, I found him standing directly in front of me, close enough to touch. Slowly I lifted my eyes to meet his. At a distance, he had seemed exactly the same as he always did, but once he was so near I was shocked to see that was not the case at all. His face was drawn and gaunt, and the haunted look in his beautiful sapphire eyes was enough to break my heart. The only thing that I knew would cause a vampire to look that way was if he had not been feeding... why would he do such a crazy thing? Was it because of the Sickness? Oh, God! This was all _my_ fault! I struggled to hold back another round of tears.

The Viking stood extremely still and gazed down at me. Silently, we regarded each other for a long moment. As I desperately tried to gauge my vampire's feelings by the expression in his old eyes, I was totally shocked by what I saw in them... unmistakably, my fearless Viking warrior _was_ afraid... afraid of _me_ rejecting _him_! He hadn't moved because he was patiently waiting for me to accept him. My heart did a huge back flip... even though I could not "feel" it, my Bonded _did_ still love me! Without wasting another instant, I reached up and slid my arms around his neck. We touched our foreheads together, and stood like that for a time, just savoring the promise of our complete re-connection. Somewhat hoarsely, he asked me ,"Are you ready to come home to your old Viking?"

In a low soft voice, I answered, "If you will have me."

In response, Eric wrapped his arms around me and nearly crushed me to his chest. A moment later, he swept me up into his arms and without further ado, he took to the air. We left our friends behind without even saying goodbye; but this one time, I figured they would understand.

******

Of course, he flew us home to Valhalla. He never once let my feet hit the floor, taking me straight through the house and down to our hidden sleeping chamber. Laying me ever so gently on our bed, he stood gazing down at me. "You are even more beautiful than I remember," he said quietly.

There was really no point in beating around the bush. Although we had barely spoken a word to each other, much less discussed our problems in depth, at that moment I knew that it really didn't matter. The minute I laid eyes on Eric, I knew that I could never leave him again under any circumstances. I would be miserable if it turned out that he just couldn't live without taking sex and blood from others, but without a doubt I would be even more miserable without him in my life. I would have to deal with all that later. Just then, our Bond was persistently demanding to be repaired and as quickly as possible. In one way, my mind wanted to go slow, to get reacquainted with Eric gradually before leaping into bed, but my body certainly had other ideas. I was literally aching for him to make love to me, just like I had the night of our formal Second Bonding. Since my poor vampire had obviously been struggling with the Sickness all this time, I knew it must be a supreme act of will on his part not to have already ripped off my clothes, thrown me over the nearest log back at my farmhouse, and relieved himself of the awful suffering as soon as he had the chance. That the Viking was trying to be sweet was a testament to his regard for me and also to the strength of his self-control.

After a moment, he started removing his clothes. First he slipped off his leather jacket and let it slide to the floor, and then he pulled the black t-shirt over his head and tossed it aside. I greedily drank in every inch of his gloriously muscular body... his arms, his well-developed shoulders and chest, his slender waist and flat stomach. Eventually my eyes came to rest at the top of his black jeans... and then wandered down just a tiny bit further. Oh...my! Just the sight of that large, tightly contained bulge was enough to make my whole body flush with the pent up desire of many weeks. Completely breathless with anticipation, I could hardly wait another second to see the rest of him and I think he knew it. Giving me the merest glimmer of a smile, he unfastened his jeans and then stepped out of them. For a brief moment, he stood before me in all his glory and let me admire him.

The Viking crawled onto the bed and knelt beside me. Raising my arms, I willingly allowed him to slip my dress over my head. Finally, we were both completely bare. Although he spoke not a word, those fantastic blue eyes of his were devouring me. He ran his big hands up and down my body, as if reassuring himself that I was really there. The moment his fingertips first brushed my skin, his fangs shot down. I shivered, but not in fear. I had come to associate those lovely sharp white fangs with great pleasure, and so I found the sight of them extremely erotic. Now I was _more_ than ready to take him... my nether regions were hot, wet, and throbbing. Not wanting to wait another minute, I opened my arms and he moved smoothly into them. The feel of his cool firm skin sliding across mine was so exquisite, I let out a sigh of bliss.

As my vampire covered my body with his, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him as tightly as I could. I never, ever wanted to let him go!My entire body was demanding to be joined with my Bonded again. Eagerly, I parted my legs and he slipped between them, and almost immediately I could feel the tip of his erection bumping against my entrance. Ah! My heart fluttered in my chest. Eric lowered his head and gently touched his cool lips to mine, his long silky hair swinging forward to form a golden curtain around us. It was the most tender, loving kiss imaginable. Without any further delay, he began to slide his length into me. Ah, my god! It had only been a few weeks since we had last made love, but I gasped all the same. He was just so _big_! Sensing that I needed to go slowly, he pulled back out for a moment, and then started again, slowly sliding his hardness into me inch by marvelous inch. The minute he was completely inside me, I could feel the Bond beginning to open.

Unexpectedly, however, once we were joined, Eric stopped moving. Although still not fully open, suddenly I could feel his sorrow coursing through our Bond. It literally rolled through me, and I was shocked at its intensity. Until we had the blood exchange, I knew that I could only feel a fraction of my Bond's emotions... and the little bit I could feel was so painful I could hardly comprehend the agony he must have endured all this time. The sadness and grief coming from him was nearly overwhelming, but I didn't try to block even a smidgen of it. I deserved to share some of his pain, since a huge portion of the whole mess was my fault. The Viking rested his forehead against mine and sighed. His accent as thick as I had ever heard it, he said brokenly, "Oh, Sookie... Sookie. How could you leave me? Why did you close off our Bond?" He sounded and felt so distraught, it broke my heart. I could see his eyes were rimmed with pink, and that made me feel even worse. In a low, strangled voice, I said, "Oh, Eric... baby, I am _so_ sorry, for everything. No matter what, I love you and I want to be with you."

I could hardly believe it, but I could feel the cool moisture of his tears falling onto my cheeks; and then I was crying, too. If I had any remaining doubts as to my vampire's sincerity, they were now gone completely. His tears were indisputable proof that my centuries old, battle-hardened warrior had been hurt as badly as I had been by this whole ordeal. Our Bond stretched out a little further, and eventually all the grief and fear and hurt just poured out of both of us, leaving a sense of relief in its wake. Once the worst of it passed, I reached out my tongue and began to lick his tears, just like he used to do to mine. Just the little tinge of blood they contained was enough to set off an intense craving for more; and I could tell that the vampire himself found my attentions soothing but also extremely erotic. He began to move again, and this time there was no stopping him. He was claiming me again, and I was claiming him right back. Every smooth stroke seemed to be knitting us back together, and it was so magical neither of us wanted it to be over too soon.

How could I ever have even considered giving this up? The whole time I had been in the Portal, I had felt like part of me was missing... and it was. Bond or no Bond, this vampire was my true mate and I had been missing that part of me that was him. He was my lover, my friend, my soul-mate. His body gave me pleasures that no other man ever could or ever would... fleetingly, the thought of Rhys popped into my head, followed by a huge surge of guilt. Eric paused for a brief second and gave me a piercing look. He never questioned me, though, but instead flashed those beautiful fangs at me and then delicately brushed them across my throat. It was so deeply erotic that I almost reached my climax that very instant.

Apparently my lover could tell I was nearly to the point of no return, because in one swift motion, he rolled us over. He pulled himself into a sitting position and then repositioned me comfortably on his lap. As if they had a mind of their own, my hips began to rock back and forth and then side to side, seeking those special, secret spots that sent thrills though my whole body. The Viking let go of my hips and moved his big hands slowly up to my breasts, cupping them and gently kneading them. It felt so good! I was burning for him to kiss them. Boldly, I leaned forward and offered one to him. He glanced up at me, blue eyes glittering in passion. A second later, my nipple disappeared into his mouth. Greedily he began to suckle and that sensuous rhythmic tugging was enough to immediately start my pleasure rising again. I didn't think I was going to be able to hold back much longer and apparently Eric knew it, too. His hand replaced hi mouth, and he began to roll my nipple lightly in his fingers. Looking at me searchingly, he asked, "My Lover, will you drink from me?"

Yes! Not only did I want it, I needed it, I craved it... so, with no hesitation, I leaned forward, licked the soft part of his shoulder and then bit quite hard, the way I knew he liked. His thick sweet blood flowed into my mouth, and I savored the taste and feel of it on my tongue. Eagerly, I drank as much as I could before the wound began to close. My vampire groaned with the pleasure of it, and as soon as I was done he returned the favor. The sharp familiar pain of his fangs sinking into my skin was all I need to begin my orgasm. Wave after wave of intense pleasure rolled through my body as he fed. A second later he reached his own shimmering climax. As he filled me, I was ecstatic to discover I could once again feel his physical pleasure as well as my own. Love, lust, and joy were once again slamming back and forth through our mystical Bond. The mutual blood exchange had completed the repair of our connection, and it was a totally indescribable feeling. When this had happened in New York, I had been so ill that I had not fully appreciated the miracle of that moment, but now I did. It was truly strong magic at work; and as wonderful as it was, I hoped that we would never have cause for it to be repeated, ever again.

Our orgasms seemed to roll on forever, but finally the last aftershock subsided. Afterward, my vampire obviously had no intention of letting me go and instead wrapped me securely in his arms and held me tightly. I lay on his cool, hard chest and felt a sense of contentment stealing through me. Since our Bond was once again intact I knew that wonderful emotion was coming from both of us. Ever so gently, my lover was stroking my hair and my back. Eric said softly,_"__Du är min, och jag älskar dig,"_and to my surprise I knew what the words meant; not because the language had been born inside of me, either, but because he had said it so many times before. My husband had told me, "You are mine, and I love you."

In response, I said, "Yes, Eric, I _am_ yours, and I love you, too."

"Sookie! Did you understand me?" he asked in astonished delight.

"Yes, baby, I did."

Eric hugged me more tightly than ever, and I could sense his complete happiness.

Neither one of us was willing to move, afraid we might disturb the magic of the moment. We were encased in a cocoon of complete harmony, where the past didn't matter and the future didn't either. In that perfect, shining time, it was just enough to be together and whole again. I could quite literally feel the gift of his ancient blood as it circulated through my veins, bestowing its magical properties of health, strength, euphoria... As I lay snuggled so blissfully in his arms, I decided that I might as well face it, I _was_ addicted to my vampire: his blood, his life force, his love, all of him; and I knew without a doubt it worked both ways. As soon as our Bond had reopened, I had felt his intense pleasure from drinking _my_ blood and even though I had been taught my whole life that it was wrong, I had enjoyed his every bit as much. So what? We were a package deal.

I thought perhaps we would just try to forget this whole ordeal without talking it through, and that would have been just fine with me. Eventually, though, Eric gave a heavy sigh, rolled me gently onto my side and then stretched his long body out next to mine so that we were facing each other. Taking my hand in his, he looked deeply into my eyes and began, "First, let me say that I should have told you of Sandy's proposal. I thought if I just refused her officially, the issue would go away, and you would never have to know that such a thing was possible. You are my Queen, and I will have no other; this I swear on our Bond."

Robert had shown me the proof of his refusals, but more than that I could feel the truth in Eric's words. Unable to find my voice, I merely nodded that I understood. Next he said, "Now I want to tell you about Sabriel."

At that, I closed my eyes. I said quickly, "No! Please! It doesn't matter! I don't _want_ to know!"

"Beloved, open your eyes and look at me," my Bonded ordered in a gentle tone, "You _need_ to hear the truth, otherwise you will always wonder. I should have told you this in the very beginning, but I was too stubborn and foolish to do it. I do not want this to come between us, ever again. As I told you before, Sabriel and I _did_ have an affair, against my better judgment. I had become quite bored with the run-of-the-mill fangbangers, and I... well, quite frankly I was lonely. I met her in New York, at one of Robert's parties. She was beautiful, sophisticated, well read... I was intrigued. Even from the start, though, I felt it would only be a short fling, like all those before her. When I went back to Shreveport, she turned up soon afterwards with an excuse as to why she was in the area, and soon we were back to having sex again. You know that vampires rarely ever stay together very long, correct?

"Yes, it's because they don't like the power the partner has over them due to the blood exchanges during sex."

Eric nodded and then continued, "Exactly so. I have always been extremely jealous of my blood. I never would allow Sabriel to take any, which just infuriated her. The more I said no, the more she desired it. It became something of an obsession with her."

If he _had_ given her any, he probably never would have gotten rid of her. I knew first hand just how addictive it was. "Also, I never quite trusted her, and would never allow her access to any of my real homes... and in fact, I would not allow her to rest with me, which nearly drove her crazy," he explained, "I had been quite honest from the beginning, and never once pretended to have any real affection for her. But sex was her hobby, and for a short time she proved herself adept at keeping my mind occupied."

He closed his eyes, shaking his head as if to clear out a bad memory. He sighed heavily and said, "Sookie, it is true that I have done and seen nearly everything in the millennium I have existed, but after a very short time it became clear that her sexual tastes were rather... extreme, even for me. By then, she had decided that she was "in love" with me, even though I have never known anyone less capable of that affection than she. I tried to break it off, but she kept reinserting herself into my life at every turn. Finally, I had to get... very firm, so that she had no choice but to give up her pursuit. That was only about two weeks before I met you at Fangtasia for the first time. Then I saw you in your little white dress... your beautiful hair was shining like spun gold... you looked like an angel in comparison to the devil of whom I had just rid myself. I was fascinated by you from the first minute I laid eyes on you. If I had not just been through that miserable experience with Sabriel, I might have pursued you much harder, right from the start."

Pausing, the Viking brushed my hair back away from my face and then gently ran a finger down my cheek. "It was my misfortune that the next time I saw her was the night that you turned down my summons, and then tormented me by flaunting that Were-tiger in my face," he said quietly, "If that wasn't bad enough, Sabriel was waiting to see me at Fangtasia when I returned. In my anger and confusion over my feelings about you, I bedded her again."

Through the Bond, I knew Eric felt the awful rush of hurt and jealousy that filled me, but he said firmly, "Beloved, I _know_ it is painful for you, but I want you to hear the truth from my lips and no one else's. After that one night, Sabriel once again tried to entangle me in another affair, but I was having none of it. I thought that I made it abundantly clear that there would be no repeat. By that time, as much as I tried to deny it, I was already in love with you. She called and showed up a few times after that, but eventually she learned that this time I was serious about not having sex with her again and she disappeared from my Area.

Not long after that, I heard through the grapevine that she had enthralled some wealthy Brazilian vampire. I was extremely relieved that she was out of the country and out of my life. For more than a year I heard nothing further about her. Then, the night before you and I returned from New Orleans, she turned up at Fangtasia once more. The news about my becoming King had reached her. To her, the power and prestige that position represents was simply irresistible. She somehow got it into her head that she could ensnare me again. She called and I ignored her, but finally I agreed to see her, just to make her understand that I had absolutely no intention of renewing our relationship on any level. I told her that I loved you and that I intended to be faithful. I even went so far as to ban her from my territory. Before she left, she agreed not to bother us further, and I foolishly took this reassurance at face value.

Honestly, I had no idea that Sabriel was going to be in Las Vegas. I told you the truth about our Bond. I was in such a rage upon seeing her there, I partially closed it so that you would not be harmed. She thought to make me jealous by flaunting her new lover in front of me, and it infuriated her when it was apparent that I honestly did not care. That night, I warned her again to stay away from both of us. The night of the Casino party, it was clear that my warnings had done no good. She approached me in the nightclub and had the audacity to suggest that I share you with her. At that point it was obvious to me that she was quite insane. I warned her again to stay completely away from you. That was the scene that you witnessed which resulted in our first argument.

By that time I had already made up my mind that something would have to be done. After you were asleep, Pam and I went to find her but she had somehow wrangled an invitation to the Royal Residence and was already gone. The night of the Coronation, I think the sight of me willingly giving you my blood sent her over the edge.... but clearly she had already set her plan to trap me in motion. She had her warlock steal your cell phone. She used it to text me. When I realized my mistake, she said that she was going back to the Brazilian, and that she just wanted to say goodbye. She wished me well, and handed me a glass of blood for a farewell toast.

I had already determined that she would never cause you one more minute of distress, and was trying to decide on the best method of disposing of her. I tossed back the blood in one gulp, and then, when it was too late, I realized that although I couldn't smell it, it was pure Fairy blood! The intoxication came over me immediately, and I had to bite her... Sookie, I had to! I am vampire! I was out of my head, and I fully admit I was about to fuck her... but something about her blood was wrong... something about her _felt_ wrong... and luckily, even through I had taken so little in the prior weeks, I think I still had enough immunity built up from _your_ Fairy blood that I was already starting to come to my senses... and then, _she_ bit _me_. Sabriel finally had her way and got some of my blood, but even in my intoxication I knew that the bite was wrong, too; it was too sharp, not at all like your bite. I swear to you, Sookie, on everything I hold sacred, I stopped myself before entering her... I was just pulling back when you came upon that awful scene. I _know_ what it must have looked like to you. Immediately I could feel your anger and your pain, and that was enough to snap me out of my intoxication completely... but by then it was too late. The damage had already been done, and you were gone."

Listening to that story was probably the most painful thing I had ever endured, but I knew Eric was right. I had to know everything, or the things that I _didn't_ know would haunt me forever. At the end of his tale, I was trembling, and my tears were falling again. There was one final thing that I simply had to find out. I asked, "What is going to keep her from trying again?"

He wiped my tears away from under my eyes, and calmly replied, "When I realized what she had done, I sent her to her final death."

I don't know if the enormous feeling of satisfaction that rolled through me was from him, or me; most probably, both of us. Worriedly, I asked, "Won't there be any repercussions? What about her Maker?"

"As it turns out, there are some advantages to being a King," he replied somewhat smugly, "Very few questions were asked. Fortunately, there was a witness who swears that she attacked me."

I said dryly, "Let me guess. Bill?"

"Yes, the very same," the Viking said with a slight smile, "I do believe that once he learned what she had done, he would have gladly staked her himself. However, you cannot _believe_ the lecture on honesty that I had to endure from him."

I sighed, and said, "I suppose he thinks you should have learned from his mistakes."

"Exactly so," admitted my vampire, "He called me an idiot! As his King, I could have had him chained in silver for that... but of course, he was right."

I rolled onto my back, and closed my eyes. The final blow to Bill's and my relationship had been when Eric had forced him to come clean about why Bill had come to Bon Temps in the first place, so I could well imagine what Bill had said to Eric about this situation. Eric continued quietly, "Sookie, no matter how noble my intentions, I withheld critical information from you. It was wrong and I am truly sorry. After a lifetime of keeping my own council, I admit that I find it difficult to know when to share information. If you will give me another chance, I will try harder. I may not always be perfect, but I promise you I will be more forthcoming from now on."

After that, my vampire fell silent for a time, just running his fingers lightly up and down my body in a soothing way. I tried to absorb everything he had told me, but I knew that it might take a long time for the pain of this whole incident to really fade. Finally, I opened my eyes and looked at him. He was gazing at me intently and finally he said, "Beloved, you really _are_ more beautiful than ever. You have clearly regained your weight, but besides that you just seem so...ethereal."

At that, I had to smile. Spoken like a husband who had just mended a huge fight with his wife! "As for the weight gain, I ate like a horse the entire time I was there. The Portal is very healing. I promise, I will try my best to eat better now that I'm home. Actually, I'm glad you brought it up, because there's something _I_ want to get something out in the open. Honey, it really upsets me when you don't feed from me. I know that sounds really needy, but it's just the truth... and I... I missed taking your blood, too." I blushed a little as I said it.

The vampire gave me a mischievous little grin, his shining white fangs all the way down. Rolling forward, he lightly grazed them over one breast, and of course my nipple shrank into a tiny pink button immediately. "As to that, my Lover, I have some happy news," he replied with a brilliant smile, "Remember I mentioned that I spoke to Dr. Ludwig? Well, after _she _was done telling me what a fool I was, she explained that because we are Twice-Bonded, we actually _need_ each other's blood...and frequently, too, or we risk the Bonding Sickness. What we were doing was actually making things infinitely worse."

So it _had_ been the Bonding Sickness I had been feeling in Las Vegas! Curiously, I asked, "So what does Dr. Ludwig think caused me to lose weight in the first place."

He kissed my forehead, and replied, "It turns out that you were right all along. You just had too many changes in your life in too short of a time, and needed to get on a more regular schedule."

Sliding my arms around his neck, I softly inquired, "Then why did you take so little just now?"

A little rumble of amusement came from his chest, and then he answered in a very sultry voice, "To be honest, it has been so long that I have taken your blood in any quantity, I was afraid I might... lose my head if I took too much at first. However, the night is young, and I have every intention of taking plenty more...if my lovely Fairy-wife is agreeable."

The sexy way he said it made me think of just how amazing it felt when his fangs had penetrated my skin, and the sheer ecstasy it produced in my body when he drew on the little wounds. Our first round of lovemaking had been extremely intense and but had far transcended the mere physical act. We had not only been repairing our Bond, but affirming our love and commitment to our relationship as a whole. It had been heavenly, and I knew I would never forget it... but now it seemed I was ready for more. I climbed back on top of him and began to kiss him with abandon. In no time at all, we were rejoined, and this time we made it last. He made good on his intentions, and I didn't question him when he just took another little sip... it was a long time before dawn, and I figured my vampire had plans for every minute of it.

****

**Eric's POV: the Compton house, Bon Temps**

Accepting Bill's invitation, I walk up the steps and join him on his porch, but it is impossible to sit still. Instead, I pace back and forth as Bill speaks. "When it became clear that Claude might very well decided to go back on his promise to deliver your letters, Robert, Pam, and I decided that we should devise an alternative," he begins, "After a great deal of discussion, we came up with a plan. I went Las Vegas, and I managed to get the formal letters of rejection of Sandy's Proposal.... although it was not easy. We knew that copies would not be good enough. I had to bribe one of Sandy's secretaries to give me the originals, and it wasn't cheap."

I wave my hand at the mere mention of money... whatever the sum, it is completely inconsequential. "In the meantime, using some of his contacts, Robert began the search for the warlock Sabriel used to prepare the Fairy blood," Bill continued, "After the untimely disappearance of his late Mistress, the man knew you might be looking for him and decided to make himself scarce. Robert made use of his extensive contacts and finally managed to capture the man. He brought him here last night."

Sabriel's warlock! Of course! Why have _I_ not thought of him? Has Bonding Sickness reduced me to the point of being unable to see something so obvious, or am I just plain stupid? Before I can castigate myself further, Bill continues his story, "After a great deal of thought, I _finally_ remembered that we actually _did_ know another Fairy who might be willing to help us... Sookie's magic tutor. Fortunately, Faeryn's phone number was stored in Sookie's cell phone. After leaving several messages, Robert was finally able to contact her. Fortunately, it seems that this Faeryn is quite a fan of yours and was more than willing to help. She was able to convince Sookie to give Robert a chance to present his evidence. With it, he should be able to prove that you are guilty of nothing more than poor communication. He is meeting with Sookie at her farmhouse now."

The moment I realize that my Bonded is so close to me, I cry passionately, "Sookie is _here _in Bon Temps? I must go to her, immediately!"

For once, Bill moves more quickly that I do. He blocks my path and says firmly, "No, Eric. Robert promised Sookie that he would be the only vampire present, and you _must_ honor that. Remember, she does not trust _any_ of us right now. He will call when it is time for you to join them."

Although a part of me knows that Bill is just trying to help, the Bonding Sickness will not allow me to hear reason. I MUST get to my Bonded, I MUST! I bare my fangs at the younger vampire and hiss. Momentarily, he looks taken aback. He must realize that I am not completely rational and extremely dangerous right now. Nevertheless, he stands his ground and says, "Eric, listen! Come with me. We can watch, and Sookie will not even know we are there... but you _must_ give me your word that you will not show yourself until Robert calls you."

Somehow, I manage to get myself under control enough to realize my Lieutenant is right. I really do not want to jeopardize my chances of reconciliation... but at least if I follow Bill's advice I might be able to lay my eyes on my Bonded. Reluctantly, I say, "I swear it. Now, let us go."

Bill slips into the night, and I follow close behind. He is very stealthy, even for a vampire. Silently we make our way over to within a hundred yards of Sookie's old house. I am sure that my companion knows _exactly_ how close to his former lover's house he can stand and remain undetected. It makes me wonder how many nights he stood out in the darkness pining for her, just as I am now. Ahead of me, Bill halts and holds up his hand in warning. I step up beside him and... I can see her! Sookie is standing on her old front porch with the half-Fairy Faeryn by her side. Robert is standing on the lawn in front of them and at the Knight's feet is that nasty little warlock of Sabriel's. He is groveling in the dirt like the worm he is. Although I manage to take in all those details, still I am mesmerized by the sight of my Beloved.

My woman is just so beautiful! She stands tall, her bearing as proud as any Queen ever born. Her long golden hair is cascading over her nearly bare shoulders. The gown she is wearing is unlike anything I have ever seen. It is long and flowing and makes her look like a goddess. In fact, in the dim light of the old porch, Sookie looks completely ethereal and more like her great-grandfather the Prince than ever. I _must_ go to her! I take a step forward, but Bill lays a warning hand on my arm and shakes his head sharply. Putting his lips close to my ear, he breaths, "Remember your vow."

Once again, the young vampire has managed to say the right thing. I turn my attention back to the scene at hand and concentrate on trying to hear all that is being said. The warlock on the ground is explaining exactly how Sabriel and he had trapped me into drinking the pure Fairy blood. The expression on Sookie's face changes from impassive to outraged in seconds. Several pieces of paper drop from her hand and flutter to the floor. Even without our Bond being open I know that the force of her magic is rising within her. It radiates from her, and it almost appears as if she is shimmering. She raises her arms in front of her and points both hands directly at the small man. In total fascination, I have a feeling that I am about to witness first-hand the awesome power that my little Fairy possesses. At the last minute, though, she seems to get her emotions back under control. Slowly Sookie lowers her arms down to her sides. In a voice so low that I have to strain to hear it, she says to Robert, "Do whatever you want with him. Is there any thing else?"

Even though he has no direct evidence to support this particular claim, the Knight goes on to explain to my wife that I had stopped short of actually fucking Sabriel. At this last piece of news, my Beloved stands very, very still. Even from this distance, I can see the blood draining from her face. Her eyes flutter shut and she begins to fall... I almost forget myself and begin to rush forward, but Bill grips my arm tightly. He whispers urgently, "Not yet! You _must_ let Robert deal with this!" Fortunately, my brother the Knight moves quickly enough to catch her before she hits the ground. Swinging her easily up into his arms, he carries her over to the old wooden swing near the porch. Faeryn the half-Fairy hovers anxiously nearby.

Robert sits down and cradles the unconscious body of my Bonded to his chest. He swivels his head and looks directly at me, and it is clear that he knows full well that I am here. He gives me a stern frown and holds up a hand in warning, to signal that I am under no circumstances to come any closer. In sudden alarm, Faeryn peers out into the night but apparently she cannot see us. Thinking that no one is watching him, the warlock takes this opportunity to scramble to his feet and take off towards the woods. I glance over at Bill, and give an impatient gesture in that direction. He nods his understanding, gives me a chilly grin, and runs quickly but silently in pursuit.

Immediately, I return my full attention to what is happening to my Bonded. Robert is gently rocking her back and forth in the old swing and before long she begins to stir. The Knight gazes down at her and says something so low that I cannot hear it. Almost instantly Sookie begins to cry, and the sound of her grief is as painful to me as a stake through my chest. Robert must know that I will not be able to resist wanting to comfort her, because immediately he glances in my direction and gives me a sharp shake of his head. It takes every once of willpower I possess to keep from flying to her side this very second... but I got into this mess in the first place because I refused to listen to sound advice; so somehow, I manage to stay in place.

Eventually my Bonded's sobs subside. Robert speaks to her and then catches one of her tears on the end of his finger. As I watch him taste it, an uncontrollable feeling of pure jealousy ripples through me. It should be _me_ holding her and comforting her! Those tears should never be tasted by anyone but me! SOOKIE IS MINE! But then I get a grip on myself. What is _wrong_ with me? Robert is my brother and trying his best to help... this I know. More in control now, I continue to watch as Faeryn produces a tiny handkerchief and cautiously passes it to Robert. The vampire and the lovely half-fairy stare at each other before she beats a hasty retreat, for safety's sake. In that one instant, though, even from here I could see the force of their mutual attraction.

Robert hands Sookie the tiny scrap of fabric, and she rather vigorously scrubs her face with it before relaxing back against the Knight's broad chest. He rests his cheek against her hair and just rocks her for a few minutes. Finally, I can hear Sookie's voice asking, "Robert, why couldn't he just trust me? I would have understood..."

The next few words are murmured so softly I cannot hear them. In frustration, I inch closer. Quite suddenly, Sookie swings her legs from off the Knight's lap and sits up beside him in the swing. Although very faintly, I hear her say, "Oh, Robert... are you sure he even _wants_ to see me?"

Of course, he hastens to reassure her that I _do_ want to see her. If I still had a beating heart, it would be pounding away at this very moment. Can it really be that she has forgiven me and is willing to see me? Robert says very clearly, "Oh yes, little one, he has been beside himself … he of course was not immune to the Bonding Sickness, as you were. He wants nothing more than to have you at his side once more. Look, there..."

He holds out his and and points in my direction, and I know it is my signal to come forward. Very slowly, Sookie turns her head and looks toward me. I know that she cannot see me yet, and so very slowly I move up just to the very edge of the light. It is almost as if she is a wild doe, and I am afraid that any sudden move will frighten her. She rises to her feet and then hesitantly holds out her hand, giving me permission to approach her. I step forward into the light, and the minute Sookie sees me she makes a sound half-way between a sob and a gasp. My Bonded is calling to me! I can no longer hold control myself. I move quickly to close the distance between us. The most delicious scent wafts from her and it takes an incredible amount of willpower to keep my fangs from descending. The instant that Sookie is within my reach, a dark vampire instinct raises its ugly head. It is loudly demanding that I capture my Bonded and reclaim what is mine, without delay... and then make sure she _never_ has the opportunity to leave me again. With the very last of my self-restraint, I will myself not to touch her. Somehow, I have enough reasoning powers left to know that is important that she accept me back, by her own choice.

Slowly, Sookie lifts those lovely blue eyes to mine, and we gaze at each other searchingly. What does that look mean? Does she love me still? I cannot tell! It is driving me insane for our Bond to be closed like this! For a few agonizing minutes, she just looks at me, tears shimmering in her eyes. Suddenly, as if she has come to a decision, she raises her delicate arms and slides them around my neck. I lean down and touch my forehead to hers and the familiar spark of energy passes between us. Just that one sign that she loves me is enough to make my chest feel as if it will burst with happiness. Finding my voice, I ask her, "Are you ready to come home to your old Viking?"

In her sweet Southern drawl, Sookie answers softly, "If you will have me."

Ah! She _does_ love me, and she is coming home! No longer able to keep from touching her, I grab her and pull her into my embrace. I have nearly forgotten how small and fragile she feels in my arms, and I have to be very careful not to crush her accidentally! I have absolutely no intention of giving her enough time to change her mind, so immediately I sweep her off her feet and fly her back to Valhalla. In my earlier haste to leave, I left the door to our house standing wide open; and it seems that I have also left the door to our chamber unlocked, a first for me. However, this time it works to my advantage, because I never have to let her out of my arms. I carry her straight down to our resting chamber and lay her gently on our bed.

Momentarily, I stand in awe, staring down at the lovely, fragile creature before me. She seems to shine with an inner light, one that I have never noticed before. She is just so ethereal that I cannot quite believe that she is actually mine. Very seriously, I tell her, "You are even more beautiful than I remember."

In response, she just gives me a slow, sweet smile. Almost unconsciously, I shrug off my jacket and pull my shirt over my head, my eyes never leaving Sookie's face. By her expression, it is clear that she is relishing the view.... and I note with intense satisfaction the heat that leaps into her eyes as they track down my stomach and finally encounter the obvious evidence of my arousal. Quickly, I remove the rest of my clothing so that she can more fully admire her Bonded. The flame in her eyes intensifies tenfold as my erection springs forth. Of course, this sure sign that she still desires me makes it impossible to wait any longer to touch her. I kneel on the bed, and she allows me to remove her gown.

Ah! I feast my eyes on the lush, perfect body of my Lover. Her long silky hair is spilling over the pillow like a golden waterfall. Her voluptuous breasts cry out for my attentions and I can hardly wait to feel them in my mouth. My eyes wander lower... her soft, flat belly... the sweet golden triangle that marks the gateway to bliss... and last but not least, her shapely legs and perfectly formed little feet. I run my hands over every square inch of her creamy, flawless skin, delighting in its smooth, firm texture... and subconsciously examining her for any sign of bites or marks. Although rationally I know there could not possibly be any, I cannot seem to keep myself from this instinctual behavior. The very instant my hands come in contact with my wife's warm body, I can no longer prevent my fangs from descending.

In response, my lovely Fairy actually shivers... but I know it is one of pleasurable anticipation rather than fear. I can tell both by her expression, and also by the exquisite scent of her arousal that suddenly reaches my sense. My Lover holds her arms open in welcome, and eagerly I slide right into them. As I cover her small body with mine, she willingly parts her legs. I slip between them and rather anxiously position myself at her entrance.

This is the moment for which I have been dreaming and praying for many days. Once Sookie and I are physically joined, our Bond should immediately begin to repair itself. We will be whole once more. Aching to begin the transformation, I want to begin the process with a kiss... a sweet promise of the magic that is coming. Reverently, I press my lips to hers. They are so warm and soft and lush! Not able to hold back another instant, I begin to slide my length into my Lover, but I hear her gasp. Instantly, I chide myself _Eric, you careless pig of a vampire! You __are hurting her!_ In my eagerness, I have totally forgotten to that it has been too long since we have made love... she will not be able to take all of me right away without pain. I _should_ have spent enough time to prepare her adequately... but by the way she is clutching me, obviously she does not want me to stop. She is dripping wet already, so all I need to do is go very slowly... so I pull out and begin again. This time I insert myself bit by bit, to give her body time to adjust to my size. It is both agony to go this slowly, and ecstasy to feel myself sliding by tiny increments into her hot, slick, tight center.

As expected, the moment I am fully inside her I can feel our magical Bond begin to open. However, not only does it allow me to begin to feel my Bonded's life force slipping slowly back inside me, it also seems to release the dike that has been holding my own emotions inside. Without warning, I find myself completely overcome by the unwelcome and unaccustomed feelings that I have been battling since the night this whole sorry mess started: the shock and grief of knowing that my soul mate had deliberately closed down our sacred Bond; the searing pain and loneliness caused by her absence; and the overwhelming fear that even if she did come back, it would only be because of the Bonding Sickness, and that she would no longer love me. Caught totally off guard, I stop for a moment, touch my forehead to hers and attempt to regain control of my stampeding emotions. Completely unable to stop myself, I ask her in a pathetic tone, "Oh, Sookie... Sookie. How could you leave me? Why did you close off our Bond?"

If matters could possible get any worse, I feel that awful moisture spring to my eyes. Our Bond is now open far enough that she can no doubt feel at least part of these unmanly and certainly un-vampire-like emotions. Much to my surprise, instead of turning away in disgust she replies in a voice filled with emotion, "Oh, Eric... baby, I am _so_ sorry, for everything. No matter what, I love you and I want to be with you."

The very instant that she utters the words, "I love you," I lose control of myself completely. I have truly not cried like this in centuries, perhaps since I was first made vampire; but I am unable to stop the tears as they leak slowly out of my eyes and fall onto Sookie's upturned face. She will probably never see me quite the same way again, but I cannot seem to help it. Oddly enough, instead of being revolted by my behavior, tears of sympathy well up in her eyes and begin to slide down her cheeks. Neither of us make a sound, but as our tears mingle together, that horrible tightness that I have been carrying in my chest for weeks seems to loosen.

Eventually I regain control of myself. Unbelievably, my darling reaches out with her tongue, and begins to lick my tears, just like a vampire! I find it extraordinarily comforting, and yet... exciting at the same time. We are still joined, and now I find that I can no longer keep still. Now that I have released all that pain and grief, those negative emotions are replaced with the overpowering need to claim what is mine without delay. Slowly but surely, I begin to move, thrusting myself into my woman. After a moment, she, too, begins to move sensuously under me, adjusting her hips to take me fully. She is clearly enjoying the way I fill her. Pulling my head down to her lips, she breathes into my ear, "Oh, Eric! I missed this so much!"

My beautiful Lover has absolutely no idea just how much _I_ missed this. I try to slow down the pace, because I am afraid that my earlier lack of control might extend to other areas as well, but fortunately it seems I will not have to face that particular humiliation. I am able to keep us both just at the edge of complete bliss. With every silky stroke, I can feel our magical Bond opening wider, and I want to savor that totally unique feeling. Sookie's emotions are beginning to seep back into me... love... passion... but what is this? Guilt? Just a flash of that unexpected feeling flashes between us, and then it is gone. I have no idea what caused it, but I can find out later. Right now, I want nothing but good feelings between us. To refocus her mind on our passion, I very deliberately give her a preview of things to come by flashing my fangs and then drawing them lightly across her throat... ah! The feel of her familiar firm skin under the sensitive tips of my fangs is exquisite. Her blood is calling to me... and suddenly I am ravenous. I have to firmly suppress the urge to bite, because we are not in the best position for what comes next and I want everything to be perfect.

I know that there is one last step necessary for the complete repair of our Bond, and one I am quite anxious to perform. Almost without breaking stride, I slide my arm under my Lover and roll us both over. Leaning against the headboard, I arrange myself into the perfect position, and then make sure Sookie is settled comfortably atop me. Firmly, I grasp her hips to help support and guide her as she rides me. She seems to require very little help, though. Very sensuously, she begins to wriggle and writhe on my swollen cock, seeking to give us both optimum pleasure... and it is certainly effective. I am nearly ready to explode! As I watch her rock back and forth, I am mesmerized by her magnificent breasts which bob tantalizingly close to my face. My hands snake up her body and indulge my earlier desire to intimately reacquaint myself with those luscious globes. Sensing my need, Sookie leans forward and offers one to me.

With a sigh of anticipation, I draw the sweet round flesh into my mouth and lovingly run my tongue around the pert nipple before beginning to suck in earnest. Obviously my Lover finds this as pleasurable as I do, because throws her head back and moans. I can feel her center gripping me even more tightly, and by that sign I know that she is again nearing her peak. We are both so close, so ready for our completion that I know it is time to act. I make sure that my Bonded is looking at me, because I want to see the truth in her eyes as she answers me. I finally ask her the all important question, "My Lover, will you drink from me?"

At my request, her eyes dilate slightly. In their blue depths I can clearly see her need. It is deeply satisfying me to discover that obviously my Bonded still craves my blood just as passionately as I desire and need hers, and that this time she will not refuse me. She says nothing, but without hesitation leans forward, licks my shoulder, and bites. The pain of her dull little teeth is brief but exquisite, and then I feel the indescribable pleasure of my blood flowing into her eager mouth. She takes as much as she is able before the wound closes. Now it is my turn. Although I am literally starving for her blood, I must be cautious... I must only take a sip, to see what effect her fairy-laced blood has on me. In spite of what Dr. Ludwigsaid, I could not bear it if I become too intoxicated and hurt her. Still, I cannot resist feeding for even one second longer, so I plunge my fangs into her neck. As her magnificent, completely unique blood spurts into my hungry mouth, my Lover begins her orgasm. The intensity of this erotic combination makes me finally lose control, and I cum uncontrollably, almost violently inside her.

In those few shining moments, the Bond is repaired and becomes fully functional. Once again, Sookie and I are one. The relief we both experience at this mystical re-connection is immense. This time the event was even more intense than our reunion in New York, perhaps because since then we have performed our formal Second Bonding. There are really no words in _any_ language that can even come close to describing such a sacred, miraculous event. After the last aftershock subsides, I lay back against the pillows and savor the wonderful feeling of completeness. As my Bonded lays snuggled against my chest, I stroke her wonderful silky skin and kiss her fragrant hair. In my native tongue, I murmur to her, "You are mine, and I love you."

Much to my shock and amazement, she readily replies in English, "Yes, Eric, I _am_ yours, and I love you, too."

A fierce wave of happiness washes over me. Incredulously, I ask, "Did you understand me?"

My sweet angel just smiles, and says softly, "Yes, baby, I did."

She may not know it, but she has just given me a great gift. I know that now it will not be long until _she_ will be telling _me_ that she loves in my own language...and I can hardly wait for that day to come.

Up until now, we have both been so focused on re-establishing our connection, we have not spoken a word about the events which made this all necessary. As many times as I have fantasized about Sookie's homecoming, I have never once imagined it would happen this easily. I was expecting a rather lengthy and painful round of recriminations, explanations, and negotiations before finally coming to a successful resolution... if then. I have a feeling that if I chose to never say another word about it, Sookie would be more than happy to go right along with that plan. However, the Bonding Sickness has finally released its steel grip on my mind. I can think clearly for the first time in weeks, and that in itself is a huge relief. I am old enough to know that I cannot allow this to be swept under the coffin... We are going to have to face this squarely before the wounds can begin to heal properly. As much as I hate to spoil the tranquility of the moment, I know that it is time for us to get some things out in the open. I make my Bonded lay on her side facing me, so that she can both see and feel that I what I am about to tell her is the absolute truth. Although Sookie protests, I forge ahead by explaining about Sandy's proposal. Sookie has already seen the proof of what I am telling her, and so she accepts this with no questions. I swear to her that I will never take another Queen, and that is no less than the truth. Even if by some horrible chance something ever happens to Sookie, I will _never_ marry again.

Next, even though I know this is going to hurt her, I plunge headlong into the story of Sabriel. Before it is done, I can feel the pain rippling through my Bonded... but I have to be strong for both of us. By the end of my sorry tale, Sookie's tears are rolling down her cheeks in rivers, but she manages to choke out, "What is going to keep Sabriel from trying again?"

Ah! The million-dollar question, and one I take great delight in answering. With a huge amount of satisfaction, I confess that I sent her to her final death. The raw emotion that comes back from my Bonded would have done any vampire proud. Sookie is fiercely, totally elated that I killed the little bitch. She is only worried about any possible repercussions, and I hasten to reassure her that to date there have been very few. I even tell her the role that Bill played in all of this. She lays quietly, trying to make sense of everything that I have told her. While she is thinking, I indulge my need to touch her by running my fingertips over her warm skin. Once again, I am struck by how different she looks. She is still my same Sookie, and yet...she has changed in some subtle but wonderful way. Not only has she regained her weight, she looks more like an angel than ever, and I tell her so... but I can tell by her smile that she does not believe me. She just says, "As for the weight gain, I ate like a horse the entire time I was away. The Portal is very healing. I promise, I'll try my best to eat better now that I'm home. Actually, I'm glad you brought it up, because there's something _I_ want to get something out in the open. This whole mess got started because of a few lost pounds. I know that you were just trying to take care of me, but... Well, I'm just going to say it. Baby, it really, really upsets me when you don't feed from me. I know that sounds needy, but it's just the plain truth... and I... I missed taking your blood, too. In fact, I think I'm a little addicted to it." I blushed a little as I said it.

At her admission, the color charmingly rises to her cheeks. The fact that she has finally said loud that she craves my blood makes me equally amused and aroused. To tease her, I deliberately flash my fangs at her, and then run them lightly over the skin of her breast. I am delighted to see her nipple grow hard, and hear her draw in her breath sharply... clearly, I have not lost my touch. I happily tell my sweet wife that the good Dr. Ludwig has explained that we actually _need_ each other's blood, to keep away the Bonding Sickness. The little Healer was right; I should have called her in immediately, and it is a mistake I am unlikely to repeat. I go on to tell my Bonded that she had been correct about why she was losing weight in the very beginning. She slides her arms around me, and asks rather timidly, "Then why did you take so little just now?"

She is just so adorable! I explain to her that I am merely being cautious... but that I _do_ plan on getting my nutrition in very pleasurable increments throughout the evening. By the way her eyes flash, I think that perhaps she is not exactly opposed to the idea... which makes me laugh out loud in delight. In fact, she takes matters into her own hands by climbing back on top of me, and giving me some of her very special kisses. Before much longer I make good on my promise. I make slow, sensuous love to my beautiful, unique fairy-wife; and this time when I take my little sip, she cries my name as she cums.

****

Afterward, I have a desire to share a long, hot bath with my Lover. Right now, she is cuddled snugly into the crook of my arm. She is running her fingertips over my body in a soothing fashion, absently tracing the muscles. I murmur into her soft hair, "Come, Beloved, will you share a bath with me? Among so many other things, I have missed bathing you."

She lifts her head and gives me a mysterious smile. Rather cryptically, she says, "Yes, I certainly have missed the way _you_ bath me." Chuckling, she disentangles herself from my arms, rolls out of bed and goes to prepare our bath. Hmm. Briefly, I wonder exactly who _else_ has been giving my wife a bath... but I decide that maybe I better not ask just now. I haul myself out of bed and trot after her, unwilling to let her out of my sight even for an instant. I lean against the doorway and watch her as she bustles about the room lighting candles and pouring some fragrant oils into the water. She is positively glowing, and this time it is not just because she has been feeding from me. In some mysterious way, she actually _is_ more beautiful than she was when she left. Amazed, I blurt out, "Sookie, you really _are_ more beautiful than ever."

In answer, she just laughs and says, "That's really sweet, baby, but I'm still just the same. You're just glad to see me."

Moving up behind her, I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head. I tell her, "While I am extraordinarily happy to see you, what I said is nothing but the truth. See for yourself."

I turn her around so that she is facing the mirror. I rest my chin on the top of her head, so that we make a little Vampire-Fairy totem pole. She stares at her reflection for a moment and gets a thoughtful look on her face. I think she can see exactly the same thing I do... she has acquired a touch of that ethereal, otherworldly look of the true Fairy and in fact looks more like her great grandfather than ever... and if this trend continues, Niall is going to be hard-pressed to conceal her heritage much longer. Giving her a smile, I say fondly, "You see? I may _be_ a doting husband, but my wife is seriously beautiful. We make a very attractive couple, do we not?"

Sookie has never been too comfortable with compliments about her looks. Now she runs true to form by screwing up her face into an awful grimace and then poking her tongue out at me. It is so horrible, we both burst into laughter... and I marvel how good it feels to do something so simple and yet so pleasurable as laughing. I swear up until tonight I thought I might never even _smile_ again... I think my wife is thinking exactly the same thing, because she whirls around and gives me a huge hug. I hug her back and then say, "Our water is going to get cold. Let me pin up your hair."

Reaching into the drawer where she stores all of our hair things, I select a big clip, twirl her long locks up on top of her head, and secure it. I sweep her up into my arms, deposit her in the tub, and then climb in after her. After settling her between my legs, I firmly pull her back against my chest, and wrap my arms around her. We soak in the hot, fragrant water for a few minutes, enjoying one of our favorite rituals. After a few minutes, I break the silence by saying, "I have missed you so much. I can hardly believe that you are really here."

Sookie is quiet for a moment, and then says very seriously, "I'm sorry for hurting you, Eric. I should have given you a chance to explain. I want you to know that I didn't even realize that I could shut down our Bond until it happened...my magic just got out of control..."

It is becoming apparent that there is no telling just _what_ she can do with her magic. Regretfully, I say, "I had no idea you could do it, either. I suppose this should be a lesson for both of us. Our Bond is sacred, and should not be played with. The results are just too painful."

Sookie brings my hand to her lips and kisses it. "I promise to keep it open if you will. I know why _you_ shut it... you thought you were protecting me. It might have caused problems, but at least you had my best interests in mind. I, on the other hand, was trying to protect _myself_... _I_ was just being a coward. A long time ago, you pointed out that I solved my relationship problems by running away and when you said it, I was furious... but I guess you were right."

Her voice is vibrating with emotion, but thankfully I do not have to rely on just that to know how sincere she is... I can feel it. The last thing I want is for my angel to get upset again, but I know I must let her get this out of her system. I say gently, "Beloved, obviously we both have much to learn about maintaining a relationship such as ours. I suspect that over the years, we will have many disagreements of one sort or another... but that will never diminish the love and regard I have for you. You _must_ learn to trust in my love... and please... I _beg _you... _please_ promise me that you will never run from me again. Quite honestly, I do not think I could bear it."

Up until now, she had remained snugly in my arms, but now she turns around and faces me. She kneels between my legs and takes both of my hands in hers. Looking deeply into my eyes, she says quietly, "Eric, while I was gone, I learned a bunch of stuff about myself... some good, some bad. For instance, I finally realized that _I'm_ pretty pigheaded. I have a temper and a bunch of insecurities that I may never get over... but the most important thing I learned was that I love you, come hell or high water. I might be able to live without you, but I don't want to. Next time I get upset about something, I'm going to be adult enough to stand my ground and have it out with you right then and there. So the answer is yes... I _swear_ on our sacred Bond that I will never run from you again." She pauses for a moment, overcome with emotion. Finally she regains her voice and continues. Her blue eyes again swimming with tears, she asks me, "Will you forgive me?"

In answer, I draw her forward and give her a gentle kiss. "Let us forgive each other. I love you, my angel." Unable to resist, I reach out and capture one of her tears, and plop it in my mouth. My fangs pop out, and I develop yet another erection. We both look down at the indisputable proof of my affection. Sookie shakes her head and smiles. "Mmm. And to _think_ of all the good tears I wasted while I was gone... well, I say we put this batch to good use."

*****

The next few hours are spent making up for lost time. Unable to keep our hands off each other, we cuddle and pet each other as we whisper sweet words of love. Occasionally, we punctuate these words with actions... deeply pleasurable ones. The last two bites, I only took small sips. This time as I make love to my wife, I sink my fangs into her sweet flesh and draw deeply, taking my fill at last. In fact, I have enough of her Fairy-laced blood that it _does_ go to my head a little. I plunge into her with abandon, and then cum deeply inside her. Immediately afterward, I collapse on top of her, this time completely, unmistakably spent. She chuckles in delight and holds me more tightly than ever. As soon as I can get my limbs moving again, I roll over on my back and tuck her into her customary spot. We are both exhausted, but I can tell my Lover is struggling to stay awake. I whisper to her, "Sleep, little one, and dream of our life together. I will not let you go."

She sighs in contentment and says, "Good night, Eric. I love you." Almost instantly, she falls asleep. It occurs to me that for the first time in weeks, I am completely content. The Bonding Sickness is gone, and my Queen is safely back by my side. I can feel my blood coursing through her veins. My mind is clear, and I am free of anger and frustration. For the first time in over a month, I am not hungry. I am sexually sated. Yes, I am once again a happy vampire. As my angel lies sleeping in my arms, I give a prayer of thanks to the Gods who have returned my most precious gift to me. I am soothed by the beating of her heart. For the first time in centuries, I fight against the pull of the dawn, because I am afraid that when I wake she might be gone again; but at last, I am lulled into rest by the sound I have longed for these last weeks... her slow, soft breaths.

_Post script from the author: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. This story is not by any means complete... expect lots of action, lemons, and a pretty good amount of fluff from here on out. However, I want to tell you that the next chapter will probably not be posted for at least a couple of weeks. All of this angst was just as hard for me to write as it was for you to read!!! I need to take a few days to recharge the old creative batteries before we continue. I hope you all understand. I promise, it won't be too long... I love this story too! BTB_


	31. Chapter 31

_Author's Notes: Just a reminder: I do not own these characters. They are the sole property of Charlaine Harris. I am just using them for our amusement._

_****I missed you guys! I am glad to be back to posting. I hope you enjoy the chapter. It's mainly fluff._

_****If by some chance any of my stories get taken down for any reason, check my profile page for my new location. I have also signed up for a Live Journal account... but I have not yet figured out what to do with it! I promise you that one way or another, this story will get finished._

**Chapter 31**

**Eric's POV: Valhalla, the day after Sookie's return**

_Although it is still daylight, I swim up to consciousness as I sometimes do. Momentarily I am disoriented... but then realize I am in my chamber at Valhalla, once again at rest with my Bonded by my side. Rolling my head in her direction, I see that in her sleep she has scooted off to one side of our huge bed. I do not care for her being so far away and so I reach out and pull her back to me. She does not wake as I spoon up behind her, but sighs and wiggles her sweet little bottom against me. I put my arm around my beloved Fairy-wife and hold her to me tightly, just before the sun pulls me back under._

_ *****_

**Sookie's POV**

Before I even opened my eyes, I knew I was home. For one thing, I was in my own bedroom and in my own very comfortable bed; for another, I was being held snuggly against the huge cool body of a Viking vampire. It was wonderful to be back. For the first time in weeks, I felt completely and totally whole again... and due to the quantity of Eric's wonderful old blood I had sucked down the night before, my body was humming with good health and vitality. I felt _great_! I lay very still and luxuriated in the feel of my husband's silky skin next to mine. Running my palm back and forth over Eric's forearm, I marveled at how something so hard and muscular could feel so velvety and smooth at the same time. Despite the fact that technically speaking, I was being held in the arms of a dead man, I had never felt more secure and cherished than I did right then. Unfortunately I really, really needed to get up and take care of those pesky old human needs, so after giving the Viking's big shoulder a soft kiss I managed to squirm out from under his heavy arm.

After rolling out of bed, I went into the bathroom to take care of necessities. After that, I decided to take a quick shower just to wake myself up. It felt so strange to be able to take a bath and get dressed all by myself! After my shower, I went in to our closet and pulled on an ordinary pair of jeans and a top. After all the fairy garments I had become accustomed to wearing, my regular clothes felt a little odd too, even though I had been wearing ones just like them all my life. Even being able to look in the mirror seemed weird! While I was brushing my hair (using a regular plastic hairbrush) my tummy began to growl. I realized how hungry I was.... in fact, I was ravenous! Marathon sex with a Viking sure could burn up the carbs. I hoped like crazy that Juanita was upstairs and that the refrigerator was full. I was certainly going to miss little Celyn and his magical instant meals.

I went over to my vampire and sat on the side of the bed next to him. Brushing his long hair back away from his face, I leaned over and gave him a very tender kiss. As I did, I caught a glimpse of something white and silky poking out from under his pillow. Out of curiosity I grabbed the item by one corner and tugged. As it came loose I saw that it was my white nightie, the one I had taken with me to Las Vegas. With a sharp pang, I knew immediately why it was there. He had been sleeping with my nightie for comfort, because it contained my scent. During those awful months when I thought Eric had forgotten me, I had done the exact same thing with an old t-shirt of his. Holding the satiny cloth up to my face, I inhaled deeply. Sure enough, there was a very faint scent of perfume... but to a vampire, that little bit would be enough. As I pulled out the nightgown, a pair of my blue lace panties that had apparently been wrapped up inside it fell to the ground. Oh... dear. I bent over and picked them up, laid both pieces of clothing on my lap, and then stared at them. I had the strangest sense of déjà vu... what was it about this nightie that rang a bell?

There seemed to be something on the gown, but I couldn't see very well in the dim light of our room. Reaching over to the nightstand, I switched on Eric's bedside lamp and took a closer look at the fabric. There were several small light pink blotches on it. Oh... no. From my own sad experience, I knew exactly what those were... and my heart broke all over again. Those were vampire tears. The very idea of my centuries old, immensely powerful vampire being so vulnerable made my eyes well up with my own human tears... and somehow my deep sense of guilt and sadness nudged my brain to finally realize why all of this seemed so familiar. Just before leaving the Portal, I had dreamed something almost identical to this... but how could that be? How could my mind provide details so close to what must have actually happened? I was burning to ask Eric about it, but it would still be hours before he rose... but wait. Should I _really_ bring it up? What if somehow my dream _wasn't_ just a strange coincidence? What if somehow I _had_ managed to dream the truth? I was afraid that my extremely proud husband might be embarrassed to know that I had "seen" him in such a weak moment. I had already hurt and embarrassed him enough, so I very carefully replaced both items under his pillow just like I had found them.

When I first awakened, I had felt wonderful... but just then I was back to feeling awful. How had I _ever_ convinced myself that this vampire had no feelings? In reality, Eric's emotions were stronger and deeper than I could ever have imagined. The hard truth was that due to the Bonding Sickness, his level of anguish had been even worse than mine.... and although his actions had started the whole mess, mine had certainly escalated and prolonged it. He had hidden things from me, it was true; but in the grand scheme of things holding back information was really a relatively minor transgression. My own bad behavior had caused just as much grief in the long run. In the blame department, I had a lot to answer for and I knew it. I wondered how I would ever be able to make it up to him.

Right that moment, I forgot all about eating. I simply could not tear myself away from my husband. I crawled back into bed and stretched out facing him. I propped my head on my hand and just lay watching my vampire in his slumber. He was just so spectacular, he nearly took my breath away. Already Eric looked much less drawn than he had the night before, and he still had a faint blush in his cheeks from all the blood he had taken from me. He looked young and carefree, almost like he did when he was human... With a start, I realized that another piece of my extremely vivid dream had just resurfaced. I had dreamt that I met Eric when he was alive!

Quite suddenly, I remembered in detail the way the Viking had looked with sunlight glinting off his golden hair, and how his smile seemed so brilliant against his warm, tanned skin. Staring at him now, I tried to recapture the way his breath felt on my cheek... and how his warmth filled me when we made love. Without a doubt, dream Eric was the most beautiful living man I had ever seen... but then, something very important occurred to me. As gorgeous as he had been in that dream, I realized that I fallen in love with him the way he looked right now. That other Eric was a beautiful stranger. This pale, other-worldly creature before me was my husband, whom I loved more than life itself. A huge surge of love for my Bonded swept through me. At that very instant, my vampire opened his fantastic sapphire eyes and looked directly at me. It startled me so, I nearly jumped out of my skin! In a distressed voice, he said, "Sookie? Are you really here or am I dreaming?"

Quickly, I took his hand in mine and stoked it. "I'm right here, baby," I told him soothingly, "I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I love you."

With great satisfaction, Eric said, "Good." Without another word, he flopped over onto his stomach and was out like a light. Wow! In all the time I had known him, that was the first time I had ever been present when he spontaneously came awake during the day like that. Even though I knew it was unlikely he would wake again before dark, I snuggled myself firmly against his side anyway. I would have been quite content to lay there with my vampire until sunset, but I had promised him I would take better care of myself now that I was home. Reluctantly, I finally forced myself to get up and head upstairs for some food.

*****

The very first thing I noticed when I came out of the doorway into the library was that most of the shelves were now full of books and other items. Eric's desk was covered with papers and what looked like a new laptop computer. Propped across the arms of one wingback chair was his huge sword from the Shreveport house. The furniture had been re-arranged and a few extra chairs had been pulled in from other rooms. It looked like maybe the Viking had been holding some meetings at home instead of his office at Fangtasia. My eyes did a slow scan of the room, taking everything in. When I got to the fireplace, I got a huge surprise. Sitting on top of the mantle was our wedding portrait framed in a heavy, ornate, and no doubt horribly expensive gold frame. I couldn't believe that Eric had actually followed through with getting it, even though we were "separated" at the time. For a long time, I just stood and stared at our photograph, remembering the happiest night of my life. I had to admit it... we _did_ make a handsome couple.

My stomach growled loudly again reminding me that I was in search of food, so I headed down the long hallway towards the kitchen. Although I hadn't really been trying to sneak up on her, I just about scared the crap right out of Juanita. She was standing at the big window over the sink, staring thoughtfully out into the back yard. Cheerfully, I said, "Hey, Juanita. How are you today?"

She let out a shriek that could wake the dead (well, I hoped not really) and jumped about a foot straight into the air. She whirled around, covered her heart with her hand and exclaimed, "_¡Dios mío!_ Miss Sookie! You scared the life out of me!" and then... _¡Dios mío! _Miss Sookie! You're home!" She rushed over and grabbed me in a huge hug, chattering away in rapid-fire Spanish. I had absolutely no idea what she was saying, except that about every other word was "_Patrόn_," which I knew meant Eric. I just hugged her back and let her motor wind down. Eventually she got it all out of her system. Giving me one last pat, she said (in English), "I am so sorry, _Señora_, I just got carried away. I am so excited that you are home! You look... you look so beautiful! You gained all your weight back, and you just have such a glow about you. My goodness! Wherever you have been, it certainly agreed with you."

"I was staying with some relatives, a long way from here," I said, as truthfully as I could. "I just needed some time to work out a few things. "

Shaking her head, she said, "I knew you loved your husband too much for you to stay away for too long... but I'm certainly glad you came home when you did. Even though _El Patr__ό__n_ is so big and strong, I was very worried about him."

Oh, dear. If Juanita had been _worried _about a vampire like Eric, things must have been bad indeed. By his gaunt appearance, I had suspected he had not been feeding properly but I was hoping I was wrong. I might as well know the worst of it. "Why were you so worried?"

"He was not eating right," she confirmed. "Miss Pam kept bringing all different kinds of bottled blood home, but he refused to drink it. It just seemed to irritate him. He seemed a little put out with her while you were gone and finally she stopped coming around. He was starting to look... not so healthy. I did not know that vampires could look that way! I thought to myself... _Juanita, maybe it's because the bottled blood is synthetic. Maybe when a vampire is feeling poorly, what they need is fresh_... but I didn't know how to get any. I thought and I thought... and finally, I remembered one of my nephews works in a hospital. I called him, and he gave me the name of a friend of his who works at the blood bank. Did you know, for a price you can get whatever you want?"

I nodded my head yes. Bill had once told me all about it. Still, I was a little surprised. Unlike a house Elf in the Portal, our housekeeper wasn't obligated to cater to her employer's every need. Juanita had gone to a lot of trouble for my husband, and I wouldn't soon forget it.

"So... I drove down there and got some," she said matter-of-factly, like she had only gone to the local stop-and-shop, "I guessed at your blood-type, because I figured it would be the same as the bottled one your husband usually asks for. My nephew's friend assured me the blood I was buying was very fresh. _El Patr__ό__n_ finally took a little of that... but that was not the worst part."

How could it possibly be any worse? I was already feeling just awful. I really needed to know everything, though, so I sighed heavily and asked, "What was the worst part?"

The little housekeeper looked me straight in the eye. Obviously, she thought I should know exactly what had gone on in my absence and was not going to sugar coat it, either. "The worst part was seeing the look in his eyes every evening when he came upstairs. I could tell he was always wishing that he would find you here but knew that he wouldn't. For the last few days, he stayed in his library and paced, paced, paced. I thought he was going to wear a hole in the floor. He was... well, he wasn't himself."

I figured I knew what _that_ meant. I wondered exactly how many employees had quit at Fangtasia. Pam was gonna kill me for all this, I just knew it. I was astonished to hear that she and Eric had not been getting along... obviously it was yet another consequence of this whole sorry mess. I said, "Juanita, thanks for sticking around. Knowing Eric, he was probably a handful. The whole thing was mainly a big misunderstanding... and a friend of ours helped me see that."

She asked, "Was it Mr. Robert? He said he was going to fix things."

"You have met Robert?" I don't know why it surprised me, but it did.

I swear she blushed when she said, "Oh, yes. He stayed here for several days. He's... he's very special, _verdad_?"

I could see that Juanita had fallen victim to the Knight's charms. Well, really, who wouldn't? Just as I was going to question her further about what else had gone on in my absence, the front door bell rang. Juanita said, "Excuse me, Miss Sookie. I will go see to the door,"

The housekeeper bustled off down the hallway. My curiosity soon got the better of me, so I followed after her. I was just in time to see Juanita open the door to admit my cousin Claudine. Behind her was my guard Cooper, who was loaded down with a variety of bags. Claudine said, "Hi, Sookie. Faeryn told us you had made up with Tall, Blond, and Dead. I thought I would stop in on my way back to Monroe and see for myself that you are all right."

Completely surprised to see her, I said, "Come on in! I was just about to call Niall and tell him what happened." I pointed to the table in the center of the entry hall and said, "You can put those bags there, Coop. Thanks."

Grinning, he said, "No problem, Sookie. Glad to see you home! I'll let you ladies visit, but I'll be right outside if you need me." He deposited his load on the table and then slipped out the front door. Curiously, I pointed to the bags and asked Claudine, "What is all of this?"

"I thought I'd drop off all of your clothes and things," my cousin answered, "Niall was especially anxious for you to have the gifts he gave you. He also sent you this card. Sookie, items made of fairy-cloth are exceedingly rare in this world for obvious reasons, so please use discretion in whom you allow to see it."

"Oh, I understand completely. I really wasn't expecting to get to keep anything. Thank you so much for taking the time to bring it all here. I'm so happy to see you! I really was just about to try and call the palace, to tell you all what happened. Now that you're here, let's go sit down and I can tell you in person."

I motioned for Claudine to follow me into the living room. We sat together on one of the sofas, and she began by saying, "I think I already know the gist of what happened. After you and Eric left last night, Faeryn came straight back to the Portal and told us what transpired. She got the whole story from Sir Robert. Faeryn was quite taken with him... you should have heard her gushing! I admit he's gorgeous, but he's _still_ a vampire and she's half-Fairy. Not exactly a match made in heaven." She sighed heavily, as if she just didn't know what the world was coming to. "Sookie, as your guardian it is my job to ask you this. Are you absolutely _sure_ that you want to stay here with Eric?"

I nodded and replied, "Claudine, it was mostly all a terrible misunderstanding. This whole ordeal has made me realize exactly how much I _do_ love Eric. I may be ableto live without him, but I don't want to. I can't say that we won't ever have any more arguments... we're both pretty stubborn... but I doubt it will ever come to this again."

Taking my hand in hers, she looked deeply into my eyes as if she was searching inside me for the truth. A little sizzle of what I now recognized as our family energy passed between us. Seemingly satisfied, she gave me a faint smile and said, "Niall told me from the very beginning that you would eventually choose to return to your vampire. The Prince really believes that the two of you are Fated to do something important together."

"Then why did he stand up to Eric? Why wouldn't Niall force me to talk to him? Things are bad enough between the vampires and Fairies... this whole thing could have started another war!"

Claudine replied. "Sookie, the Prince truly loves you. He wanted you to come back when you were ready and not a minute before... and besides, you know how it is with two powerful males. There always has to be some chest-thumping. It's just their nature. I doubt that either one of them would have let it go much farther."

Not if they were both in their right minds, which I was beginning to learn was not exactly the case with one of them. Uneasily, I told her, "Still, bad things could have come of it. You were right about Eric having Bonding Sickness. I guess that's why he attacked Claude and tore up his car. I'm going to discuss it with Eric and see if I can get him to replace it. If you talk to Claude, would you tell him I'll see what I can do?"

Claudine nodded and said, "Claude forgot to take home the shirt I bought for him in Cozumel, so I thought I'd drop it off at Hooligan's on the way home. I'll tell him then. Also, this is the afternoon the new dancers model potential costumes for the month. Claude usually counts on me to give the female perspective. It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it. In fact, I'd better get going or I'll miss it. Want to come?" She grinned and winked.

At that I had to laugh out loud. Ordinarily I wouldn't mind helping to pick out costumes at Claude's club one bit, but I bet the Viking would take an extremely dim view of it. I shook my head and said firmly, "Eric and I have had enough fights for awhile. I had better not get any more started!" I stood, gave my godmother a huge hug, and said a heartfelt thanks for everything she had done for me. She kissed me on both cheeks and said, "Call me if you need me... oh, and don't be surprised if you see a little more of Niall in the future. You have barely been gone a day, and I can already tell he's going to miss you. He was grumbling this afternoon that you were the only one who ever mixed his tea just right, and apparently he had not gotten around to showing you some flower or other he wanted you to see. You know how he is about his gardening, and no one else in the family ever shows much interest in it."

"Honestly, Claudine, I'm really going to miss him, too. Just like you always told me, the Prince really _is_ one amazing Fairy."

*****

After my cousin popped away to Ruston, I headed back to the kitchen. By now I was about to faint from hunger, and fortunately Juanita had anticipated my needs almost as well as Celyn. While I had been visiting with Claudine, she had begun to prepare my afternoon meal. As she put on the finishing touches, I sat at the table and opened the card from Niall. It read:

_**My dearest Sookie,**_

_**Faeryn has informed us of the outcome of your meeting with the vampire. Although I am relieved to hear that Northman has redeemed himself, I must confess that I am going to miss you. I enjoyed our time together, my dear, and I shall miss your company. You will always be welcome here. You are now aware of the location of the closest entrance to the Portal. I have granted you unlimited access. From now on, you will find that you no longer need help to come for a visit. **_

_**Never hesitate to call me if you need me. As always, I will be keeping a watchful eye on you.**_

_**Your loving great grandfather,**_

_**Prince Niall Brigant**_

Niall's message was so sweet it brought tears to my eyes. I really _was_ going to miss him. In the short time that I was with him, we had developed a real relationship. I knew that he truly cared for me and I certainly had come to love and respect him. From now on, I was going to do my best to maintain a closer connection to that side of my family. Carefully replacing the precious note inside its envelope, I set it aside. I wanted to hide it in my secret place, along with all of the letters and notes that Eric had given me.

By that time, my dinner was ready. I practically wolfed down the small steak, baked potato, and salad that Juanita put in front of me. She told me that Eric had insisted that she keep plenty of fresh food on hand so that I would always have something to eat no matter when I showed up. I asked her to sit with me while I ate, and I quizzed her a little more about what had happened while I was gone. She started out by informing me that unfortunately we were going to have to hire new maids. Since she didn't mention anything about gardeners, I supposed Eric hadn't gotten around to scaring _them_ off... of course, that was probably because they were all gone by the time he got up.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Juanita," I said ruefully, "You have been really great, and I would hate for you to think badly of Eric. I think I owe you an explanation... but it would be best if you didn't share this with anybody. Vampires are pretty funny about humans knowing too much about their ways."

I paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to get the gist of the situation across without going into too much detail. Finally I told her, "You see, Eric and I are married under human law, but we are also married in the vampire way. This doesn't happen very often, for obvious reasons. It's a lot more binding than a regular marriage, and there is no such thing as divorce. It's kind of hard to explain how it all works, but we can't be away from each other for very long or we get pretty sick. Unfortunately, you got to see first hand the way the vampire half reacts to the separation."

Juanita studied me briefly before responding, "Forgive me for saying it, _Se__ñ__ora_, but _you_ look much better than you did when you left."

Uh oh. I had inadvertently just stepped off into a gar hole. How was I going to explain why _I_ hadn't fallen ill? It was one thing to explain things about vampire customs. Vampires might not be be too forthcoming about themselves, but at least they were already living out in the open. Fairies, on the other hand, were bound and determined to remain secret. Still, Juanita had stuck around to take care of Eric even at his worst. She was clearly trustworthy and as a member of our household it was nearly inevitable she would see and hear lots of strange and inexplicable things... but I was still unsure of how much I should tell her. This was yet another topic that I needed to discuss with Eric. I took a deep breath, and then said cautiously, "Well, ordinarily I _would_ have gotten pretty sick but... Juanita, without getting into all the details, let's just say that I am related to a very unusual family. You have met Claudine. She's my cousin. One of our mutual relatives is a very special man. I went to stay with him, and he was able to keep me from getting sick. In fact, he helped fix what was wrong with me in the first place. His home is extremely remote and I was completely out of touch for awhile. If I had any idea that Eric was in such bad shape, I probably would have come home much sooner."

The little housekeeper regarded me silently for a few minutes while she absorbed that information. Finally she said, "Miss Sookie, let me share something with _you._ When I was a child, I would sometimes go to stay with my _abuela_... my grandmother. _Her _mother was still alive, although she was very old by that time. She was born in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula, and she was not really Spanish at all but full-blooded Mayan. She was considered by all to be a wise woman and very knowledgeable about many things. I would sit by her bed and she would tell me exciting stories about all sorts of magical creatures who roamed the earth, living among humans but by and large mostly keeping to themselves.

Her favorite stories involved very beautiful, very magical people she called _los viejos_... the old ones. I always thought her stories were just fairy tales... until it turned out that the vampires she sometimes mentioned turned out to be real. At that time of the Great Revelation, I remembered _bisabuela's _stories. It made me wonder how many other of her stories might be true. Now that I have been working for you and your husband, I would not be surprised to learn that _all_ of _bisabuela's_ magical creatures might be real... and that perhaps _you_ might be one of them. I do not have to know all of the details to know that you are quite special."

Juanita's little speech astonished me on many levels. First, it looked like her great grandmother was from one of the special places that Fairies held sacred; and second, that our housekeeper was fully prepared to accept the fact that there might be other Supernatural beings still flying under the radar... and that I might very well be one of them. I very nearly denied it, falling back to my old "I'm mostly human" position, but at the last minute I just gave her a smile and said, "Thank you. Someday maybe I can feel free to tell you all about it, but for now let's just say I a product of a very interesting gene pool. The important thing is that I'm home and hopefully everything is back to normal. Now, besides Eric scaring the bejeebers out of everyone, what else happened?"

She told me that the decorators had been around to finish the upstairs, which really surprised me. Normally the only human _ever_ allowed in the house while the vampire was at rest was Juanita, and that had only been since we had moved in to Valhalla. I asked her about it, but she hesitated a moment before answering. Her dark eyes twinkling, she ended up answering a question with a question, "So you have not seen all the improvements yet? I suppose you and your husband had more important things on your mind, yes?"

If by that she meant we had been unable to think about anything but making love as many times as physically possible, then she had pretty much gotten it right. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. "We had a lot of catching up to do," I admitted, "Uh... what improvements?"

"Oh, I think Mr. Eric wanted everything to look perfect for your return. Among other things, he arranged for Daniel and his friend to finish installing everything at night and even watched them as they worked sometimes... although I think he made them a little nervous. In any event, the upstairs bedrooms are all finished. As a matter of fact, you have had several guests stay here while you were away. Sir Robert, Miss Pam... even Mr. Bill."

Eric asked _Bill_ to stay here while I was gone? Had hell frozen over, and I missed it? Wow. In addition to being amazed at that unexpected turn of events, I was shocked that Eric had given the first thought to finishing the interior of the house. It had to be a consequence of his Sickness, because normally he had too many other things on his mind that were infinitely more important than home decoration... like keeping control of his territory. Guiltily, I wondered if Eric had been so distracted that he put himself and his Kingdom at risk. Knowing vampires, the vultures would have begun to circle at the first sign of weakness, and I fervently hoped that news of this whole episode had been tightly contained. I had better get the whole scoop from Pam or Bill at the first opportunity. Juanita continued, "You know, at first I thought that your husband and _Señor _Compton did not care much for each other, but while you were gone I realized how wrong I was. Mr. Bill went out of his way to do everything he could for _El Patrón_. He and Mr. Robert were the only ones your husband could stand to have around him."

I was just about to respond to that fairly amazing news, when completely without warning I had the strangest feeling come over me... but immediately I knew exactly what it was. My vampire was having one of his brief periods of consciousness. I had never been able to feel it before, but maybe this was a result of the very recent repair of our Bond. On the other hand, maybe it was because I was thinking about him so hard and wishing I was with him that I had knocked the vampire right out of his slumber! I would have to remember to ask him about it later. Suddenly, I realized that I had paused right in the middle of a conversation and zoomed off to la-la land. I probably looked like a blooming idiot, sitting there with a thousand yard stare and my mouth hanging open. Sure enough, I glanced over at Juanita, and she was watching me with total fascination. Sheepishly I said, "Sorry to zone out on you like that. I was just thinking about Eric."

Unexpectedly she asked me, "You can _feel_ him, can't you? I have noticed that you can always tell when he's near."

Boy, she really _was_ observant. I answered truthfully, "Most of the time, yes. It depends on how far away he is. It's all a part of that vampire marriage thing I was telling you about earlier. I know it must seem strange to you."

Thoughtfully, the housekeeper replied, "Not really so strange. After my husband and I had been married for a number of years, if the phone rang I always knew when it was him calling. Once he injured himself at work, and I knew something bad had happened even before they called me from the hospital. Sometimes married people are very much in tune with each other... you and your husband have just taken it one step further. I think it is quite wonderful."

I just smiled and agreed. I had to fight my sudden urge to go down and see my vampire with my own two eyes, but I knew he would already be dead to the world again. To keep my mind occupied, I decided that I wanted to see the progress the decorators had made. After thanking Juanita for the food and the conversation I headed upstairs. The first room I checked out was Pam's. The light-proof window coverings were still down, so I had to switch on a lamp to see. Once the room was illuminated, I could see that Daniel's choices had far exceeded my expectations. The room was both warm and elegant, and I wondered if Pam had liked it. Next I inspected Robert's room. I was somewhat surprised to discover that many of his clothes and things were still present. He had obviously stayed away last night to give us some privacy, and I supposed he had taken shelter at Bill's for the day. I hoped that Bill had gotten around to making some better sleeping arrangements than the damp, creepy space under his house... Sir Robert didn't seem like the kind of vampire who would appreciate "roughing it" for too long.

Thinking of Bill, I wandered down the hallway and into his room. Glancing around in satisfaction, I went over and smoothed the coverlet with my hand. Daniel had perfectly captured the flavor of the Southern Gentleman's bedroom that I had requested, and I hoped that Bill had been pleased. Honestly, I had ordered these furnishings at the last minute before leaving for Las Vegas. At the time, I wasn't certain that Eric would _ever_ allow Bill to stay under his roof, but I wanted to make sure that my dark vampire felt welcomed if it did ever come to pass. I checked out the bathroom, noting that Daniel had followed my instructions to the letter. I could tell that some of the bath salts had already been used, and the faintest whiff of Bill's favorite cologne was still present in the room. That familiar scent was enough to make me recognize the fact that I had really missed Bill and was anxious to see him. I had been unfair in my accusations as far as he was concerned, and I definitely owed him an apology.

Shaking my head in dismay at all the bridges I was going to have to mend, I slowly walked around the rest of the upstairs and took a look in each of the remaining rooms. Every detail was perfect and I decided I was going to pay Daniel a nice bonus for doing such an outstanding job... not to mention a little extra for hazard pay. I could very well imagine the pressure involved trying to do a job under the watchful and cranky eye of an ailing Viking vampire. Hmmm. Maybe it should be a very, very nice bonus indeed.

By the time I made it back downstairs, I remembered that I needed to check in with Amelia. I had no clue what had become of my cell phone. It was just as well, because given the role that it had played in Sabriel's scheme, I doubted I could bring myself to even touch it. Borrowing Juanita's phone, I sat at the bar in the kitchen and placed my call. After only two rings, my friend answered, "Sookie! Where have you been? I have been so worried about you!"

"Oh, Amelia, I am _so_ sorry! I know I should have called sooner and let you know where I was. Eric and I had a little spat and I went to stay with Niall... but we've made up and now I'm home."

She said, "I'm just relieved that a spat is _all_ it was. When Trey and I got home from Mexico, I had a couple of calls on my voice-mail from Sam. He was pretty worried about you. I tried calling you, too, and when you didn't call back we got really alarmed. Eric would never take our calls, so Sam went over and confronted Bill at his house a couple of nights ago. He told Sam that you were off visiting Niall... of course, he conveniently omitted to mention that you and the big guy had a fight first. What a surprise."

Obviously Juanita had been right. It looked more and more like Bill had been busy running interference for Eric while he was sick. I said, "Well, you know Bill... he's not exactly chatty. I would love to see you. I want to hear all about your trip, and how you and Trey are getting along... how about lunch tomorrow?"

"Great! I do have some things to tell you, and of course I want to find out all the gory details of this fight. For you to have run to Niall, it must have been a doozy."

Sighing heavily, I admitted, "To be honest, it was downright awful. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. You want to meet me at Merlotte's around one o'clock? I thought I'd run by and check on my house after that."

"Oh, I completely understand," she said, "I went by and looked at all the repairs myself. That was one reason I was so worried.... well, anyway, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye!"

I said goodbye in turn, and we disconnected... just before her final words sunk in. _All_ of the repairs? As far as I knew, it was just the front door and jamb that needed fixing. Hmm. Maybe while the carpenter was installing the new door, Eric had decided to make some other improvements. That was yet another thing I would have to remember to ask him about later. With a little stir of excitement, I realized that it wasn't too terribly long until first dark. Rationally, I knew that I had only been awake for a few hours, but it felt like I had been away from my vampire for too long. Even after that little flash I had from him earlier, I found myself consulting our Bond every few minutes just to make sure he was still downstairs in our chamber... which was completely crazy. Was I _really_ expecting him to waltz upstairs in broad daylight and move to another location? How dumb was that?

Still, I had been fighting the impulse to be with him ever since I got up... but at that very moment it dawned on me how silly I was being. It was my first day back home after a horrible separation. If our Bond was telling me I should be with my vampire, maybe for once I should just do what felt right instead of bucking against my instincts. Making up my mind to do just that, I grabbed as many of the bags Claudine had brought me as I could and carted them downstairs. This time Eric had rolled onto his side, his arm stretched out across the bed as if he had been reaching for me. My heart did a little flip-flop, and so I hurriedly carried my bags into the closet. Rummaging through them, I found the nightgown I was hoping had been packed. It was my favorite, the one Claudine had given me the very first night I arrived in the Portal.

I pulled off my jeans and top, and then slipped the gossamer gown over my head. The nearly transparent cloth shimmered and glowed in the darkened room. I hoped that Eric had already taken enough of my blood to be able to see it. I searched through the bags a little more, and was happy to discover the brush set that Niall had given me and also my bottle of special perfume. I had to smile when I saw how many containers of creams and lotions that Aderyn had packed, as if she was completely certain that ones produced by human hands would not be suitable for any daughter of the Royal House of Brigant. With the little Elf in mind, I dutifully brushed my hair the required hundred strokes, applied tiny dabs of my perfume in strategic locations, and then slipped into bed next to my vampire. For nearly an hour I was perfectly content just to lay there and watch him as he slept, daydreaming of what we would do at first dark.

Just before sunset, Eric opened his eyes. For a moment, he regarded me silently, his blue eyes blazing. Instantly his emotions came bounding across our Bond, clear as a bell. Joy... love... LUST. Oh, wow. Clearly the vampire was in a mood. It was certainly good to see that things were getting back to normal. "Kiss me, Sookie," he demanded.

More than happy to oblige. I leaned forward and planted one on him. Mmmm. His lips were so soft and yummy! It was one of those magical kisses that I wished could last forever. As Eric's tongue darted and danced expertly around mine, two things happened. Immediately, my girl parts came awake and loudly began demanding attention... and I thought for about the thousandth time that this vampire was the best kisser in the universe, bar none. Unfortunately, it also occurred to me that I now had a broader data base on which to base that conclusion. Before I could stop it, a tiny jolt of guilt shot through me. I slammed a lid on it as quickly as I could, but I knew darned well Eric had felt it because instantly surprise and then jealousy flashed back through our Bond. However, obviously neither one of us was willing to open up that can of worms at that particular moment. Instead, my vampire's kisses became even more passionate than before and soon my mind was completely incapable of thinking about anybody or anything other than him.

A deep, primitive desire to give pleasure to my husband overcame me. After giving him one last deep kiss, I nuzzled his neck and then breathed into his ear, "I love you so much, Eric. Let me please you." He said nothing but, "Mmmm," but I could feel a little surge of excitement and satisfaction coming through the Bond. I got started on my mission by tracing the strong line of his jaw with my lips and then planting hundreds of tiny kisses slowly down his throat and onto his bare chest. Knowing that he found it very erotic, I set my sights on those sexy little nipples of his. Picking one, I ran my tongue around the firm little nub and then sucked and nipped at it, all the while busily tweaking the other one with my fingers. Eric let out a moan and then said something in his old language. I had no idea what it was, but obviously he was enjoying my attentions. A couple of minutes later my hand left that task and began the slow trek down the vampire's long, muscular body. I deliberately avoided his erection for a long time, coming oh so close but never quite touching... teasing.... teasing. By the time I finally ran my fingertips ever so lightly up and down that firm, silky shaft, I swear the Viking actually shivered at my touch. Soon I took him more firmly in hand and stroked slowly but surely; and by all the contented sighs, it was obvious that he liked it very much.

After a few more slow strokes, I reversed my position so that I was much closer to the task at hand... and in the perfect position to give my husband some serious attention in a way that I knew he loved. Again, I took my time... licking and nipping and generally driving my willing victim wild. Eventually I got around to taking that luscious hardness in my mouth and I was rewarded with a low, guttural groan. As for myself, I had always found that particular act very erotic and soon my own little hootchie was throbbing and wet, wet, wet. The more pleasure I felt coming from Eric, the hotter I became myself. As many times as we had made love the night before, somehow I had never gotten around to giving him oral pleasure. Now I was nearly desperate to taste his essence along with that magical tinge of blood it contained. I could tell that my lover was nearing his climax, and I was really surprised when he stopped me. In a voice thick with desire, Eric said, "My beautiful Fairy... I want you to fuck me."

Oh... but I had so wanted to taste him! I let out a little growl of disappointment, but since tonight was all about pleasing him as much as possible I did exactly what he wanted. I started to remove my nightgown, but Eric commanded, "No... leave it on," so I hiked the skirt up around my hips and threw my leg over him. As I straddled him, I stared down at my vampire and drank in the delicious sight of him. My Bonded was surely the most gorgeous man on the face of the earth... his long blond hair was spilled out across the pillow, his blue eyes were blazing with passion, a sexy little smile playing across those perfectly formed lips... Although by that time I was nearly desperate to feel him inside of me, I still wanted to make him as aroused as possible before the main event; so I took his erection in my hand and rubbed just the head back and forth across my already slick folds. Just feel of his tip brushing against my swollen clit very nearly made me climax, and I could not contain a moan of my own... but I caught myself before slipping over the edge. I had to pause a minute just to get myself back under control, but finally I began to lower myself onto him... slowly... slowly.... the way I knew pleased him the most.

As I began to move, love and passion swirled up through our Bond, encasing us in that mystical golden cocoon where we became one. The rest of the world faded completely away... and there was only "us." Sometimes when I was on top, I would let Eric set the pace, letting his strong hands guide and support me... but not just then. I wanted to be in control, so that I could move without restriction. My hips had a mind of their own, seeking all those spots that I knew would give him maximum pleasure... and even though I was intent on doing just that, I couldn't help but enjoy every minute of it myself.

Suddenly, much to my amazement, I could feel myself rising into the air. My vampire had levitated us up off the bed! He laid me against his chest and held me tightly in his arms, spun us slowly around, and then settled us back onto the bed. Oh...wow! He had never done that before, and for some reason, I found it totally hot. He just seemed so strong... and completely in control...and so very magical. Somehow, my time in the Portal had made me find the magical aspect of Eric's nature a great deal more erotic than I ever had before. Up until recently, I had always told myself that I loved Eric "in spite of" the fact he was vampire... but clearly that was not really true. Due to some strange twist of fate, I guess the Fairy in me was seriously attracted to the dark vampire magic in him... but I had finally come to accept that it was just part of what made our love so unique. He bent his head to my ear and whispered sexily, "I wanted to feel my woman under me." Oh, rwwwrr! Slowly... sensuously... he thrust into me. He took his time, rolling a little this way or that, hitting just the right spots guaranteed to drive me right... up.. the… wall.

The tables had now turned, so to speak, and my vampire had taken control. He was torturing me, keeping me right on that golden edge for what seemed like forever. As if that wasn't enough, he was teasing me with his fangs, too. He was lightly brushing my skin with them, until I was burning for the ecstasy of that familiar sharp sting and the blessed relief that was sure to follow. Eric murmured, "What do you want, Sookie? Do you want the vampire to bite you?" His voice was so low and sexy, I shivered in pleasure at the way he said my name. In response, I nodded eagerly. He chuckled and said, "Ah, I see. _Where_ do you want it? Here?... or maybe here?" He nipped me lightly in several spots, never quite breaking the skin. Suddenly, I knew what my vampire wanted.... he wanted me to beg; and so of course, I did. Sincerely I pleaded, "Oh, Eric... baby, please... I _want_ you to bite me. I _need_ it... please?"

Sure enough, that was all it took. He bit into one of his favorite spots, that little curve between the neck and shoulder. The moment his fangs penetrated my skin, I saw stars... in a good way. As my orgasm rippled through my body, I gasped and shook and cried out in my pleasure. It only took about two more strong thrusts before Eric came, too, and the feeling of him filling me was beyond bliss. His climax was every bit as intense as mine, and it deeply satisfied me to know how much I had pleased him. While the aftershocks subsided, he continued to move inside me for a time, lazily sucking and licking at the tiny punctures on my neck. I had missed that feeling so much that I wished he would never stop. Eventually, though, he rolled onto his back and tucked me next to him.

As I lay in his arms, my head resting on his chest, a fierce wave of possessiveness surged through me. I thought to myself _Eric is __mine__. He is __my__ Twice-Bonded_,_ and will never, ever belong to anyone else_. It had taken this horrible ordeal to do it, but finally I understood the full extent of what it meant to share the most sacred of Bonds. It was no longer just words or concepts but very, very real. I really _did _carry part of my Viking's soul within me, as he did mine, and when we were parted the pieces cried out to be rejoined. Like I had explained to Juanita, it was a connection much deeper than human marriage; and now I knew why it was so very rare among vampires. I had already learned the hard way that being apart for more that a few hours was agonizing and actually caused illness, although supposedly that effect got less intense with time. That was not the most important aspect, though. Now it was clear to me that once one of the Bonded pair died, it would be completely impossible for the other partner to ever be whole again... and for a vampire, that meant forever. Humans were so fragile and short-lived that to enter into that sort of Bond was automatically dooming yourself to centuries of misery. The kind of love that was required for that kind of sacrifice was exceedingly rare in any race.

I could not bear to think of my Bonded living that way. Luckily, because of my Fairy heritage, I would live for a very long time and supposedly much longer if I took Eric's ancient blood. Because of the human taboo against drinking blood, I had always secretly felt a sense of guilt and shame when I took any from Eric... but no more. Clearly, the Bond _required_ the blood exchange to keep the human partner alive as long as possible. It had been stupid and selfish of me to refuse the great gift my vampire offered me... I owed it to my Bonded to stay healthy and to live for as long as possible. As for my craving to have sex with him constantly... well honestly, who wouldn't? My Viking was gorgeous, and he was really good at it! However, now I understood that it was just another component of our Bond. When we were joined, all the parts came together to make one whole being. There were really no English words to describe that state... the closest I come come would be... blissfully complete.

When my vampire and I first talked about making the Second Bond, I had absolutely no idea what it _really_ meant; and looking back, I doubted if Eric did, either. Oh, I supposed that he had the basic idea, but it was one of those things that really couldn't be explained. You just had to find out for yourself and by then it couldn't be changed. If I had really understood what it was we were doing, would I have so fervently "wished" it into being? As wonderful as it was, I had unknowingly doomed my vampire to an eternity of longing and sadness after my death. As for him, how could he have willingly entered into this Bond, knowing (at least on some level) what it meant? We had always managed to skate around the issue, but I was determined that from now on, we had to get important stuff like that out in the open. Sadly, I asked, "Eric... are you ever sorry that we made this Bond?"

From him, I felt total surprise at my question. Without even stopping to think about it, he forcefully answered, "No. Absolutely not. Why would you even ask me such a thing?"

Very simply, I stated, "Someday, I will die."

Eric knew exactly what I meant without me having to explain. "NO! No... you are different... _we_ are different," he said fiercely, "We are a Fated pair! You will NOT die... we will be together, always."

My vampire practically crushed me in his embrace, and I knew that he wanted to believe that he could keep me alive by the force of his will... and who knew, maybe he could. I had come to realize what an unusual pair we really were, and because of that I supposed anything was possible. In the meantime, I was going to try my best to put that distant event out of my mind and try to enjoy each and every night that I had with my Bonded... that is, unless he accidentally squashed me right that very minute. I gasped, "Hey! Big guy! Need... to... breathe... here!"

Instantly, he eased up and said, "Ah, Dear One... I am sorry. Let us not speak of such things. Tonight I want us to be happy." He took my hand, and raised it to his lips. When he did, I realized with a start that he was still wearing his wedding ring. Wedding rings were such a human convention that I had figured all along he had really only been wearing his to please me. The fact that he had kept it on in my absence was very, very endearing. He saw my smile and asked, "What?"

"You left your ring on."

Again, he looked surprised. He said matter-of-factly, "Of course. We are wed. You put it there, and there it will remain.

Sometimes, he said just the right thing. I sighed, and snuggled closer. "Let me tell you something," he said seriously, "The first thing that gave me cause for hope was when I discovered that you must still be wearing my rings. I knew then that you must still love me, at least a little." He put my hand to his lips again but this time he kissed my rings, like he had done so many times before. I found it completely ironic and a little sad that out of the two of us, it was the vampire that had never lost faith in our love. After a moment, he asked "So, Beloved, what did you do today?"

"Mainly I slept here with you," I confessed, "It felt really good to be back in our bed. I did go upstairs and let Juanita fix me something to eat. Claudine came by and brought me a few things from the Portal, like this gown. Do you like it?"

I could tell by the way his eyes were glowing that he did, but he answered, "Oh, yes. It is _very_ alluring. I have never seen such a fine weave. It must be tougher than it looks though, since it is still in one piece."

We _had_ put it through a pretty good workout. Laughing, I said, "It is made from a special fiber that only grows in the Portal. It is finer and stronger than silk. A lot of fairy clothes are made from it... can you see the shimmer?"

Thoughtfully, he said, "I suppose I've had enough of your blood that I can see it quite well. I must confess, my sweet little Fairy, it makes you look good enough to eat." Playfully, he wiggled his eyebrows and leered, making sure to show plenty of fang.

"Maybe later, if you are a good vampire," was my comeback.

"Oh... I thought I had just_ been_ a good vampire. Obviously I will have to try harder next time," he responded, grinning, "Now, my Lover, what else did you do while I was resting?"

"Well, I phoned Amelia and told her that I was home. Oh... I went upstairs and checked out all the new bedrooms. Thank you for having them finished. It was really sweet of you to think of it."

Giving me a pleased look, he replied, "I know your home is important to you, and I wanted it to be perfect for your return. What did you think of the other improvements?"

"What other improvements?"

Eric looked surprised for a moment but then he said cryptically, "I take it that you have not ventured out of the house today."

"No... it sounds silly, but I really didn't want to be too far from you," I admitted.

That got me the full Viking smile. He said cockily, "As it should be. Now, my Lover, let us shower and dress. I have some things I want to show you."

Frankly, I didn't really care what we did as long as we did it together, but I had to ask, "What about Fangtasia? Don't we need to go to work?"

"No. We need some time to be together. They can get along without us for another night."

Juanita had mentioned that the Viking had stayed home the last few nights, but I hadn't asked how many. It was completely unlike my control-freak vampire to stay away from the center of his operations for long, and it could only be explained by the Bonding Sickness. However, his library now looked like he had been working from there, so maybe it had not been as bad as I feared. In any event, it was good to know that he could work from Valhalla if necessary... or like tonight, just because he wanted to stay home with me. He _was_ King, after all... if he wanted his vampires to come to him, I saw nothing wrong with that.

I had already taken one shower that day, but I was not about to forgo the pleasure of soaping up that big yummy body. I willingly jumped out of bed and padded after him into the bathroom. I pulled my gown over my head, tossed it onto the vanity, and then joined him in the shower. I scrubbed him thoroughly and then washed his hair for him. Smiling to myself, I realized that Eric was the only vampire in the whole world with his very own personal house Fairy, who was ready and willing to take _very_ good care of of his every need. After our shower, I dried him off and then sat him down on the little bench so I could dry his hair. While I was working, he idly picked up my nightgown. Running the fine cloth through his fingers, he said, "Incredible. I have never seen anything remotely like this."

"Claudine told me that Fairy-cloth is pretty rare in this world. I guess they try to keep a handle on anything that might blow their cover. She told me I should be careful who sees it."

Eric said, "I suppose I can see why. Even for those who cannot see the shimmer, fabric is unusual enough to attract attention."

"Oh, that's not even the half of it. Besides being pretty, it is pretty amazing stuff. Watch this." I stuck it under the sink faucet and got it wet, then wrung it out lightly. The cloth was damp and creased, but a moment later it began to dry and one by one the wrinkles began to smooth themselves out. In a couple of minutes, the nightgown was once again pristine. I glanced over at Eric and was tickled to see one amazed vampire.

His eyes gleaming, he again took the gown in his hands and inspected it minutely. "What type of plant does the fiber come from? " he inquired, "How is it made and by whom? Is it enchanted, or is this a natural quality of the fiber? "

As he peppered me with questions, I had to smile. Obviously, it was rare that my centuries-old vampire ran across something he had never before seen. He probably craved anything that was new and different, just to keep that brilliant mind of his stimulated. Happy that for once I could provide something other than sex to entertain him, I went back to work on his hair while I told him what little I knew about Fairy-cloth... which unfortunately was not nearly enough to suit him. "This is fascinating!" he exclaimed, "Sookie, I wish that you had asked more questions about it."

If I had known that he would be so interested maybe I would have. Or... not. I said gently, "Obviously, I had my mind on other stuff... but it is not exactly my last chance to find out. I can always ask Niall... or maybe the next time I go to the Portal I can..."

Before I could finish my sentence, Eric said sharply, "What? The _next_ time you go?" A huge spike of fear shot through the Bond. I was watching his reflection in the mirror. He looked up from the cloth in his hands. His eyes sought mine in the mirror and the pain I saw reflected in them was heartbreaking. Oh, crap! Me and my big mouth! I was going to have to learn to think before I spoke. Setting the blow dryer aside, I kissed the top of his head and then began to massage the tension out of his broad shoulders. I said gently, "Relax, baby. I _promise_ you... I will never go there again when I'm mad at you."

"Sookie! I do not want you going there at _all_!" he exclaimed, "You are my Queen! The vampires view the Portal with dread and suspicion. They think of it as a kind of hell. How would it look for their Queen to be there?"

Surprised by this response, I said, "Hell? Nothing could be further from the truth. It's beautiful and very peaceful there. Obviously you just don't know much about it." I could both see and feel that the whole issue was really bugging him, and I didn't think it was just about appearances. "Honey, this isn't just because of how it will look, is it? You need to tell me how you really feel."

For a moment, he seemed to be struggling with his answer. Finally, he said, "Very well. I will tell you the truth. You are my Bonded, Sookie. When you are away from me, I do not feel whole. It frightens me to think that you are in a place where I cannot reach you. It makes me feel helpless."

I knew how much it had cost him to make that admission, but I felt like our relationship had just taken a giant step forward. I knelt down beside him and took both of his hands in mine. I said, "Eric, I am really, really sorry I made you feel that way. I guess I understand why you wouldn't want me going back. Now I think I should tell you how _I_ feel. While I was staying with Niall, we got to know each other. I have come to care for him and I want him to be a part of my life from now on. I feel like I have a family now, and I want to be able to go visit them sometimes if I want."

"I am your Bonded," he said a little stiffly, "Am I not enough?"

I turned his hands up and tenderly kissed one palm and then the other. "I love you more than anything, honey," I replied very sincerely, "You will _always_ come first, no matter what... but that doesn't mean I can't care about other people, too. I don't know why having family is important to me, but it is. I'll never... " I stopped, swallowed the lump in my throat, and then forged ahead, "Well, we're being honest, so I'll just say it. I'll never be able to have children of my own, so I guess maybe that's why I'm so anxious to hold on to the family I already have."

He thought that over for a minute, and then said, "I may not completely understand, but I do want you to be happy. However, why do you have to go to the Portal? Why not have your family come here? Do you think your home unworthy of entertaining a Fairy Prince?"

"Of course not! This is an amazing house and I still can't believe we actually live here! I am very proud of our home. It's not that at all. It's just... I can't really explain it, but being in the Portal makes me feel more connected to my Fairy side. For one thing, my magic is stronger there... but _I_ want _you_ to be happy, too, and I don't want you to be upset anymore. The truth is that I don't like being away from you for very long, either, and not just because of the Bonding Sickness. What if I just go for a few hours, during the daylight while you are at rest? I would always let you know beforehand, and I would always be home before sunset."

He reached out a finger and ran it lightly down the side of my face. "But how can I be sure that you _will_ come back? That is the point... I cannot come looking for you."

"Oh, baby, _of course_ I'll come back. Don't you trust me?"

For a split second, he hesitated... but I knew what that slight hesitation meant. I had hurt him enough he really _didn't_ trust me not to do it again. He said, "I _do_ know that you love me. I suspect I am just a bit sensitive on the subject of the Portal just now."

I climbed up into his lap and wound myself around him. After giving him about a million kisses all over his face, I said, "Let's just forget all about it for now. I doubt the issue is going to come up for a long time, anyway. I solemnly promise not to go to the Portal until you are comfortable with the idea... how's that?"

Finally, I got a smile. My vampire said, "That is acceptable. Now, my sweet little Fairy, let us get dressed. I still have some things I want to show you."

Since we weren't going out I went into our closet and pulled out a pair of jeans. I was just about to put them on when they were removed from my hands by the Viking. He just gave me a look and shook his head in an emphatic "no." By that I suppose he was indicating his preference for "easy access." Since I was hoping for a little more make-up sex later on, I indulged him by choosing a soft cotton dress with a full skirt. Nobody but Eric and Juanita would be seeing me, so for once I didn't bother with a bra. It would just be something else to remove later. I had to draw the line at no panties, though, so I found a sexy little pair of blue ones I had been saving for a special occasion and slipped them on.

We headed upstairs. Juanita was bustling around in the kitchen and the minute she saw Eric she gave him a brilliant smile. In rapid-fire Spanish, she said, "_Buenos noches, Patrón. __Te dije que estaría de vuelta ¿Ves lo mucho que te ama? Usted será feliz." _(_Good evening, Master. I told you she would be back. Do you see how much she loves you? You will be happy now. ) _

In the same language he replied, _"__Sí, estoy contento, y yo me encargaré de que no me deja de nuevo." _(_Yes, I am happy, and I will take care that she never leaves me again._)

I had no idea what they just said, but by the way she was smiling I figured it was good. In English, she asked him, "May I warm some blood for you?"

My vampire was standing behind me, his arms casually draped around my waist. Reaching up, he lightly ran his fingertips over the little punctures that had not yet faded. Very politely, he replied, "No, thank you. I am quite full for now." With that, he leaned down and began nuzzling my neck. My goodness! Never once had he shown such affection in front of our housekeeper, or made it so plain that he had been feeding from me. I just turned about three shades of red and chuckled weakly.

Instead of being shocked or revolted, a satisfied smile crossed Juanita's face. I should have known by then that nothing seemed to upset our calm housekeeper. "How about you, Miss Sookie?" she asked, "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you," I said.

"Yes, you can," the vampire told her. Turning me around to face him, he said, "Tell me the truth. How many times have you eaten today?"

"Well... once. But I slept most of the day, and I had a huge meal just a few hours ago."

He said, "Mmm. If I recall, the required number of feedings for humans is usually three. Isn't that correct, Juanita?"

The housekeeper confirmed this. Eric continued, "My Love, our troubles first started because you were not eating enough. I intend to see that never happens again. Now be a good girl and eat something."

"... but honey, I thought you wanted to show me some things."

"No buts, Sookie," my husband said firmly, "Food first, then I will take you for a walk."

Juanita spoke up and said, "Miss Sookie, let me whip you up an omelet. It will only take a few minutes, and it isn't very heavy."

That sounded pretty good, and in no time she had produced my little meal. Eric sat at the table with me while I ate. Once I was finished, Eric announced, "I am going to take my wife on a walk."

"Yes, sir. It is a lovely night for a walk... and there is much to see, _verdad_?" her eyes twinkled merrily as she spoke, "It is nearly time for me to leave. I will see you tomorrow afternoon, Miss Sookie. I am so glad you are home."

After telling her goodnight, Eric took my arm and led me out the front door. As soon as I stepped out onto the porch, I gasped. I had been so focused on my vampire last night, I had completely ignored all the changes. In my absence, the gardeners had been hard at work. The whole place was transformed. Although the plants were still small, all the flowerbeds and walkways were in. There was a beautiful fountain in front of the drive, where it could be seen from the front porch. There were blooming flowers everywhere... in the flowerbeds and also tucked in and around small decorative trees and shrubs. Everything was lit with strategically placed low voltage lights. It was... magical! I laughed in delight. Eric was watching my reaction intently. When I started to laugh he smiled and asked softly, "Do you like it, my angel?"

Like it? It was amazing! I said in wonder, "It is... fantastic! How on earth did three men do all this in the time I was gone?"

His grin broadened and he replied, "Well...I confess, it took more than three men. Come, you have not seen everything."

It was an absolutely perfect evening, mild and clear. Arm in arm we slowly made our way around the yard. At every turn there was another delight. All of Hector's ideas and mine had been implemented, and even some additions which I presumed were Eric's. There were several ponds, each flowing into the other, filled with tiny fish that Eric told me would get big someday. There was a full herb garden close to the kitchen and a fragrant night-blooming garden near the pool area. All around the swimming pool were pots and hanging baskets overflowing with blooming plants. As we stood admiring the glowing jewel-like water, I asked, "What on earth prompted all of this? You have made all my dreams for this place come true... how did you even know what they were?"

"I found your notebook," Eric said, "I wrote you many letters while you were gone. Besides trying to explain to you what really happened in Las Vegas, I also told you what I was doing here and why. Your cousin Claude was supposed to deliver them to you, but obviously he did not. If I had been in my right mind I would have known better than to trust him."

Oh... crap. Instantly, a huge surge of guilt shot through me and before I could stop myself tears sprang into my eyes. I turned to Eric and took both of his hands in mine. I looked him straight in the eye and confessed, "Actually, Claude _did_ bring them to me... but I never read them. I... I got so mad when I heard that you trashed his car and tried to hurt him that I lost my temper and burned them. The instant I did it, I was sorry... but it was too late. Baby, I'm _so_ sorry."

For a just a moment, Eric looked and felt so sad it nearly broke my heart. I knew I had to be honest with him about what had happened, but I just couldn't stand hurting him anymore! I threw my arms around his neck and began to cry. He held me and rubbed my back, and made little shushing noises. He murmured in my ear, "Shhh, my angel, please... we _both_ made mistakes. You did not read my letters, but you gave me another chance anyway. All that matters is that you have forgiven me."

Of course, that made me cry even harder, but eventually I got myself under control and let go of Eric's neck. Out of the pocket of his jeans he produced a clean handkerchief and handed it to me, saying, "I felt that we might be in need of this tonight. Sookie, we have been through a very serious ordeal. As much as we would both like to pretend it never happened, we cannot. Unfortunately vampire blood cannot heal this type of wound. I imagine it will take some time for _both_ of us to heal. The important thing is that we are back together. As long as I know that you love me, I can face everything else as it surfaces."

As usual, the Viking was being so darned practical. I sniffled a bit, and mopped my face. He took the handkerchief from my hand and used it to carefully remove the remainder of my mascara. He shook his head and said, "Really, my love, I have no idea why you insist on wearing make-up. You are much too beautiful to require any enhancement."

"That is very sweet and I appreciate it," I replied, "Maybe until I can get the waterworks under control I might take your advice. No make-up is certainly more attractive than a drippy black mess."

Eric just smiled, took my arm, and we resumed our stroll. After a moment, I said, "I still don't know the answer to my question. What made you decide to do all of this?"

He fell silent. Once again I could tell he was struggling to find the right words. Finally, Eric said, "The answer to your question is complicated. Almost the moment you left, I discovered how little I _really_ knew about you. It suddenly became clear to me how self-centered I had become in my old age. I had selfishly expected you to fall right into my life without a backwards glance at your own. I read your notebook... yes, you can get angry if you want, but I did. I learned about a few of the things that are important to you... like having a lovely home... and this garden. I set out to make as many of your dreams come true as I possibly could."

He paused for a minute, thinking. Eventually, he continued, "In a way, I was _still_ being selfish. I thought that if you saw how perfect your home had become...and that I had made it so, just to make you happy... that you might consent to return. In my letters, I tried to convince you to at least come back to Louisiana by suggesting a compromise of sorts. You could live here at Valhalla, and I would merely visit enough to keep the Bonding Sickness to a minimum... I would have agreed to anything if only you would at least speak to me. Frankly, now that you are home, I am just as glad that you _didn't_ read those letters... towards the end, I was hopelessly saccharine in my appeals. Now that I am in my right mind, I realize you would have probably been revolted by such weakness."

Immediately, I responded, "Well, that just proves you were right about one thing. You _don't_ understand me... or any other woman... very well. I would do _anything_ to have those letters back, especially now that I know what was in them. Trust me, I will be kicking myself forever for burning them."

The Viking just smiled faintly and shook his head at the incomprehensible thought processes of females. He said, "Someday I will tell you exactly what was in each one, if that is your wish. For now, Beloved, let me show you your rose garden. I think you will like it." Again, he took my arm and led me down yet another path.

That was an understatement. I absolutely adored it. The rose garden was nothing short of spectacular. There were at least a hundred roses planted with arbors and walkways throughout. In the very center stood a large statue of carved marble. It had the appearance of great age and represented a lovely woman in a flowing, classical gown... and automatically I knew that this was not a depiction of an angel, but a Fairy. For one thing, it looked for all the world like Rhiannon. For another, in the Fairy's outstretched hand sat a woodsprite. "Where did you find this?" I asked in wonder, "It is fantastic!"

"Robert sent it as a wedding gift," replied my vampire, "I am quite fond of it. It reminds me of you." Out of the corner of my eye, I realized he was watching me carefully, obviously interested in my reaction.

Hmmm. There _was_ something about that statue... Oh! In another of those vivid dreams I had while staying at Niall's, there had been a statue that looked almost identical to this one. How weird was that? That made two of my recent dreams that turned out to have some basis in reality. Was I now having premonitions?... or maybe it had something to do with my telepathy. Sometimes I received information from other people's heads as images... but no, that just didn't make sense. I stepped up closer to the statue and ran the tip of my finger over the wings of the woodsprite. Still mulling over how in the world a statue that I had never seen before tonight had ended up in a dream from a couple of weeks ago, I said absently, "I see the artist must have been pretty familiar with woodsprites. This one is very accurate." Sure enough, the carving was very realistic right down to the male fairy's impressive little "package."

"What? You have actually seen one?" Eric asked incredulously.

I answered readily, "Yes, they are pretty common in the woods around Niall's palace."

Almost as if he didn't believe me, he said, "Oh, _really_? Are you sure the pretty Fairy is not trying to tease the poor ignorant vampire?"

Laughing, I said, "No, of course not. They are as real as any other Fairy. They look just like this... at least the males do."

Eric inspected the carving more closely and then said skeptically, "Hmph. It appears the sculptor was prone to exaggeration."

Without thinking, I responded, "Oh, not really. _All_ Fairy males are gifted in that department... er... or so I've been told."

Uh oh. Did those words _really_ just fall out of my mouth? That was about the dumbest thing I _ever_ said! Those expressive Viking eyebrows came together in a frown; but instead of questioning me on exactly how it was I knew anything at all about the standard sizes of male Fairy equipment, he surprised me. Before I could even open my mouth to backpedal, the Viking began to move. In a flash, he was behind me, holding me firmly against his body. I could feel his prominent bulge as he slowly rubbed it against my backside. Placing his lips next to my ear, he whispered sexily, "Vampires are not exactly known for being inadequate... at least, not _this_ vampire... or so _I've_ been told."

Mmmm. The vampire surely knew how to get his point across. He began nuzzling my neck and teasing me with the sharp points of his fangs. My temperature instantly zoomed up a few notches. "It certainly feels like a Gracious Plenty to me," I admitted, "Okay, that settles it. In the "Who Has the Biggest Supernatural Wanger" contest, vampires win hands down."

"I should certainly hope so," my vampire said smugly, giving me one last bump for emphasis. He swung me around and proceeded to give me an extra special Viking kiss, which made my panties wetter than ever. Even while returning his kiss, part of me was sighing in relief. That conversation had come uncomfortably close to a subject that I was just not ready to broach. I just could not decide whether or not to tell Eric about Rhys. After all, it wasn't as if I had slept with him or anything... we had only shared two fairly innocent kisses... but I knew in my heart that even _that_ was going to upset my Bonded. I had already upset him at least twice already for one night, and I was going to go out of my way to make sure he was nothing but happy for the rest of the evening. However, just thinking about the whole thing made me send out a jolt of pure guilt. Crap! Sure enough, Eric stopped kissing me. He looked down and asked, "Sookie, what is bothering you?"

Somewhat bitterly, I replied, "I was just thinking just how much trouble Fairy males can be." Well, that was truthful, at least. I had best get the conversation on another track, so I segued into the next topic, "Honey, as much as I hate to do it, I guess I had better find out what happened with Claude."

"Very well. Let us continue our walk and I will tell you exactly what transpired," the Viking replied willingly. He took my hand, tucked it around his arm, and we began to stroll through the arbor. "After you left, I immediately began to search for you," he began, "Claudine was nowhere to be found, so I went to Ruston to speak to Claude. Even for a Fairy he was insolent... but I promise you, I never attacked him. He is still living, is he not? There is your proof. If I had seriously wanted to catch him, believe me, I could have done it."

I glanced up at my ancient vampire, and knew he was speaking the truth. At his age, he was extremely fast; and although I bet Niall could give him a good run for his money, Claude wouldn't stand a chance. I nodded for him to continue. The Viking said, "I will admit that he goaded me into losing my temper. I threw a dumpster on top of his car. Really, the resulting crunch was quite satisfying... but I digress. The only good thing to come out of that confrontation was that I gleaned a very important piece of information... your location. I phoned you immediately, but Niall refused to allow me to speak to you and after that would no longer take my calls."

Guiltily I confessed, "That was my fault. I made him promise not to talk to you."

Eric waved his hand, indicating that it was no longer of any consequence. "I suspected as much. You will be glad to know that the Prince kept his promise... except that I think he arranged for his secretary to drop a subtle hint that my letters would not be rebuffed... and that Claude would be the one to deliver them. Immediately, I tried that avenue. However, Claude realized that for once he had me at a serious disadvantage... and he was going to enjoy every second of it. Bill eventually negotiated a compromise. In order for him to even consider delivering my letters to the Portal, the Fairy required a written apology and a vampire dancer for his club. I provided both right away; however, there was a slight delay in receiving the car. Even _after_ it was delivered, he...."

Rudely, I cut my vampire off in mid-sentence. "WHAT? You have apologized to Claude _in writing_... and you've _already_ replaced his car?" The scene of Claude bringing me those letters flashed through my mind. Looking back, it was clear that Niall had been waiting for Claude to deliver those all-important letters and was pretty miffed when he found out that his grandson had been hanging on to them for days... but now it was equally clear that my spineless cousin had tried to dodge Niall's anger by shoving Eric under the bus. He hadn't really been concerned with my welfare in the least. Clearly, Claude's need to one-up my vampire and extort a new car from him took precedence over my happiness.

I was so angry I started to pace around in tight circles. Fuming, I continued my tirade, "Oh...that little _weasel_! I _swear_ I am going to pop straight over to Ruston and kick his Fairy butt! … and if he thinks he can avoid me by hiding in the Portal, he's got another think coming! Niall made it so that I can get in without help! I... well, okay, I know I promised you I wouldn't go there, but maybe you'll make an exception for such a good cause. Anyhow, no matter where it is, when I catch him he'll _wish_ I was a vampire! I'll... I'll..." My magic was swirling around inside me, and I knew I had to let it out or burst. Wildly, I looked around for an outlet, spied a target, held out my hands and.... ZAP!

My vampire and I stood and watched the nearby shrub shrivel and twist in the flames as it burned to a crisp. Luckily, there was no wind and the sparks fell straight to the ground. For a split second, Eric looked completely astonished. Somewhat mildly, he inquired, "So, Beloved... is _that_ what became of my letters?"

Sighing, I just nodded. I was about to apologize for losing my temper yet again when I realized that my vampire was now staring at me intently. Sapphire eyes glittering, his handsome face held an unreadable expression... I couldn't decide whether it was admiration, fascination, or maybe even adoration. In any event, there was no doubt about his emotions. Overwhelmingly, what my vampire was feeling was plain, old-fashioned LUST.

Before I could say a word, Eric practically jerked me into his arms and was kissing me for all he was worth. His hands roamed feverishly over my body. What the heck? I had been expecting just about any other reaction from him... questions, lectures, even teasing... literally _anything_ but the full court press I was getting. Then, it hit me. Instead of being intimidated by a woman exhibiting a little power, apparently my vampire found it highly erotic! Wow! Just knowing that he found _my_ magic such a turn-on made me hotter than a branding iron straight out of the embers; and suddenly I was giving just as good as I was getting. I began kissing him back just as passionately and _my_ hands were doing a little roaming of their own. Ugh! The tight fabric of his t-shirt was between me and that fantastic skin of his! Impatiently tugging at it, I finally got him to stop kissing me long enough to pull it over his head. Ah, much, much better! Apparently he had taken equal offense at the top of my dress. For a minute, he fumbled unsuccessfully at the tiny row of buttons on the bodice with his long fingers; but soon he gave a growl of pure frustration, grasped the fabric firmly in one hand and jerked... and then smiled in satisfaction at the resulting hail storm of tiny buttons that peppered his chest. My breasts sprang free of their confinement but were soon covered by those large Viking hands.

I was just as eager to release the Gracious Plenty, so I unfastened Eric's jeans and did the honors. Ah! His erection practically jumped into my hands, and I began to stroke him urgently. We were both absolutely on fire. The Viking swept me off my feet, carried me to the nearest patch of soft spring grass, and laid me down very gently... and that was where the gentleness ended. In the blink of an eye, he had kicked off his flip-flops and shed his jeans. Falling to his knees, he shoved the hem of my skirt up past my hips, and then made short work of my panties. For once, I was more than happy to see them reduced to shreds. The ground underneath me was cool, but I didn't care. I was so filled with passion and residual vampire blood that I was plenty warm enough. The Viking kneed my legs open and crawled between them. This time there was no foreplay or sweet words between us... only a burning, nearly desperate need to be joined. He covered my lips with his in a crushing, passionate kiss and then put them next to my ear. Hoarsely, he proclaimed, "You are MINE." In one swift move, he buried himself inside me all the way to the hilt.

In response, my inner cavewoman gave an audible growl. I tilted my pelvis up at just the right angle, put my hands on his bottom, and pressed. There was no doubt what both of us wanted, and so he proceeded to give it to me. This was not the healing, sweet love-making of our initial reunion; oh, no, this was raw... primitive... and completely awesome. In no time, my heart was beating like a drum and I could hear myself gasping and moaning, but I swear I just could not help myself. I could feel every glorious inch of my vampire as he pounded into me. He was going as deeply as he could, and he was so big that it was just on the border between pain and ecstasy. I greedily wanted all of him though, and so I rolled my head to the side and demanded, "Do it, baby, bite me... now!"

Eric never even hesitated; instantly, he plunged his fangs roughly into my neck and pulled deeply on the resulting punctures. I climaxed, violently, crying out, "Oh my God! Eric! Ah! AHHHH!" This triggered my lover's own release and he threw his head back and roared as his essence shot forcefully into me. Even after the strong spasms stopped, he stayed exactly where he was, obviously reluctant to move. I knew exactly how he felt. My entire body felt like Jello. All I could manage to do was wrap my arms limply around him while I tried to catch my breath. After that savage but exhilarating round of love-making, neither of us were capable of movement. We lay there for a long time without speaking as we tried to regain our senses. The first thing that came out of Eric's mouth was, "Admit it. not only are vampires the best endowed, we are _also_ the best lovers. No Fairy could make you scream like that."

I chuckled weakly before responding, "Ha! Mr. Smug! Since I've never had sex with a Fairy, I really can't comment... unless you'd like to put your claim to the test. Trot one out and we'll give it a go."

At my teasing, my vampire play-growled into my ear, "Grrrrr! Not a chance. Any Fairy that presumes to lay a finger on _my_ wife will find himself in pieces."

Uh oh. Even though I knew we were just kidding around, I bet that statement wasn't far from the truth... and I also figured the threat might well be retroactive. Still, I clamped down hard on any further feelings of guilt. _Only happy thoughts for the rest of the night_ was my new mantra. Besides, I wanted nothing more than to lay there and savor the feel of my vampire in my arms. He was playfully nibbling on my ear when suddenly he stopped and said crossly, "Whatever it is, it had better be good."

What the _hell_? A moment later, a smooth voice with a French accent answered, "A thousand apologies for the interruption, Brother, but we have some very urgent news. We were unable to reach you by phone and so decided the most expedient thing would be to come here in person. We tried the house first, but the housekeeper was already gone for the evening. I suspected that you were showing Sookie the improvement to the grounds... and it appears I was right."

Oh... no. Obviously I had been so focused on my vampire that I had not heard anyone approaching. The voice was coming from just above my head so I rolled my head backwards a little and took a look. Sure enough, the handsome face of Robert was staring down at me, sea-green eyes glowing with amusement, and a fangy smile hovering on those luscious lips of his. If that wasn't bad enough, Bill stood a few paces behind him on the path. Immediately, I closed my eyes tightly and wished the ground could swallow me whole. Unfortunately, for once, I didn't get my wish.


	32. Chapter 32

_Author's Notes: I want to thank you all very much for the wonderful reviews. Please forgive me for not being able to respond this time around. This week has been extremely busy for me. Just know that I treasure each and every one. You guys keep me inspired!_

_***I apologize for not getting this chapter posted Monday night as promised. I was just not happy with the last segment and had to re-work it today. This is another mammoth, very eventful chapter.. Plan your time accordingly!_

_***The last chapter contained a lot of typos which have now been fixed... sorry about that! _

**Chapter 32 **

**Bill's POV, Fangtasia, the night after Sookie's return**

Even though I had been sitting out in the bar of Fangtasia for only a little more than an hour, the third fangbanger of the evening had already approached me with an offer of blood and sex. I sent him packing with an impatient flick of my fingers. In the last couple of weeks, I had learned almost immediately that being polite was not very effective, and in desperation had finally adopted Eric's rather high-handed methods of ridding myself of the pests. Hopefully now that Sookie was home, Eric could go back to being the star attraction and I could retreat to the relative privacy of the back office. I had never been all that fond of the bar scene, and particularly the zoo-like atmosphere of Fangtasia. While Sookie was away and Eric was suffering from Bonding Sickness, I had out of necessity spent a great deal more time there. I was still not certain how Pam had _ever_ talked me in to floor duty, but for one night at least I had Robert to keep me company.

To my further dismay, Pam had even managed to brow-beat Robert and I into wearing what she deemed "Fangtasia-appropriate" clothing... which in my case consisted of black jeans, t-shirt, and leather jacket. As for the Knight, I seriously doubted if he even owned a pair of jeans; but apparently, Pam had been one step ahead of him and provided him with a pair of black leather pants and a dark red silk shirt... and then somehow bribed or cajoled him into wearing it. Obviously Pam understood her bar patrons quite well, because by actual count Robert had already turned away at least three fangbangers of his own, four if one counted the girl who offered to "do us" both. Sighing, I asked rather irritably, "How do you suppose Pam and Eric stand it? This would drive me crazy night after night."

"I know exactly what you mean," the Knight agreed, "I found myself resisting a strong urge to kick that last female. What on earth possesses them to pierce absolutely everything? A tiny accent here or there is one thing, but I could hardly see her face through all the metal. I was afraid I might break a fang if I bit into her," He gave a slight shudder before continuing, "However, to answer your question... my brother has always been an excellent businessman. When he opened this club, it was one of the very first vampire bars in the country. I think he enjoyed the challenge, not to mention the endless supply of blood and sex available with practically no effort on his part. By all accounts Fangtasia is a huge success, but I wonder if he will continue to be quite as hands-on as he has been. I suspect he will find that it is no longer so amusing now that he has much more important matters to keep his mind occupied."

"Yes, ruling this territory effectively is quite a task," I agreed.

"Oh, definitely... but I was really referring to Sookie. There is no doubt in my mind that the little Fairy is going to keep him constantly on his toes."

Shaking my head, I said ruefully, "Trust me, she _is_ a handful... but remember, she is mostly human."

"Human!" snorted the Knight, "William, my friend, you saw her last night. Did she look mostly human to _you?"_

No, she had not. If I lived to be as old as the Viking, I would never forget how my former lover looked standing there on the sagging old porch of her farmhouse. It almost seemed as if she were emitting a golden aura; and in her long flowing gown she had been stunningly, almost blindingly lovely... but up until Robert confirmed it, I thought maybe I had just been glad to see her and had let my imagination run wild. I answered, "No. She looked more like a Fairy than ever... which is very strange since she only possesses a small percentage of the Royal bloodline."

"Sookie is beginning to look exactly like that old rascal Niall," said Robert, "I wonder... what is known about the _other_ side of her family?"

I thought back for a moment before replying, "I knew her grandmother Adele. She was an unusual woman but as far as I know entirely human... although Sookie's telepathy had to come from somewhere. It is not a Fairy trait."

For a moment, Robert seemed lost in thought. Finally, he said, "It is probably not important. Perhaps someday I will satisfy my curiosity and look into it a little further. In any event, I am glad our little collaboration came to a satisfactory conclusion. I really do not know what would have become of the Viking if his Bonded had not returned when she did. We really could not have concealed his condition much longer, and I am sure a host of ambitious vampires would have been circling this kingdom in no time."

That was a scenario too grim to even contemplate. Fortunately that train of thought was interrupted by a voice directly behind me saying, "What on earth is wrong with the two of you? You should see your expressions! Morose vampires are bad for business!"

Robert said soberly, "We were just saying that we were glad that Sookie has returned and that Eric has recovered from the Sickness."

"Hmph. _Eric_ may feel better, but it certainly hasn't done _me_ any good," Pam replied sourly, "I guess our Monarch is too busy fucking his Fairy to put in an appearance here... even though I've been practically run off my feet ever since this whole mess started."

Robert reached over, grabbed her hand, and then pulled her on to his lap. He rubbed the small of her back and said soothingly, "Now, Pamela, admit it... you would be doing much the same. I know _I _would. I have only tasted one tiny drop of that delectable blood of hers, and believe me, in Eric's place I would not dream of letting her out of the bedroom for at least a week. It is just as well that their Bond will not allow him to drain her. As it is, I will wager he's as full as a tick."

In spite of herself, a slow smile crossed Pam's face. She said dreamily, "Yes, I got to taste Sookie's blood once at their wedding. It was absolutely incredible. You know, it's too bad no one has ever synthesized Fairy blood.... now, _that_ would be an excellent seller."

In the back of my mind, a little bell went off. I wondered why no one _had_ tried to synthesize it. It would be much too dangerous to be sold full-strength, because of all the highly intoxicated, overly amorous vampires that would result... but maybe if just a few drops were mixed with regular human blood... that _would_ be a best-seller and relatively harmless. Shoving that thought aside for another time, I tried to pay attention to the current conversation. Pam was saying, "No doubt we will not be seeing anything of our King for several days. If I need his signature, I suppose I will just have to shove the papers under their bedroom door. He's absolutely no fun at all about letting me watch anymore."

I wished my companions would quit talking about Eric and Sookie having sex. Just thinking about it was giving me a raging hard-on. Perhaps I had been a little hasty in turning away that first fangbanger. She was at least blond... maybe I could get her to wash off all the black goop beforehand. I was just beginning to scan the crowd for a less Gothic alternative, when Pam's phone rang. Her eyes brightened for a split second and she said, "Now that he's back in his right mind, maybe it is Eric calling for a report." Jumping up from Robert's lap, she stuck two fingers into her bustier and deftly plucked the small phone from its snug location. After taking a quick look at the display, a tiny frown appeared on her delicate features. After snapping open the phone she held it to her ear and said, "Yes?" and then "Really? Are you certain? Tell me the details." She paced back and forth in front of us as she listened. Abruptly she told her caller, "Hold the line."

Pam's normal bored expression was replaced with one of excitement. "This is Kira. Bill, you know her, don't you?"

I nodded. By now I knew almost all of the area vampires. Kira was a very attractive young vampiress who had requested to be allowed to relocate to Area 5 right after Hurricane Katrina. As far as I could remember, she had taken up residence in the small town of Minden. Pam continued, "She works at a vampire-friendly stop and shop near Minden. It shares a parking lot with a roadhouse... a real red-neck hangout, according to her. Apparently they don't even allow vampires inside. It's not the most amiable of tenant mixes, and there have already been some run-ins with the bar patrons. She was taking the trash out to the dumpster when she spotted a green Suburban pulling into the parking lot. It has the license plate number that the Shifter Merlotte gave to Eric. Who can we send to check this out?"

The night that Eric had thrown the jukebox through the window at Merlotte's, Sam had given us the license plate number of someone he suspected of dealing in vampire blood. After Eric had gone home, I quizzed the shifter and gotten a description of the suspect as well as his vehicle. As soon as I had the opportunity I had done a little investigating. The plates were registered to a man by the name of Keith Freyer, who maintained a post office box in Arcadia. Without an address it was very difficult to go any further with that lead. Even though it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, Pam and I spread the word among the vampires of Area 5 to be on the lookout for that automobile... but now it looked like our long shot might have paid off.

Thinking rapidly, I said, "This is the only new lead we've had in weeks. I think we should go ourselves. Surely if the man just got to the bar, he will be there for awhile. If we leave now, we can be there in thirty minutes or less." The opportunity to question this man was too good to waste, and also if we went ourselves it would have the side benefit of getting me out of floor duty.

Robert spoke up and said, "By all means, I am ready for a little action. Do you think the girl Kira is capable of detaining the man if he tries to leave before we arrive?"

"From the information we have gathered, it appears that the drainers always work in teams of three," Pam replied thoughtfully, "If this man is alone, I doubt he's too much of a threat. I think Kira could take him with no problem. I know _I _could." She gave us a fangy grin.

I said, "Yes, but she is much younger than you and not as strong or highly trained. We need the man undamaged. Just tell her to keep an eye on that car. If he tries to leave, she should follow him in her own vehicle and keep us informed by cell phone."

Robert nodded his head in agreement, and Pam relayed the orders to Kira. She listened for a moment to the girl's response and said firmly, "I _understand_ that you are there by yourself. If you should have to leave, just lock the door. This is important Kingdom business. I will fix things with your employer." The owner of the establishment was one of the Area vampires who had been with us in New Orleans, and would be unlikely to raise much of a fuss. Pam ended the call by telling the girl to keep us apprised of the situation if anything changed. Before she even snapped her phone shut, the three of us were already headed for the door. Pam gave a wave to Felicia on the way out, indicating that she was in charge in our absence. With Sookie gone and Eric "indisposed," Pam had been relying a great deal on the young bartender to help fill in the gaps in management, and so far she had risen to the task relatively well. Once we hit the parking lot, I started to go to my car but Pam said, "No. Let's take mine. We'll make much better time."

Robert and I both winced, but I knew she was right... that is, if we managed to get there in one piece. On the few times I had the misfortune to be a passenger with Pam behind the wheel, I had come to learn that she was a star pupil of the "Eric Northman School of Daredevil Driving." While it was true that vampires as a group were prone to speeding, Eric and his child took this to proclivity to extremes. We all took our seats in the minivan, and for once I was glad to fasten my seatbelt. Robert chose to sit in the back... the coward. Before I had a chance to brace myself, Pam had gunned the engine and the minivan rocketed out of the parking lot, narrowly avoiding a car full of fangbangers pulling in. Weaving through the sparse amount of traffic on the streets, Pam headed straight for the Interstate. "Bill, call Eric," she commanded, "He will want to know about this."

It suddenly dawned on me why Pam was so adamant about being the one to drive... that meant that someone other than her would have to be the one to interrupt the Viking's first full night back with his Bonded. I could not exactly blame her. Her Maker had not been exactly cordial to her for the last several days, to the point that Robert had flatly told her to stay away from him for her own safety. Now that Eric was back in his right mind, it would be interesting to see what would happen. I doubted very much if he was the sort to do much apologizing. Obediently I got out my phone and placed the call. After a few rings, it went to voice mail. I left a brief message without any real hope of it being returned.

Once we passed out of the city and into the more sparsely populated stretch of highway, Robert shook his head and asked, "What on earth would possess a vampire to want to live out in the country in the first place? There is nothing to do... and not much in the way of a food supply."

To a confirmed city-dweller, I could see why it might seem strange. I answered, "Now that there is synthetic blood, the population of an area is not as much of an issue. Believe it or not, vampires moving out of the cities is becoming somewhat of a phenomenon across the country. Vampires such as myself that were originally raised in the country sometimes prefer to live in a more rural situation. It seems the new catch phrase for this is "night flight." In this case, several of the Katrina refugees got together and bought a large tract of land near an existing small town. They split it up into large lots and built vampire-friendly homes on them. It is a gated community, with extra security during the daylight hours. It is still close enough to Shreveport to be convenient for shopping but far enough outside of town to have that rural feel. The convenience store in which Kira works is nearby and carries an excellent selection of bottled bloods."

Robert snorted and said, "Trust me when I tell you that no one could have been raised in a less populated area than I was. I for one could _never_ live in the country again... I would be bored to my final death within weeks. Tell me, how are the locals of this small community taking to their new residents?"

"About like you would expect... with suspicion. I can tell you from my own experience that integrating into human society is a slow process. When I first moved back to Bon Temps..." Before I could finish that statement, Pam's phone rang. Once again she fished it out and then tossed it to me to answer. It was Kira, who said, "Pam, I'm just checking in. No sign of him so far... I've already locked up, so I wouldn't be distracted by any customers at the wrong moment." In the background, the faint strains of music could be heard, presumably from the bar next door.

"Kira, this is Bill Compton," I told her, "We are only a few minutes away."

Calmly, the young vampiress said, "Oh, hello, Bill. Congratulations on being made Lieutenant. Uh... do you mind if I ask you why you all are so interested in this guy? What has he done?"

"We have good reason to believe he is selling vampire blood. Would the bar next door be a good location for that sort of thing?"

Voice dripping with disdain, she said, "Probably... the hypocrites! That bar is full of redneck fuckers who claim to hate us... but it is just like the ignorant bastards to see nothing wrong with using our blood to get high and have great sex! Asshats! They make me _so_ mad!"

Although I could not help agree with the sentiments, the young woman's coarse language made me wince. I had never gotten accustomed to hearing such words coming out of a lady's mouth so casually. I supposed Sookie was right about me... I was hopelessly old-fashioned when it came to that sort of thing. I replied, "Our new King takes this whole issue very seriously. He is determined to put a stop to it."

"That Eric is something, all right. My Maker always said he'd make a great King," she responded, and then her voice dropped to a whisper. "Holy shit, Bill, there he is!" she said in excitement, "Listen, instead of following him, I think I can just grab him and hold him until you guys get here."

Immediately I said, "No! He might be dangerous... just follow the orders Pam gave you!"

She obviously wasn't listening to me, though. "Shhh! I'm going to sneak up on him."

"No! Kira, don't hurt him!" I practically shouted into the phone. She had left the connection open and I heard a startled voice say, "What the hell, lady! You scared the crap out of me, sneaking up on me like that... hey! Let go of me!" The sound of a struggle came through the receiver and I had to wonder how she could be using both hands to restrain a full grown human male and still have control of her cell phone. It was completely frustrating to be able to hear the event unfolding and yet being powerless to do anything to help. I could only hope that the young vampiress was as capable as she thought herself.

To Pam, I said something I never in my wildest dreams thought I would _ever_ say. "Can't you make this thing go any faster?" I snarled. From my end of the conversation, I knew she could tell that the situation was now dire. She nodded grimly and floored the accelerator. Anxiously, I clutched the cell phone to my ear, desperately trying to interpret what was happening. Faintly I heard a voice shouting, "Jesus, Keith, what's going on? Oh, shit!"; then Kira growling, "Blood-dealing fucker! I've got your ass now!"; and then yet another voice yelling, "Ow! The bitch is biting me! Get her off me! AHHH!"

Almost immediately, I heard the metallic noise of a car door being flung open and then the first voice again, "Hold on, man! I'm coming!" The next sound was one I could not identify... there was a pop_, _an almost simultaneous _phfttt,_ and then the most blood-curdling scream imaginable... made directly into my ear. Ow! It was quite painful, but I didn't have time to worry about it. Clearly, that scream and gurgling had come from Kira. I closed my eyes, knowing that it was likely I had just overheard the final death of the young vampiress. A split second later, there was a sharp clap but by listening hard I could still hear voices in the background.

The first voice whined, "Aw man! Is she dead? I mean... _really _dead? Holy shit... she's crumbling! Oh, fuck me with a stick! I hate them vampire fuckers, but I ain't' a killer! I swear, I wasn't really _trying_ to kill her! My friends told me it would only slow them down! I must have gotten her in the heart by accident."

The other voice replied, "Who the hell cares! She was sure as shit trying to kill _me_! Look at this bite! Do I need a tetanus shot or something?...Hey, man! Look at that... it's her cell phone and a BlueTooth ear piece... and it looks like the fucker is still turned on! Oh goddamn... goddamn! We gotta get outta here, NOW! Call me later and we'll decide what to do!"

Faintly, I could hear the sounds of two pairs of running feet... a minute later two engines fired up... and then the squeal of tires on pavement. In as cool a tone as I could muster, I inquired, "Pam, how much further? Unfortunately, it appears that Kira is beyond our help. The culprits are fleeing the scene... but perhaps we will at least be able to give chase."

"At least five more minutes," my counterpart said in defeat, "They will be long gone by then."

We actually made it to the parking lot of the Suds & Bloods in a little under four minutes. It was an average-looking convenience store with two sets of gas pumps in front. Neon signs glowed in the front windows. One side advertised an assortment of beers and on the other side, a TrueBlood sign was prominently displayed. Unfortunately there was no green Suburban in sight. There was also a disappointing lack of a signpost saying "Vampire Killers this way" with an arrow pointing in the right direction. Silently, we all climbed out of the van and after a brief search located the still smoldering pile of vampire ash on the adjacent parking lot. Reaching down, I fished the little BlueTooth ear piece from off the top of the pile and dusted it off. At least the mystery of how Kira had been able to talk and fight at the same time was solved. Further down in the ash was a set of keys and one other item that I picked up very gingerly. It appeared to be a short but very sharp arrow or dart made of some dense wood.... in effect, a tiny stake.

I relayed to my companions what I had overheard, including the ironic fact that apparently the killer had not actually intended to kill Kira but had done so quite by accident. Pam shook her head and said bitterly, "Little idiot! I _told_ her not to approach the suspect! Eric is going to be very angry about this."

"_Ma petite_, you did nothing wrong," the Knight said soothingly, "That is the problem with young vampires these days... no discipline. If she had followed orders, she would still be among the undead. Now, let us address the problem at hand. There are no clues here as to the identity of the killers, or where either of them have gone. Perhaps we should question those inside the bar... although with that music blaring, I doubt anyone heard a thing."

The three of us contemplated the rather ramshackle bar in front of us. It was typical of a rural Louisiana roadhouse, a long narrow clapboard building with peeling paint and a roof that had seen better days. For a Thursday night, the lot was fairly full... mainly pick-up trucks and beat-up cars, but there were also several motorcycles in a row near the entry. A dimly lit sign over the door read "The Rebel Yell." If I had been in a bad mood before, that name made things infinitely worse. There was nothing that got under my skin quite as much as any reference to the Confederacy used in such an ignoble fashion. The men I had fought alongside had been honorable men, completely unlike the ignorant human scum which no doubt frequented this bar. I was already agitated over the senseless death of Kira. If I went inside, I was very much afraid I would be unable to contain myself. No doubt the Viking would frown on the mass killing of an entire barnful of humans... bad public relations.

"This is a complete waste of time," I stated flatly, "The humans in that bar will _never_ tell us anything. Furthermore, let me remind you... pool sticks make admirable stakes. I doubt if Eric would be too thrilled to loose _two_ vampires in one night."

Pam looked at me and sneered, "Bill Compton, I never took you for a coward! The day the three of us can't take on a bar full of rednecks, I'll greet the sun!" With that, she stormed toward the entrance. Robert shrugged and followed her. Sighing, I took a vow to remain calm and trailed after the two of them. To the right of the door was a hand lettered placard that stated: _We reserve the right to only serve the living._ Under that was a depiction of a set of fangs with a big red circle and slash stamped over them. If that wasn't clear enough, there was a third sign that read: _Absolutely NO fangs allowed._

Completely ignoring the signs, the three of us stepped inside and took a quick look around. It was much as I had expected... a dark, dingy, smoke filled bar that reeked of stale beer, cigarettes, and unwashed bodies. A jukebox was blaring in one corner. The bar itself ran along the rear wall and every barstool was occupied. A large Confederate flag was draped across one of the walls as decoration, along with other Civil War memorabilia and photographs. Idly, I wondered if I was in any of them. Three pool tables were located at the far end of the space, each one in use. The scarred wooden tables scattered throughout the remainder of the room had mismatched chairs and about half of them were occupied. Unlike the humans who frequented Merlottes', who were by and large just average decent working-class people, this bunch appeared to be several rungs further back down the evolutionary ladder. As a group, they were scruffy, poorly dressed, and judging from the smell, not particularly clean. The minute we entered, a bartender with a shaved head and a Fu-Manchu mustache glanced up and then nearly went back to the beer he was drawing... but then it sunk in that trouble had just come walking through his door. A frown crossed his face as he slowly raised his beady black eyes back to us. About the same time, some of the other humans had gotten a good look at us as well. From long years of practice, most vampires can appear human if they put they really put their mind to it... but we were _not_ trying. Instead, there was no doubt exactly what we were... three very real, very irate vampires, and of course the show of fang and the somewhat clichéd "vampire-attire" we were all wearing just reinforced it. For once, I wished the Viking was with us. It was exactly the kind of situation in which he excelled... and he would no doubt enjoy intimidating this particular batch of worthless humans immensely.

The bartender spoke up and sneered, "What's the matter? Can't dead people read? We don't serve vampires here. Get the fuck out before we throw you out!"

Pam looked him up and down with her signature withering look. In a voice as cold as death she commanded, "Shut up." Obviously, she had not been Eric's child all those years for nothing. Slowly all conversations ceased, the only remaining sound coming from the overly loud jukebox. The bartender started to say something in response, but Robert and I both gave him a serious glare. Suddenly he seemed to find something on the floor behind the bar that required his urgent attention. Turning to the rest of the crowd, Pam announced in a clear, chilly voice, "There was an incident involving one of our number in the parking lot just a few minutes ago. We are offering a substantial reward for any information. If you are reluctant to come forward now, a message may be left at the bar known as Fangtasia, in Shreveport."

Not surprisingly, no one said a word. Unexpectedly, I still found myself burning for a fight... which I generally avoided if at all possible. It occurred to me that maybe Pam was not the only one subject to Eric's influence. I looked around the room in appraisal. Some eyes glowed with hatred, some with fear, and some were too blurry with intoxication to care one way or another. A few darted away, unable or unwilling to look into the vampire's eyes. Pam continued, "Know this. We are aware that vampire blood is being sold on these premises. We do not take this activity lightly and if you are caught, it will not go well with you. My advice is to go back to the more mundane street drugs... they are much less deadly." There was no doubt at all as to the threat in her words.

I had been keeping my eye on a group of four men to Robert's right. While Pam was speaking, they had risen from their chairs. One of the group was of average height, but very muscular. The other two were large, bulky men, one of them slightly taller than the Viking. The fourth man was much shorter than the others. Dressed in a ragged pair of jeans, a leather vest with no shirt, and a scruffy pair of cowboy boots, he had the huge upper arms and chest and tiny waist of a body builder. Oddly enough, he appeared to be the leader. In a rough voice, he proclaimed loudly, "No vampire whore is going to come into this bar and tell us what to do... right, boys?"

With that, they rushed towards us. Since Robert was the closest, he handled the situation. It was a complete pleasure to watch the Knight in motion, and it was easy to see why he had gained his lethal reputation. To the humans, he must have only appeared as a blur, and a few seconds later the incident was over. All four of the men lay in a heap at Robert's feet, broken and bleeding... but alive. The vampire stood looming over them, giving them an amused smile. He said, "For your information, my friend _is_ a vampire but she is also very much a lady. She is not now nor has she ever been a whore."

I turned my attention back to the other humans to get set for the inevitable second round of attacks... but it never came. Unfortunately, it seemed that Robert was the only one of us who was going to have any fun. He had handled the assault so swiftly and efficiently that none of the other men in the bar seemed to be anxious to repeat the experience. My dark vampire nature had risen all the way to the surface and I was absolutely spoiling for a fight. I knew that if I went on the offensive, my companions would join me. On the very edge of losing control, the thought skittered across my boiling brain that Sookie would be horrified if she ever found out that we had killed an entire barful of humans. It was just enough to bring me back to sanity. Now that it was clear that no one else was willing to start more trouble, Pam gave the bar patrons a withering look of contempt. "I suppose we are done here. Let's go," she told Robert and me.

"Wait. There is one thing I need to do first," I said. Making my way over to the wall of memorabilia, I rapidly removed the flag and carefully folded it. To the astonished crowd I stated, "I fought for this flag. I have no intention of allowing it to be defiled any further." Tucking the flag under my arm, I motioned for my companions to follow me. No one made a move to follow us, but as we went out I could hear excited murmurs. Clearly, this event would be a topic of conversation for many weeks to come, and I wondered how long it would be before the truth was twisted to the point that the vampires had been the ones on the losing end.

Once outside, we headed back towards the Suds & Bloods side of the parking lot. I knew for a fact that Kira's Maker had been one of the vampires that had disappeared during Katrina, so the only person I knew to inform of her final death was her employer. Fortunately, I had his number stored in my cell phone. I made the call and told him what had occurred and that his store was now locked up and unmanned. He was understandably irritated, but said he would dig up someone to cover the rest of the night. I went back and found Kira's keys and concealed them in the agreed-upon location. Since Kira had left no heirs, her employer might as well take her car and any other possessions to make up for the inconvenience of having to replace his clerk.

While I was busy handling the details, my companions had returned to the minivan. I found them standing by the sliding side door, locked in a passionate embrace. Obviously Robert's little display of strength and agility must have aroused Pam. Taking a brief pause, she tossed me the keys and ordered, "You drive." Robert merely looked at me over the top of her head, grinned, and shrugged. Sighing, I went around to the driver's side and got in. My companions were already inside, and Pam was in the process of pushing a button that made the rear seat flatten out into a bed. Rather dryly, I said, "I hate to interrupt, but to where am I driving? Back to Shreveport?"

"Yes... and take your time," was Pam's quick response, but Robert asked, "How far are we from Valhalla? I believe the Viking will want to be informed of this development right away."

I answered, "We are only about fifteen or twenty minutes from there, but are you certain he will want to be interrupted? There is really nothing more to be done tonight."

"While it is true we have lost track of this particular man, we still have to inform Eric about the loss of one of his subjects. Furthermore, what about the human that you have been detaining? When I checked on him earlier, he did not look very healthy. I do not think his present accommodations agree with him. I doubt he will make it to another sunrise."

Robert was referring to the "contact man" that Julius had managed to capture the weekend of Sandy's Coronation. Eric had ordered him held until Sookie could get back to Shreveport and use her telepathic skills to question him. After Sookie's abrupt disappearance, we had tried a few tactics to get our captive to talk. Given the serious nature of his crimes against vampires, there was no question of his ever being released and he knew it. He stalwartly refused to give us anything at all. I had come to realize that the man had not just been involved in the enterprise for money, but because he enjoyed the idea of profiting from the death of vampires. He seemed to believe that somehow his job gave him some sort of power. Obviously a true fanatic, he made his hatred for vampires known. Even in the depths of the Bonding Sickness, Eric had insisted on keeping him alive, somehow secure in his faith that his Telepath would return soon enough to question our captive... and as it turned out he was right. However, it was true that the human in question was deteriorating. A couple of weeks in the basement of Fangtasia was not exactly a prescription for good health. It _would _be a shame if the man expired before we had the opportunity to actually get some information out of him.

Glancing down at my watch, I was surprised to see how early it was. There was still plenty of time to get back to Shreveport and question the man if our King was so inclined. Robert was probably right about Eric wanting to know about this incident... and besides, I was absolutely burning to see Sookie. I turned onto the road and tried my best to ignore the sounds and scents emanating from the rear of the vehicle.

*****

As expected, about fifteen minutes later I pulled up to the gates of Valhalla. The Royal Guards recognized me and let us through immediately. I parked the van in front and turned off the engine. Robert was just buttoning his shirt, and I was surprised to see that Pam had not even begun to dress. Robert said, "Come, _mon petit chou_. We have no time to waste."

"If you are in such a hurry, go right ahead, " said his lover, "It doesn't take three vampires to deliver one message. I'll just wait here."

"But Pamela! Do you not wish to see your Mistress? I am certain she will want to see you right away."

The blond vampire snorted and said, "We will be seeing each other soon enough. Now get going. I'll get dressed and wait for you here... but don't be surprised if Eric throws you out on your ear."

Leaving Pam in her automobile, Robert and I walked up on to the front porch and rang the bell. Now that Sookie was home, it did not seem right to just go barging in... although we had come and gone freely while Eric had been indisposed. We stood there for a moment before I remembered that the housekeeper usually left before midnight. I mentioned this to the Knight and he replied, "The guards would have surely told us if they were not home. I wonder if we should just go in and wait. Perhaps it is not possible to hear the doorbell from his chamber."

Oh, there was no doubt about it... they were home, all right. I had been able to feel the pair of them for miles. In fact, it was all I could do to keep from grinning like a lunatic. It had started as a little trickle of happiness filtering into my chest and the closer I got to Valhalla, the more intense the feeling of joy and relief became. At one point, there had been a small bout of intense anger (I think from Sookie) followed by a completely unidentifiable surge of... something for which I had no vocabulary. Directly after that, there were plenty of words for what came next... lust, passion, desire. My God, it felt so wonderful! Now that the Twice-Bonded pair were together, there was no need for me to block my own feelings. From experience, I knew they would be so tuned in to each other they would never be able to feel me. That in itself was a huge relief... but at the moment I _was_ slightly uncomfortable. I had developed an almost painful erection and I desperately needed to re-arrange things, but to do so would be a dead give-away... no pun intended. Distracted, I blurted out, "They are here, but not in the house."

Robert lifted one eyebrow in question, but before I could even offer an explanation he said, "Ah, of course! I completely forgot... you have some sort of tie to Sookie. How fascinating! Can you tell where she is?"

Luckily he had not noticed my choice of pronoun. No one could learn that I actually had a tie to the Viking as well... it was just too dangerous. To be honest, I was not wild about anyone knowing exactly how deep my tie was to Sookie either. However, in answer to his question I replied, "Yes, I believe so. I think they are in the back yard... but Robert, I think we may be interrupting their reunion. Perhaps now is not the time..."

"Nonsense!" he exclaimed, "We are here on an urgent mission. William, my friend, your reluctance amazes me. I would have thought you would be quite anxious to see Sookie for yourself."

Oh, I was _extremely_ anxious to see my former lover... but judging from the intense feelings bombarding me through the three-way connection, I doubted at that particular moment in time _she_ would be glad to see _me_.... at least for the next five minutes or so. Things were building to a critical point, and I was finding it somewhat difficult to concentrate on the conversation at hand. I was trying to block out as much of the incoming stimuli as I could before I had a little explosion of my own, all the while attempting to answer Robert's question without sounding like a complete idiot. I stammered, "Ah... I am... ah..._of course _I am _most_ anxious to see my Queen... ah... however, perhaps we should do as you suggested. Let us go inside and... uh... wait for them to return."

Frankly, besides my honest desire to shield Sookie from embarrassment, I was getting a little light-headed and could use the chance to sit down. Robert gave me the strangest look and said, "Really, Bill, we have no time to waste. Let us go see if we can find them. In the back, you said?"

Reluctantly, I nodded. The least I could do would be to slow him down just long enough... "Follow me," I said. Of course, I knew _exactl_y where they were, but I took my time and led the Knight around the long way. After a couple of minutes, I knew that things were reaching a successful conclusion and by then I did not particularly need the blood tie to know it. I gritted my teeth and desperately tried to think of other things. Quite clearly, we could hear Sookie crying out in her passion, "Oh my God! Eric! Ah! AHHHH!" followed almost immediately by a very primitive roar from her husband... and after that, silence. Thank God that was over! At least I had managed to avoid making a huge mess... in more ways than one. No longer needing me to guide him, Robert took the lead. As we came around a bend in the path leading to the rose arbor, we could hear Eric say, "Admit it. Not only are vampires the best endowed, we are _also_ the best lovers. No Fairy could make you scream like that."

In response, Sookie teased him by saying she had never slept with a Fairy and so could not pass judgment without a sample. I could barely hear his reply, but it sounded like he told her "...any Fairy that presumes to lay a finger on _my_ wife will find himself in pieces." I was in complete agreement on that score and would gladly volunteer to be the one to do the shredding. There was no doubt whatsoever that Sookie was Eric's Twice-Bonded and his Fated mate, but in a way she was mine, too... in fact, as far as that went, they _both_ were. In Sookie's absence, I had finally come to accept my lot. It was clear that I was bound to both of them and there was nothing to be done but learn to enjoy it. The love and good feelings that came bounding through our connection was like a healing salve on my dark soul. How could I _ever_ give that up?

A moment or two later, Robert and I finally went around the last bend of the path... and there they were. The lovers were lying in the soft spring grass near the edge of the rose garden. In a trail across the lawn lay various articles of clothing, obviously shed in great haste. The ragged remains of what was once a wispy blue pair of panties dangled from the branch of a near-by shrub. The Viking was still firmly planted between his wife's long smooth legs, his large, well-muscled upper body obscuring nearly all of her small one. Sookie's arms were wrapped around him, and she was giggling softly as her lover nuzzled and nipped at her neck. Eric's long golden hair was mingled on the ground with hers and I was struck by the fact that the strands were nearly indistinguishable.

Of course, I had already known they were having sex, but I was still unprepared for how excruciating the actual sight was... and yet, wildly erotic and incredibly beautiful at the same time. Immediately my seemingly uncontrollable erection became infinitely more uncomfortable. The tight jeans I was wearing did nothing to help the situation. I was absolutely determined to get myself under control, and I started by making sure my fangs stayed up... definitely not easy under the circumstances. I stopped several yards away but Robert actually walked within a couple of paces of the lovers before halting. We had taken no pains to be quiet, so the Viking must have heard our approach. Without even lifting his head to find out who had the nerve to intrude on his intimate time with his Bonded, he growled, "Whatever it is, it had better be good."

"A thousand apologies for the interruption, Brother, but we have some very urgent news." the Knight said smoothly, "We were unable to reach you by phone and so decided the most expedient thing would be to come here in person. We tried the house first, but the housekeeper was already gone for the evening. I suspected that you were showing Sookie the improvement to the grounds... and it appears I was right." I was thankful that he had not reminded Eric that I had a built-in homing device of sorts.

Slowly, the Viking raised his head. Those piercing blue eyes of his looked up to behold the solid figure of the Knight, who was standing nearly at his head. Robert's eyes were glowing and a smile played across his lips. He was not bothering to conceal _his_ fangs, which were fully down... quite clearly, he was clearly enjoying himself immensely and didn't care who knew it. As for Sookie, a tremendous amount of embarrassment shot through her at being caught in such a compromising position. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, and for a split second I thought she was about to poof away... but she stayed put. She must have realized how much it would have upset her Bonded if she had disappeared again. I knew for a fact it certainly would have distressed _me_.

Eric was just about to spring to his feet, when suddenly Sookie found her voice. Rather grimly, she stated in no uncertain terms, "Eric Northman, you move so much as an inch right now and you're a dead man... and by that, I mean a _finally_-dead man. Now, you other gentlemen... if you would please turn around for a minute, I'd surely appreciate it."

The Knight and I obediently followed orders and turned our backs. From behind us came the sounds of two people scrambling to their feet, a tiny bit of rustling, and then Sookie's voice saying sharply, "Eric! Stop standing there staring at me and get dressed! We have guests!"

In great good spirits, the Viking just laughed and replied, "My Love, I promise you that these vampires could care less if I am clothed or not. Robert... Bill... the Queen is presentable. Now, what is so urgent as to bring the two of you out here tonight?"

Before turning back around I made certain that my fangs were completely out of sight. There was nothing I could do about the bulge in my jeans, except to pretend that it was not there. Slowly, I raised my eyes and took in the exceedingly welcomed sight of my former lover. Sookie was wearing a soft cotton dress with tiny flowers all over it. The buttons of the bodice were all missing, so she was attempting to hold the two sides together with one hand. Something was firmly clutched in her other fist. A tiny hint of blue fabric was peeping out, and I suspected she was desperately trying to conceal the visual evidence of her panty-less state. Her narrow feet were bare and her long golden hair was slightly tousled. There was the most amazing glow to her skin. Somehow I knew that it was not only due to vampire blood, although I could immediately tell that Eric had already given her some of his. In short, she looked both totally charming and completely delectable. I closed my eyes and slowly counted to ten, willing my fangs to stay put.

While Robert and I stood drinking in the sight of the lovely Fairy, Eric had taken his wife's orders to heart and managed to pull on his jeans. After scouting around briefly for his shirt with no luck, he shrugged and gave it up for a lost cause. As always, the bare skin of his upper body gleamed like alabaster in the moonlight and around his neck hung the necklace Sookie had given him for a wedding gift. Beyond that, the change in his appearance was startling. No longer gaunt, his features had returned to their normal smooth contours and his complexion was rosy. In addition, his eyes were once again twinkling with high spirits and intelligence. It seemed that the worst effects of the Bonding Sickness were gone. I found myself letting out a sigh of relief... but I also had to wonder if there were going to be any long-term effects. Surely something as serious as this ordeal could not be healed in one day, no matter how glad they were to be back together.

My attention shifted back to Sookie, who was wrestling with the top of her dress and trying desperately to keep her breasts from making an untimely appearance. To my utter amazement, the Viking noticed the same thing and immediately stepped up behind his wife. Protectively, he wrapped his arms around her, very effectively concealing the problem. Immediately Sookie stopped struggling. A soft smile played across her lips as she leaned back against him and relaxed. In return, he placed the most gentle kiss imaginable on the top of her head. A wave of pure love and contentment passed between them.

In that one small gesture, I had seen that their separation had indeed produced some serious changes and not just physical ones.

Although I was still stunned that any vampire as cold and ruthless as the Viking could manage to love so deeply, it was not the cause of my shock. Instead, it was the realization that Eric actually seem to care about _Sookie's_ feelings. I knew for a fact that normally Eric would like nothing better than to display his mate's perfect body to other vampires and then relish the envy that it caused, sure in the knowledge that no one would ever dare to attempt to take her from him ... it was _every_ vampire's dream. Instead, he chose to do whatever it took to keep her from being uncomfortable. Somehow the once supremely self-centered Viking had come to care about his woman's sensibilities even more than he did his own. Knowing that a thousand-year-old vampire was capable of such change, it gave me hope for myself.

Knowing that we were all eventually going to have to move, I removed my jacket. Stepping forward, I handed it to Eric and then stepped back again. He nodded his thanks and then helped Sookie slip it on. He lifted her hair from under the collar, placing a small kiss at the base of her neck. She shivered at his touch but then turned to me and said softly, "Thank you, Bill."

Not trusting myself to say anything, I merely gave my Queen a cool, rather formal bow in return. Instantly, I felt a jolt of sadness tear through her. By the slight frown on his face, I knew that the Viking felt it, too. It took me a moment, but I finally realized that my rather aloof response had somehow hurt her. Instantly, I regretted not being warmer, but under the watchful eye of my King, what else was I supposed to do? I would have liked nothing more than to sweep her up in my arms and kiss her soundly... but that would have been foolish beyond belief. I glanced up at Eric to see how he was taking this. Over the top of Sookie's head, he returned my gaze. Narrowing his eyes, he regarded me thoughtfully. I wished that I could tell what was going on in that razor-sharp brain of his. Unexpectedly, he said, "Bill. That is no way to greet your Queen. She has been missing you."

For a moment, I just stared at him, unsure of what was expected. Those blue eyes were sparkling, and he gave me a wink. Was I hallucinating? Apparently my King was not only giving me permission to touch his Bonded, it seemed as if he was insisting on it. My mind frantically searched for an explanation for this totally out-of-character behavior... and then, the probable answer presented itself. In his typical wily fashion, the Viking was one step ahead of all of us. He knew very well that due to our tie, it was inevitable that Sookie and I would need to "re-connect" and he was going to make certain it was under his supervision. I stepped forward again and held out my hand. Sookie placed her small hand in mine and I brought it up to my lips and kissed the back of it. Very sincerely, I said, "Welcome home, Sookie. We have all missed you."

In return, she only gave me a sweet smile. I could tell that she really wanted to hug me as was her custom, but apparently she had learned a few things, too. Before she went away, she never hesitated to openly give affection to me or anyone else, in spite of the fact that it was obvious to everyone that it irritated Eric to no end. Now it seemed she was holding back her own impulses in deference to him. Her Bonded leaned down and put his lips next to her ear. He murmured, "This vampire has served us both well and deserves a reward. You have my permission to kiss him... this once." He gave her a tiny push, and she came to me.

Slipping into my arms, she rested her head against my shoulder. I closed my eyes and savored the feeling of having her in my embrace again. She was wearing a unique and completely captivating perfume and of course she also smelled of Fairy and sex. I absolutely could not help it. My fangs slid down at once. She had been silent up until then but suddenly the words started tumbling out of her. "Bill, I missed you and I'm sorry I was such a bitch before I left," she said in a rush, "I said some bad things about you that weren't true. I apologize for that. I appreciate that you took good care of Eric while I was gone... oh, and thanks so much for helping to keep him out of a jam over killing that awful wench Sabriel."

She looked up at me, tears swimming in those enormous blue eyes. I gave her my best smile and said quietly, "Think nothing of it, sweetheart. That is all in the past. All I've ever wanted is for you to be happy." As gently and tenderly as I knew how, I touched my lips to hers. In that brief sweet kiss I could feel her love for me; and although it was a mere echo of what she felt for her Bonded, it was enough for me... A small tinge of possessiveness came from the Viking, but oddly enough also a sense of satisfaction. I supposed it was because at long last he _really_ knew that he would never again have to worry about Sookie and me. She was marked in as many ways as a vampire can mark his mate. She bore his scent, his fang marks, his wedding rings... but beyond that there was no doubt that he had indelibly marked her heart. Even without their Bond I knew that she would never be whole without him, and obviously now he did, too.

Sighing deeply, I released her. Uncharacteristically silent, Robert had been standing by watching the scene unfold. He pipped up and asked teasingly, "What? Does the Queen not have a kiss for her faithful old Knight as well? I am devastated." Theatrically he placed his clenched fist over his non-beating heart.

Sookie glanced back at Eric for his permission. He sighed dramatically and said to no one in particular, "This is what I get for being too permissive. Every vampire within a fifty mile radius will be lining up for kisses from my Queen. I suppose the guards will be next." Flicking his fingers carelessly in their direction he said, "Go ahead... but make it quick."

Sookie went over and took both of Robert's hands in hers. Looking up into his eyes, she said, "Robert, thank you so much. If it hadn't been for you, Eric and I would not be back together. You are a wonderful friend." I was expecting him to give her a chaste kiss, the same as I had... but I could not have been more wrong. Laying his hands on her shoulders, he first gave her a peck on her left check... and then the right one... and then he swept her into his arms, bent her over backwards, and gave her a serious, no-holds-barred kiss. A searing explosion of jealously flared within my chest, and I knew without a doubt it came from both Eric _and_ me. The Viking glanced at me in surprise, but then the two of us together gave Robert a significant glare. Eric said sharply, "Robert, you old dog! Release my Bonded, or face the consequences." Although his tone was jovial, it had a little edge to it. Fortunately, Robert complied. Sookie stood up, clutching my jacket tightly around her. Cheeks as red as apples, she exclaimed, "Wow! Robert! That was some kiss!"

Chuckling, the Knight replied, "I beg your pardon, My Lady, but I could not bear for you to believe that all vampires except the Viking are as lackluster in their kissing techniques as William here. Really, Bill... was that the best you could do? Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Very funny. I gave him a sour look, which just made him burst into laughter. It seemed that the surprises of the evening were not yet over, however. The minute Robert had made the remark about vampire's kisses, a small flash of guilt came from Sookie... perhaps because she had enjoyed the Knight's demonstration a little _too_ much... or maybe... a cold suspicion settled over my non-beating heart. The Viking and I never had discovered what had actually transpired on Sookie's long flight back from Las Vegas on Luke's jet. What if the vampire's kiss she was worried about wasn't Robert's at all, but Luke's? What _else_ did she find out about old vampires? It was certainly not the time to get into it, but I vowed to myself that someday, I was going to find out the answer to that question.

Eric gestured to Sookie. She walked back to him and snuggled to his side. It was if they could not keep from touching each other for even a few minutes. With his arm draped around her shoulders, he asked Robert and me, "Now that we are done with our greetings, can we move along to the reason for this visit? What is so very urgent?"

As Eric's Lieutenant, it fell to me to explain what had occurred. At the news of the final death of Kira and the subsequent escape of the perpetrators, those blue Viking eyes began to glitter dangerously. He asked, "Is there anything _else _you would like to tell me?"

I hesitated. I was uncertain exactly how much the Viking was willing for Sookie to know about the circumstances of our "guest." Up until now, we had all taken great pains to conceal most of the grim realities of Eric's new position... or his old one, for that matter. I still wasn't certain that Sookie was ready to know everything. Robert clearly had no such qualms, because he spoke right up and said, "The human you have been holding captive is deteriorating rapidly. If you want your telepath to have the opportunity to question him, it probably needs to be tonight."

Eric was quiet for a moment, clearly considering his options. Looking between Robert and me, Sookie asked, "What man? Why are you holding him?"

"I told you all about it the night I arrived in Las Vegas, "I reminded her, "Julius captured the man who was supposed to collect the blood from the drainers you caught."

Looking shocked, she said, "But Bill! That was over a month ago! You've been holding him all this time?"

"What do _you_ mean, a month?" Eric spoke up, "You have only been gone two weeks!"

Incredulously Sookie repeated, "Two weeks! No... it's been _much_ longer than that! I could swear..." She stopped in mid-sentence and got a far away look in her eyes. Slowly, she said, "Are you all _sure_?"

Having no idea what she was talking about, I answered, "Yes, of course. As of last night, you had been away for precisely seventeen days." I knew because it had been the longest seventeen days of my existence.

Shaking her head, Sookie muttered to herself, "They told me time didn't work the same way in the Portal, and I guess they meant it."

Eyes gleaming in excitement, Robert asked, "My dear, do you mean to tell us that you truly believe that you have been gone over twice that length of time? Fascinating! I cannot wait to hear more about the Portal. I have long been interested in learning the truth about such a mysterious place."

Looking completely stunned, Sookie ignored Robert's words. She looked up at Eric and said, "... so this is only the middle of April. That means you have not had your Coronation yet. Oh, honey! I am so relieved! I was so afraid I had missed it!" With that, she threw her arms around his neck and clung to him like a limpet. Smiling, he patted her back and said gently, "How could I have my Coronation without my Queen being present? I knew you would be back in time."

The odd thing was, he never _had_ given up his faith that his Bonded would return, when even_ I_ had begun to doubt it. Sookie let go of Eric and turned back to face us. She said, "I'm sorry to change the subject, but I was just really surprised. Youl were just about to tell me about this man that you want me to question. You said he was deteriorating. You mean...?"

"Dying," Robert replied flatly, "I realize this is an inopportune time for the two of you, but it seemed a pity to not learn anything for our troubles. Perhaps what this man knows could allow us to stop the senseless slaughter of our people. Brother, what is it you wish to do?"

Honestly, if I were the Viking I might very well have taken my chances on the human lasting another day. I knew that Eric must indeed be completely recovered from the Sickness and back to his old take-charge self, because he took Sookie's hand and said, "Dear One, this is a very important matter. We _must _go."

To Sookie's credit, she never even hesitated. "I understand," she said, "I have to go change, though. I'll make it fast."

It was agreed that Robert and I would head back to Fangtasia and Eric and Sookie would follow as soon as possible. On the way back to the van it occurred to me that Eric had never once asked about Pam. I mentioned this to Robert and he said, "It is just as well. I have a feeling that things may be a little tense at first. Perhaps in the more businesslike atmosphere of the club things will go easier."

He might have a point. Eric had been somewhat harsh to his child during his Sickness. They had always seemed so perfectly in tune with each other it had been a little shocking to witness their less than amicable behavior. "I suppose Pam must be a bit miffed at the way Eric treated her. Do you think the Viking will actually bring himself to apologize to her now that he's better?"

Robert snorted. "The Viking apologize to his child? I doubt it. However, you are mistaken in your assumptions. Pam is not the least bit angry with Eric... she is angry with Sookie."

Completely taken by surprise at his statement, I said, "I thought Pam would be happy that Sookie is home. I thought... I suppose I had gotten the notion that Pam had come to care for Sookie."

"That is part of the problem, you see. Pamela has always gone out of her way to remain emotionally detached; and yet, she found herself succumbing to the charms of the little Fairy, the same as we all have. Whether she will admit it or not, her Mistress' running away without so much as a backwards glance hurt her deeply. In addition, she has been nearly out of her mind with worry about her Maker. Even though rationally she knows that a large part of the situation was a direct result of Eric's own actions, she perceives his Bonding Sickness as being entirely Sookie's fault. Pamela knows Eric very well and does not expect soft words or apologies. However, I confess to being a bit worried about what she might do or say when she first encounters Sookie."

By then we were nearly back to the van. Pam was dressed and already sitting in the driver's seat. Robert and I climbed in and the first thing out of her mouth was, "What on earth took you so long? How long does it take to deliver a simple message?" With that, she gunned the engine and we shot off down the drive.

*****

By the time we made it back to Fangtasia, there was only a short time left until closing, but the parking lot was still at least three-quarters full. Pam parked in her customary spot and we all went inside. Since it was the largest, we decided to wait in Eric's office. Pam sat in his chair and booted up his computer, saying that she might as well get some work done while we waited. I went out to the bar and ordered some bloods, and Felicia said that since it was slowing down she would bring them to us shortly. By the time I got back, Robert was absent. Pam informed me that he had gone down to check on the prisoner, to make sure he was still among the living.

It wasn't very long until I knew that our King and his Bonded had arrived. Even over the music from the bar, I could faintly hear the back door as it swung open, and before long Sookie and the Viking appeared in the doorway. Sookie had replaced the button-less dress with a pair of blue jeans, a long sleeved blouse, and a pair of tennis shoes. I suspected that the Viking had taken into consideration the condition of the basement before choosing her wardrobe. As for himself, he had merely located another t-shirt and a pair of boots. Sookie had my jacket folded over one arm. She came straight over and handed it to me, saying, "Thanks again, Bill. You are a life-saver."

The minute they entered the room, Pam had risen from Eric's chair. Her eyes went straight to her Maker's face. Even though Robert had told her that Eric seemed to be completely recovered from the Bonding Sickness, she was obviously wary. She said, "Good evening, Master."

Even though his night alone with his Bonded had been interrupted, it was clear that the Viking was still in good spirits. Blue eyes twinkling, he returned her greeting, "Good evening, Pam. You are looking quite lovely this evening. I approve of that dress. It is very becoming." At his compliment, I could see the tension in her body relax ever so slightly.

Sookie started around the desk, clearly on a mission to give the vampiress a hug. She said brightly, "Hey, Pam. It's so good to see you!"

Before she could reach her target, Pam took a full step backward. Her face was a cool smooth blank. Realizing that there was something wrong. Sookie came to an abrupt halt. In a chilly but polite tone, Pam responded, "Good evening, Mistress. Welcome home. If you will excuse me, I have some urgent business to attend to before the bar closes." She practically scurried out of the room, leaving Sookie standing there with a startled expression on her face. A moment later the twin emotions of hurt and sadness began to pour from her. From the Viking came a burst of irritation. I could tell he was about to call Pam back and make her apologize, but Sookie stopped him. She said sadly, "Don't be mad at her, honey. I should have known she wouldn't be too happy with me."

Rather indignantly, Eric said, "You are her Mistress! She should not have slighted you in that fashion!"

Sookie came back around his desk and slid into his arms. Gazing up at him, she said, "Eric, you are her Maker. As far as she's concerned, I caused you pain and to her that is unacceptable. You can't really expect her to feel any different. Now, I want you to promise me you won't punish her for this."

"No, Sookie. She just hurt you, and that I cannot allow."

His wife reached up and stroked his cheek soothingly. "This is really between Pam and me," she told him gently but firmly, "I'm a big girl, and I want to work this out with her on my own... please?"

He thought it over for a moment, but finally grumbled, "Very well, if you are certain. I will not interfere... up to a point."

"Thanks, baby. It will all work out, you'll see." She pulled his head down for a kiss, and just as their lips met Felicia appeared in the doorway. She was holding a tray laden with three warmed bloods, and I could tell by the way her eyes lit up that this was one vampiress who was overjoyed to see her Mistress. A brilliant smile crossed her face. Thrusting the tray in my direction, she said an abrupt, "Hold this, please." She took two strides across the room, and came to a halt in front of the pair. To Eric, she bowed deeply from the waist and said formally, "Your Majesty. Welcome back." To Sookie, she said enthusiastically, "Oh, Mistress, it is so wonderful to see you again! Welcome home!"

Sookie gave her a huge smile and replied, "Hey, Felicia! It's good to be home. How are you?"

"Oh, I am fine, but things around here have not been the same without you. The new waitresses that Pam hired are recalcitrant and are already causing trouble. Pam has been so busy that the ordering and scheduling has fallen to me, and I am afraid I have not yet completely mastered the inventory system... but I am learning."

Immediately, Sookie asked, "New waitresses? Why... ? Oh." Her eyes cut back to the Viking, who was trying his best to look innocent. Shaking her head, she continued, "...uh, I'm sorry things got a little out of whack while I was gone. Now that I'm home, I'll do my best to see that things get back to normal. I bet you've been a huge help to Pam, and I surely appreciate it."

Felicia gave her another blinding smile, obviously pleased by the praise. "It was my pleasure, ma'am," she replied, "Now, can I get you anything?"

Sookie declined. Pointing to the tray in my hands, Eric said mildly, "I think I'll take one of those."

His words seemed to snap the bartender out of her daze. Somewhat sheepishly, she came and took her tray back. Handing me one of the bottles, she said, "Sorry, Bill." She took one to Eric, gave us all a final nod and headed back to Pam's office to deliver her blood.

I thought perhaps Sookie would question Eric about the waitress issue, but she must have decided to save it for another time. Instead, she looked around his office and asked, "So where is the man you want me to question? Is someone bringing him by?"

Even though there was only a few minutes left until closing, it would be awhile before all the humans were completely gone from the premises. It would not do to have the prisoner paraded through the hallway, and in his current condition I was not sure he would survive the journey. I knew that Sookie still had no idea that Fangtasia even had a basement, much less what went on there. Somewhat anxiously, I waited to see how the Viking was going to handle the situation.

Instead of answering Sookie's question directly, Eric took a drink from his bottle and then set it down on the edge of his desk. He took his Bonded's hands and looked her squarely in the eye. In a serious tone of voice, he began, "Sookie, there are many things about the vampire world that are still unknown to you. I thought it best to expose you to them slowly, as you became more accustomed to your position as my Queen. Please understand that my reticence was not a lack of trust on my part, but rather a desire to protect your delicate human sensibilities."

For a split second, a look of surprise crossed Sookie's face, but then her features smoothed into an unreadable mask. I had seen her do this many times. As a result of her telepathy, she had developed the ability to conceal her inner turmoil from others. That was an effective technique for just about everyone... everyone, that is, except those who shared a blood tie with her. Although I knew that she could block the Bond if she really wanted to, she did not. Both of her vampires could feel her confusion, suspicion, and fear quite well. Eric continued, "As much as I do not wish to distress you, I have learned the hard way that we should not have secrets from each other. It is much too dangerous."

Sookie thought this over for a moment and then said coolly, "I can see you're working your way around to telling me something I'm not going to like. I already know it has something to do with this man you want me to question, so maybe it would be better if you just spit it out. I'm not exactly the delicate flower that you are making me out to be."

I could tell the Viking was a little taken aback by her cool response, as was I. He looked searchingly into her eyes, trying to find a clue as to what she was thinking. Finally, he dropped her hands and replied just as coolly, "Very well. Perhaps it would be better if I just show you. Follow me." He turned, walked out of his office, and headed towards the storeroom. Sookie trotted after him and I hurried after her. Once we were all inside the room, Eric came to a halt in front of a shallow set of built-in shelves. He gestured to me and I made certain that the door to the storeroom was firmly shut behind us. He turned to Sookie and said, "I was Sheriff when you met me. As you know, one of the main duties of that position is the discipling of the Area vampires. That requires having a place in which to house the prisoners."

Sookie nodded. She still looked quite calm but at his words I could feel her anxiety level rising. Eric put one hand on the wooden trim of the shelf and shoved. The shelf, which was really a cleverly concealed hinged doorway, swung open to reveal a stairwell. The concrete steps led downward into darkness. Incredulously, Sookie said, "This has been here the entire time I've known you." It was not quite a question. Now, a little bit of anger was added to her emotional stew.

Eric now appeared cold and remote, but in reality nothing could be further from the truth. Inside, he was a twisted mass of emotion. His feelings at that moment were so complicated I could not sort them all out... but the one I did recognize was fear. He was afraid that his Bonded would be so revolted by what she was about to see that she might turn away from him again. In response to Sookie's statement, he replied simply, "Yes, now come." Stepping through the doorway, he started down the dimly lit stairs.

Sookie gave me one dark look and then followed the figure of the Viking. At the base of the stairs was a large open area where he paused briefly and waited for us to catch up. Once she hit the last step, his wife came to a halt and took a good look around. Although I was quite accustomed to the place, I tried to see it through her eyes. The entire underground structure was constructed of thick reinforced concrete, which had the added benefit of being relatively sound-proof. Impossible to keep the place from small leaks, it was perpetually damp, chilly, and smelled of mold. The lighting was quite dim, which was more than adequate for vampire eyes, but it certainly added to the overall grim atmosphere. Due to its proximity to the stairs (and the lazy nature of some vampires), the area we were standing in became something of a catch-all. Against one wall leaned a stack of interior doors. Next to them, spare silver manacles and ropes hung from a series of pegs. Sitting under them was an orange five-gallon painter's bucket bearing the Home Depot logo. It was filled with wooden stakes and a brand-new pair of loping sheers. Along the opposite wall was a large-basin sink with cleaning supplies handy on a shelf above. A chainsaw was sitting on the counter top with a couple of boxes of heavy-duty Hefty bags stacked just to the right. Brooms, mops and buckets were piled in one corner. Someone had carelessly left a mop bucket full of dark red water near the sink. Nearby sat an industrial size shop-vac on rollers. Eric watched silently as Sookie took this all in. As her eyes encountered the loping sheers, the color slowly drained from her face. I felt certain she was remembering the scene of my torture in Memphis. In fact, those lopers were not going to be used for interrogation at all but had been purchased specifically for carrying out a punishment. Most of the interrogations were still conducted at the warehouse, which already had a full set of the proper implements ready to hand.

The Viking had not answered Sookie's question about the doors, so I spoke up."Those are for Eric's office. We were not sure how long you would be gone. Pam said it was much cheaper to buy them in quantity."

Shaking her head, Sookie turned her eyes back to her husband. It was hard to believe this was the gaunt, suffering vampire of two nights ago. The minute Eric stepped one foot back into Fangtasia, the loving, tender husband from earlier in the evening was noticeably absent, completely tucked away under his normal cold exterior. In the dim light of the basement he looked exactly like what he was... a powerful and extremely dangerous vampire King. Rather coldly, he said, "This is the reality, Sookie. This is part of who and what I am. It is time for you to accept it."

Without giving her time to respond, he turned and strode across the room toward the doorway to the right and then disappeared down the long shadowy corridor. The hallway to the left was reserved for the worst cases, and I was glad that it was not necessary for Sookie to go that way. Fortunately most of the doors to the cells along the right side were kept closed. Keeping vampires captive was not an easy task. At a minimum, the vampire prisoners were kept chained in silver and that was only if the sentence did not call for something more creative. At the last King's court, the Viking had been in a very creative mood indeed. I was hoping that she would not ask to see inside any of the other cells.

For a brief moment Sookie stood stock still, staring at the retreating back of her husband. Her emotions were in a complete uproar and although her expression did not change in the slightest, I got a good look at her eyes. What I saw there made me very, very sad. One of the things that had first attracted me to this woman was her innocence and her unworldliness. I could see quite clearly that was now gone. I would have given anything to be able to cuddle her to me and comfort her, and sincerely apologize for dragging her into the dark world of the vampire in the first place... but it suddenly occurred to me that she would not thank me for it. Just then, she did not need tender words but strength, and so I tried to send her some of mine through our tie. At first, I had been angry with my King for being so cold and abrupt... but then I realized that in his own way, Eric was giving her a choice. If she decided to turn around and go back upstairs without going any further, he would never have said another word about it. He would no doubt love her every bit as much, but from then on their relationship would go right back to the way it had been... him keeping her sheltered from the inner workings of the vampire world. She would still be his Bonded, but at that point she would never be his true partner. He wanted her to make the choice of her own free will without being sweet-talked into it. As for myself I was torn between wanting her to save herself from further corruption and a startling and unexpected desire to see her take her Fated place as our Queen.

It did not take her long to choose. Sighing deeply, Sookie squared her shoulders and marched resolutely after the Viking. The very last door was standing open and I hurried to catch up just as she stepped inside. There was even less light in the room than there was in the hallway, but of course I could see perfectly well. I knew that to Sookie it would appear very dark indeed. That particular room was one of two that had been constructed to house humans, and it was modeled along the lines of a human jail cell. There was a narrow bed bolted to one wall and a small toilet/sink combination on the middle of the opposite wall. This was not so much for the human's convenience, but for the vampires'. For obvious reasons, no humans were ever allowed downstairs, and it was nearly impossible to get any vampire to clean up a human prisoner's waste. It was hard enough to get them to feed the captives without having a little snack for themselves while they were at it... which was one of the reasons our "guest" was now in danger of expiring. Remnants of a few attempts at feeding the prisoner were in evidence. The latest offering was something in a brightly colored container labeled "Happy Meal." Idly, I wondered what additives were put in the food to make the human happy. By the looks of things, it had failed miserably.

Robert was already waiting for us, casually leaning against one wall with arms crossed. Atticus the guard was also present, since it was his night to tend the prisoner. Eric was standing at the head of the cot, but he was not looking at the human at all. Instead, his eyes were transfixed on his Bonded. His face was completely impassive, but deep inside he was both elated and relieved beyond words that she had chosen to follow him. He held out his hand to his wife, and without the slightest hesitation she went to him. I slid into the cell behind her. Even though the room was fairly large, it now seemed quite crowded with a prisoner, four large vampires, and one small Telepath. In a greeting to Sookie, Atticus bowed and said, "Welcome home, Your Majesty."

Before she left, Sookie had always been highly uncomfortable with anyone calling her by that title. She would either blush a tiny bit or screw her face up into one of those awful grimaces and then say, "Please just call me Sookie." To my utter amazement, she looked coolly at the guard, gave him the ghost of a smile, and responded, "Thank you, Atticus. I am glad to be home."

If the transformation of the Viking from ailing vampire to completely healed and totally in-control King had been startling, Sookie's was no less amazing. A slightly insecure backwoods barmaid had gone into the Portal, but what had emerged was unquestionably a Queen. Calm and regal, she stood quietly at her Bonded's side. Her lovely Fairy glow was quite noticeable in the low light of the cell and it made her seem more beautiful than ever. A delicious smell wafted from her, helping to mask the unpleasant reek of unwashed human. I felt a tiny flash of pride that such a woman as this one had _ever_ been mine. As soon as Sookie had given him her response, a flash of surprise crossed the Royal Guard's handsome dark features before he could help himself. He regarded his Queen thoughtfully, and I knew that he could see the changes in her as well I as did. By the way his eyes were glowing it was obvious that he approved.

Sookie stared down at the human lying motionless on the thin stained mattress. Even though she seemed completely in control of herself, I felt an overwhelming pity for the wretched creature surge through her. At first I was afraid we were too late after all, but then I saw the uneven rise and fall of his chest and realized he was merely unconscious. He was completely filthy and covered in various bite marks. One raw and bleeding ankle was tightly shackled, the attached chain bolted to the wall. In spite of being offered human food on a regular basis, he had refused to eat most of it, and as a result was much thinner than he had been upon his capture. Sookie said quietly, "I can't read his mind unless he is awake. Even if I could read them, his dreams would not tell us much."

Of course, the Viking felt no pity... far from it. Instead, he was filled with anger and hatred for this man who had willingly profited from the slaughter of innocent vampires. "Fine. I'll wake him," he growled. Bending, he grasped the man and began to shake him. The man's head flopped limply from side to side but his eyes still remained closed. Laying a hand on her Bonded's arm, Sookie said sharply, "Eric! Please... stop. Let me handle this."

Unbelievably, he listened to her. Giving the man one last shake, he dropped him back on the bed. Before he could stop her, Sookie sat on the bed next to the human and reached for his hand. Horrified, Eric exclaimed, "No, Sookie! Do not touch him! I do not want his filth to soil your hands."

Sookie turned her face up to his and responded firmly, "If you want to get any information out of this man, I've _got_ to touch him. Now please, honey... stand back and let me do my job. He might talk more freely if you aren't hovering."

After a moment of consideration, the Viking gave her a reluctant nod and stepped back. It was dark enough in the room that he and the other two vampires faded back into the shadows. Seeing the wisdom in Sookie's words, I, too stepped back into a dark corner. She took the human's grimy hand into one of hers and with the other began to stroke his arm. I glanced at the others. To a man, every vampire in the room was completely revolted at the sight of our lovely Queen touching such vermin with her bare hands... and yet, utterly fascinated with what was unfolding. For obvious reasons, getting to see a Fairy work her magic was a great rarity for any vampire. Eric and I had the added advantage of being able to feel the energy as it swirled up inside of her. I could even tell when she allowed it to flow into the man. Inexplicably, I found myself quite envious. I had once been on the receiving end of that incredible magic of hers, and it seemed a travesty for the human scum to be granted even a small taste of it.

As she concentrated, her glow seemed to expand until eventually the two of them seemed bathed in a golden aura. For a short time, it seemed that even her Fairy magic was not going to do any good. Finally, Sookie closed her eyes and muttered, "Oh, come _on_! I _really_ wish you would wake up so I can talk to you!" … and miraculously, a second later the man opened his eyes and groaned. Rolling his head in Sookie's direction, he rasped out, "My God! You're human! Please, lady, please! Help me get out of here. Those bloodsuckers are trying to kill me." It was obvious that in his condition he couldn't see very well and had no idea that there were vampires in the room.

"Shhh! You know, it's probably better if you try not to irritate them by calling them names. Besides, if they really wanted you dead, you wouldn't be talking to me now."

He shook his head weakly and said, "If you don't help me, I think I'm going to die. Can you get me out of here?"

Instead of answering him directly, Sookie asked gently, "Why don't you just tell them what they want to know?"

He coughed a couple of times and then lay still, obviously thinking it over. Finally, he replied, "There's nothing to tell. Whatever those fuckers think I did, they're crazy."

Again Sookie closed her eyes momentarily, and I knew she was concentrating on what was going on in his head. Opening them, she gave the man a penetrating look and said, "Now, Donald... your name is Donald, right? Are you _sure_? You've_ never _done anything to harm a vampire?"

"No, I swear to you! I don't know _anything_ about draining vampires." He was doing his best to look sincere.

After staring at him for a moment, Sookie said, "I see. Do you know _anybody_ who does? If you could just tell the vampires something..."

"No. I don't," came the abrupt reply.

In between each question, Sookie would pause and I knew she was listening to his thoughts before moving on to the next question. After asking him a few more things with no results (at least audible ones) she said, "You claim to be innocent, but I can tell from the way you talk that you really hate vampires."

"Look what those evil bastards have done to me! But I promise you, if they would just let me go, I wouldn't say a word to anybody. Now, please... You seem like a nice lady. Since you aren't chained up, I can tell you must work for them somehow... but I beg you! I'm human, the same as you... I don't deserve to die in this hell-hole. For God's sake, call 911."

The Telepath let go of his hand and folded hers neatly in her lap. In an icy tone, she said, "Evil shows up in all different shapes and sizes, doesn't it? For example, a man who professes to love his wife but cheats on her, stays out all night getting drunk, and then comes home and beats the crap out of her could be considered evil. No wonder she left you."

Shocked, the man mustered enough energy to exclaim, "What? Who the hell_ are _you? How did you know that? That bitch been talking again? Well, you've got it all wrong. She ran off with a goddamn vampire, the stinking whore."

"Hmm. Maybe he treated her better than you ever did. In any event, that is why you hate them so much, isn't it? That started the whole thing. You would sit around in a bar getting blotto every night, talking about how much you hated vampires. You missed a lot of work and got fired... and you blamed that on the vampire, too. One day, you got a phone call recruiting you to be a drainer. You not only accepted the job, you loved every minute of it. There was nothing that turned you on more than watching the life drain out of the vampires you hated and then making money off their blood."

"Lady, you are crazier than a shithouse mouse! Who told you all of this stuff?"

Ignoring him, Sookie continued, "After a while, you were promoted to being a bag man. You got to recruit your own set of drainers... and you even made sure that one of your crew's first targets was your wife's lover. I'm too much of a lady to even say what you did to his body while he was too weak to fight you. I know what kind of a disgusting, twisted man you _really_ are, so quit trying to con me into feeling sorry for you. I want you to tell me the name of the man above you."

"I can't tell you what I don't know. Why are you doing this? How much are the vampires paying you to betray a fellow human being? Oh... I bet I know! You aren't any better than my wife! You're fucking them, aren't you? You're just another fang-banging whore! Get away from me, you filthy bitch."

His eyes were now blazing with hatred. Knowing that the vampires in the room were about to descend, Sookie held up her hand in warning. She stood and briskly rubbed the palms of her hands on her jeans. The pity was now entirely gone from her eyes _and _her heart. She said coldly, "I may not be perfect, but I am _not_ a whore. I am a married woman and I love my husband very much. Unlike the horrible way you treated your poor wife, he treats _me_ like a queen. Maybe you would like to meet him. Eric?"

The Viking materialized out of the gloom, and stood at her side glaring down at the human. Recoiling in horror, the man spit out, "Him? _That's_ your husband? He's the worst of the bunch! If you think a monster like that can love you or anybody else, you're crazy."

Sookie said, "For your information, that vampire loves much more deeply than a worthless excuse of a man like you _ever_ could and besides that he never lies to me. He may not always tell me everything he knows, but what he does tell me is the truth. Can _you_ say that? Every word _you've_ said to me has been a lie." Turning to Eric, she said, "Honey, I think I'm done here. I'll fill you in on the details later. Now, remember our deal?"

"What!" Eric exclaimed incredulously, "After all this man has done, do you _really_ expect me to turn him over to the human authorities?"

Sookie laid her small hand against her Bonded's cheek and gazed up into his eyes. Soothingly, she said, "No, baby. Not _that_ deal. I meant the one where you don't drink from other people. Somehow I don't think this man's blood would be good for you. You _are _the King, and I guess maybe I had better let you deal with his punishment. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I think I'll go upstairs. I need to wash my hands and I could certainly use a drink." She gave the man on the bunk one last withering look and said, "My advice to you is to pray to God for forgiveness for your cruelty to others. _He_ might take pity on you."

The stream of invectives that came out of the prisoner's mouth was amazing from someone so clearly close to death. Without another word, our Queen turned and stomped out of the room, leaving behind four utterly astonished vampires. In addition to shock, from Eric came a huge jolt of pride. I knew exactly how he felt. For the first time, his woman had truly put vampires ahead of humans and had openly acknowledged her acceptance of his authority to boot. He waited until Sookie was safely out of earshot before reaching down and clamping a huge hand over the captive's mouth, holding his head firmly in place. The man's eyes began to bulge out in terror. "Shut your filthy mouth," the Viking ordered, "Now, I believe that you and I have a score to settle. Not only have you sent a number of my vampires to their final deaths, you have insulted my wife. The first offense is punishable by death. The second ensures that it will be as painful as possible. I have a small problem, however. Luckily for _you_, I promised my wife that I would not taste your blood and as she told you earlier, I _always_ tell her the truth." Then, he gave the man the coldest smile I had ever seen and added, "Fortunately for _me_, these other vampires are bound by no such promise."

Obviously, that was our cue to step forward.

******

A little while later, I finally made my way back upstairs. Robert and Eric had gone upstairs first, and I stayed behind to supervise the clean-up and disposal. After all the frustrations of my evening up until that point, I had let my vampire nature get the better of me and I confess I enjoyed myself a great deal. After retrieving a spare set of clothing from the trunk of my car, I quickly showered in the employee locker room. I was just going to go in search of my companions, when Pam came out of her office. She asked, "So. How did it go?"

"Didn't Robert already tell you?" I asked in surprise.

"No, he and Eric both came up and showered, then headed straight to the bar. I've been busy going over the correspondence."

My fellow Lieutenant looked much the same as she always did, but I could tell something was bothering her. I had no idea what it could be, but I felt it highly unlikely she would tell me the cause. Instead, I said, "Come on. You look like you could use a blood."

Without waiting for an answer, I continued on my way toward the bar. Pam hesitated for a moment before following me. Since it was after hours, Eric had chosen to sit in a different location for a change. I found them lounging in a comfortable seating group near the back corner of the club. Eric and Robert were leaning forward, involved in a very intense conversation. Sookie was slumped between the two vampires, her head resting wearily against the back of the red leather sofa. Clutched in her hand was a sweating glass which I presumed contained her preferred drink... a gin and tonic. She looked totally exhausted, but the minute she saw us she gave us a crooked smile and said warmly, "Hey, you two! Come have a seat."

We made our way over to them. Robert had been without a change of clothes, but he had managed to wipe the black leather pants fairly clean and Eric had donated a Fangtasia t-shirt which showcased his well-muscled upper body quite well. His long dark hair was still damp, and for once it was not pulled back into its normal neat ponytail but flowing loose over his broad shoulders. Right then, he looked more like the leading man from a block-buster action movie or maybe a young rock star instead of the 900-year-old vampire that he was. When he saw Pam, he sat back and said, "Pamela, my dove, come join me." He held out his hand for her, clearly wanting her to come sit on his lap. Instead, she took a seat on the sofa sitting at right angles to theirs. I suppose she was just not in the cuddling mood. Completely ignoring her slight, Robert got up and moved over to sit next to her, completely confirming his reputation as being utterly fearless in all respects. Pam just gave him a sour look, but he grabbed her hand, kissed the back of it, and then gave her one of his ultra-charming French smiles. None of this escaped Sookie's notice, but she said nothing. Typical of Eric, he ignored the whole thing. Instead, he said, "It is about time you two turned up. To keep from having to go over it twice, we have been waiting on you to debrief Sookie."

Sookie sighed deeply and I could feel the sadness practically pouring off of her. I suspected that although our Queen had truly believed the prisoner to be evil, his death was weighing heavily on her soul. With a grimace, she began, "That guy was bad news. Y'all already know how he was originally recruited and why. Pam, what it boils down to is that he hated vampires because his wife ditched him for one. Just like the other bunch we caught, he got an anonymous phone call offering him a job. He went to work as a drainer and was eventually promoted to running his own crew. Okay, here's what you _haven't_ heard. He found his crew the same way... by hanging out in bars listening for guys who hated vampires and looked like they might need work. He was telling the truth about one thing... he really didn't know very much about the other members of this organization. Each group is deliberately kept in the dark about the others so they can't rat each other out. His orders were almost always given to him over the phone... he was told where and when to send his crew. He was responsible for providing the drainers with the proper supplies, paying them off, and collecting the blood. After he picked it up, he would take it to the airport and leave it at a private terminal, to be picked up and flown to an unknown location to be processed. Almost the only thing he knew about the guy above him was his first name and phone number. The man's name is Bastien. I guess y'all have Donald's cell phone, so his boss's number is probably somewhere in his call log.

I spoke up and said, "Bastien used to be a common name in the southern half of the state. I have already traced back the numbers stored in Donald's phone. There were no Bastiens listed in the call log, but there were a couple of numbers that I think came from disposable phones... which means there is no way of tracing them."

Sookie thought that over and then said, "I think the man we are looking for might live in Austin. That's where Donald was living when he was first recruited... his wife worked for the University of Texas. When I was questioning him about his boss, he was thinking about the only time that he _did_ meet him in person. They met at a bar that had UT stuff all over the walls. Donald was remembering how surprised he was when he finally met the man behind the anonymus voice. He didn't look anything like Donald expected him to... "

Eric exclaimed, "Sookie! Do you mean to say you know what this Bastien looks like?"

"Yes... sort of. I know how he looked in Donald's memory... which may not be exactly what he really looks like. Most people are so self-involved they don't really pay that much attention to how other people really look, you know. Anyway, this guy Bastien has dark hair and dark eyes. I don't think he's very tall. He looks really young... that's why Donald was so surprised. How can someone that young be so high up in a big organization like that?

Robert asked carefully, "He could not possibly be a vampire, could he? Or perhaps a Fairy... no offense, my dear."

A tiny hint of worry came from Sookie as she closed her eyes and thought very hard. Finally she opened them and answered, "No, I'm pretty sure not. I think the meeting they had was during the daytime, so Bastien can't be a vampire. I don't think he was Fairy either, but I can't be sure. For one thing, he had dark eyes and all the Fairies I've ever met have green or blue eyes... or like my friend Faeryn, whose eyes change to match whatever color she's wearing."

At the mention of the half-Fairy's name, Robert's eyes began to glow. He said eagerly, "Yes, I noticed immediately that her eyes were the precise shade of her dress... but I thought she had chosen the dress for that reason. So her eyes change color to match her clothing... Completely fascinating!"

I actually had the pleasure of meeting this half-Fairy the night before. After disposing of the remains of Sabriel's warlock, I had returned to the farmhouse in hopes of seeing Sookie. It turned out that the Viking had long since flown off with her, but her friend was still there. She was sitting in Sookie's old swing near the front porch. The Knight had placed an aluminum lawn chair a safe distance from the swing... upwind, of course. Clearly Robert had been quite taken with the beautiful woman. She did not stay for long, saying that she needed to report back to Niall on the outcome of the meeting. Since I had missed most of their conversation, I tried to quiz Robert about what he had learned, but I found myself having to repeat each question at least twice. Judging from his lack of response and also from the glazed look on his face, the lovely half-Fairy had made a huge impression.

Sookie smiled at the Knight's enthusiastic response. She elaborated, "Well, sometimes they match her surroundings... like the ocean, for example," Sookie clarified, "It just depends. I keep meaning to ask her if she does it on purpose or it just happens on its own."

"Do you think you will be seeing her soon? Perhaps she will be coming for a visit, yes?"

Sookie replied, "Well, I don't know. She lives in the islands, but I would love for her to come visit. I'm really going to miss her... and you should see her mother! She's... well, she looks almost exactly like the statue you gave us. Thank you so much for sending it, by the way. I absolutely love it."

A dramatic sigh came from Pam, who was clearly annoyed by this whole line of conversation. I suppose we _were_ getting a bit off the subject, but after the severe tension of the last few weeks, it felt good to be chatting about something enjoyable for at least a few minutes. Obviously not interested in the topic of beautiful Fairies, Pam practically snarled, "Back to the _important_ matters at hand. Do you think you would recognize this man if you saw him again?"

Sookie thought for a moment before replying, "Yes, I think so. He was a good-looking guy, and he was wearing a very unusual necklace."

Pam asked, "Can you identify the bar?"

"I don't know the name of it, but if I saw it again, probably."

For the next few minutes the four of us quizzed her for every tiny scrap of information she had gleaned. Ever so often she would take a tiny sip of her drink. Eventually, she peered into her empty glass and announced, "I would give just about anything for a little Perianth right now."

Robert asked curiously, "What is Perianth? I've never heard of it. Is it a type of alcohol?"

Sookie nodded and replied, "Yes, it is made in the Portal from flowers similar to honeysuckle. The nectar is harvested by the woodsprites as part of their annual tithe to the Prince. It tastes heavenly and I'm afraid it's pretty intoxicating. It makes you feel really, really good, much better than anything we have here."

If she had not already had our attention, she would have had it then. The Portal was such a mythical place, no vampire knew much about it. I was burning to know more and by the look on their faces, Eric and Robert felt exactly the same way. Simultaneously, Robert and Eric spoke. The Knight exclaimed, "Are you claiming that woodsprites are real?" at the same time Eric asked suspiciously, "Does it make you feel better than my blood does?"

Sookie looked back and forth between the two of them, obviously amused. To Robert she said, "Yes, they _are_ real." To Eric she said, "Of course not, honey. Your blood is the best! I just meant as far as alcohol goes. The closest thing I've tried here that has a similar effect is that drink you gave me called the Vampire's Kiss, and I never got around to asking the bartender what he put in it. I just wish we had some Perianth here, I'd give you a little taste." With that, she ran her tongue over her lips and gave him a saucy wink. Instantly, a serious burst of lust shot through their Bond, and once again I was fighting an untimely erection. Now it was me that let out a sigh. What I wouldn't give to be old enough to be able to lick the essence of a fine wine from those luscious Fairy lips!

A minute later, Sookie stood up and murmured, "Please excuse me for a minute." She stepped over the long legs of the Viking and promptly headed for the hallway. I presumed she was going to visit the ladies' room. The minute she was gone, Robert asked Eric excitedly, "How much has she told you about the Portal? Do you think she is reluctant to tell us about it? I do not wish to offend her, but I am most anxious to learn all I can."

Eric replied, "We have been much too busy with other issues to delve into it very deeply. I do not sense any reluctance on her part to answer questions. I cannot wait to show you the nightgown she brought back. It is made with the most amazing cloth I have ever seen. Apparently the Portal is nothing at all like we have imagined. I am looking forward to hearing every detail."

Somewhat crossly, Pam said, "Why do we keep ending up on the subjest of Fairies and especially the Portal? Why are you so fascinated with a place you will never be able to see for yourself? You have much more important things to think about. We should be concentrating all of our energies on catching these drainers instead of figuring out what beverages Fairies prefer!"

Eric looked at his child with an unreadable expression. Patiently, he answered, "I think being the only vampires in existence to have actual knowledge of what the Portal contains is _quite_ important. However, I do agree that we need to formulate a plan..."

We were deep in our discussion when Sookie returned. It was obvious by the way she was walking that she was tired. Pam and Robert were arguing over some minor point and paid her little attention. Instead of resuming her seat, she asked softly "Mind if I sit here for awhile?" and then sat herself in Eric's lap. The Viking leaned back against the sofa and settled her more comfortably against his chest. He tenderly brushed her hair back away from her face and asked quietly, "Are you all right?"

"Mmm-hmm. I'm sorry for being such a party-pooper, but I'm really tired. I guess I used up all my energy on that guy."

The Viking gave her a smile and murmured, "I am not surprised. That was completely amazing! I was so proud of you."

"I'm glad," the Telepath answered, "I just hope it does some good."

She snuggled even closer into his arms and he rubbed his cheek lovingly against her hair. Their happiness was coming off them in waves. I sat back in my own seat and blissfully drank it in. Finally noticing that all conversation had ceased, I glanced over at Pam and Robert. They, too, seemed mesmerized by the loving couple. The look on Robert's face was nothing short of envious and for a brief moment I thought I saw Pam's face soften. Abruptly, she said, "It is getting late. Robert, are you coming with me?"

Much to my surprise, he said, "No, I thought I might impose on my Brother for shelter. I have much to do in New York and think I will order the airplane for tomorrow night. Most of my things are at Valhalla and I will need to pack. Why do you not come with me?"

She thought it over for just a minute, clearly torn. Sookie said softly, "Pam, I would really love for you to come. You know you are always welcome."

Pam said crabbily, "Oh... all right. I suppose Robert will need my van to haul all his luggage back home." Even though she sounded cross, I thought that she was actually relieved to be included.

Completely ignoring her tone, Eric said, "Good. I think we should continue this discussion at first dark tomorrow, before Robert departs for New York. To that end, Bill, I feel you should stay at Valhalla as well."

Then it was my turn to hesitate. I knew quite well that if I stayed at Valhalla, I would be faced with the same dilemma that I had in New Orleans. It was going to be an agonizing choice... I could be a vampire and let the feelings flow through the Bond and enjoy things I really had no right to be experiencing, or be a gentleman and try to block them out. I started to decline, trying to think of a legitimate excuse that would not offend my King or his wife. My brain seemed frozen and unable to supply a single thing that made sense. Eric seemed to take this in and a slight frown appeared on his face, but it was Sookie who actually changed my mind. Looking me directly in the eye, she said, "Please, Bill. I'd really like it if you'd come." She had a twinkle in her eye, and I could almost swear... but no. Of _course_, she did not know anything about my little secret.

"Very well. I will be glad to accept your hospitality," I said quite formally. I would have plenty of time to wrestle with my conscience on the way to Valhalla. Before following the others out of the building, I located my coat that Sookie had returned earlier. On the way out the door, I slipped it on. Once I was in my car, I realized that Sookie's wonderful scent had permeated it, so before starting the engine I leaned my head back, closed my eyes, and inhaled deeply. Ahhh. Smiling to myself, I automatically reached into the pocket for my keys before remembering they were in my pants. Instead, my fingers encountered something soft... a scrap of fabric. Curiously, I pulled it out to investigate. Upon seeing what was in my hand, my smile became broader than ever... it was the remnants of Sookie's panties. She must have unconsciously shoved them in the pocket of my jacket during our conversation at Valhalla and then forgotten all about them. I stared down at what was left of the wispy blue panties for a long time before carefully returning them to my pocket. Shaking my head, I located my keys, turned on the engine, and started the drive to Valhalla.

So much for being a gentleman.


	33. Chapter 33

_Author's Notes: Due to the holidays, I didn't get much writing done. Instead of making you all wait for another week, I decided to cut the chapter into parts. The resulting chapter is very short and fluffy._

**Chapter 33**

**Eric's POV: After the interrogation at Fangtasia**

The minute my beautiful, intriguing, maddening wife popped back into my life, I knew two things. One, that I was every bit as enthralled with her as I ever was; and two, that somehow she was different. At first, I thought it was only her appearance that had changed, but when she allowed me to administer justice to the drainer without a word of protest, it became crystal clear that some deeper metamorphosis had taken place. I have no idea what has brought about such profound changes, but I really do not care. I for one am ecstatic.

I glance over at my now sleeping wife, who has my right hand firmly clutched between hers even in her slumber. Although a minor point, this is even further proof of a shift in her thinking. Before she left, she always insisted that I keep both hands firmly on the wheel while driving! My adorable little Fairy fell deeply asleep almost as soon as I tucked her into the car, completely exhausted by using her magic... not to mention the effect of the two gin and tonics she downed in short order. I absolutely loath that she had to use her precious energies on scum such as that, but I confess it was completely fascinating to observe. Since Bill has already been fortunate enough to experience Sookie's magic first-hand, he did not seem in the least surprised and observed the event with his normal remote expression. I managed to get a good look at Robert's face while she was bringing the human to consciousness, and _he_ looked thoroughly bowled over. Atticus was equally astonished. If I had known that she intended to use her magic on the human, I might very well have made the Royal Guard leave first. However, I suppose it was inevitable that he would discover our little secret sooner or later, and I can tell that his respect for his Queen has risen exponentially... as well it should. In addition to her becoming more mature in her thinking, it seems that her magical abilities are growing by leaps and bounds. I have never been prouder of Sookie, or more excited by the prospect of our future. She is becoming my true Queen in every way. I have always felt certain that she would eventually grow into the role, and I am delighted that it seems to be happening many years sooner than I anticipated.

After an uneventful drive, I pull through the gates at Valhalla. Parking close to the front door, I hurry around to the passenger side of the car and lift Sookie out. Even though I try not to wake her, she rather groggily opens her eyes and gives me a sweet smile. Her body tenses just slightly, and I can tell that she is going to make the usual protest that she is not a baby and that it is not necessary for me to carry her around... but instead, she obviously reconsiders. She relaxes into my arms, snuggles her head against my shoulder and lets out a contented sigh. It is just as well, because I would not have put her down in any event. She has never seemed to grasp that to me, she weighs as little as a feather would to an ordinary man. By her actions tonight, she has shown her love and loyalty to me and I intend to return that favor by pampering her a bit. Besides, she is my Bonded and having her in my arms is one of life's small pleasures. We have just reached the front door when Pam's minivan comes rolling down the drive. "Put me down, honey," Sookie says firmly, "I want to greet our guests."

I have to smile. No matter how tired she is, my little Southern Belle is not about to slight her guests. I set her down without argument and unlock the door, and then take my place at her side. For the very first time, my wife and I stand on our front porch and welcome guests into our home together. I can tell that this gives Sookie a deep sense of satisfaction... and I have to admit, I find it quite pleasant myself.

Once we are all inside, Sookie goes straight into hostess mode. Indulgently, I watch her bustling around, making sure everyone is comfortable and has everything they might require before they go to their rest. Briefly, I consider protesting. As my Queen, Pam and Bill should really be waiting on _her._.. but then I realize that being a gracious hostess seems to make her happy, so I decided to stay silent... for a few minutes, anyway. I want to get her to bed as soon as possible and not for the usual reasons. She has only been back two nights and already I have allowed her to get overly tired. I intend to do my best to take better care of her this time around. Fortunately, the house is in good order and everyone seems to be content to go about their business. Pam takes a bottle of blood and disappears upstairs, claiming that she wants to take a bubble bath in the old claw footed tub. It is just as well. She has been very chilly to Sookie all evening. It is a good thing for my child that I have promised Sookie I will allow her to deal with this issue... but even then, I am only going to tolerate Pam's rudeness for so long. I hope for her sake she recovers her manners before I have to step in. I liked it _much _better when my women were getting along. Almost as soon as Pam leaves, Bill wishes us goodnight as well, stating that he is going to finish a book he had borrowed from my library earlier in the week. As for Robert, he decides to make some phone calls and asks to borrow my computer to check his emails before going to his rest.

My bride and I bid him a cordial goodnight before taking the stairs down to our chamber. Once we are in our bedroom, I pull my Bonded into my embrace for a very tender kiss. Without being told, I know that my woman will require a bath before bed, to wash the grime of the basement off of her skin and hopefully out of her soul as well. Taking her hand, I lead her into our bathroom and run her bath myself. After adding her favorite bath salts to the steaming water, I help her out of her clothes and get her settled comfortably. I kneel at the side of the tub, and after careful consideration of the handmade soaps available, I select one that we purchased on our honeymoon. The scent always brings that most magical time to my mind. Realizing that I have not disrobed, Sookie asks in surprise, "Aren't you coming in with me?"

I know full well that if I did, I could not control my natural impulse to fuck her instead of letting her rest. Giving her a smile, I answer, "No, my Lover. You are tired. Let me care for you."

Once again, I expect a protest, but instead she merely says, "Thanks, sugar. I guess I _am_ worn out."

In addition to a hot bath, I think what my Bonded needs is a little pick-me-up. Using one fang, I make a fair-sized gash in one finger and quickly offer her the resulting blood. Without hesitation, she takes it in her mouth and sucks gently. As always, I find the whole thing extremely erotic. It produces an immediate erection which I do my best to ignore. As soon as the puncture closes, she removes my finger and gives it a tiny kiss. "Thank you," she tells me, "I feel better already!" With a contented smile, she lays her head back and closes her eyes, clearly enjoying the rush as the magic in my blood seeps into her system. Grabbing a sponge, I proceed to soap up that creamy skin of hers. I run the sponge over those spectacular breasts, over her belly and then down each long shapely leg. As I work, I feel my blood circulating through her... now my erection is becoming almost painful.

To try and get my mind off sex, I replay the entire interrogation and its aftermath in my mind. I am still completely astonished at my Bonded's radical shift in attitude... but even if Sookie did not stop us from killing the human, it does not mean that she is entirely comfortable with her choice. After careful consideration as to her motives, I suspect that as usual she has not relayed every detail of our captive's thoughts, and I imagine that critical bit of information is what led her to allow his death. I find it totally amusing that my little telepath finds it necessary to edit her findings in order to protect her vampires' feelings! However, I begin to worry that her willingness to accept my authority will come with a steep price. Since she still has one, I realize that perhaps the man's death is weighing heavily on her conscious. I decide to tell her something that I did not want to say in front of the others. Quietly, I say, "Sookie, I want you to know how proud you made me tonight. I know it was not easy for you."

Sure enough, a host of negative emotions roll off of my Bonded in waves. Without opening her eyes, she says, "Thanks, baby, but can we talk about this later? I'm afraid I'm going to have bad dreams as it is."

Obviously she is not yet ready to discuss it. In an attempt to lighten her mood a little, I respond teasingly, "Oh, I hope not. I would _much_ rather you dream of having some sort of very inventive sex with me. I would quite enjoy that."

While we were out strolling in her garden earlier in the evening, I tried my best to discover if Sookie was aware that we have been sharing dreams. By the look on her face when she saw the Fairy statue, I could tell that she had not yet made that connection but that the truth was not far from floating to the surface. I very nearly told her myself, but decided that it would be much more enjoyable to let her work it out on her own. I am also quite aware that there is something else bothering her... something that causes her little flashes of guilt. I am burning to question her about it, but something tells me that I should just be patient (not my strongest suit when it comes to her) and let it come out when she is ready... as long as it does not take too long. I cannot imagine what it might be, but I doubt whatever it is could be too serious.

While my own little Fairy drowses in the hot water, I finish bathing her. When she is adequately clean, I lift her from the water and wrap her in one of the towels from the nearby basket. It has always been my Lover's habit to dab on a tiny bit of scent before bedtime, a ritual that I always find very sensual and completely feminine. Now, she goes to her tray of perfumes and selects one. I know each of her scents very well, and I have never seen this particular bottle before tonight. The container itself is very pretty, made from a delicate crystal and it has an elaborate stopper. The minute Sookie opens it and applies a tiny drop to her skin, the most delicious smell permeates the air. Taking the bottle from her, I take a deeper whiff. Ah! It smells like the things I most associate with Sookie... sunlight and roses. It is so very alluring! Quite obviously, it is much too delicate and unusual to be a commercially made product. Instantly, I wonder where she got it. Just who has been giving my wife perfume? As casually as I can, I say, "Sookie, this fragrance is wonderful. I am not familiar with it. Where did you get it?"

"It was a gift from Niall," she answers readily, "He had it made just for me while he was in Paris."

Hmph. I suppose I should have known it came from Niall. Who else _could_ it be? Still, I am somewhat surprised to find that Sookie accepted his gifts so readily. "The fragrance does suit you perfectly," I admit rather grudgingly, "I confess to being somewhat surprised that you accepted it. It took you months to accept _my_ gifts with no qualms."

Immediately, Sookie gives me a curious look, clearly puzzled by the little tinge of jealousy she just received from me. Carefully, she replies, "Well, he _is_ a relative. I'm afraid he spoiled me a little while I was there."

Trying not to growl, I spit out, "Oh, he did, did he? What _other_ presents did he give my wife?"

"Besides lots of clothes, he gave me a brush set. Here, let me show you."

Pulling open the drawer where she stores our hair things, she takes out a new brush and comb set. She hands me the brush, and I can hardly believe my eyes. This is no ordinary hairbrush, but one made of solid gold. On the back, an ornate "S" is set with flashing diamonds. Now my possessive streak really does make an appearance. I heartily dislike anyone other than me giving my woman such personal and expensive gifts! Then, it occurs to me the probable motivation for such a present and it makes me more out of sorts than ever. With a scowl, I say, "This is indeed a gift fit for a Queen. I suppose the wily old rascal was trying to lure you into staying with him forever."

With a look of surprise, Sookie exclaims, "No, honey! That wasn't it at all! I was pretty miserable, and Niall gave me those things to cheer me up."

"So he made no attempt to talk you into staying in the Portal?"

Shaking her head, she says, "Well, he made it clear that I could stay if I wanted, but he never tried to influence me against you in any way. Quite honestly, I think he knew I would come home to you all along."

Somewhat mollified by her words, I decide to drop the issue for now. Perhaps I am over-reacting. As Sookie's kinsman, I suppose the Prince _does_ have the right to give his great granddaughter gifts... as long as there is no ulterior motive. Still, it makes me remember that I have not found out what transpired while she was in the Portal... but as curious as I am, it will have to wait until another time. Sookie is still wrapped in her towel. I am just about to take it off her and put her to bed, when I spy that amazing nightgown of hers hanging from a hook on the back of the bathroom door. Suddenly, I am overcome with an intense desire to see it on her. Taking it from the hook, I say, "Indulge me, Lover. I want to see you in this again."

Obligingly, she slips it on. I reach over and flip off the lights so that the shimmer and glow of the fabric is even more pronounced. My Queen stands before me, her golden hair flowing loose over her shoulders. The fabric of her gown is sheer enough to reveal her figure... and yet, in some mysterious way that thin shimmering layer of cloth makes her body more alluring than ever. Surely there was never another woman such as this! Not only is she incredibly beautiful, and clearly more magical than ever, she engages my mind like no other woman ever has or ever will. I can no longer resist showing her how much I desire her. Pulling her to me, I begin to kiss her... slowly, sensually, letting my love and desire for her flow through our Bond. I breath into her ear, "My angel, you are so lovely. Your hair..." I kiss the silky strands of her fragrant hair. "Your eyes...." As lightly as a feather, I touch my lips to her closed eyelids. "Your lips..." Her soft lips yield to mine. Lifting my head, I continue, "Your breasts..." My hands begin to wander, my fingertips delicately dancing over her breasts. I can feel the heat from her skin through the nearly transparent fabric. Obviously the Fairy can feel my touch equally well, since her nipples harden instantly. My hands drop lower, outlining and caressing the curve of her waist and then the swell of her hips. "...everything about you is perfect. You _are_ a goddess, Sookie. I only wish..."

I manage to stop myself before blurting out the second half of that statement. Something about the Fairy in Sookie seems to arouse my own vampire nature, and I have to struggle to control it. I am certain that Sookie can feel my inner turmoil and she asks, "Tell me, baby. What is it you are wishing for?"

"Nothing. I have absolutely everything I want right now."

Giving me a slight smile, she says, "I don't think so. Whatever it is, you want it very badly... I can feel it. Please tell me. No secrets, remember?"

I suppose my wife has come to know me rather well. She is right. I _do _want something. I am absolutely burning to let my Brother catch a glimpse of my most cherished treasure... my spectacular Fairy-wife in all her splendor. I wonder if I can explain this very basic vampire need so that she will understand? "I told Robert that I wanted to show him your nightgown..."

She looks a little puzzled by this answer. "Uh... okay. You can show it to him tomorrow night before he leaves."

"... but to get the full effect, he needs to see it with the Fairy in it," I really do want her to understand this, so by way of explanation I add, "You are an incredibly beautiful woman, Sookie, and in that gown you _do_ look like a goddess. I am extremely proud of you. I want to share this incomparable vision with my Brother, who has stood with me for nearly nine hundred years. I know this seems strange to you. Perhaps only another vampire could understand. It does not really matter, because I know you to be a modest woman. I do not really understand the need for modesty, but I _do_ respect your feelings. I will not ask it of you."

For a long moment, my Bonded stares at me without speaking. Finally, she asks, "Is that _all _it is? This isn't one step before really "sharing" me with him, is it?"

Shocked to my core that she could even imagine such a thing, I exclaim, "No, of course not! Sookie, you are not some ordinary human. You are my Queen and Twice-Bonded. I will _never_ share you with anyone in that way!"

To my amazement, her face relaxes and she gives me a lovely, warm smile. Taking my hand she says, "I guess I really knew that. What we share is pretty special, isn't it? Now, about Robert... you have gone out of your way to make me happy with the gardens and the house... you give me the gift of your blood. You always try your best to take good care of me. I want to give you something in return. I may not really understand it and it _is_ a little embarrassing, but I can tell this would make you really happy... so I'll do it."

"Oh, Sookie. Are you sure?"

She nods, "Yes. It isn't like I'm _completely_ naked or anything, and besides... Robert's already seen me in a _much_ more embarrassing position, remember? We'd better hurry, though, it's getting close to dawn."

A fierce burst of happiness explodes in my chest. I pull my loving and generous wife into my arms for a quick kiss before taking her hand and leading her upstairs. I open the concealed door and take one step into the library, keeping her on the landing behind me and out of sight. The lights in the room have been extinguished, except for the glow of the computer monitor. Robert is sitting behind my desk typing away and with my arrival he shifts his gaze in my direction. "Eric!" he says in surprise, "Is something wrong?"

"No. I promised that I would show you the Fairy-cloth. For you, my Brother, I will go one step further and show you the Fairy that goes with it." With that, I give my wife's hand a gentle tug, and she steps through the doorway and takes her place at my side. In the darkness of the library, the magical cloth shimmers, its glow enhancing the luscious contours of my woman's perfect figure. It suddenly occurs to me that although _I _can see it, all Robert will be able to see is an extremely lovely woman in a very alluring nightgown... not the full effect at all. In disappointment, I say to Sookie, "He has not had any Fairy blood. He cannot see the shimmer."

For a moment, Sookie gets a far-away look in her eyes, but then she says, "I think maybe I can fix that. Let me try." With that, I can see a look of concentration pass over her, and I feel her magical energy swirling up. Her natural glow is already enhanced by the small amount of blood that I gave her, but now it seems as if she is almost made of light. A golden aura settles around her and sure enough, the shimmer of the gown becomes even more pronounced. I can hardly believe the incredible creature standing not two feet away is actually mine. Pulling my gaze away from her, I take a look at my Brother. Robert's eyes widen and he slowly rises from his chair. I can tell he is completely stunned at the vision before him. In his amazement, he reverts back to his native tongue. In his old French language, he exclaims, "_Mon Dieu! Elle est exquise!_" (My God! She is exquisite!)

Coming from behind the desk, he strides across the room, coming to a stop right in front of her. Fangs fully down, my Brother greedily drinks in the amazing sight of my lovely Fairy-wife. I watch his glowing eyes as he takes in every detail... first the amazing nature of the Fairy-cloth gown and the elaborate embroidery which was obviously done by fairy-hands; and then, he focuses on the real treasure... the beauty of the Fairy wearing it. His gaze takes in her hair and face and then slowly travels down the contours of her body, lingering long enough to fully appreciate her lush, perfect breasts. Briefly, he closes his eyes and inhales deeply, and a satisfied smile crosses his face as he takes in her scent. All the while, my Fairy stands still as a statue, saying nothing. When she first stepped into the room, I felt a flash of her embarrassment, but then the minute she began to use her magic it disappeared entirely and was replaced with complete calm. As for myself, I am absolutely bursting with pride. Over the centuries, Robert has managed to have several relationships with seriously beautiful, intelligent, and usually very wealthy women. I have always teased him about being so deeply involved with human women, while secretly being slightly envious at his ability to love and be loved. Now, there is no doubt... _I_ have somehow ended up with the perfect woman. There will never be another to rival her, and now we both know it.

Sookie was right about one thing. In the old days, Robert and I did share females on occasion. If she were an ordinary human woman, the three of us would no doubt be on our way downstairs at this very moment. However, I told her the absolute truth. I cannot imagine _ever_ sharing her with anyone, even my Brother. I could barely manage to stand still when he was kissing her earlier! I can tell by the way his eyes are glowing that he is completely enthralled with her. I cannot blame him. Along with her glow it seems she is sending out some other type of magic, something quite unseen but totally irresistible. It is that same mysterious quality that is so very attractive to vampires, but now it seems to have intensified ten-fold. Even though I am her Bonded, I find that I am not immune to it... whatever "it" is. I find myself torn between a strong desire to throw her on the ground and fuck her senseless, or else fall to my knees and worship her. Obviously Robert feels it, too. Almost as if against his will, he reaches out as if to touch her... but at the last minute he comes to his senses and remembers his manners. Instead, he drops to one knee and places a clenched fist across his non-beating heart. This time, I know he is not being theatrical but quite sincere. In English, he says very formally, "My Lady, there is no doubt... you _are_ a Queen... my Queen. I pledge to you my loyalty and my protection for as long as I am able."

Now it was my turn to be stunned. Of course, I already knew that he would do his best to keep her safe, for my sake... but this oath is a serious one. It means that he will protect her to his final death. In all the years I have known him, I have never heard him utter that oath to anyone, even the King of the territory where he lives. The Knight has always been an exception to the rule, with no one Monarch possessing having or even expecting his fealty. My Brother has never gotten over being forced to do our Maker's bidding. After our release from servitude upon his final death, Robert vowed that he would never again owe fealty to _any_ man, vampire or otherwise... and up until now, he has kept that vow. I find it somewhat ironic that the famous Knight has now pledged his loyalty to a fragile, Fairy-human woman... which, strictly speaking, does not technically violate his vow.

To my further amazement, Sookie seems to instinctively understand the seriousness of this event. As regal as any Queen ever born, she says, "Thank you, Sir Robert. I accept. Now rise, and give me your hand."

Following his new Queen's orders, my Brother stands and offers her his hand. She takes it and then reaches for mine. She closes her eyes, and a minute later I feel that amazing, soothing magic of hers flowing into me and through me. In some mysterious way, it weaves the three of us together for one bright shining moment. Obviously, our Fairy is sealing the pact with her blessing. Briefly, time seems to stand still... but then, the golden aura that now envelopes all of us begins to recede. All too soon, Sookie lets go of our hands and gives us one of her devastatingly lovely smiles. By the reverent look on his handsome face, I can tell that her magic has bound the Knight to her nearly as tightly as a vampire's blood tie would. She says, "Now, it is nearly dawn and we need to get to bed. Sleep well, Robert. Come on, honey." She turns and heads back down the stairs.

By the broad grin on his face, I know the magic has done its work. Robert is clearly as euphoric as I am. Enthusiastically, he says, "Eric, you are the luckiest vampire on earth! My sincere advice is to never, ever allow anyone but our nest to see her like that. We would spend all of our nights repelling vampires set on taking her, Bond or no Bond. And what about the Fairies? I'll wager even full-Fairies are not immune to her charms. I certainly hope Brigant had the sense to sequester her in the Portal, otherwise the sneaky devils will be lining up outside the gates of Valhalla waiting for an opportunity to steal her away. I have not felt this alive in centuries! Ah, what a pity it is almost dawn... but if I hurry, perhaps I will have enough time to make a visit to Pamela. Maybe I can get her to pretend to be a Fairy! Good night, my Brother. Thank you for the amazing gift!"

Laughing, he rushes out the library door. A giddy nine-hundred-year-old vampire is truly a sight to behold. Even in my current state of blissful intoxication, one phrase of his rather convoluted statement registers in the nether regions of my brain... "our nest"? Obviously, he now considers himself a member of my Royal Nest, even though technically speaking there is no such thing! Perhaps it was just the Fairy-magic talking, and he will not remember saying it tomorrow night... but somehow I do not think so. Robert rarely says anything by chance. Well, he is right about one thing. It _is_ nearly dawn, and I want to pay a little visit to the real Fairy while I still feel the benefit of her magic. On the way to my chamber, I find myself chuckling. I sincerely hope for my Brother's sake that Pam does not take it amiss when he asks her to pretend to be a Fairy! We just got the upstairs finished and I would hate to have to rebuild it so soon. Since I have not heard any sounds of furniture being thrown, I suppose her bath must have put her in a better mood. By the time I get downstairs, the cause of _my_ excellent mood is reclining on the bed, obviously waiting for me. Rather anxiously, my Bonded asks, "Baby, do you think we have time to make love before dawn?"

I am certainly going to give it my best effort! In a flash, I discard my clothes while my Lover looks on in approval. Teasingly, I growl, "Ah! So the pretty Fairy wants the bad vampire to ravage her, does she? Rwwrwr!" With that, I leap on my willing victim and begin to nip all my favorite tender places, being very careful not to break the skin. I am rewarded with peals of laughter, which turn into a gasp as I impale her, and then to a series of little cries and moans as I plunge into her with abandon. Fucking a Fairy while intoxicated with her magic instead of her blood is a first for me, and it is simply amazing! It is even better than the traditional way, especially since the Fairy will actually manage to survive the encounter! Now I fear that I am more hopelessly addicted to our love than ever. Robert is right. I _am_ the luckiest vampire in the world!

The Fairy in question seems to be enjoying her vampire's attentions every bit as much. She has wrapped her legs around my waist and makes low sounds of total pleasure at each deep thrust. Her eyes are so dilated in her passion that they appear nearly bleak. She knows that she is responsible for the euphoric wildness in me and is relishing every minute of it. I have to force myself to resist the siren call of her blood, but I want to resist long enough to bring her to climax... it is a sweet torture to be so close yet have to wait! My Lover soon reaches that golden plateau of pleasure and I know it is finally time for me to provide that last little shove over the edge. As I ravenously sink my fangs into her firm flesh and begin to draw her life-giving blood into my mouth, Sookie begs, "Baby, please! Drink deep!" just before she begins to shudder with her climax. Really, what is a vampire to do but obey his Queen's command? Instead of the tiny sips I have been taking, I indulge my passion for her incomparable blood. As I drink my fill, I reach my own peak... and it is every bit as intense as the one I just gave my woman.

Normally after the completion of such a vigorous and satisfying round of love-making, I would much prefer to just stay where I am and enjoy the feeling of my lover's heart pounding against my chest, but out of caution I immediately roll to one side and settle her into place. Her breaths are still coming in short gasps, and through our Bond I can tell that she is feeling the ecstasy produced by my deep feeding. I myself feel utterly fantastic! A little Fairy magic is indeed a wonderful thing. I chuckle to myself, proud that I could give her back even a fraction of the pleasure she has given me... when it hits me. The sun has_ already _risen, and yet I am still awake! I must have been so focused on our love-making that I somehow managed to completely ignore its pull. In shock at such an unprecedented event, I exclaim, "Sookie! The sun is up!"

My wife snuggles in as closely as she can get and says in a drowsy voice, "I know, baby. I'm sorry I kept you up past dawn. I really wished you could stay awake long enough to finish... but you need your rest. Let's get to sleep."

WHAT? It sounds like she _deliberately _kept me awake! How is that even possib....

*****


	34. Chapter 34

_Author's notes: I do not own these characters. They belong solely to Charlaine Harris. Buy her new book as soon as it comes out! We need to support our favorite author! _

_**** Sorry it took me so long to update. Blame the government. I've been embroiled in tax forms. Grrrr! _

_**** I found a blooper in the last chapter which I need to go back and fix somehow... Sookie declares that all Fairies she knows have light colored-eyes... when Claude and Claudine both have BROWN eyes! WHOOPS! Shame on me!_

**Chapter 34**

**Sookie's POV: Valhalla, later that morning**

Knowing that I had to get up in plenty of time to meet Amelia for lunch, I had set my alarm clock so I wouldn't oversleep. I was snoozing so heavily that by the time the sound of the buzzer seeped into my consciousness, I think it had been going off for quite a while. I rolled my head towards the clock and gave it the evil-eye. I figured I might be able to Fairy-slap the stupid thing from where I was, but it would probably keep up the incessant racket even if I did manage to knock it completely off the table. I could try calling it to me, but between the blood loss from Eric's deep feeding and all the magic I had performed the night before, I just couldn't seem to summon up the energy. In spite of Eric giving me some blood during my bath, I was still pretty tired. Of course, for the second night in a row I had been up until dawn and maybe I just flat out needed more shut-eye. Being tired wasn't my only reason for not jumping up right away, though. Mostly I just didn't _want_ to move. I was much too comfortable right where I was, snuggled up with my Viking. Mmm. His big cool body felt so good! I vowed to myself to come home after my lunch date, maneuver myself back in that very same spot, and get a serious afternoon nap right along with my Bonded.

Eventually, though, I couldn't stand the unpleasant noise of the alarm another minute. I disentangled myself from the vampire, crawled across the expanse of bed, and slapped the darned thing off the old-fashioned way. Yawning, I hauled myself into the bathroom and took a shower. I caught myself missing Aderyn and wishing that she was around to help dress me. Boy, had I gotten spoiled in a hurry! I was just going to have to muster up and pick my own clothes... poor me. Since His Majesty wasn't awake to voice a complaint, I thought briefly about pulling on a pair of jeans and a top and calling it good. Although I wasn't planning on attending any interrogations in Bon Temps, I _was_ going to go by and check on the farmhouse and also, I figured Gran's grave needed tending. Jeans were the logical choice when there was dirty work to be done.

Speaking of dirty work... last night, I had been shocked when Eric had actually _insisted_ on me wearing jeans to Fangtasia. Of course, I rapidly figured it out once I got a good look at that basement. Ugh. I absolutely did _not_ want to think about that grim subject first thing in the morning, before I had even had a cup of coffee. I was going to have to come to terms with what I had done... just not yet. Putting the whole event firmly out of my mind, I searched through the closet until I found a pretty spring dress and a little white crocheted sweater to go with it. I found my old jewelry box that I had brought from Bon Temps and dug out the little daisy earrings and necklace that went with the dress. I looped the little wires through the holes in my earlobes and then fastened the delicate little chain around my neck, centering the daisy over my cleavage. To keep my promise to my house Elf, I pulled out my brush and started to give myself the required hundred strokes. As I counted, I had to smile. How different my life was now than when I bought this outfit a couple of falls ago! Every thing was on sale and had been marked down about three times. I think I paid about twenty-five bucks for the whole ensemble, jewelry and all... and now I was brushing my hair with a brush worth more than my house! Pam would be absolutely appalled at what I was wearing and would no doubt give me a stern lecture about how a Queen should dress... yada yada yada... that is, if she was still speaking to me. I sighed, knowing I would have to figure how to make up with her soon.

Going back into the bedroom, I rounded up my purse and the new cell phone Eric had given me. There had been nothing wrong with the old one, but apparently his phone had gotten broken while I was away. He still wanted ours to match so he got me a new one, too. That vampire! I could see that his phone was not on the nightstand and probably needed to be charged. As usual, he had dropped his jeans on the floor next to the bed. Apparently, some things were _exactly_ the same as before I left! Sighing, I picked them up and retrieved his phone, money clip, and keys, and then plugged in the phone so that it would be charged by first dark. Even though I was ready to go, I felt like there was something I was forgetting to do... oh. In all the excitement of last night, I had forgotten to tell Eric that I was meeting Amelia for lunch.

Even though I was planning on being home well before dark, from past experience I knew that unexpected things could come up. I didn't want Eric to worry, so I dug a piece of paper out of my purse and left him a little note telling him about my plans for the day. I set it in the usual place so he would be sure to see it. Then came the hard part... actually leaving him. I knew that due to the recent repair of the Bond, it would be harder than ever to be away from him even for a short time. I sat on the side of the bed and ran my hand over the smooth cool skin of my husband's shoulder and back. As always I marveled at how perfect his body was. I could not resist sliding my hand under the sheet and caressing his world-class butt... Yum! There was no doubt about it. I was the luckiest girl in the universe! How could I have imagined even for one minute that I possibly stay away from him forever? I must have been stark-raving mad.

I leaned over, pressed my lips to my Viking's shoulder, and breathed in his scent. Even though I really had not taken very much so far, Eric's old blood was so potent that already my senses were ramping up again. Mmmm. He smelled so wonderful! It was nearly enough to make me call Amelia and cancel... but then I remembered hearing the worry in her voice when I talked to her yesterday. Also, there was an undertone of something else there, too, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. It sounded like maybe she needed a friend to talk to. As much as I needed to be with my Bonded, I needed to maintain my other relationships, too. I satisfied myself with giving Eric several kisses and a few more pats before pulling the covers over him and then heading upstairs.

As soon as I stepped into the library, the memory of what had occurred there just before dawn came rushing back. I felt myself flush from one end of my body to the other. Although it was possible to make the room light-tight, no one had bothered. The noonday sun was pouring through the huge windows, giving the room a lovely glow. In the warm light of a beautiful spring day, that whole encounter seemed like a dream... the dark, shadowy room... a half-naked Fairy alone with two gorgeous but extremely lethal vampires... an oath sworn... magic. Deeply mystical events like that just didn't happen to former barmaids from Bon Temps... but apparently for the vampire Queen of Louisiana it was just part of the job. Shaking my head again at the crazy turns my life had taken in the past couple of years, I took myself off to the kitchen. While the coffee was brewing, I stared out the back window and marveled at Eric's landscaping efforts. In the daylight it was more amazing than ever and I wanted to spend some serious time admiring it... but I couldn't seem to keep my mind off that strange meeting in the library and its unexpected results.

When Eric and I had gone to our bedroom for the first time last night, I had been so tired that all I could think about was getting a quick bath and then crawling straight into bed. However, once my husband had given me a bath and some blood, I felt much better and was seriously considering some loving before bed... but then the Viking had asked that I put on my special nightgown. Once I did, almost immediately I felt him yearning for something. I had practically forced him into telling me what it was... but I had expected just about any answer than the one I got. His request was the kind of thing that made it clearer than ever that vampires and humans really did have radically different ways of thinking about things. I _still_ didn't get it. Why would a man who was as crazy about his wife as mine clearly want to show off her nearly-naked body to his best friend or anybody else? Would we _ever_ be able to really understand each other? I was still a bit shocked that I had ever agreed to do it, but I was so eager to do_ something_ to make him happy after our horrible ordeal that I probably would have agreed to anything... good thing he _hadn't_ wanted to share! Still, I couldn't deny that it had turned out to be a very profound experience but definitely not in the way I had expected.

To be totally honest with myself, after the first couple of minutes it hadn't really even been all that embarrassing. Maybe my time in the Portal had taught me that being seen naked wasn't really that big of a deal, or maybe my own emotions had just been overshadowed by my vampire's much stronger ones. He had been so pumped by the prospect of showing off his Fairy, his excitement was nearly all I could feel. Then, when it dawned on the Viking that Robert could not see the Fairy-cloth in its true form, I felt such a sharp stab of disappointment from him that truly I forgot all about being embarrassed. Eric was so pragmatic that he hardly ever allowed himself to feel disappointment, and it nearly killed me that I was the cause of it. I wanted so desperately to make my Bonded happy... but how? Suddenly, it floated into my mind that Fairies had more than one way of appearing to others. I had seen Niall reveal his true nature on the night I visited him in his study, and after that I began to wonder if I was Fairy enough to have something like that within me. After a few more days in the Portal I had come to realize that even though I wasn't a full-Fairy, I _was_ a Brigant. I finally understood what a big deal that was in the Fairy world; and also, I had come to see the truth in what Rhiannon had told me: sometimes magic wasn't all about percentages.

Although I still wasn't certain, I was pretty sure that there _was_ more to me than met the eye. Even so, I wasn't sure I would be able to reveal it without instruction; but in the end, it had been simple. All I had to do was wish with every fiber of my being that Eric could see me as I _really_ was... not just the exterior shell, but that which was within... my true essence... and voilà! The next thing I knew, I was glowing like a light bulb right along with my nightgown! The funny thing was, once I went into full-out Fairy-mode, I felt so calm and in control... and it felt so darned _good!_ In revealing my true self to my vampires, it seemed as if I had accessed a part of me that _I _hadn't even known was there. I was still me... and yet... a better, enhanced version of me.

At one glance I could see that all the effort had been totally worth it. Eric was absolutely beaming with pride and the stunned look on the Knight's face had been pretty satisfying, too. Strangely enough, getting in touch with my inner Fairy seemed to awaken all sorts of buried instincts, similar to the way hearing Sylvan spoken aloud had stirred the language center of my brain. As irrational as it was, the instant Robert started to move in my direction a tiny tingle of fear swept through me. I came _very_ close to poofing away... but then I settled down, secure in the knowledge that I had my Bonded to protect me. Calmly, I stood my ground and let the vampire approach.

Claudine once told me that most Fairies didn't need mirrors because they could just _sense_ how they looked. Just then, I knew the truth of what she said. With all my barriers down and my energies swirling inside me, I _knew_ that I was beautiful. It seemed perfectly natural that this vampire was worshiping me with his lovely sea-green eyes. Almost as if I had never really seen Robert before,I regarded himjust as carefully. The Knight was a magnificent specimen of a man, perfectly proportioned and very muscular. For once, his long dark hair hung loose, framing the strong lines of his handsome, lightly glowing face. For a vampire he had impeccable manners and an iron will. I knew this because clearly he had my Fairy scent and yet he was able to resist touching me. If I was not already Bonded and my heart completely engaged, I knew I would consider bedding him in spite of the risk.

When he knelt so gallantly at my feet and swore his oath of fealty, it didn't seem strange at all. It just felt... right. Even if he _was_ vampire, he was worthy. Again some deeply ingrained instinct told me what to do next. To accept the very significant gift he offered me, I had to give one in return. My Twice-Bonded shared a part of my soul and therefore needed to be included in this sealing, so I took both of their hands and allowed my energy to flow between the three of us. I was already tired from earlier, though, and was not strong enough to sustain it for long. As the force of my energy dwindled, the strange Fairy mind-set that had come over me seemed to retreat, allowing my more normal, human thought patterns to return. Still, I felt completely happy and satisfied. Those two awesome creatures had shown how much they treasured me, and I had been able to give them something completely unique in return. What a total rush!

However, there really wasn't enough time to stand around and discuss it. It was nearly sunrise, and I had an overpowering desire to be joined with my Bonded before our rest. As usual, he was more than willing. Having sex with an intoxicated but playful vampire was beyond fantastic! There was only one small glitch... we _had_ waited too close to dawn. Along with my other heightened senses, my ability to feel the sunrise approaching had returned and I could feel its pull... but we weren't done yet! Noooo! I wanted to finish! I _needed_ us both to finish! Darn it! If Eric was old enough to wake early, why couldn't he stay up past dawn like Luke, even if it was only for a couple of minutes? Oh so passionately, I wished that my vampire could just last long enough to satisfy us both before going to his rest... and I guess I had just enough energy left to get my wish. As far as I was concerned, _that_ was by far the most useful magic I had ever attempted... and certainly the most enjoyable.

Afterward, as I lay wrapped tightly in my sleeping vampire's arms, the true importance of the entire event flashed though my mind. Even in my world, my magic really _was_ stronger. There was no longer any doubt in my mind that Eric's wonderful old blood was in a large way responsible for enhancing my gifts. How could I have been so stupid as to refuse to take any for weeks? What a total twit I had been! However, it also occurred to me that vampire blood might not be the only factor at play. Maybe Niall had been passing me a little of his own magic every time he stroked my arm... or maybe there was more than sleeping potion in the Perianth that Nudd gave me... or maybe, it was just me. At that very instant, I _finally_ understood what Faeryn and Niall had tried so hard to teach me. In order to be magical, I had to _want_ to be magical... and I had to just _know_ that I was. The more I believed in myself, the easier it would become. As I snuggled as closely to Eric as possible, my last waking thought was _Finally, I know that I can be a worthy mate for this amazing vampire. How cool is that?_

By the next morning, however, I was no longer the ethereal, completely self-confident Fairy. As I stood in my kitchen waiting for my coffee, it seemed that I was just back to being plain old Sookie.... but at least I knew that the other Sookie was there hidden inside me... waiting. That knowledge made me very happy on a lot of levels. For one thing, in Las Vegas I had been overcome with the fear that I might someday begin to bore my ancient husband... but it seemed that I had more than a few tricks up my sleeve. That horrible bitch Sabriel had been right about one thing... despite what the Viking had said, I was probably going to have to step up my game a bit to keep him enthralled in the sex department. Of course, I seriously doubted that any of his other lovers had been able to keep him up past sunrise so I had that going for me! Still, maybe I should give a little thought to being more creative. Hmm. What about that fantasy he told me about over the phone in Las Vegas? It had something to do with his car...

A few minutes later, the smell of freshly brewed coffee finally soaked into my consciousness and snapped me out of my reverie. Glancing at my watch, I realized I had better get a move on if I wanted to be on time for my lunch date. I left Juanita a note informing her of our guests so she wouldn't be startled. I then poured myself a to-go cup of coffee, grabbed my purse, and went out the front door. Outside it was an absolutely perfect spring day, warm and brilliantly sunny, with a soft breeze blowing in from the south. I stood on the porch for a minute, admiring Eric's "improvements." All of the landscaping was even more impressive in the daytime. The huge fountain in the drive tinkled merrily, droplets catching glimmers of sunlight. The flowers at its base were already blooming in a riot of color. I shook my head in wonder. It seemed impossible that all of this had been accomplished in such a short time. There was no telling how much it had all cost, either... but I certainly couldn't argue with the results. Even a serious gardener like Niall would approve!

Since I had only been home a couple of days, the subject of guards had not come up... but Niall's little speech on the subject had sunk in. It looked like I was going to have to learn to live with guards for the foreseeable future no matter what, so I might as well do it gracefully. Sighing, I headed down to the gates to see if Cooper was around. As I approached the guard's shack an unfamiliar man stepped out. Like most of Eric's daytime security force, he was a large man and obviously a Were. He seemed a little startled to see a human woman strolling down the road _inside_ the gates, so obviously the vampire guards had not passed on the information that I was home. Cautiously, he asked, "May I help you?"

Obviously he was not sure who I was, so I introduced myself, "Hello, I'm Sookie Northman. Are you new?"

"Oh... Mrs. Northman! My name is Lyle and I just started work a few days ago. Now, what can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for Cooper," I replied, "Is he scheduled to work today?"

"Yes, he's on the afternoon shift."

"Um... what time does that shift start?" I inquired, "Will he be here soon?"

Lyle looked at me a little strangely and answered, "Well, of course he's already on the grounds. He's still at the trailer, though. "

I had no idea what trailer he was talking about. Blankly, I asked, "I'm sorry... what trailer is that?"

"The trailer over at the construction site. Would you like for me to call him up here?" He pointed to the east of the gates, and I could see a new little gravel road which turned off the main driveway and then curved back through the trees.

I supposed this mysterious construction was another one of the Viking's projects. I answered, "No. I think I'd like to see what's going on. I'll walk down and take a look."

I said goodbye to Lyle and headed down the road. It wound through the trees and eventually ended up at a small graveled parking lot where several cars were already parked, including Cooper's Trans Am. Just past the lot sat a large RV-style trailer with its gaily striped canopy extended. Just to the east of the camper, a series of stakes connected by strings circled the perimeter of a large spot that had been cleared of trees and graded flat. Four men were busily setting up some sort of forms. I couldn't begin to guess what was in the works. None of this had been in my plans or Hector's, so it must be a project that Eric had cooked up on his own. On the other side of the camper, the sun shone down on a little grassy area where my bodyguard Cooper was reclining on a folding lounge chair. He was wearing a pair of jeans and boots but had removed his shirt to catch a few rays. I had never seen him less than fully clothed, and I stopped for a minute to admire him. His upper body was very fit and muscular, with well defined abs. His chest was covered in brown hair which trailed intriguingly down to the top of his jeans... in short, the very picture of masculinity as most Were males were prone to be. His eyes were covered with a dark pair of RayBans so I couldn't tell if he was snoozing, although with all the racket coming from the workmen I didn't see how that was possible. Just as I was about to speak up and let him know I was there, his nose twitched as he caught my scent. His head snapped in my direction. He whipped the sunglasses off, took one look at me and then sprang to his feet. A slow smile crossed his handsome face and he said, "Well, if it isn't the lovely Mrs. Northman. How are you this fine spring day?"

Obviously he was in a good mood, which was a little infectious. Smiling, I said, "I'm great, Cooper, thanks. Hey, what's all this?" I waved a hand in the direction of the workers.

"Oh, since you weren't here for me to guard, the Boss had me keeping an eye on his landscaping project during the daylight hours. Also, he was sending me on various errands after dark. My commute time from Shreveport seems to irritate him, so he got it into his head that I should live on-site. That's going to be my house over there, and in the meantime I'm living in that camper. There's also going to be a place for a couple of the vampire guards a little further up the road."

It sounded like Eric was building his own little compound. Eric must have taken quite a shine to Cooper if he was sending him on errands _after_ dark. Uneasily, I wondered what had become of Bobby Burnham. I was starting to get the idea that Eric's Bonding Sickness had been pretty hard on _all _the employees. I bet the Viking hadn't given the Were much choice in the matter of living in the boondocks. "Coop, are you okay with that? We're kind of isolated out here in the country. There is not much to do when you're not working. The house hasn't really been started... do you want me to try and talk Eric out of it?"

The guard gave a short bark of laughter, "Believe me, I _much_ prefer the country," he replied, flashing me a wolfish grin, "Hunting... fishing... there is plenty for me to do. Besides, we aren't far from Shreveport or Ruston for shopping and entertainment. The Boss is giving me a raise and since I won't have any rent to pay, I'll be much better off financially... so everything considered, I'm actually pretty excited."

"Well... if you're sure. Listen, the reason I came down here is that I need to go over to Bon Temps for a couple of hours. I can see that you're off right now. Maybe I could get that Lyle guy to come with me."

Rather indignantly, Cooper said, "I don't _think_ so! If I let you go off without me, Eric would skin me alive... probably literally. Give me two minutes and I'll be ready to go."

He ran to the camper and was back in practically no time. He hadn't taken the time to dress in his usual uniform of pressed khakis and sports jacket, instead opting for speed by merely slipping into a t-shirt to go with his jeans. While he was gone, I took his place in the lawn chair. I closed my eyes for just a minute and realized that although I felt just fine I really _was_ a bit tired. I had used a ton of energy last night, Eric had taken a lot more blood than usual, and I had only a few hours of sleep. I guess I was feeling the result. As soon as my guard returned, I got out of the chair and said, "Cooper, would you mind driving? I'm operating on only a couple of hours sleep and I feel like I'm in a haze."

"Of course, I'd be happy to... your car or mine?"

"Your car is so cool. I'd love another chance to ride in it."

Now Cooper's smile got even broader. Apparently, the way to a man's heart was to compliment his ride. Enthusiastically, he said, "Great! Come on."

We walked the short distance to the car. After opening the door for me, he ran around to the driver's side and hopped in. He drove back down the gravel road and out through the front gates, stopping long enough to tell Lyle where we were headed. Once we were out on the road, I noticed that he drove skillfully but just barely over the speed limit... unlike a certain vampire I knew and loved. It was sort of nice to be able to relax and enjoy the more sedate pace for a change. Cooper asked, "So where are we going?"

"Merlotte's for lunch, and then my farmhouse," I instructed. For a few minutes we rode without talking, the only sound coming from the deep rumble of the muscle car's powerful engine. I could tell that the Were was dying to ask me a ton of questions but was too well trained or maybe just too polite to ask. Finally, _I _couldn't stand it anymore, so I finally blurted out, "Look, let's just get this out in the open. Obviously Eric and I have been separated, but I have no idea what he told everyone about it... if anything."

Cooper replied coolly, "He didn't really _have_ to say anything. Obviously you two had one hell of a fight in Vegas and you took off with some vampire named Luke."

"Oh, God. Is _that_ common knowledge?"

"I doubt it. Obviously, everyone in _our_ entourage knew something was seriously wrong, but Eric was doing his best to keep everything on the down-low. I only knew about this Luke guy because Eric chartered a jet to chase you down, and he didn't want to wait until dark so I acted as his bodyguard for the trip back to Louisiana. That next night, somehow he figured out you were in Bon Temps and he and Bill went after you... but he didn't bring you home. Naturally, he never supplied any details of what had happened and I thought maybe you had decided to stay with the other vampire. Frankly, the whole thing shocked the hell out of me. I really thought you were head-over-heals in love with your husband."

He said that last part with just a touch of frost in his voice, and for some reason it made me wonder if some woman in _his_ past had left him for another man. Rather indignantly, I asked, "So you thought I ran off with another vampire? Honestly, Cooper! Luke just gave me a ride home and that's it. There _was_ a serious misunderstanding in Las Vegas. Some stuff happened which made me believe that _Eric_ was betraying _me_... but it turned out I was wrong. I was just so upset I wasn't thinking straight and I had to get away for awhile. I went to stay with relatives."

Somewhat sheepishly, he replied, "I guess at first I thought you _did_ run off with that Luke guy... I couldn't imagine anything else that would make Eric so upset. However, I finally found out that you had ended up with your relatives, because the Boss sent me to deliver a letter to your cousin Claude a couple of nights after you left Bon Temps. The Fairy wouldn't take it, though. In fact, he was pretty nasty about it. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I felt sorry for Eric. He was pretty torn up about the whole thing."

"It was all a horrible misunderstanding, Cooper, and if I could go back and change things I would," I said very sincerely, "You have no idea how awful I feel. I'm getting the picture that Eric was in pretty bad shape and I feel so responsible."

"Oh, the Boss was a holy terror all right... or maybe I should say, an un-holy one," the Were shook his head, obviously remembering a few particulars, "So is everything okay now? You guys back on track?"

"Yes, I think so... but we still have some talking to do. Something came up last night before we got around to discussing everything. There is still some stuff I need to tell him." Uneasily, I thought about some of the things we _hadn't_ talked about... for example, a certain Fairy named Rhys. I lapsed into silence, wondering what in the world I was going to do on that front. I remembered Eric's playful but no doubt accurate threat last night, and it made me think twice about confessing my little indiscretion. Besides the fact that I was reluctant to hurt my husband any more than I already had, if I _did_ tell Eric about Rhys, wouldn't that be putting the Fairy at serious risk? He certainly didn't deserve to be hurt or even killed for a couple of harmless kisses. I realized just how reckless and immature I had been by allowing another male to get so close to me while I was still undecided about the fate of my marriage. I was overcome with shame at my bad behavior.

Furthermore, Cooper's words had raised another issue. Who _else_ knew about our break-up? It sounded like Eric had done his best to keep the whole thing quiet and I passionately hoped he had been successful. I would be completely mortified if everybody in the Supernatural world was aware of our very personal business. For one thing, if that bitch Sandy thought there might be a problem in our relationship, would she continue to pursue him? The very thought of that snake-in-the-grass made my blood boil. Pretending to my face to be friendly, all the while negotiating to marry _my_ husband! Grrrr! She had best stay far away from the Viking, or I might just happen to find a sharp stake with her name on it.

Cooper glanced over at me and said, "Good grief, Sookie! What's going through that head of yours? You look mad enough to spit nails!"

"Oh... nothing, really," I said, trying to recover my composure. There was no sense in getting my panties in a twist just yet. I wondered if Sandy was still going to attend Eric's upcoming Coronation. If so, would I be expected to actually provide her lodging at the Residence? Hmm....

I was just allowing myself the luxury of imagining several possible scenarios, all of which resulted in an "accidental" pile of Queenly vampire ash, when Cooper pulled into the parking lot of Merlotte's. Before even getting out of the car, I took a long look around, trying to adjust. It felt so strange to be back but I couldn't imagine why. It had only been a few short months since I had been there nearly every day of my life. I could still identify most of the cars that were parked in the lot, and if I went inside I could probably predict exactly what most of the patrons had ordered. A beer truck was parked by the side, dropping off the weekly delivery. Nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed. To my own amazement, I found that in just a few short weeks I had emotionally disconnected from that life and that place. My life and my heart now resided several miles to the west of Bon Temps, inextricably intertwined with that of a thousand-year-old vampire King.

Cooper came around and helped me out of the car. "I know you are meeting your friend Amelia for lunch, and you two probably have lots of things you would like to discuss," he said, "I've already had lunch, so I'll just sit at the bar and keep an eye on you. Is that acceptable?"

"That sounds just fine." My bodyguard grasped me firmly by the elbow and steered me into the bar. As soon as my eyes adjusted to the dimness of the interior, I glanced around. Sure enough, it was the regular lunchtime crowd, right down to Jane Bodehouse sitting at the bar knocking back a couple during her lunch hour. Sam was nowhere to be seen, which surprised me a little, but I figured maybe he was just taking a short break. It looked like Sam had done some upgrading, since there was a shiny new jukebox instead of the old rather ratty one, and the front windows looked like they had recently gotten a coat of fresh paint around the trim. Hm. Something about that jukebox... a glimmer of a memory danced around at the very edge of my consciousness, but before I could grab a hold of it, I spied Amelia sitting in a booth not far from the bar. I said to Cooper, "There she is. I'll be right over there."

The Were nodded and watched my back as I headed across the room to join my friend. As I made my way through the tables, I nodded politely at people I knew. Just for old time's sake, I let my shields down just long enough to hear _Oh, shit, there's crazy Sookie. I thought she had run off to live with the vampires in Shreveport... _and_ ...I wonder if Jason knows that his bat-shit crazy sister's back in town... _and_... look at those tits! I'd love to stick my head between those big mamas and make like a motor boat!... _and so on_. _Obviously, everything around here was exactly the same as I left it. Sighing, I made sure my mental blocks were firmly back in place. Amelia saw me walking toward her booth, and immediately her face lit up in welcome. She stood, gave me a big hug and said, "Hey, Sookie. You are a sight for sore eyes! You look... wonderful!"

"Amelia, I can't tell you how much I missed you!" I hugged her back. It really _was_ good to see her. It seemed like forever since we had gotten together. We took our seats and I got a good look at my friend. As happy as I was to see her, I was a little shocked by her appearance. She looked like she had lost a little weight since the last time I saw her. Her skin was still tanned from her week in Mexico with Tray, but somehow her color wasn't great just the same. For once she wasn't even wearing make-up and there were shadows under her eyes. Usually Amelia always took a lot of pride in her appearance and I wondered what was wrong. I asked, "Amelia, are you okay? You don't look too hot."

"That's my Sookie," she responded, "About as subtle as a heart attack. To answer your question, I haven't been feeling all that well. I guess I must have caught something right after we got to Mexico."

"Have you been to the doctor?"

Shaking her head, she replied, "No, it's no big deal. People get sick down there all the time. I've been sleeping a lot and I usually start feeling better later in the day. Now, enough about me. What's been going on with you? Sam had me just about convinced that Eric had drained you and left your body in a ditch somewhere."

"What? Why on earth would he think that? Speaking of Sam, have you seen him? I want to say hello while I'm here."

She was just about to answer that question when a waitress came over to the table. "Hi Traci," I greeted her, "How's it going? Is Sam around?"

"He's very busy," she said abruptly, "Now, what do you want to eat?"

Wow. If that was her idea of warm customer service, I bet her tips were just about zero. Still, I knew she and Sam were an item, so I wanted to be polite. I replied, "A cheeseburger, onion rings, and a coke, please. And could you tell Sam I'm here? I just want to say hi."

Without responding, she merely scribbled my order down on her pad. Turning to Amelia, she asked, "How about you?"

Amelia hesitated and then said, "I guess I'll have the soup of the day and an iced tea."

Traci gave us a curt nod, turned on her heal, and went to put in the order. Indignantly, I asked, "What the heck crawled up her butt?"

Amelia snorted. "Forget it," she replied, "She's just jealous."

"Jealous of me? Because I'm married to Eric?

"Uh... no. I think Eric is not exactly her favorite person right now. I meant because of Sam. I think she's tired of everyone reminding her that Sam had a whopper crush on you for years."

"Oh, come on. That's not true. Sam and I were just...." I trailed off, as the first half of that statement sunk in. "What do you mean, Eric isn't her favorite person? She hardly knows him!"

"I guess she thinks she knows enough. Admit it, Sookie... Eric isn't going to win any Mr. Congeniality awards around here... of course, if Traci only knew what a _big_ personality he _really_ has she might be more impressed." She held her hands about a foot apart and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Amelia! Just for once, let's not go down that road."

"But Sookie! It's such a nice, _loooong, _scenicroad..." she said, giving me a leer.

What a comedian! I had certainly missed my friend's sense of humor. To change the subject away from the size of a certain piece of my husband's anatomy, I said, "So tell me... how has living with Tray been working out?"

"Honestly, I love it. He's such a sweetheart! Of course, it's only been a couple of weeks and part of that was spent in Mexico, but so far so good. Moving in with him hasn't been nearly as stressful as I was worried it might be. Believe it or not, Tray is actually a very neat person. I never have to clean up after him. He even puts the cap back on the toothpaste! He helps out with the cooking and shopping some, too. The only thing is that he works a lot of hours. However, I've been helping him with the paperwork which really seems to help him out. His business is picking up, and he just recently hired a new guy which is making the work load easier."

Curiously, I asked, "How has your dad been taking it?"

She waved her hand carelessly and replied, "Oh, you know how Daddy is... _nobody_ is going to be good enough for me. Tray tries to be polite for my sake, but you know Weres. It's not in his nature to put up with a lot of crap."

I nodded sympathetically. My husband was not inclined to put up with a lot of crap, either. Of course, the only elderly male relative I had left was Niall, and he had never been that much of a presence in my life... until quite recently. Claudine had indicated that he might take a more active role in my life now that we had gotten acquainted. Uneasily, I wondered if Eric was mad at the Prince for letting me stay in the Portal. Oh, dear. I had come to love Niall and I wanted so desperately to nurture my relationship with him, but if he and Eric were going to be at each other's throats...

Interrupting my thoughts, Amelia said, "Earth to Sookie! Where did you drift off to?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. I was just thinking about Niall."

She leaned forward and said, "Speaking of Niall... now that all the small talk is out of the way, I want to hear what's _really_ been going on... and don't leave out a single detail."

It would have taken me all day to tell her everything, so I gave her the condensed version. When I told her about Sandy's marriage proposal, she said, "She did _not_! I'll bet all that stuff about it being only political is a load of crap! What are you going to do?"

"I tell you what I'd _like_ to do! I'd like to stake the bitch! Of course, she's a Queen and it would cause Eric no end of grief, so I really can't... and guess what? She's probably going to be at Eric's Coronation! How am I going to stand being around her?"

Grimly, Amelia said, "I'll tell you how... like Southern women have _always_ dealt with similar situations. You are going to be the perfect hostess, completely amused that Sandy was crazy enough to try and steal your husband. You will _not_ give her the satisfaction of knowing it caused you one minute of grief. You will hold your head high, knowing that _you_ are Eric's Queen and that he loves you more than anything... and then you're going to serve her poisoned TrueBlood."

Laughing at my friend's little pep-talk, I said, "If only I could! As far as I know, vampires can't be poisoned... unless _you_ know of some potion or something..." I tried not to sound too hopeful.

Even though she knew I was kidding (mostly), the witch looked thoughtful. "I'll have to get back to you on that," she told me, "There's this voodoo shop in the French Quarter that sells all kinds of strange herbs... maybe they might have something. If not, maybe we can get a voodoo Sandy doll and stick some wooden pins in it!" She gave me a big wink. "Now, you said that _two_ things had happened...."

So I launched into the awful tale of Sabriel. It was much harder than I thought it would be, and I kept getting all choked up. Amelia was hanging on every word, occasionally interjecting such comments as, "What a 'ho!" "You should have bitch-slapped her right there!" and "Holy crap! No wonder you took off! I would have staked them both and _then _took off!" When I explained what had really happened, she said, "Oh, Sookie, that's just awful! I am _so_ sorry that wench did that to the both of you."

"Honestly, Amelia, even knowing the truth, I may _never_ get that image of them together out of my head."

"I'll bet," she looked grim for a moment but then brightened, "What you need to do is replace that image with another one. Like...what Eric did to the little skank once he came to his senses. Knowing him, it wasn't pretty."

Hmm. Maybe she was right... except that I had no idea how he had gone about it. Too bad. I knew Bill had been there. Maybe I could get him to tell me the hopefully gory details. I said, "I'm not really sure what happened, but Eric assured me he took care of the problem."

After a moment, Amelia prompted me to continue, "So you got a ride back home with this Luke character. He sounds really yummy. Too bad you met him _after_ you made that Second Bond. It sounds like he could have given the Viking a good run for his money."

"At first I thought he was nothing but a big flirt," I admitted, "But there is something about him that is just so charming... it's darned near irresistible..... But really, I have no romantic interest in him."

"Oh, _of course_! So, this great looking, ultra wealthy vampire gave you an entirely innocent ride home on his private jet and... then what happened?"

I continued my story, telling her a tiny bit about my stay in the Portal and finally working my way around to how Faeryn and Robert had finally gotten me to listen to reason. Since it was still worrying me, I even told her about my last encounter with Rhys. I said, "...and part of me wants to tell Eric about it because I don't want there to be any more secrets... but the other part of me says let sleeping dogs lie."

Thoughtfully, my friend said, "Sook, it was only a kiss. It wasn't like you slept with the guy or anything... but the Viking is _so_ possessive, he's liable to blow a gasket if you tell him. Maybe it _would_ be better if you just kept this one thing to yourself."

"... or I can face up to my mistakes and take my medicine," I said, "No matter how mad he gets, I know for a fact that Eric would never hurt me physically. I just don't know if I can stand to hurt _him_ any more. We really haven't had all that much time to talk everything over yet."

Amelia looked at me curiously and asked, "Oh? Why not?"

"The first night we were just so glad to see each other we didn't do a whole lot of talking, if you know what I mean. Last night we had to make a trip into Fangtasia to deal with some urgent Kingdom stuff. By the time we got home and I got everyone situated, it was too late to..."

She broke into my sentence by asking, "What do you mean, "everyone situated"? Don't tell me you had overnight guests so soon after getting home!"

"Well, technically speaking I guess they're more like daytime guests. The house is chock full of resting vampires right this very minute. Robert is going back early this evening and Eric wanted to have one last meeting with everyone before he leaves... so Pam, Bill, and Robert are all at Valhalla."

"Good grief! You haven't even had a chance to work through your problems before plunging straight back into vampire politics and then you are expected to entertain a house full of vampires to boot. I thought you wanted a man that always put you first! That would drive me crazy!"

At that I had to smile. Three months ago, I probably would have thought exactly the same thing, but things were different now. I said, "Amelia, that's just our life. Eric has an important job to do, and I can't expect him to ignore it. I am very much a part of everything he does, so it's not like he's ignoring me while he's working. I may not always be comfortable with his job, but I have come to understand it a lot better. As for having everyone staying at Valhalla, it's not like I have to cook or clean up after them or anything. To tell you the truth, I kind of like having everyone around, especially Bill and Robert. Pam's being kind of a pill, though."

"Pam?" Amelia asked in surprise, "What's wrong with her?"

"She's really pissed off at me. When I left the area, Eric developed a roaring case of Bonding Sickness and I think she blames me for his suffering. I want us to get past this but I'm not sure how to go about it. You two were close at one time... do you have any ideas?"

"Not really," my friend allowed, "She's pretty self-contained and even if I did have sex with her I never really got to know her all that well. Robert has known her for years... why don't you ask him?"

Of course! I should have thought of that on my own. Maybe I could pull him aside before he headed back to New York and get some advice. I was just about to tell Amelia about all the new landscaping Eric had done at Valhalla, when Traci finally brought our food. We had been so intent on our conversation that it never occurred to me that not only had it taken forever to get our order, she had never even served us our drinks! What a crappy waitress! Sam would have never put up with such shoddy service from anyone else, and I guess this was the downside of sleeping with the hired help. She slapped the food and drinks down on the table and without even asking us if we needed anything else, she turned and flounced away. Instantly, my temper started to rise. I turned back to Amelia and started to give her my rather heated opinion of Sam's girlfriend, when I got a good look at my friend's face. Little beads of sweat had popped out on her forehead and she looked positively green. "Amelia! Are you okay?" I asked in alarm.

"Uh... the soup... it's the smell...." she said faintly, swallowing hard. She pushed the bowl away and then slumped back in her seat. Without giving it a thought, I sprang up from my seat, ran over behind the bar, and grabbed a clean white towel from the stack under the counter. Terry Bellefleur had just come from the back with a couple of cases of beer and was methodically sticking long-neck bottles into the open beer cooler. I reached past him, plunged the bar towel into the freezing cold mixture of water and ice, wrung it out, and turned to hurry back to my table. He watched all this without comment, except to say mildly, "Hey, Sookie. Good to see you. Hope the work I did on your house was okay."

What? Why had Terry been working at my house? I whipped my head back in his direction, to ask him ... and then ran smack dab into Traci as she was coming out of the back.

I said quickly, "Oh, sorry! Amelia's sick and I..."

The woman cut me off before I could finish my explanation. Lighting straight into me, she snarled, "Sookie Stackhouse, what do you think you're doing? You shouldn't be behind that bar! You don't work here anymore. You and that vampire of yours act like you own the place. I have no idea why Sam lets either one of you through the front door! All you do is cause trouble."

Her verbal attack was so swift and said with such venom, my mouth fell open in surprise. While I stood there gaping at her, Cooper magically appeared at my side. At the sight of the huge Were obviously bent on protecting me, her mouth snapped shut into an ugly thin line. In a quiet but stern voice, he told her, "Don't speak to Mrs. Northman that way. You know very well who she is and the position she holds in this territory. You need to respect that."

I knew Traci was a were-animal of some sort, but I had never discovered what kind. Still, a full-blooded Werewolf was considered pretty far up in the Were pecking order and obviously this one was very dangerous and commanded respect. Very foolishly, she started to argue with him, "Why does everybody always end up kowtowing to the vampires? You guys that work for them make me si..."

Before she could finish that statement, Cooper's eyes took on a strange, eerie golden glow and a low menacing growl came from his chest. Even though it was not aimed at me, a chill ran down my spine and the hairs stood up on my arms. Unless Traci was one of the famed Were-bears or something, I figured she'd better settle down. Fortunately, before the fur started to fly, Sam came striding into the room. He had a case of beer under each arm. In a flash, he took in the scene, plunked the boxes down on a nearby counter and in a rough voice demanded, "What's going on here?"

In a voice as sweet as buttermilk pie, Traci said, "Uh... nothing, honey. I was just trying to keep all non-employees out from behind the bar." Her sudden transformation from were-bitch to sweet, non-aggressive, butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth little darling was truly amazing.

Sam snorted, "Are you talking about _Sookie_? Traci, Sookie is one of my best friends and is welcomed behind my bar any time she wants."

I swear, she quite literally batted her eyes at him and said, "Well, Sammy, I figured after that vampire of hers tore up the place, maybe you would feel differently. I'm just trying to protect you, that's all."

Sammy? Gah. I thought _I_ was going to throw up at all that fake sweetness... which reminded me that I was on a mission. "Sam, Amelia's sick and I was getting her a cold rag. Sorry if I overstepped my bounds. Now, I better go see about her." Without waiting for any more conversation, I turned and dashed back to my table, Sam and Cooper trailing closely behind me. My friend was leaning against the back of the booth, eyes closed and green at the gills. I slid in next to her and dabbed the cold rag on her forehead. Gently, I said, "Sorry it took me so long. How are you feeling?"

In a wan voice, she replied, "Awful. It just comes over me like that sometimes. I never know what smells are going to set it off."

"Do you want me to call a doctor? Or maybe Tray?"

Quickly, she replied, "No, Tray's busy. Don't bother him. If I just stay still, I'll be all right in a little while. It never lasts too long."

Sam said, "Amelia, there's a sofa in my office. Would you like to lay down back there?"

"Well... if it's not to much trouble, I guess so."

I got up and helped my friend slide out of the booth. She looked so wobbly I grabbed her arm to keep her steady. Without missing a beat, Cooper said, "Allow me, ma'am." He swooped her up in his strong arms and said to Sam, "I'll follow you."

Sam nodded and led the way back to his office. There was an unfamiliar man loitering in the hallway rather absently staring at the work schedule pinned to the employee's message board. He was wearing a uniform whose logo matched the one on the beer truck outside. and he had a clipboard tucked under one arm. Obviously startled to see our little group bearing down on him, he flattened himself against the wall and let us go by. As we passed, he commented, "Hey, Sam, I'm finished unloading. I need your signature so I can get on the road."

Sam replied, "Sure, I'll be with you in a minute." He opened the door to his office, shoved some folders and catalogs off the end of the sofa, and helped Cooper get Amelia situated before heading out to sign the paperwork. Cooper knelt at her side and took her hand in his. It always impressed the heck out of me when a man his size showed such gentleness. He asked softly, "Are you okay? Can I get you anything? How about some 7-Up? That might settle your stomach a little." She nodded yes. Before he could move, I said quickly, "I'll get it." Dashing back down the hall, I went straight behind the bar. I gave Traci a look that clearly said _Don't even start, or I'll hand you your head on a plate, _poured a glass of 7-up, and then hurried back to Sam's office.

Cooper was still at Amelia's side and he seemed to be quizzing her on her symptoms. He took the glass from my hand and helped her take a couple of tiny sips. She lay back and closed her eyes. Conversationally, Cooper said, "You know, Amelia, I have three sisters and they all have kids. The oldest one has five! That makes me something of an expert on morning sickness... and I bet my next paycheck that is exactly what is wrong with you."

Amelia opened one eye and said shortly, "Impossible. Birth control pills," and then closed the eye.

Cooper just laughed and said, "Uh huh. I've heard that before, too. So you're telling me that you have a perfect record of taking them every day without fail."

Silence. A minute later, both eyes flew open and she gasped, "Oh my God! I _did_ forget a couple of times a few weeks back. But still..."

"You had best make an appointment with your doctor and find out for sure," he advised kindly, "Or get one of those home-test kits. Apparently they are very accurate."

Amelia rolled her head in my direction and begged, "Sookie, please. Tell me it's not possible. I've only been living with Tray for _two weeks_! Nobody has luck that bad!"

"Oh, honey... you guys have been keeping time for months. You just got finished telling me how much you like living with him and how sweet he is... I can tell you love him. If you _are_ pregnant, I think Tray would make a wonderful father."

"I'm not saying he wouldn't. I'm just not ready to be a mother. You know what, you guys? This is all crazy. I'm _not_ pregnant. I went to Mexico and caught a bug, that's all. Now, I think I'll just lay here for another few minutes and then see if I can get myself home." With that, she firmly shut both eyes tightly and I could see the conversation was officially closed. Cooper shrugged and said, "Well, maybe you're right. Well, ladies, I'll be out front if you need me." With that, he stood up, brushed off his pants, and left the room.

I could tell that maybe Amelia wanted just a few minutes to herself to absorb this new possibility. Quietly, I told my friend, "I'm going to step out into the hall and talk to Sam a minute. If you call me I'll be able to hear you, okay?"

She gave me a quick nod of her head but said nothing. I went outside and a moment later Sam appeared. He asked, "How's she doing?"

"I think she'll be all right in a few minutes."

"I know what she said about calling Tray, but he'd have my ass if I didn't give him a heads up," he said a little defensively, "He's on his way over now. What do you think is wrong with her?"

I didn't want to get any rumors started, so I said vaguely, "Uh... nothing too serious. She should be better soon." Yeah, right. Like in about eight more months. I knew remarkably little about pregnancy but I was willing to bet Cooper's diagnosis was the right one. Sam said, "Well, Sookie, in spite of all the drama, I sure am glad to see you. You look wonderful! I guess I was worried about nothing."

"Sam... Amelia mentioned something about that. Why were you so worried about me?"

He looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, you were conspicuously absent the night Eric came by here and busted up the place. I have never seen him in such a rotten mood! Then Terry told me how badly your house was damaged, so I got worried and..."

"Eric did WHAT!" I exclaimed, "What do you mean, he busted up the place? Traci made some comment about that, too... and what happened to my house? _What the heck went on while I was gone_?"

Now Sam looked pretty sorry he had brought up the whole thing. He patted my arm and said soothingly, "Now, Sookie, settle down. I really don't know _what_ happened to your house... no one does but Bill Compton, and you know how closed mouth _he_ is. All I know is what Terry told me... bedsides the front door, the damage was mainly in your bedroom. Walls torn down, furniture smashed to bits... he said it looked like it had been hit by a hurricane."

Hmpf. It sounded like a hurricane all right... Hurricane Eric. My little vanishing act must have caused him to lose his temper. Oddly enough, even though I had seen the Viking in battle more than once, I had never actually seen him throwing a fit... but I was willing to bet it wasn't pretty. Oh, my poor house! I guess that was why I smelled fresh paint the night I got home. Immediately, I felt a little burst of anger.... but then, I realized that I was at least partially responsible for what had happened. As upset as he had been, a vampire as old and strong as the Viking could have easily demolished the whole house, so I guessed I should count my blessings. I said grimly, "Okay. I guess I had better go by there and check it out. Now, what damage did he do here and why?"

"As to why, I have no idea. He came by to discuss what I had learned about the vampire blood. Your brother showed up and made some pretty irritating comments, the young idiot. I could tell that Eric was about two seconds from taking Jason's head off... and to be honest, Jason kind of deserved it... but I threw him out before it could get too ugly. Eric seemed to settle down after that, but then for no reason I could see he lost it and threw the jukebox through the front window and then a few rednecks right after it."

A jukebox through a window! There it was again... that little flash of a memory... and then it was gone again. "Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed, "Were the men hurt?"

"Nah, not really. Eric paid me on the spot for a new jukebox and the next day Bill sent some carpenters out to replace the window and what-not. It was a mess for a day or two, but all-in-all, not the worst thing that's ever happened here... but still, that's why I was so worried about you. I kept leaving you messages but I never heard a peep back from you."

"Oh, Sam, I am so, so sorry! Please don't tell anybody else, but Eric and I had a fight, and I had to go stay with Niall for awhile. I couldn't call _anybody _or get any messages either. Most cell phones don't work in the Portal."

"The Portal! You actually went there? What was it like?"

"Pretty cool. Someday, I want you to come out to the house and I'll fix you a steak, and I'll tell you all about it. Anyhow, everything is back to normal now and I can't tell you how sorry I am that you got caught in the crossfire. I guess Traci is right... my family _does_ cause you a lot of trouble."

"Traci said _what_?" Sam began to bristle, "Is _that_ why Cooper was about to jump down her throat? What _else_ did she say?"

What was with everybody today? Ever since I got here, everyone seemed so on edge. Even my normally passive Sam seemed so... aggressive. I said soothingly, "Now Sam, _you_ calm down. I don't want to cause any more trouble than I already have. Let's just say she's not a fan of the Northmans, and leave it at that. Maybe it would be best if I just stayed out of your bar from now on."

"Don't be ridiculous!" he said passionately, "Come on, Sook_, _you know I still care about you. I've really missed seeing you all the time... hearing that cute little Sookie laugh... hearing your opinions on absolutely everything! In fact, it's been pretty darned boring around here. Well, except for jukeboxes getting thrown through the window. _That_ was pretty exciting."

"Oh, Sam. I miss you, too. You'll always be my friend, no matter what." Impulsively I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a big hug. Of course, that was the precise moment that Traci chose to come down the hall looking for him. In an icy tone, she said, "Excuse me, Sam, but someone at table eight wants to talk to you."

If Sam had any brains at all, he should have let me go like a hot potato. Instead, he held on tightly for just another beat, inhaling my scent. He murmured softly into my hair. "C_hère, _you smell so good!That Eric is the luckiest man on the face of the Earth." With that, he let me go and gave me one of his sweet, crooked smiles. "Someday soon, I really _would_ like to get together and have a long talk, just you and me. I have some things I'd like to talk over with you... but I guess this isn't the time. I guess I had better get up front and see what the problem is," he said, "You should probably check on Amelia." He turned and headed for the front room, brushing past Traci without a word. I didn't have to be a telepath to know what she was thinking. She gave me a look of utter hatred, and then scurried after him. Hoo, boy. I hoped Sam was smart enough to be able to see through her sooner than later. She was bad news.

About the time the two of them disappeared from my sight, they were replaced by the imposing figure of Tray. He came striding down the hallway, Cooper not far behind. He came to a halt just in front of me and asked anxiously, "Sookie, is she okay? I've been trying to get her to go to the doctor, but she won't do it. I should _never_ have taken her to Mexico!" By that, I figured Cooper had not shared his suspicions with his fellow Were.

"Um... I think she's going to be all right, Tray. Let's go see her."

I opened the door and we went in, leaving Cooper waiting in the hall. In the time I had been in the hallway, Amelia had fallen asleep. Tray looked at me and shook his head, indicating that he didn't want to wake her. We stepped back outside and he said, "Usually when she wakes up in the afternoon, she feels much better. I think if it's all right with Sam I'll just let her snooze for awhile. I'll get a sandwich or something while I wait."

That reminded me that I still hadn't eaten, so I followed him back out front. Sam and Cooper joined us, and I finally got my long awaited lunch. This time the service was impeccable... but maybe it was because we had a different waitress. During the meal the four of us laughed and joked and generally had an enjoyable time. I got caught up on all the local gossip, which was fun, but I could never shake the feeling that I was now one step removed from the happenings of Bon Temps and its people. Maybe it was because I was having trouble keeping my mind off my vampire... only a couple of hours had passed, but I was already feeling the tug of the Bond. Still, I needed to go by the farmhouse and check out the mysterious repairs, so I decided to try and resist it for awhile longer.

I said my goodbyes to everyone at Merlotte's, making Tray promise to have Amelia call me with an update as soon as she felt better. Cooper and I made the short drive to the farmhouse. My grandmother's old house looked peaceful and welcoming sitting there in the April sunshine. Someone had recently mowed the new spring grass around the house, and I wondered if Bill had done it at night like he did sometimes while we were dating. I could hardly believe it had only been a little less than three weeks since that awful rainy day when I holed up here, waiting for my enraged husband to show up. Just thinking about the whole disaster made me a little queasy. I got Cooper to park near the front door. As we made our way across to the front steps, the Were's nose began to twitch and he took a long sniff. He stopped dead in his tracks, a far away look in his eyes. I asked, "What is it, Cooper? Do you smell something?"

Slowly, he said, "Actually, I just remembered something I think need to mention to Eric. Nothing for you to worry about."

"Oh... okay." I unlocked the door and we went inside.

The house was as quiet and still as a tomb, but nonetheless Cooper said, "If you don't mind, I'll just take a quick run through the house and check it out."

Even though I thought it completely unnecessary, I nodded and then waited patiently in the foyer as he made a quick turn through the house. As he was making his rounds, I glanced at the living room and was surprised to see that the afghan and pillow that had been on the sofa on my return were now mysteriously absent. What the heck? Nothing else seemed out of place, though. Before long Cooper was back, saying, "All clear. I'll be out on the porch if you need me," and then he went outside and sat down on the front steps. I very nearly asked him not to go. Just being in the house was bringing back things I would much rather forget. Before heading back to my bedroom, I tried to steel myself against what I might find. Images of that last disastrous meeting between Eric and me flashed through my head, and I remembered how terrified I had been. Of course, I guess that was a normal reaction, given how enraged Eric had been... but oh, how I wished that I had just given him the chance to explain!

There was no sense procrastinating. It was not going to get any easier by standing around thinking of all the things I should have done differently. I walked straight back to my bedroom and made myself step inside. Although I had been partially prepared for what I might find, I was still taken aback. The room was completely bare of furniture, including my grandmother's antique four-poster bed which I had adored. I wondered what had become of all my most treasured keepsakes that I had kept in her old highboy... they must not have survived the disaster. They really hadn't been worth a plugged nickel, but to me they were irreplaceable. Gone was the familiar floral wallpaper and lace curtains. It was obvious that the exterior wall and window had been completely replaced. All of the walls and ceiling had been covered in sheetrock and painted in a plain white primer. The ratty old carpet had been pulled up and the beautiful hardwood floors underneath had been sanded smooth and refinished. The room was absolutely spotless.

Most people would say the room was just as good as it had been before, maybe even better... but somehow, I felt bereft, almost as if someone had died. The farmhouse had always been my touchstone... my emotional safety zone... at least, it had been until recently. Somehow, along with the wallpaper and the furniture my sense that this place would always keep me safe in any storm had vanished. Unexpectedly, tears welled up in my eyes and began rolling down my cheeks. I wasn't sure exactly what I was crying about, but I couldn't seem to stop. I longed for the room to be back to exactly the way it always had been, a little shabby but familiar and comfortable... but strangely, that desire began to fade and was replaced with a much stronger one. Suddenly, the tug of our Bond went from being a dull but constant reminder to a sharp need. I wanted my vampire. I wanted him to hold me in his arms and comfort me. I wanted him to whisper in my ear how much he loved me and how wonderful our future was going to be, so that I wouldn't mind so much letting go of my past.

Then the larger meaning of that last thought hit me. I really had nothing to cry about. The same vampire that had destroyed my safe place in a fit of rage had already replaced it... and not with lumber and sheetrock, but with himself. I never felt more secure than I did when I was with him. Wherever Eric was... _that_ was my safe place. As long as we were together, nothing else mattered. Pulling a tissue from out of my purse, I blotted the tears from my eyes and blew my nose.

There was really nothing else to see, so I turned to leave. As I was passing into the hallway, I happened to glance into the small bedroom across the hall. I never had finished taking all of my stuff to Valhalla, and there was a particular quilt in the top of that closet that I wanted to take with me. The minute I entered the room, I noticed that the door to the closet was standing open. The items that were normally stored in the bottom of it were stacked neatly against the neighboring wall. Huh. Suddenly, a chill passed through me. This was the closet that contained the hidey-hole that Bill had built for himself... and something told me that it was occupied right that very minute. All of my vampires were safely tucked away back at Valhalla, so I had no idea who in the heck it could be. I should probably have been afraid, but honestly, it was daylight and the chances of it being someone old enough to wake up were just about zilch. Besides, what were they going to do? Get up and chase me down the hall and out into the sunlight?

That brought up the issue of light in the room. If it was someone I knew, I wouldn't want to hurt them. I pulled all the blinds and made the room as dark as I could. I was only going to take a quick peek just to satisfy my curiosity, and that shouldn't be enough to cause any damage. Just in case I was wrong about who or what was inside, I readied myself to pop away. Taking a deep breath, I knelt next to the hatch, grasped the handle, and counted to three. I lifted the hinged lid just long enough to get a good look... and then quickly replaced it with a sigh of relief. My unexpected house guest was none other than Bubba. He had looked so sweet laying there, his famous face so peaceful and handsome in repose. He even had the old afghan tucked under his cheek like a baby's security blanket. Some scary vampire! Suddenly, I had to laugh at myself. Duh! Clearly, any vampire sleeping in _my_ house had to be there by invitation! Just before I left, Eric had shocked the crap out of me by being able to cross my threshold without my consent. He had made a big point of telling me it was because of our Bond... and I guess that also meant he could issue invitations on my behalf. How weird was that? I had no idea why the Viking wanted Bubba to stay in my house, but I bet he had his reasons. I would have to ask him about it later.

Rising, I brushed off my knees and then got the quilt down off its shelf. I decided that maybe I should check out the rest of the house while I was at it. As I slowly made my way from room to room, I gathered up a couple more small items I wanted to take with me. Soon I would have to make a decision what to do with the farmhouse. It just didn't seem right for it to sit empty, but I couldn't bear for it to pass out of the family... especially since the entrance to the Portal was in the back forty. I really needed to talk it over with Eric and get his opinion on the subject. We still had so many things to talk about! It was already late afternoon and I could hardly wait for first dark. I had already been in Bon Temps much later than I had anticipated and it was looking like my chances for a nap before the vampire rose were looking slimmer by the minute. I still wanted to visit Gran's grave before I headed home, so I figured I had best get going. I made my way back to the front door and was juggling the items in my arms so that I could open the door, when I heard a man's voice just outside saying aggressively, "Who are you and what are you doing at my Gran's house?"

Oh, crap. It was my brother Jason. Cooper said coldly, "I guess we've never been formally introduced. The last time I saw you, I was helping Sam throw you out of Merlotte's for insulting your sister. My name is Cooper and I am Mrs. Northman's bodyguard."

"Oh! Yeah, I guess I remember you," Jason said, obviously reeling in his confrontational approach a little, "That was all just a misunderstanding, all right? I was just having a bad day. Hey, is my sister around here? I want to talk to her."

"Mrs. Northman is inside. I'll see if _she_ wants to talk to _you_." The Were's chilly voice left no doubt that he thought that was a rather remote possibility.

Oh boy. Did I _really_ want to talk to Jason? If I told Cooper to get rid of him, he would obviously do it with great relish. Apparently he had not forgotten that my brother had once accused me of being a fang-banging whore. I sighed. I was always telling myself how much I craved family, and yet I was not speaking to my own brother. Maybe it was because I was standing in our family home, or maybe it was because I had just seen what could come of me being too stubborn to listen, but I made a quick decision to at least hear Jason out. I opened the door and stepped outside. "Hello, Jason," I said in a neutral tone.

"Hey, sis! I... uh... I just came by to check on Gran's, and I saw this strange car in the driveway. I thought I'd better check it out," Jason said, "What are you doing here? I heard you left Eric. Are you moving back in here now?" His eyes gleamed hopefully.

"Where did you hear that?" I asked sharply, "That isn't true. I'm just here checking on some work we were having done to the house."

"Oh," my brother said vaguely, "Well, you know the rumor mill... I guess I heard wrong. So you and Eric are still married, huh? I heard the wedding reception was quite a blowout." Although his voice was neutral, I could tell he was still miffed that I hadn't invited him.

"Of course we're still married!" I said forcefully. Our recent dust-up was none of my brother's business. With just a touch of heat, I informed him "We are _very_ happy. As for the reception, Eric made most of the arrangements as a surprise for me. It was wonderful... and if you hadn't been such a butt head, you would have been there to see it for yourself." I might be listening, but that didn't mean I was going to puss-foot around.

For a split-second, I thought Jason was going to let me have it, but to my surprise he just responded, "Yeah, about that.... that's what I wanted to talk to you about. There are some things I'd like to say... but do we have to have an audience?" He looked significantly at Cooper.

My Were gave me a look, clearly wanting me to say no. I appreciated his wanting to protect me, but in this case I felt it was unnecessary. Jason might be a jerk but he was still my brother and I was not afraid of him in the slightest. To my guard, I said, "It's all right, Coop. I wanted to go visit my Gran's grave before heading back to Valhalla. Jason can walk me over, okay? The cemetery is just over there, see?"

Cooper gave a reluctant nod and said, "If that's what you want to do... but if you don't mind, I think I'll wait for you down by the path." From there, he couldn't overhear our conversation but would be close enough to reach me in a hurry if I called out to him. The big Were gave my brother a look that said, "One false move and you're toast, brother or not."

I set all my stuff down on a porch chair before heading off to the cemetery. The day had become unseasonably warm and I slipped off my sweater, hoping to get a little sun on my arms. At first, I thought Jason was going to take my hand, but he must have thought better of it. Instead, he walked behind me down the gravel drive. A brand new black truck with all the bells and whistles was parked behind Cooper's Trans Am, and I wondered what kind of job he had gotten that paid him well enough to afford it.... but at that point, I wasn't ready for small talk. Once we reached the path, Jason came up and walked beside me the rest of the way. For someone who was hell-bent on having a conversation, he seemed remarkably quiet. Once we reached the cemetery, he held open the little wrought-iron gate and allowed me to pass inside. I made my way to Gran's grave and the two of us stood side by side staring down at the headstone. Finally, he said quietly, "I sure miss her, Sook."

"I know. I miss her every day. Sometimes I still catch myself thinking, 'Oh, I need to ask Gran about this or that' and then I remember that I'll never be able to do that again, except in my dreams."

"Yeah... me, too. Except that in _my_ dreams she's always griping at me! It's like she's mad at me. I guess I'm just a big disappointment."

"Oh, come on, Jason. Dreams aren't real. That's just your own guilty conscience talking."

He hung his head and said, "I know. I guess I've done some things that ain't exactly right. I feel bad for not taking better care of you. With your disability, I knew no regular guy would ever marry you. If I had been a better brother, you would never have had to marry a vampire just to keep a roof over your head."

"What! What do you mean?" In less than a minute, he had already managed to piss me off! I snarled, "Listen, Jason, I may have been working my butt off, but I was taking care of myself just fine. I didn't _have_ to marry anybody. I married Eric because I love him!"

"Okay! Okay! Calm down! I didn't mean nothing by it! I just meant that I haven't been the best brother in the world. Gran wanted me to look after you, and she'd be upset that we ain't been speaking to each other. I never should have called you all them bad names. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'm sorry, Sookie. Can we be friends again?"

For a long moment, I just stared at him without answering. What had brought about this sudden change of heart? I hated to be suspicious, but I wondered just how sincere this sudden apology really was. It was my long standing policy to never listen in on a family member... it was just too invasive. However, just this once I made an exception. I let down my shields and immediately received quite a shock. My brother's brain used to be very easy to read, consisting almost entirely of thoughts of sex or sports. Other than those two overriding passions... mostly just air. Now that he was a were-panther, his thought patterns were as murky and obscure as any other were-animal. Still, I was able to get the distinct impression that he was really quite anxious for us to make up. That was good enough for me, so I quit listening.

However, just because he was ready to bury the hatchet, I wasn't altogether certain that _I_ was. My feelings for my brother were very complicated. His words and actions over the last year had hurt me deeply and besides that he had made it abundantly clear that he hated vampires. Still, he was right about one thing: He _was_ my only brother and Gran would want us to maintain a relationship. We still had to get a couple of things clear, though. I said, "Jason, here's the thing. I know how you feel about vampires. I am married to the most important vampire in this territory. Some of my closest friends are vampires. I am _not_ going to tolerate you bad-mouthing them at every turn."

"Yeah, I figured you would say that," he was silent for a moment, obviously turning things over in his mind. He said, "Listen, Sookie, even if Crystal and me are separated, I'm still gonna be a daddy soon. I want my baby to know his Aunt Sookie. Families should stick together and help protect each other, right? As for your... husband, maybe all vampires aren't so bad. Maybe I just need to get to know Eric a little better."

"Speaking of Eric, what about your little fight at Merlotte's the other night? I don't know exactly what was said, but Eric has a _very_ long memory. Forgiving grievances is not exactly his best thing."

"Well, what if I apologize to him, too? I don't have to be around him all that much. You and me can see each other mainly in the daytime. Surely he wants you to be happy. I'm the only family you've got, and because of him you ain't never gonna have any kids of your own.... but maybe vampires just don't understand how important family is to live people."

At his words, a wave of sadness rolled over me. My brother was not a smart man, but he was shrewd in some ways. He had a lifetime's experience at knowing which of my buttons to push for the desired result... at least, he thought he did. He knew how much I craved family. It was true that I would absolutely love to have a child of my own, but with my vampire husband it was completely impossible. Being able to have a relationship with Jason's baby could help fill that awful void and he knew it. However, there were several pieces to this equation of which Jason was unaware. For example, my brother still did not know about the Fairy side of the family. Apparently he had not inherited the spark of magic that I had, and Niall had made it very clear that he was not interested in pursuing a relationship with Jason at all. Furthermore, he had no clue of the close connections I had built with my vampires. I had come to love Pam and Bill (even if Pam _was_ currently giving me the cold shoulder) and I could not imagine being without them. All of this meant that my life was not nearly as void of "family" as my brother thought it was.

"Eric is really smart and understands a lot more than you think," I said loyally, "He had a family once, even if it was a really long time ago. I don't think he will object if I want to see you from time to time. He loves me and wants me to be happy." I hoped all of that was true. Honestly, I had no idea how my husband was going to react to the news that Jason and I were at least on speaking terms again. I would have to add this news to the growing list of things we needed to talk over.

Jason looked at me a skeptically but then said, "I guess I'll have to take your word for it. However, I have to admit that you _do_ look good. Marriage seems to agree with you. I just never could get the hang of it, myself."

"Thanks. Eric takes _very_ good care of me. Speaking of my husband, I guess I need to get home. He gets cranky if I'm not home by dark."

"Yeah, I need to get going, too. I'm glad we had this talk, Sis." With that, he pulled me into his arms. For a split-second, I hesitated before returning the embrace, but I had to admit it was nice to get a hug from my big brother again. We turned and walked back up the path. Cooper was waiting at the head of the trail as he had promised. He and Jason nodded coolly to each other before Jason jumped into his truck and started the engine. He stuck his head out the window and called, "Bye, Sookie. I'll be calling you soon!"

I gave him a wave and he took off down the drive. As I watched the truck turn onto the main road, I realized I had never gotten around to asking him about his new truck or about his new job. I guess that would be a topic of conversation for another day. I turned to Cooper and said, "Let me lock up and get my stuff. I'm ready to get home."

My bodyguard grinned and held out his hand. The key to the door lay gleaming in his palm. "I'm way ahead of you, "he said, "I figured you'd want to be getting home before the Boss gets up. I already loaded your stuff."

We walked back to his car and got in. I was just fastening my seatbelt when my cell phone rang. It was Amelia. She said, "Hey, Sookie. I'm sorry I ruined our lunch. I feel like a complete idiot."

"Oh, sweetie, don't say that. I'm just sorry you were feeling so bad. How are you now?"

"Once I woke up, I felt much better," she explained, "Tray brought me home in his car and made me promise to stay in bed. He had to run up to Ruston to pick up a motorcycle he's supposed to restore and he won't be back for awhile." She paused for a moment and then said, "Sookie, about what Cooper said... I don't think he's right, but I'll go crazy if I have to wait until tomorrow to find out. I want to do one of those home test kits like Cooper suggested, but my car is still at Merlotte's..."

"Do you want me to go by and get it for you?" I offered, "I could drive it over and Cooper could follow me back to your place."

"No, honestly, I don't feel well enough to be driving. I know it's a lot to ask, but I wondered if maybe you might go buy me one and bring it by.... and then stick around while I do it. I guess I need someone to hold my hand, you know?"

"Amelia! Shouldn't you wait for Tray?" I couldn't imagine keeping something that important from Eric.

"No! No, I really don't want him to know anything about it. I... I guess I just need to get my mind around it first."

She sounded so... forlorn. My friend had always been so self-confident that to hear her sound like that nearly broke my heart. I had _so_ wanted to make it home by dark, but... clearly she needed me. After being away from him for several hours, I was seriously missing my vampire and I could hardly wait to be with him, but... Amelia had been there for me through thick and thin, and I just couldn't let her down the one time she asked for my help. If I hurried, I wouldn't be very late and Eric and I would still have plenty of time together. Once our house guests cleared out, I would go out of my way to make it up to him. Surely he would understand, just as I had understood when he had to take care of Kingdom business the night before. Trying my best not to sound cross, I said to Amelia, "Okay, I'll run by the drugstore and get one, and I'll be right there."

I was going to have to call Eric right before sunset and tell him I was going to be late, and that was one phone call I really did _not_ want to make. Sighing, I turned to Cooper and gave him directions to the closest drugstore.

******


	35. Chapter 35

_Author's Notes: I do not own these wonderful characters. They are the sole property of the immensely talented Mrs. Charlaine Harris. Buy her new book!_

_**** I often get reviews from readers who ask questions, but who must not be logged in or perhaps have blocked their private messages. I am not trying to ignore you guys, I just have no means of responding. _

**Chapter 35**

**Eric's POV: Valhalla, later that same day**

_Sometime during the daylight hours, my eyes snap open as I come instantly awake. My arms are empty and I know my Bonded is not in bed with me. A sharp fear pierces my chest... has my Fairy disappeared again? Immediately, I reach out through our Bond to see if I can still feel her. Ah... yes! There is her wonderful life force, pulsing away. I am so relieved! At least I know she has not gone back to the Portal. I can tell she is not in our home, though. I do not care for her being so far away from me. Where has she gotten off to? I wish for once she would just stay put. I wish.... _

Several hours later, I wake for the evening. I am seriously disappointed to find that I am still alone. The Bond tells me that Sookie is still not in our home. The first thing I do is search for a note, and I am relieved to discover that she has left one for me in our customary place. On a folded piece of lined notebook paper, Sookie has carefully written out:

_**Eric,**_

_**I forgot to tell you I am going to have lunch with Amelia today in Bon Temps. After that, I'm going to check on Gran's house. I'll be back soon.**_

_**I love you!**_

_**Sookie**_

In my human life, we ate only two meals a day; but if I am not mistaken, the meal modern humans call "lunch" is usually eaten around mid-day... which was many hours ago. Why is my Bonded not home? I pick up the phone to call her, but it begins to ring before I can punch in the number. Sookie's voice says, "Hi, baby. Did you sleep well?" In the background is a cacophony of sound... people talking, a child wailing, and some horrible buzzer going off intermittently.

"Sookie, are you all right? Why are you not home?" Hmm. That came out much more sharply than I intended. In a more reasonable tone, I say, "I miss you. Where are you?"

"Well, I'm still in Bon Temps. Amelia is sick and she needed me to get a... uh... something for what's wrong with her. I went to the drugstore but they were out of what she needed, and so now I'm at Wal-Mart. They are remodeling and on top of that the place is packed... it is a total zoo."

Ah, Wal-Mart. I have been there once with Sookie. I found it fascinating... such a bizarre mixture of humanity. Sookie's description of the zoo-like atmosphere is apt, but for me, a better word might be.... deli. However, I find it somewhat distasteful for my Queen to be in such a low-level establishment and besides, she has no business running such menial errands for a human. Rather crossly, I ask, "Why are _you_ running errands for the her? What happened to her Were? You have much more important things to be doing with your time." Like taking care of _my_ needs, but I leave out that part.

Soothingly, Sookie says, "I'm _so_ sorry, baby. I had every intention of being home long before now. You have _no idea_ how much I wanted to be home by dark... but Amelia's my best friend and she really does need me."

I am somewhat mollified to hear the frustration in Sookie's voice. It is clear that she really would prefer to be home with me. However grudgingly, I have to admire her loyalty to her friend. "Very well, then, I will come to you," I generously offer, "I will wait while you assist her."

"Uh... sorry, no. This is human girl stuff and men are _not_ welcome. Promise me you'll be a good vampire and stay put. Besides, you are going to be busy! Aren't you going to have a meeting before Robert leaves? I'll be there before you know it. Maybe... an hour and a half until I'm home. No more than that..." She lowers her voice and says sexily, "I'll make it up to you, I promise. Maybe tonight might be a good time for you to teach me some new things... if you know what I mean."

Ah, the little tease! My Lover knows exactly how to twist me around that tiny little finger of hers. I get an instant erection just thinking of all the possibilities. The rest of the nest... I mean, our _guests _should be cleared out of here not long after her estimated arrival, and I will be absolutely delighted to spend the rest of the evening teaching my Bonded all manner of new things. I suppose I can deal with her absence for such a brief time. As she pointed out, I _will_ be involved with my meeting. This is an excellent opportunity to show Sookie what a reasonable vampire I can be... perhaps she is far enough away that she cannot feel how out of sorts this really makes me. I tell her, "Very well. I will allow you to conduct your business without interference from me. In the meantime, I _might _be able to think of a thing or two to teach you," and then in a more sultry tone I playfully add, "Why don't you call me on the drive home and I can tell you what I have in mind ..." I stop in mid sentence. It has suddenly occurred to me that since I had not expected her to leave Valhalla today, I did not remind her that she must still have guards at all times. Surely she has not been out running around unprotected all day! After a brief pause, I ask carefully, "Sookie, did anyone accompany you to this emporium?"

It takes her a minute to process the abrupt shift in subject but then she responds, "What? Oh... don't worry, honey. Cooper is with me. In fact, he's been driving me around in his car all day. _I_ may think it is completely unnecessary, but I don't want _you_ to worry... plus, I wasn't about to get the "Sookie Needs Guards Lecture" again. Niall was pretty fond of that same topic."

I am just relieved to hear that she is showing some common sense, so I say, "No matter why you are doing it, the important thing is that you are protected... but you should really have a vampire guard after dark. Still, I suppose your Were is better than nothing."

"I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear your vote of confidence in his skills," she says dryly, "Listen, sugar, it's my turn to check out now, so I gotta go. I'll be home as soon as I can. Love you! Bye!" With that, she disconnects.

Hmpf. Whatever I told her, I am definitely _not_ pleased that she is out taking care of her old roommate instead of here with me. This is only her second full night home, and so far we have had a frustrating lack of time to ourselves. Besides wanting to make love to her, I have many things I wish to discuss... for example, I am burning to know if it was actually her magic that was able to keep me awake past sunup. Also, I am hungry for a sip or two of her delectable blood... but I suppose I will just have to make due with synthetic. Sighing heavily, I take myself off for a frustratingly solitary shower.

*****

As I step through the doorway into the library, I hear voices near the end of the hall. Robert is speaking in Spanish to my housekeeper, and I am amused (but not surprised) to hear her almost girlish giggles in response. The Knight cannot help but charm every female within a ten-mile radius, young or old. I should not be too surprised that he has beat me downstairs. He is very nearly as old I am, and also has the ability to wake early... although as far as I know, he has not yet been able to resist the pull of the sun at dawn. Stepping through the doorway into the hall, I spy the two of them. Sure enough, Juanita is gazing up into the Knight's face with an adoring smile. He is holding a bottle of blood and I am glad to see that he is once again dressed in one of his impeccably tailored suits, which becomes him much better than last night's leather pants and tight t-shirt... although Sookie would no doubt disagree. Her admiration of his physique certainly did not escape my attention.

Catching my movement out of the corner of his eye, Robert's head swivels around. "Good evening, my Brother," he says in greeting, "I was just asking your capable housekeeper if she could finish my packing while we are conducting our meeting." Although he has taken a liking to Juanita, he has been lecturing me again on my shocking lack of domestic help. He still is encouraging me to find a butler or two... but he has no idea how Sookie feels on that topic. She is just so uncomfortable with servants... I hate to start that old argument again so soon after her return.

Juanita speaks up and says, "Good evening, _Patrόn_. Would you care for a warmed blood before I get started on Sir Robert's packing?"

In spite of having told myself earlier that I was going to have a TrueBlood, I decide at the last minute that I would much rather wait for my wife, "No, thank you. Come, Robert. I want to have a word with you before the others arrive."

As he follows me into my library, he glances around eagerly, clearly expecting to see Sookie. "Where is the Queen?" he asks, his disappointment evident, "Is she still dressing?"

"No, she is out caring for her friend Amelia, who is apparently quite ill."

In great disappointment, he says, "Ah. I was hoping to see her again before I departed, to thank her for her magnificent gift."

"According to her, she will be home shortly."

"Brother, after last night's demonstration, I can hardly believe that you allow her out of your sight for an instant," he says very sincerely, "If the little Fairy were mine... well, let us say you are much more generous in sharing her time with others than I would be. To allow her to do as she wishes during the daylight is one thing, but I am afraid I would insist on having her undivided attention after dark."

"Hmpf. Pam tells me I am trying to smother her and that someday she will grow to resent it."

He makes an entirely French sound, "Pfffft! Sadly, Pamela has never been in love. How can she hope to understand a love such as yours? Also, I think your child is much too young to appreciate how unique Sookie really is. Am I mistaken, or is your Bonded's magic getting stronger?"

"I believe so. In fact, you will hardly believe this, but I think she was able to keep me awake past dawn this morning. It was only for a few minutes, but still... I have never been so shocked in my life. What do you think this means?"

"_Past dawn_?" he asked incredulously, "My dear vampire, the meaning it quite clear! Your Bonded is an incredible treasure and we must guard her more carefully than ever. If you don't mind my asking, who is with her now?"

"Her Were bodyguard, Cooper. Sookie has an independent streak and heartily dislikes being guarded. She only tolerates it to please me."

"Only _one_ Were? Are you mad?" he exclaims in alarm, "It is after dark! And in case you haven't noticed, tomorrow night is the full moon. If her guard is a full-blooded Were, he can resist the change tonight, but his true nature will be very close to the surface. How much do you trust _really_ trust him? Does she seem to affect Weres the same way she does vampires? Let me remind you, with your blood in her she is very fertile. I say we need to go retrieve her ourselves without delay."

The night before the full moon? I suppose in all the excitement, I have let that fact escape me. Perhaps I _should_ go after her myself, even if I know it will irritate her. Uneasily, I admit, "I cannot. I promised her I would allow her to take care of her business without interference from me. However, Cooper has shown himself to be very trustworthy in the past and has uncommon sense for one of his breed. Sookie is A Friend of his Pack. He would never harm her or attempt to take advantage of her in any way... and besides, he knows full well he would never survive it if he laid so much as a paw on her. Also, I think if Sookie felt threatened, she would merely pop away."

"Until her magic is fully developed and she is more comfortable with its use, you must not rely on it," the Knight advises me, "Perhaps I should send a few more of my own men down from New York for the both of you. I notice that your wife is not the only one resistant to guards."

Robert has always been irritatingly arrogant when it comes to his security forces. I will even admit that because of their constant training, they are generally quite superior... but mine are not exactly as worthless as he is implying. I give him a serious glare. He holds up both hands and chuckles, "You can keep that Viking scowl to yourself, my Brother. I meant no disrespect. I am merely concerned for your safety and alas! I cannot always be here to see to it myself. If you will not have the Royal Guards with you at all times, I beg of you... at least keep the other members of the nest close. I do not know what it is that you and your incredible Queen are Fated to do, but I am now convinced it is very important, indeed. How sad it would be if you were unable to fulfill your destiny because you were too stubborn to adequately protect yourself."

Hearing the sincerity in his words, I give them some thought. One night while Sookie was gone, Robert, Bill, and I had stayed up until dawn debating the meaning of the Ancient Pythoness' prophecy regarding Sookie and myself. Of course, there was great deal of speculation but no real conclusion. Something about the Knight's statement brings to mind the Queen of Oklahoma... Oh! I know... his words are almost identical to those Wanda spoke to Sookie and me in Las Vegas. As I recall, she warned us to keep our nest close, too. Upon Sookie's denial that there was such a thing, Wanda's words were, "Like Bonds, not all nests follow the rules." Then she had looked at Bill and asked, "Isn't that right, Bill Compton?" I was flatly amazed that she could clearly sense Bill's unorthodox connection to my Twice-Bonded. Before Sookie's disappearance, I had been intending to contact her and learn more about the Second Bond... now I wonder if she may have any thoughts on the meaning of the Prophecy. If she attends my upcoming Coronation, I will make it a point to speak to her.

Thoughtfully, I say, "Robert, last night when you mentioned "our nest" I thought it was merely the intoxication talking. There really _is _no nest."

He snorts and says, "Come now, Brother, it is not like you to ignore the obvious. No words have been spoken, we do not live together full time, we most certainly do _not_ share the human... but it certainly _feels_ like a nest."

"Perhaps it has been so long since I was a member of one, I have forgotten." Of course, that is a complete lie. I _do_ remember.

"Yes, you have always been the loner," he concedes. He is silent for a moment, and then says slowly, "I will be honest. This has all come as a surprise to me, too. At my age, I never thought I would belong to a nest of which I was not unquestionably the leader. You are the only vampire on Earth that I will allow to have that kind of power over me, and I think we both know it."

He paused again, sorting things out in his mind, "I have given this whole situation a great deal of thought. Let me tell you how I finally came to see the truth of it. For one thing, I hardly know Bill Compton, and yet, if any had moved against him last night in that redneck bar, I would have fought to protect him in the same way I would protect a nest-mate. The same thing is true of Pam... although I have long felt that way about her. And what of Bill? Any other male vampire would have packed up his coffin and left the territory immediately after you took his woman. Instead, he has turned into one of your biggest supporters! Even when Sookie was away, he voluntarily came to keep you company in the depths of your Bonding Sickness... and let me assure you, in your condition that was a dangerous thing to do. Pam and Bill have never cared for each other, and yet they have worked side by side with remarkably little conflict. They still squabble, but it is more like nest-mate rivalry than anything serious.

Beyond that, there are Sookie's own actions. It is obvious to me that your woman has accepted us as hers. In spite of the overwhelming love she has for you, she also has great affection for the rest of us. How is this even possible? We are vampire, not easy to know or to love. To most humans we appear cold... evil... dangerous... and yet, Sookie manages to look underneath that and sees whatever good that is left in us. Except for you, the rest of us give her nothing... no money, no sex, no blood... but still she enjoys our company. She sees to our comforts and has voluntarily prepared places for all of us in her home. We may not share her in the usual way, but each one of us is attached to her emotionally... and you know how very rare that is.

Now as for you, it is true that you have always resisted sharing a nest with other vampires. You never trusted anyone enough and also never wanted the obligations. However, I believe you feel this new connection just as strongly as the rest of us... and as proof, I will point out that you allowed both Bill and me to kiss your Bonded. Anyone but a member of your nest would _never_ have been offered the opportunity, and you know it. I deliberately put a little more into that kiss than was strictly necessary, just to gauge your reaction... and all I got was a rather lukewarm reprimand. Even more astonishing, you are quite aware that Bill shares a blood tie with Sookie and yet, he still lives. Tell me the truth... finding his scent on her used to drive you insane... does it still?"

Almost reluctantly, I admit, "No... now it just smells familiar."

"Exactly," he says rather smugly, "That is usually only true of nest-mates, and you know it. One last thing. I _know _I am a member of this nest, because I am finding it so difficult to leave!"

At that, I have to smile. Perhaps that is the strongest proof he has presented thus far. Robert has never been shy about expressing his horror of living in such a backwater as Shreveport. Normally, his visits are quite brief and even then he can hardly wait to get back to New York. "Perhaps you are right. I suppose in some strange way this _is_ a nest, even if a non-traditional one. However, I am reluctant to openly call it that... Sookie might take it amiss."

Robert cocks his head to one side and says thoughtfully, "Hmm. That is entirely possible. One wonders just what she has heard about them... probably nothing good. As for our younger members, I am certain they feel the same as we do but are reluctant to say anything until _you_ bring it up."

"That might be the case... although just now I believe Pam would argue with you," I say wryly, "Robert, most nests are formed deliberately. This one seems to have formed with no conscious effort on our part. The question I have to ask myself is... why? "

Giving an exaggerated shrug, he says, "Who can say? I suspect it has to do with keeping the two of you safe... but that is merely speculation. With the little Fairy in our midst, I suppose anything is possible. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

Just as I am opening my mouth to reply, Bill wanders in. He gives us both a nod in greeting. Looking at me, the first thing out of his mouth is,"Is Sookie all right?" Of course, he can sense that she is not at home. By chance, I happen to catch Robert's expression, and I am somewhat amused to see that he looks a trifle jealous at Bill's connection to her. I answer, "Yes, she is fine. She is in Bon Temps but should be home shortly."

"Bon Temps? Eric... you _did_ remember to warn her about the damage to her house?"

Ye Gods! I have never even given it a thought! A bit defensively, I reply, "I had no idea she was going there today or I certainly would have prepared her. She did not bring it up when she phoned... but really, how angry can she be? The repairs have been completed, haven't they?"

Bill stares at me for a moment before replying, "Yes, structurally things are as good as new. However, don't be surprised if she still has a thing or two to say on the subject when she gets home. Sookie is prone to let things stew." With that, he turns and heads towards the kitchen in search of some sustenance, shaking his head as he goes. Pam passes him on his way out. As expected, she is her normal early evening self... surly. She gives me a curt nod before curling up on the sofa, ignoring Robert entirely. Uncharacteristically, he does not say anything to her, either. Normally he would just ignore her mood and cuddle her anyway but tonight he merely shrugs and goes over to stare out the window. Instantly, it crosses my mind that perhaps my Brother's enthusiastic sexual overtures just before dawn were not particularly welcome. If that were not surprising enough, to my total amazement Bill comes back in the room carrying two bottles of blood. He crosses the room and hands Pam one of the bottles without speaking a word. She looks up and gives him just a hint of a smile in thanks. She gestures at the other end of the couch and he takes a seat there. Robert is right... they certainly _are_ getting along much better. Since all the vampires of my Royal Nest are now present, I suppose it is time for our meeting to begin.

Taking my seat behind my desk, I get started by asking for an update from the Sheriffs. Pam has been handling the nightly calls recently. In addition to the topic of drainers, this meeting is really to bring me up to speed on everything that has occurred during my bout of Bonding Sickness. Just as we are getting started, Pam exclaims, "Damnation! I forgot that the Sheriff from Little Rock was supposed to come by Fangtasia tonight. He's having some problem that he wanted to discuss with you in person."

I have no intention of going to Shreveport tonight, so I tell her to call him and give him directions to Valhalla. Once her call is completed, the four of us continue to discuss all of the current vampire affairs going on across the territory, including the upcoming Coronation festivities. Now that my mind is clear, I realize how little attention I have paid to ruling my Kingdom, at least since the King's court. Fortunately, my Lieutenants have proved worthy and have kept everything running smoothly, but now I am eager to take back the reigns. In the short time I have been King, I have come to thoroughly enjoy being a Monarch and wonder why I ever had such an aversion to it before now. Now that I am back at the helm, I see the tension begin to drop from Pam. Her relief at no longer being in charge is palpable. Since I am so new to my position, running this territory is a challenge even for me. It must have been a nearly crushing burden for one so young as she. I am quite proud of my child for bearing it... although I am well aware that part of that weight was borne by Bill. It has always been my policy to reward hard work and loyalty, and I will have to think of some suitable rewards for both of my Lieutenants. As for my Brother, he would probably say I have already rewarded him more than adequately for his efforts... how will I ever top the gift of Fairy magic? Still, I feel I should think of something special.

Not long after we begin, a call comes in from the guards at the front gate, announcing the arrival the Arkansas Sheriff and a guest. A few minutes later, Juanita escorts the Sheriff, whose name is Beauford Lafferty, and his child Clyde into the library. I normally do not pay too much attention to the domestic help, but I immediately notice that my housekeeper looks... different. Usually she is the very picture of calm but now she is clearly nervous but trying her best to conceal it. Obviously these two vampires have frightened her somehow. Narrowing my eyes, I take a good look at my Sheriff. He is about Bill's height with similar dark brown hair and dark eyes but there the resemblance ends. He has absolutely none of the elegance of my Lieutenant or his cool temperament, either. Instead of Bill's muscular but trim build and classic good looks, this man is built like a tank with a rugged, brooding countenance. Sookie says he is as ugly as a mud fence, a description that amuses me to no end. Unlike my extremely young wife, I have seen a mud fence or two in my day and they were, in fact, quite unattractive.

Beuford is the perfect example of the vampires of Arkansas. As a group, they tend to be much less willing to mainstream than those in Louisiana, and cling more to the old, secretive ways. Although Sookie does not come right out and say it, I can tell that of all my Sheriffs, she is the most uncomfortable around this one. I have never quite understood why, but honestly I have never given it a great deal of thought until now. Beuford is shrewd, loyal, an excellent fighter, and a good earner. Still, I suppose he and his companions are significantly less polished than most of the vampires of Sookie and Juanita's acquaintance. I have noted that my little housekeeper is extraordinarily perceptive for a human. The violence in all three of these vampires is still very close to the surface, and perhaps she can sense it. They or any other vampire in this territory would never think of harming a human in the King's household, but of course she has no way of knowing that. I will have to get Sookie to reassure Juanita later. I cannot have her fainting with fright every time we have unusual visitors.

I gesture for them to enter and after they give me a respectful bow they select places to sit. I catch them taking discreet glances around the room, clearly interested in seeing the inside of the Royal Residence. There are a few general items I want to talk over with Beuford before we get to whatever it is he wants to bring to my attention. Soon, we are so deep in our discussion that I have forgotten to keep an eye on the time. Suddenly, I find myself feeling... anxious and a little out of sorts. I have no idea why, until I realize it is not _me_ feeling that way at all, but Sookie. I glance at my watch, and realize why... she is running late and clearly wanting to be home. Ah! It is about time! I want her!

Sure enough, it is not long until I hear the faint rumble of a powerful engine as it comes up the drive. A few moments later, the front door opens and two sets of footsteps echo down the hall. A moment later, Sookie appears in the open doorway, her Were bodyguard close behind her. Seemingly oblivious to the others in the room, her blue eyes instantly seek out mine. A lovely smile crosses her face and instantly that mysterious, exciting sizzle of energy runs between us. She says, "Hello, Eric. I'm sorry I'm a little late."

I am too busy drinking in the sight of her to respond. My Bonded is simply ravishing tonight, dressed in a charming summer frock covered in tiny flowers. The bodice is cut low and square and emphasizes the roundness of her breasts. Her arms and her cheeks have been lightly kissed by the sun, so I can tell that she has spent some time outdoors today. Although it is not nearly as pronounced as it was just before dawn, she has that faint Fairy glow about her. Beyond that, she is so radiantly alive as to be completely irresistible... and she is all MINE!

Wanting to see what effect the vision of this incredible creature is having on the other vampires, I take a quick glance around the room. Robert is openly staring at my bride with unconcealed adoration. To my surprise, Bill seems to be watching Pam, who is studiously _not_ looking at her Mistress. Immediately the other two vampires stand and give my Queen a deep bow, as is protocol. I catch just a glimpse of Beuford's face, and see that his dark eyes are gleaming with admiration and desire. In a show of discipline, he manages to keep his fangs retracted but I can tell it is a struggle. Clyde is not nearly as strong-willed and his fangs pop out immediately, but at least he has the sense to keep them mostly concealed.

Of course, their obvious admiration of my Queen pleases me immensely; however, I am careful to keep my face as neutral as ever. Sookie can feel my satisfaction, though, and her smile deepens. My attention is temporarily diverted by a rather restless movement made by her Were, who is standing directly behind her. He is tall enough that I can see him quite well over the top of his Mistress' head. I have been so intent on admiring my woman that I completely ignored him until just now. Normally, he is very cool and jovial, but tonight he is anything but that. He is bristling with pent-up energy and when I look directly into his strange, glowing golden eyes, it is clearly the wolf that stares back. I wonder what has brought him into the house, when he is so clearly chaffing to get outside and take his true form. I acknowledge him by asking, "Cooper. Is there something you wish to say?"

He hesitates a split second before answering, "Yes... but I can see you are busy. I think it can wait. Please excuse the interruption."

Sookie turns to him and says cheerfully, "Bye, Coop. Thanks for everything. Enjoy your evening."

He nods to her politely before loping off down the hallway. I hear the door shut but no sound of a car engine. I imagine if I went outside right this minute, I would see a wolf running across my yard towards the back acreage. On the full moon tomorrow night, he will be joined by the rest of his pack. As far as I know, I am also the only vampire that allows a pack of Werewolves to freely roam his property. It is a small price to pay to please my wife, though.

Once her guard has taken his leave, Sookie steps into the room and nods politely to the Arkansas vampires. In her melodious Southern drawl, she says charmingly, "Hello, Sheriff. It's nice to see you again. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting this other gentlemen. Would you please do the honors?"

The Sheriff obliges her and performs the introductions in his brusque way. The very picture of graciousness, no one but me (and Bill) would ever be able to guess that on the inside, Sookie is quaking just to be in such close proximity to these particular vampires. She then says a quiet but fond hello to Robert, Bill, and Pam. I fully expect her next move will be to come to me and give me a kiss. Instead, she surprises me by taking a chair near the door. I suppose she has accurately guessed that I fully intended to make her sit on my lap for the rest of the meeting. I know quite well that my wife is curiously reluctant for "strangers" to see me showing her affection, and so I suppose she is deliberately keeping herself well out of my reach. With her hands folded so demurely in her lap, she is the very picture of a well-bred lady... and no one could every guess that underneath that calm exterior, my sweet little Southern Belle is absolutely burning with desire.

There is no doubt in my mind that if we did not have a roomful of guests, she would be glued to me this very instant. My Lover gives me one more intense look before dropping her gaze downward, and those lovely blue eyes of hers are smoldering. I am going to be hard pressed to keep my mind on my meeting and off fucking her. It is just as well that I am extremely strong willed. Reluctantly dragging my mind back to business, I am just about to resume the discussion at hand, when I see Juanita walking down the hallway in the direction of the kitchen. Sookie calls out to her and then gestures for her to step inside. "Good evening, Juanita," she says with a calm smile, "I imagine our guests could use some refreshments. Will you please bring everyone some blood?"

Juanita asks, "Yes, ma'am. Can I get something for you?"

"Hm. Yes, I think I would love a glass of wine. Red, please."

I can hardly believe my ears. Is this the same insecure young girl who just weeks ago protested about having to hire a domestic staff? She just issued those orders like she had been accustomed to servants all her life! Even Bill looks a little startled at her sudden transformation into confident mistress of the house. Shaking my head in wonder, I motion for the meeting to resume. We pause only long enough for Juanita to serve us the warmed glasses of blood. Once she has closed the double doors, the discussion starts up again. Even though I am listening intently to what is being said and responding in all the appropriate places, part of my mind is focused on Sookie. With this woman, I swear I never know what to expect next! She has so many facets, she utterly fascinates me.

At first, I try my best not to openly stare at her, instead attempting to limit myself to the occasional glance. Nevertheless, I remain completely aware of her every breath. As for my maddening mate, she is doing her level best not to look at me at all, instead allowing her cool gaze to fall on the various other vampires in the room. Her eyes drift over the Sheriff and his child. A slight twinge of uneasiness passes through her and she quickly turns her gaze towards Pam and Bill. As she studies Pam's delicate features, the seemingly contradictory emotions of sadness and irritation pass through the Bond. After a moment, her attention shifts to Bill as he chimes in with some pertinent facts and figures on the current topic. Her eyes track slowly from his neatly combed hair all the way down to his well-shined loafers. Ordinarily, I would not care for this in the slightest, except that I can tell she feels not a drop of lust. Instead, her feelings for him are a complex mixture of admiration, fondness, and a tiny bit of pride. This really is very much like what I feel towards Pam and therefore I am prepared to accept it without objection.

The next vampire to rate her scrutiny is the Knight. He is sitting in the big wing back chair near the fireplace looking as dapper as ever. Although I know he is listening to every word that is spoken, he has never once let his own gaze wander from Sookie since she first arrived. He is openly fascinated with her and not even attempting to conceal it. I have the distinct impression that he yearns to throw out everyone but my Bonded and me, so that we can question her in depth about the Portal and all things Fairy. This is a topic that has intrigued him for years and now he has an opportunity to get information first hand. His business in New York really must be quite pressing, or I know he would not be leaving just yet. Even though he just openly admitted he feels he is a member of this "nest," I doubt he will actually go so far as to relocate here... but I do imagine we will be seeing him much more frequently.

As for Sookie, she has to turn her head a bit to see him. As their eyes meet, he slowly raises his clenched fist and lightly taps it over his heart. He bows his head, silently re-affirming his pledge of the prior night. A tiny bit of color rises in my Bonded's cheeks, but in a completely graceful but very subtle movement she gives him a slow sweet smile and a tiny nod of her golden head in acknowledgment. No one in the room has noticed this very elegant little byplay but me. Now I really _am_ more intrigued by my beautiful wife than ever. Where has she learned such Queenly behavior and from whom? Obviously, her time spent in the mysterious Portal has wrought some amazing changes to my bride.

Absentmindedly, I bring the warmed blood provided by Juanita to my lips and take a sip... but then immediately set the glass aside. I simply cannot bring myself to drink it when the real thing is so tantalizingly close. Just thinking about that rich sweet blood of Sookie's is giving me a serious tingle in my groin. As luck would have it, she chooses this very moment to brush her fingertips across her slender neck. She lets them trail slowly down her chest, and then absently runs her pink-tipped nails back and forth along the low décolletage of her dress. If I did not know better, I would think she is deliberately teasing me. As if by magic, that small tingle between my legs becomes an instant erection. There is a slight pause in the conversation, and I realize that Clyde has just directed a question at me. It is a good thing I have almost total recall when it comes to this sort of thing. Quickly, I replay in my mind the last few sentences uttered, retrieve the question, and so am able to supply the correct answer without too much of a lapse. I force myself back to giving the meeting more of my attention than I am giving my wife... at least, I try. A slight smile hovers on her lips and every so often she takes a tiny sip of her wine. I long for her to come sit on my lap and allow me to lick a few drops from those angel lips. No sooner has the thought crossed my mind than she dips a finger into her glass and spreads a tiny drop of red on her lips. The tip of her tongue darts out and she slowly licks it off. By the Gods, the woman is driving me wild! Close on the heels of that thought, through the Bond comes satisfaction.... and amusement.

The little minx! I know just what has happened. As my telepath once explained to me, she very randomly picks up some of my thoughts from time to time, and in this case she is using them to tease me. This is exciting on many levels, but most especially because it marks an important milestone in our relationship. Obviously my Bonded trusts enough that she is willing to let me know that she has "heard" me without fear of reprisal. This pleases me to no end. Still, she is being quite wicked to tease me so unmercifully... so I think I will show her that I am more than up to the challenge of this game she has started. It is high time that she understand that although she is obviously very magical, she is the _also_ the Twice-Bonded of a very old and powerful vampire... which means that she is not the only one with a few tricks up her sleeve. This is the perfect opportunity to give her a taste of _my_ magic.

Openly staring at Sookie, I very gently _will_ her to look at me. However, to my surprise and great disappointment nothing happens. She keeps her gaze steadfastly on Pam, who is currently engaged in a debate with Julius. Hmpf. Never having attempted this before, I cannot tell if the Bond just does not work the way it should on my Fairy-wife, or if she is just being willful. Suddenly I find that I _really_ do want to bring her to heel, just this once. Using a little more force, I focus on my Bonded... calling out to my own blood that runs in her veins... to that part of me that dwells in her. Sure enough, this time Sookie is unable to resist me. Slowly she raises her eyes to meet mine. She is completely astonished, just as I intended her to be. I cannot resist giving her a mischievous little grin, simultaneously sending her a wave of love laced with amusement. I want to make it abundantly clear that I am merely being playful.

Now I settle back to see how Sookie takes this. I am taking a huge leap of faith that our relationship _has_ reached a new plateau and that she finally trusts me enough to accept the realities of our Bond. I think that once the shock subsides, she will realize that although I _can_ exert a certain amount of influence over her, I never have. I think she will see that there is no higher proof of my love and regard for her. This is one aspect of the Second Bonding of which I _was_ well aware, and yet never once used it to my advantage... although I must confess that I probably _would _have during our confrontation in Bon Temps. That fateful night, I was fully prepared to do anything to force her to listen to me... but her cousin removed her before I had the chance. To be perfectly honest, I must also admit that _finally_ being able to assert a little control over my human in the regular vampire way is intensely satisfying on a very primitive level.

Now it seems Sookie cannot keep her eyes off of me as she tries to come to terms with this new aspect of our Bond. I can almost see the gears turning in her head as she works it all out. At first, her emotions are a complete tangle and nearly impossible to decipher, but eventually they smooth out into a calm sort of acceptance. I am delighted to find that my confidence in her new maturity has been well founded, because it appears that she has taken this in stride. Not many weeks ago, there is no doubt that she would have been absolutely furious. Once again, I marvel at the profound changes that have taken place in my Bonded in such a short period of time.

Now that Sookie has had a chance to absorb and adjust to this knowledge, it is time to continue our little game of sexual tension. I believe that as the humans say "the ball is in my court," so I give her my best sultry smile. In a well-practiced move practically guaranteed to have her wet and aching for me in no time, I allow my fangs to descend and then slowly run my tongue over the sharp tips. This is a not-so-subtle reminder of the pleasure I can bring her, and as always it is very effective. Almost instantly, a low-burning flame ignites in my woman's eyes at the same time pure, unadulterated lust comes rushing through the Bond. Ah... success! I believe this round of our game goes to me... although it now seems that I have fallen victim to the law of unintended consequences. In stirring my Lover's passions, I have inadvertently increased my own to the point of no return. My lust rises to meet my mate's and our shared emotion reverberates between us, intensifying exponentially. Instantly, a beautiful rush of color appears in Sookie's cheeks and her sharp intake of breath causes those fantastic breasts of hers to swell. Ye Gods! I may be strong-willed, but even I have my limits. I am King. I need my Bonded NOW. This meeting and these vampires can wait.

Abruptly, I stand and announce, "I will return shortly. I have something I wish to discuss with my Queen."

I stride across the room, grab Sookie's hand and pull her to her feet, and then practically drag her from the room. With the very last of my restraint, I carefully slide the pocket doors shut... and then the dam breaks. Pulling her only a few feet down the hallway, I bring her to me and begin kissing her urgently... almost frantically. My Lover willingly melts into my arms, her warm lips crushed under my demanding, hungry mouth. I have been vampire for so many years that I have long forgotten the true flavor of honey, but in my mind its taste is exactly the same as my wife's sweet lips. I press her up against the hallway wall and as if my hands have a mind of their own they begin to roam freely. The delicious scent of her arousal wafts up to my nostrils, and I inhale deeply. Unfortunately, there is also a healthy dose of other races interlaced with her natural fragrance. Grrrr. Raising my head slightly, I grumble, "Weres and shifters!"

Knowing exactly what is irritating me, she says simply, "Yes. Sorry!" She stands on her tiptoes, slides her slender arms around my neck, and pulls my head back down. Now my kisses are more insistent than ever. Even though I am totally engaged in our activities, in the very back of my consciousness I am always listening for danger... it is just a deeply ingrained survival instinct. Therefore, I hear the soft tread of the housekeeper as she comes down the stairs, though the foyer and then starts down the hall. I am prepared to issue a sharp warning, but it proves to be quite unnecessary. The minute she sees us, Juanita comes to an abrupt halt and says, "Oh! Excuse me!" Rapidly spinning around, she heads back the way she came, but not before I could see the amused smile on her brown face.

"There are people everywhere!" Sookie murmurs into my ear, "Honey, maybe we should go..."

I am _not_ going to take the time to go _anywhere_! Before she could even finish that thought, I growl, "NO!" and go right back to fervently kissing her and feeling her fantastic body. A moment later, my Lover has forgotten all about anyone or anything but me... as it should be. I manage to pull up the hem of her dress and then snake my hand down the front of her predictably damp panties. Without a word of protest, she parts her legs just enough to allow me access. Eagerly, I run my forefinger across my wife's already swollen clitoris. Ah! She is already dripping wet and soon my fingers are slick with her juices. I simply cannot resist bringing them to my mouth to taste her wonderful essence. I lick the wetness from my fingers and then roll the incredibly erotic flavor around on my tongue. My passionate little Fairy gives a little mewl of protest, obviously wanting me to finish what I started. I am more than happy to oblige. Even the wispy little panties she is wearing are getting in my way, so I take care of the problem by reducing them to shreds. Now that I am unrestricted, I give her nub long, sensuous strokes, occasionally plunging my finger deep into her center. My Lover clings to me, her breath catching her throat. As her pleasure begins to build, I am overcome with a sharp desire to feel those first sweet contractions of her orgasm clenching my painfully swollen cock.

Deliberately I slow the pace, keeping her right on the edge of her completion as my free hand fumbles with the zipper to my jeans. Sookie is so wrapped up in her pleasure, at first she does not realize what I am doing, but then her eyes pop open and she glances down. I have just managed to free myself, and she whispers a startled, "Oh God! What are you... are we... right here? Baby, we can't! Someone might come!"

"Yes," I assure her, "Someone _is_ going to cum... you! Now hush!" Easily lifting her, I grip her thighs and leverage myself between them. Realizing that any further protest will do absolutely no good, she decides to help by arranging her skirt so that it is out of the way and wrapping her legs around me. She even goes so far as to help position my rock-hard erection so that I can lower her down onto it. She is more than ready to take me, and just the friction of my entering her causes us both to let out twin moans of bliss. Ahhhh... There is nothing better than this! I begin to drive myself into her with total abandon. Although I am easily supporting her weight, her back is leaned up against the smooth expanses of wall between the library and dining room, and a rhythmic thwump-thwump-thwump is being created with each feverish thrust.

We are both so aroused that in practically no time we are hovering on the very edge of ecstasy. The closer to completion I get, the more ravenous I become. Instinctively knowing what I crave, my Lover willingly rolls her head to one side to allow me better access. I do not hesitate to bite, savoring the feel of her firm young flesh yielding to my sharp fangs. I fed deeply from her within the last twenty-four hours and know that I should just only take a tiny sip... but her blood tastes so wonderful that I indulge myself and take just a bit more. Up until now, my Lover has tried her best to remain silent, knowing that there is an entire roomful of vampires with extremely acute hearing in close proximately, but as I pull on the wounds she is so consumed with pleasure she forgets to care. She begins to shudder as her climax ripples through her body and she cries out, "Ah! Oh... yes! Eric! Ahhhhh!"

With that, I am lost. There is no hope of holding back one more instant, and I explode inside of her. This is one of those serious, all-consuming orgasms that seems to come up from my toes, engaging every muscle in my body. I am fairly certain I did some shouting of my own, but I honestly have no idea what I said. While the aftershocks subside, I clutch my panting wife's body close to my chest and try to regain my senses. Now that my twin hungers have sated, I am filled with contentment and happiness. Sookie nuzzles her head next to my ear and breathes, "I can't believe we just did that!"

"This is what happens when you play with fire, my love."

She chuckles softly and admits, "I guess I did start it, didn't I? Do you think they heard us?"

This last part is asked with a touch of anxiety. The old Eric probably would have lied and said no... but the new, wiser Eric knows better. Giving her a broad grin, I respond, "Absolutely... and I am certain they enjoyed every minute of it. Beloved, this is our home... those vampires are our retinue. Never feel ashamed of the physical expression of our love for each other. Believe me, they will think more of you for it, not less. If you don't believe me, ask Robert... or Bill."

"I will _not_!" she exclaims, "Now be a good vampire and put me down. I need to clean up, and you need to get back to your meeting." I do, but not before giving her a few additional nips and kisses. The minute I set her down, she glances anxiously at the library doors as if she is expecting to see several sets of vampire eyes glued to the crack between them. Satisfied that the doors were closed too tightly for that sort of thing, she says, "If you don't mind, I think I'll find something else to do until the meeting is over."

"Oh, no, you will _not_," I inform her, "After you attend to your needs, you are going to come straight back to the meeting. You are my Queen and it is your duty. Besides, I want you with me. Now go clean up." With that, I spin her around, point her in the direction of the downstairs bathroom, and give her a small nudge to get her started. Sighing heavily, she trudges off down the hall. Too bad for her that our Bond tells me that she is not nearly as embarrassed as she obviously thinks she should be. I can hardly wait to see if she obeys me and returns to the meeting. In preparation for returning to the library, I tuck myself back into place and rearrange my own clothing. Glancing at my watch, I am startled to see the entire highly erotic encounter had taken mere minutes. I believe the Fangbangers at my club refer to this sort of thing as "a quickie." I prefer to think of it as "an appetizer."

Chuckling, I head back to my meeting. Sliding open one of the pocket doors, I step through it and leave it open for Sookie. As I saunter back to my desk, I glance around the room and take in the various expressions of those around me. Robert is grinning broadly, Pam looks irritated, and Bill appears... somewhat strained. Hmm. The Arkansas vampires look completely envious. As soon as I am seated, I begin by saying, "What did I miss? Was there anything said that I should hear?"

With a twinkle in his eye, Robert wryly quips, "No, my Brother. We were waiting for you and your Queen to finish your very _intimate_ meeting. It was as quiet as the grave... in here. "

I am in such excellent spirits, I cannot help but laugh out loud. "Hmpf. No doubt you were all afraid you might miss something. Now, I'm warning all of you... no smirking when the Queen arrives. She's still quite sensitive when it comes to having an audience. In fact, here she is now."

Sure enough, Sookie appears in the doorway. Not a hair is out of place and except for the fang marks that I forgot to heal and a little extra color in her cheeks, she looks exactly like she did before our "intimate meeting." I half-way expect her to slink into the room and again take her seat by the door, but I could not be more mistaken. Instead, she glides confidently across the room, head held high. She makes her way around my desk and then stands behind my chair. Laying her hand on my shoulder, she calmly announces, "Excuse me for interrupting. Please carry on." No matter how embarrassed she is on the inside, she manages to conceal it. I am so proud of her! She has stepped up to her place as my Queen yet again. I am also happy to see that apparently all my vampires have taken my warning to heart... not one leer or smirk in sight.

Now that I am more relaxed, I am ready to get the meeting back on track. Most of the topics covered tonight have been fairly routine, with the exception of the drainer issue which has already been discussed inat great length. I start by saying, "Now, let me see... I suppose everything has been covered except the reason for Beauford's visit. Sheriff, what seems to be the trouble?"

In his direct way, Beuford looks me straight in the eye and says, "I think we have a serious problem that should be dealt with right away. As you are aware, my Maker lives in the Magnolia area. She called to inform me that a new nest of vampires has moved into an old farm not far from her. I gave them a few days, but not one of them called or checked in with me as is required. Almost immediately they began to stir up trouble in the area. Last night I decided to go down there in person, to let them know I wasn't about to put up with any more nonsense or disrespect. Mother heard there were only three, so I went alone. Once I found the house where they are staying, it turned out three more had shown up in the last couple of days. The eldest of the nest claims to be considerably older than me and seems pretty vicious. I told him that he'd better straighten up, because our King was not the kind to put up with any troublemakers. To prove my point, I even mentioned some of the punishments you had recently handed down, but even that didn't phase him. He said it was obviously just a bunch of lies, since no King in his right mind would really hand out sentences that harsh at his very first court. He told me he's heard about you for years and figures it's mostly just hype. To be honest, he really seemed to think you got the job by default."

Beuford pauses, obviously checking to see how I'm taking all of this. Apparently, the King's court had made quite an impression on him, and he is obviously treading very carefully around me. Seeing that I am remaining calm, he continues, "I would have loved to take care of the problem right then and there, but frankly I was not in a position to back it up at that point. Mother has gone down to New Orleans to go shopping, so I couldn't count on her help. Since Magnolia is just across the border from here, I figured you might want to handle this yourself." His eyes were gleaming and I could tell he was anxious for me to go up there and show this bunch of rogues that my reputation is not only accurate but well-earned.

At the mention of the word "Mother," I felt a sharp spike of surprise coming from Sookie, and I know she is wondering if that is some vampire euphemism for a Maker that is a female. It is not. In this case, Beuford was being literal. His Maker _is_ his biological mother. A vampire turning any full-blooded relative is fairly rare in this country... that is, everywhere but Arkansas and a few of the other mountainous regions to the east. I know his Maker Caroline very well. She is a tiny little thing, even smaller than Sookie. She was made vampire when her son was only about fourteen years of age. Like Pam, she enjoyed her new existence from the very beginning, and her only regret was leaving behind her son. She waited patiently until he was in his early twenties before returning to her former home and bringing him over. It remains a mystery why she did not turn the husband, too. He must have been a dark, brooding hulk of a man, since his son clearly bears no physical resemblance to his petite red-headed mother. Fortunately, Beuford did inherit some of his mother's temperament. She is very shrewd, a fierce fighter, possesses a wicked sense of humor, and does not suffer fools gladly. I actually offered the job of Sheriff to her first, but she politely declined. It seems that she has recently found some success as a romance novelist, of all things. Apparently supernatural romances are currently all the rage. I think it was actually just an excuse, though. Like many of the Arkansas vampires, she is somewhat reclusive and has no wish to become embroiled in politics.

Now all the vampires in the room are watching me expectantly. Until now, this has been a rather routine meeting. As much as I am enjoying being back in the swing of things, nothing has been all that exciting or urgent. At this challenge to my authority, however, the fighter in me comes boiling to the surface. Hype? Got the job by default? I will be more than happy to show these disrespectful vampires how badly misinformed they are! However, I am also well aware that Sookie and I still desperately need some time alone, and not just to have great make-up sex. There are many issues that still need some serious discussion. As much as I want to go bounding off to Arkansas to teach these new vampires the meaning of respect, I _also_ want to make sure the breech with my Bonded is completely repaired. While I am trying to decide the best course of action, Sookie speaks up. From behind my chair, she says quietly, "Um... excuse me for butting in, but I have a couple of questions. Sheriff Lafferty, did this head vampire seem stupid to you? I mean... it seems pretty dumb to openly insult a new King like that."

"To be perfectly honest, ma'am, he seemed to be about average."

"Well... you don't think this is some kind of trap or something, do you?" she asks him, "Do you think someone is trying to lure Eric up there for some reason?"

Now every pair of eyes in the room is glued to their Queen. Once again, she has managed to point out something very practical. Raising an eyebrow at Beuford, I inquire, "Is there any indication at all of such a possibility?"

He thinks hard for a moment before replying, "No, sir. I think they are just a bunch of drifters looking for a place where they can do whatever they want with the least interference. As you know, the last few Monarchs have paid very little attention to ruling Arkansas, and I think they believe the same will hold true with you. "

Bill speaks up and says, "Either way, the situation needs to be dealt with immediately. I propose we go up there and do some scouting first to make sure it isn't an ambush before we go in."

"I agree. Proceed with caution, but strike as soon as possible," Robert says, "Shall I cancel my plans for New York?"

"No, that will not be necessary," I answer him, "The chances of it being anything more than rogue vampires behaving foolishly are remote."

Suddenly, I know just what I will do. Part of tonight has already been spoiled anyway. I will deal with this problem, and then tomorrow night I will plan for a very special evening with my Bonded with absolutely NO interruptions. I turn to look at Sookie and I think she knows at once what I am going to say. Through our Bond I can feel her disappointment but also a calm sort of resignation. Before I can even open my mouth to explain, she says softly, "You should go. It's your job and besides, I can tell you're spoiling for a fight."

How well she knows me! No vampire could ask for a better, more understanding mate. Now that the decision has been made, my spirits begin to rise like bubbles in a glass of champagne. I have the most spectacular, perfect Queen of all the vampires... I am once again strong and in control of my Kingdom... I am the eldest of what is surely the most unusual nest in history... and now, a most excellent chance of a fight to defend my honor has presented itself... for a vampire, it really does not get any better than this! Thinking rapidly, I say, "Ordinarily, I would take only Beuford and Clyde, but there seems to be some question about this situation. I think Bill should come along as well. Pam, you can take Robert to the airport."

"Wait just a minute!" my child says indignantly, "Why can't Bill take Robert?"

I know very well how much Pam adores a good fight, but I issued an order and I expect her to follow it. I am just about to give her a sharp reprimand, when Sookie interrupts. "Why don't _I_ take Robert to the airport?" she suggests.

"No, Sookie," I say firmly, "You should not be inconvenienced."

"Don't be silly. I _want _to do it. I know this trip to Magnolia is vampire business and I'd just be in the way... but I'll go crazy sitting here wondering what's going on if I don't have something to do. The drive into town will give me a chance to visit with Robert a little before he has to go home, and besides... I won't worry so much about you if Pam goes with you, too. Better safe than sorry, right? Magnolia is closer to Shreveport than it is to Valhalla... why don't I meet you at our house there?"

It is a reasonable argument and so I finally agree to her plan. Immediately, Pam begins to smile and seems in a much better mood than she has for the last several days. Now all that remains is to formulate a plan, which is rapidly accomplished. At Robert's urging, we decide to take weapons, although I am certain they are totally unnecessary. I already feel a little foolish, taking so many vampires to handle such a minor problem... but it will give my staff a chance for a scuffle and also I know Sookie will fret less if she knows I have adequate protection. I led everyone out into the hallway and open the door to the coat closet under the left staircase. Reaching to the back, I pop open the concealed doorway into the armory. Even though she does not say a word, my startled wife just shakes her head in wonder. I had forgotten that she was unaware of its existence until now. It reminds me that I really must get around to showing her all the rest of the special features of the house. There just never seems to be enough time, somehow.

Everyone selects a weapon and then I ask the Arkansas vampires to wait outside for the rest of us. It is time to say our goodbyes and I would prefer to do it in private. Pam gives Robert a kiss, but it seems to be lukewarm at best. In a return to his more normal pattern of behavior, he ignores her coolness and gives her a huge hug and another, much more passionate kiss, even going so far as to openly pat her on the bottom. He murmurs into her ear, "Pamela, my dove, I am going to pine for you. I will count the hours until I see you again." Frenchmen! How some females can fall for such flowery, sentimental claptrap is beyond me, especially someone like Pam. However, as usual, the Knight's actions are effective because afterward Pam's eyes are a little glazed over and she seems significantly less frosty. Clearly amused by this display, Bill gives the Knight one of his rare smiles and says, "See you in New Orleans."

I bid my Brother goodbye, giving him thanks for everything he has done for me. Since Robert will be joining us in New Orleans for my Coronation, I know I will be seeing him quite soon, but somehow it feels strange for him to be leaving. Finally, I turn to Sookie and pull her into my embrace. She feels so good in my arms that I nearly change my mind about taking her with me. As much as I hate exposing her unnecessarily to unpleasantness and potential danger, I find it extraordinarily difficult to be parted from her even for a short time; however, as I look down into her eyes, I realize something that I had not noticed before now. She looks... weary. The last couple of nights I have kept her up until dawn, and I know she has been out running around all day. Sometimes I forget just how fragile she is. This is exactly how our problems got started in the first place. Guiltily, I realize that once more I have not been taking good care of her. "Sookie, have you eaten anything?" I ask.

"Yes, I ate a late lunch."

"You need to eat more than once a day," I say sternly, "Promise me you will eat something soon... and after you drop Robert at the airport, I want you to go straight home and get some rest."

"I swear, you are starting to sound like an old mother hen," she responds with smile, "Quit worrying about _me_. I'm a big girl. I want you to focus on your business."

Her words are said lightly, but I am not fooled for an instant. Even though she seems perfectly calm and cheerful on the outside, her fear and anxiety are pouring through the Bond. This is exactly the same feeling I got from her in New Orleans, when we were busy ridding the area of Felipe and Victor's remaining confederates. I know she has complete faith in my abilities, but still she frets. I have tried on many occasions to reassure her, but it seems that nothing I can say makes the slightest bit of difference. It seems that it is impossible to train a human woman not to worry... or apparently a Fairy one, either.

Robert speaks up and says, "If it will make you feel any better, Eric, it would be my pleasure to see to it that the Queen has a decent dinner before I depart. Perhaps we will find a restaurant in Shreveport on the way to the airport."

"Yes, that might be best," I agreed. Although technically Robert does not work for me in an official capacity, as a member of the Royal nest it is perfectly acceptable for him to oversee the care and feeding of the Queen, even in public. Thinking over the possibilities, I suggest, "Julius' establishment is not far out of the way and since he caters to a supernatural clientèle as well as humans, the restaurant is open quite late. Sookie seemed to enjoy the offerings the last time we were there."

"My goodness, I wonder how I ever got as old as I am without a pack of vampires around to feed me!" Sookie says teasingly, "If I ate as much as you two seem to think I should, I'd be as fat as a pig! Now, Eric, if you are going to get up to Magnolia and back before dawn, you'd better get a move on." Suddenly, she drops all pretense of being casual about my leaving. Gazing up into my face, she says quietly, "I know you are going to be tempted to block the Bond. Please... don't do it. I want to be able to feel you, no matter what."

Running my finger lightly down the side of my Bonded's lovely face, I say sincerely, "Honestly, I doubt I could bear to close it in any event." I want to tell her how much I need to feel her, too... how excruciating it was while she was gone... how hard it is for me to leave her now, even for a few hours... but I cannot seem to bring myself to sound so unmanly in front of the others. Instead, I kiss her as softly and sweetly as I know how, allowing our Bond to convey all the emotions I am feeling. Briefly, she clings to me tightly before releasing me and then giving me a little shove. She smiles and says cheerfully, "You all better get going. I hear there's a bunch of vampires up in Arkansas just waiting for a good ass-kicking. Eric, I'll see you later in Shreveport."

Sookie is obviously determined to appear as casual as possible in an attempt to make our parting easier. If my woman can put on such a brave face despite her inner turmoil, I can do no less. Giving her one last cocky grin, I motion to my Lieutenants that it is time to go. I try my best to get out the door without looking back, but it seems I have no self-discipline where my Bonded is concerned. At the very last minute, I simply cannot resist one last glance over my shoulder at my gorgeous Fairy-wife. She is still standing there in her little flowered dress, a perfect smile plastered on her face; but now she is also unconsciously fingering my fang marks on her throat. Now I am glad I did not heal them. Even from here I see the sheen of tears swimming in her big blue eyes. Due to the recent repair to the Bond, this is parting is quite difficult for both of us... it is just too soon. However, I know that it is not only the Bond that is to blame for this feeling of being ripped apart. I love my wife and I want to be with her. It is as simple as that.

Oddly enough, seeing Sookie's tears is just what I need to spur me into action. I stride rapidly toward Bill's waiting car, suddenly anxious to get on the road. The sooner we get started, the sooner I can get back to my Bonded. Now I can hardly wait to meet the head of this nest of vampires. Not only has he insulted me and caused me great inconvenience, more importantly he has caused my wife distress. For his sake, I hope he is very old and very strong.... he will need to be.


	36. Chapter 36

_Authors notes: Sorry it took so long to update, but I've been down with a virus. I'm better now, but still playing catch-up. I hope you like this chapter. It features our favorite Knight. Let me know what you think!_

**Chapter 36**

**Sookie's POV: Valhalla**

Heart pounding away in my chest, I watched my vampire stride out the door with his posse. When he was in motion like that, he was just so beautiful, so strong, so... perfect that he completely took my breath away. True to form, Eric hadn't even taken the time to change his clothes into more "King-like" attire; but with a touch of pride, I realized that it didn't matter one whit. Even though he was wearing the same t-shirt, jeans, and boots that he had donned for a night at home, he was still unmistakably the biggest, baddest vampire in this territory. He was absolutely oozing power and authority, and I almost wished I could see the faces of these dumb-ass vampires up in Magnolia when Hurricane Eric rolled into town. I tried my best to convince myself that this little disciplinary trip was really not so dangerous. After all, I had personally seen the Viking handle a full-out battle for a territory with total composure, so I shouldn't let my self get so worked up over a nest of vampires in Arkansas... but still, I was a wife. It was kind of my job to worry.

Letting my vampires go off without me was excruciating, in more ways than one. Next to the dull ache of separation, the hardest part would be wondering what the heck was happening. All the Bond could tell me was that Eric was okay but not much else, and if something bad happened to any one of them I would be too far away to do anything about it. I knew that if I had begged Eric to let me go, he would have taken me, but I was also smart enough to know that I shouldn't. It was one of those "vampire-only" affairs where my telepathy was completely useless and therefore I was only a liability. The last thing he needed was his mostly-human wife tagging along slowing him down. When we were first engaged (and back when he was still Sheriff), I had frequently wished that Eric had a safer sort of job... like bank president or college professor... now to my amazement I discovered that I no longer wanted that at all. Being a vampire and a warrior was such a huge part of the Viking's very essence that I wouldn't change it if I could. He was perfectly suited to be King and now I couldn't imagine him being anything else... but even so, it still scared the beejeebers out of me when he went off to fight.

Since Eric was the perfect vampire King, I had to at least take a stab at being a good Queen. The only example of Queenly behavior that I had to go by was Rhiannon's, which I had already put to use on a couple of occasions earlier in the evening. In fact, I was beginning to wish that I had paid closer attention while I was in the Portal. It was hard to picture _her_ crying or whining while Niall went off to take care of his Royal business, so I tried my best to put on a brave face for Eric's departure... and succeeded admirably as far as everyone but Eric himself was concerned. The Bond made sure that he knew exactly how crummy I really felt. However, I took comfort in the fact that I wasn't alone. After having centuries to perfect his poker face, the Viking looked calm, cool, and amused, but inside, his true emotions told a much different story. While part of him was completely confident and itching for a fight, the other part was as irritated and unhappy at our separation as I was.

After giving me a kiss that I could feel through every inch of my body, my vampire had turned and calmly walked away. I was struggling desperately to keep the waterworks under control for once, and I was doing pretty good, too... until he gave me that last glance over his shoulder. One look at those cool blue eyes and it took every ounce of will-power I had to keep from bursting into tears. As it was, the very second he was out the door, two fat teardrops spilled over and ran down my cheeks. Robert slipped up beside me and offered me a pristine handkerchief from his breast pocket. In a soothing tone, he said, "Do not worry, _ma petite._ If I thought there was any real danger I would never have allowed them to go without me. It is imperative to nip this sort of thing in the bud immediately, but it also provides an opportunity for all of them to have a little fun. The Viking does love a good brawl."

Taking the small white square of cloth from his hand, I dabbed at my tears. Trying not to sound pitiful, I said, "I know. When Beuford announced what the head of that nest in Magnolia said, Eric was pretty angry... but also, he was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. As strange as it seems to me, fighting makes him happy. I guess I had better get used to it."

"I confess, for men like us, there is nothing more invigorating than a good skirmish. The timing is unfortunate, of course. Given how recently your Bond has been repaired, this separation must be quite painful."

Giving a big sniff, I said shakily, "Yes, it is... and I've already been through a whole day of it. I I went over to Bon Temps today to visit friends and check on my house, and I was uncomfortable the entire time I was away."

"Forgive me for asking, but if it is so uncomfortable, then why do you insist on being away from your Bonded? I understand there will always be occasions like tonight when it is unavoidable, but would it not be simpler to stay closer to home?"

"I guess it would be," I said rather glumly, "Eric told me that the Bond would not always be like this... that someday we will be able to be away from each other for longer periods of time without these crazy side effects. Do you know how long it will take for that to happen?"

"Unfortunately, no," he replied, "The last Bonded pair of my acquaintance was free of the worst of it within about a year or so, but I imagine each Bond is slightly different. Who can say? It may be different for you. It may be that the Bond becomes tighter each time it has to be repaired."

Sighing heavily, I said, "That's what I figured you were going to say."

Robert regarded me silently for a moment. "It sounds as if you find your Bond too...confining," he said finally, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Don't get me wrong. I _love_ being Eric's Twice-Bonded, and I wouldn't change it even if I could. The thing is, there are lots of things I should be doing during the day. Believe it or not, I had a life of my own before I married Eric and I need to maintain it."

"Yes, you are an extraordinarily independent creature, aren't you? It must be your Fairy nature. Most Bonded humans are perfectly content to stay with their vampires. However, if you are missing your old life so terribly, you should tell Eric," stated the Knight, "He will go to any lengths necessary to keep you happy. If it requires him going to rest in Bon Temps so that you can be in your old environment during the daylight, I have absolutely no doubt he will do it. If your house is unsuitable, he can take shelter with Bill until other accommodations can be made. Security will be somewhat problematic, of course... but I am certain I can devise something effective."

If anyone had told me just a few short months ago that the arrogant, supremely self-centered Eric Northman would _ever_ give up his creature comforts just to keep me happy, I would have told them that they had lost their marbles. Now I knew what Robert said was true. My Bonded would do just about anything to please me, even if it meant spending his days in the seriously creepy crawl space under Bill Compton's house. I knew the Viking had experienced far, far worse conditions in his long existence as vampire, but I still found the whole idea completely distasteful. My vampire had earned his place as King and deserved to go to his rest in comfort and luxury, not under Bill's house or even squeezed into the barely-big-enough-for-Viking-vampires hidey-hole in my guest bedroom closet. Besides, neither my house or Bill's would allow Eric and me to sleep together past dawn, which was _completely_ unacceptable as far as I was concerned.

Still, the very idea of poor Bill being forced into hosting a little vampire sleep-over with his former rival made me smile a little. I was pretty sure Eric would turn out to be the worst under-house guest in history. Suddenly, an mental image skittered through my head of Bill, Robert, and Eric huddling around the big fireplace in the old Compton living room. Robert, who was sporting a"I heart NYC" t-shirt and a pair of multi-colored boxers, was very dramatically telling the other two a scary story before bedtime. Bill was clad in a pair of Roy Rogers jammies and the Viking was resplendent in footed pajamas completely covered in yellow smiley faces. Now my little smile became a full blown grin. Chuckling, I said, "Robert, I bet if Bill thought Eric was going to be staying with him for any length of time, he'd find some urgent reason to go back to Peru."

The Knight gave me an amused look. With a slight twinkle in his eyes, he said, "Oh, you might be surprised. I think Bill would be glad to share his accommodations with the Viking. I stayed with him recently and he was a most congenial host. Despite the rather rustic sleeping arrangements, I felt quite at home."

Bill? A congenial host? When we were dating he had never particularly cared for vampire visitors all that much, but maybe it was just because he was afraid for me to be around them. Shaking my head, I said, "Still, I don't want to put anybody out on my account. To be perfectly honest, I would just as soon have stayed home today anyway. Almost the minute I left, I knew it was a mistake. It was just too soon to be away."

"Then why in heaven's name did you go?"

"I promised Amelia I would have lunch with her, and I would have felt rotten for backing out," I said truthfully, "Robert, I swear, I am always so torn... my heart tells me I should be with my vampire, and yet my head says that I should still be doing the same things I've always done. Maybe I'm afraid I'll end up loosing my own identity if I don't."

Robert didn't answer right away. He was obviously giving my words some serious consideration, which I found very nice. Eventually he said, "Eric is the kind of vampire who will always demand a great deal of your time and attention. There is no getting around that... but as for you losing your identity, I find that highly unlikely. You are his perfect mate in that you are every bit as strong willed as he is. It is not in your nature to be a... what is the word?... a doormat. Now, as for your dilemma... I think you are having trouble letting go of your old routines, not because you miss your old life so much, but because you think you ought to. Not once have I heard you say, 'I went to Bon Temps today because I really wanted to go."

I opened my mouth to argue, but then shut it. Maybe he was right. Maybe I had really gone more out of a sense of obligation than any true desire to go. While I was chewing over that, he continued, "One of the hardest lessons I had to learn as vampire was taught to me by your husband. To be content with my life, I had to let go of the past and keep moving forward. I had to learn to be adaptable. You and your Bonded are in the process of building a new life together. It is a very complex one, and will require more time, effort, and adaptability than most. It will certainly require a re-alignment of your priorities. My advice is this: if your past routines no longer suit you, discard them without guilt. For the things that you still find important, find a way to make them work for you. For example, I know you are still very attached to your friend Amelia. Instead of going to her, why not invite her here? You could have had a chef come to Valhalla and prepare you both a marvelous luncheon... and you would have not had to suffer the pangs of separation from your vampire. I imagine the lovely little Witch would have enjoyed that every bit as much as dining in Bon Temps."

Given her current condition, I doubt she would have enjoyed lunch if Emeril Lagasse himself had prepared it... but I got Robert's drift. "I suppose you're right," I acknowledged, "My Gran used to tell me that there was more than one way to skin a cat."

"Oh? To what purpose did she put the skins?"

Fondly, I said, "Robert, sweetie, it's just an expression. It means there is always more than one way of doing things."

"Ah, yes... I see. A very wise woman, your grandmother," he said, "As you pointed out earlier, this particular restriction of the Bond truly will not last forever. A year... two years... it will pass in the blink of an eye. In the meantime, rejoice in the closeness you share with your Bonded."

Giving him a soft smile, I said, "Thanks for the talk, Robert. I'll think about everything you said. Now, enough about me and my problems. I know you need to get going. Since I'm staying in town tonight, I need to grab a few things before we get on the road. I'll meet you back here in just a few minutes."

With that, I hurried down to the bedroom and rounded up my gear. I still had some clothes at the Shreveport house, but they were too heavy for this time of year. Also, I wanted to take some of the extra jars of lotions and creams that Aderyn had sent me. Since it might be a long time before Eric got home and I would probably be too worried to sleep, I wanted to take my needlework and a book to help pass the time. I thought about taking a quick shower, but decided that I really didn't want to wash my vampire's scent off of my skin just yet. I stuffed everything into a small bag and headed back upstairs. Robert was saying his goodbyes to Juanita in the foyer, as one of the Royal Guards toted his luggage down the stairs and piled it by the door. Holy cats! I had finally met someone who traveled with more stuff than Amelia! Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "Good heavens, Robert! Do you_ really_ pack all this every time you come for a visit?"

Thankfully, he didn't seem phased by my rudeness in the slightest. He gave me a very French shrug and said, "One must be prepared for all contingencies, no? The chances of finding suitable attire in this part of the world are exceedingly slim."

Cocking my head to one side, I gave him a once-over and said teasingly, "I don't know about that, Robert. You looked pretty darned good in those leather pants last night, and Bill told me that Pam bought them in Shreveport."

"I said _suitable_ attire, not theatrical costuming," he retorted, "However, I do appreciate the compliment."

Suddenly, it hit me that Robert was really leaving. Even though I knew I would be seeing him again in a couple of weeks at Eric's Coronation, I was really going to miss him. From the very first time I met him, I had been crazy about him (well, really, what woman in her right mind wouldn't be?) but over the last couple of days our relationship seemed to have moved to a new level. It wasn't just because he had sworn to protect me, either, although I knew he had been quite serious about that. It was almost as if he was the older brother I had secretly longed for my whole life, an ubber-intelligent one without all the bad habits and self-centered nature of Jason... someone who gave me sound advise when asked for, hugs when I needed them, and would like me no matter what. Unfortunately, it seemed he would have to do it long-distance. Rather sadly, I said, "I wish you didn't live so far away, Robert. I'm going to miss you."

"My dear lady, I am prostate with grief at leaving _you_," he said lightly in his flowery, over-the-top French manner... but I looked into those lovely old eyes of his and saw real sadness there. "However, I imagine my Brother will require my assistance from time to time... and after all, I have pledged to you my protection and assistance. I will probably be here far too frequently and you will soon grow tired of this old face. Remember the old Chinese proverb "Guests, like fish, smell after three days."

At that, I had to laugh. "But you aren't exactly a guest!" I reassured him, "You are my husband's... brother, isn't that right? That means we are practically family! You will _always_ have a place to rest in our home. In fact, I wish you would just leave some of your things in your room, so you don't have so much to tote the next time."

A pleased look crossed his handsome face and those fantastic eyes of his seemed to be glowing with some strong inner emotion. I found it slightly irritating that I had no idea exactly what it was. Apparently I had become spoiled by my ability to feel my other male vampire's emotions. With Robert, I had to figure out what he was feeling the old fashioned way... by guessing.

"That is certainly a gracious offer and imminently practical. I will gladly accept," said the Knight. He then looked up at the guard, who was now on his way down with another load. "Joseph, I have decided to leave most of my things here. Please take everything but those two small bags there back to my chamber," he ordered.

To the Guard's credit, he never so much as let out a sigh. Without hesitation, he wheeled around and headed straight back upstairs. An uncharacteristically solemn Juanita had been hovering in the background, but at this news she was suddenly beaming. To the Knight, she said, "If you will allow me, Sir Robert, I will see to the unpacking."

This seemed to suit everyone, so in a very few minutes all the bags had once again disappeared upstairs. I informed Juanita that Eric and I would be spending the night in Shreveport. I had discovered from Cooper that she had not had a single night off in my absence, and so I gave her the next day off. She never worked Sundays, so that would give her two days in a row. She protested that it wasn't necessary, but I thought she looked like she could use a rest. I told her that when she returned the following Monday, we'd start the process of hiring more help to replace the ones Eric had frightened away. Valhalla really _was_ too big for one person to keep, especially if we were going to have our friends staying with us sometimes.

Joseph brought my Escalade around to the front of the house. I was a little surprised to find that he was going to act as chauffeur, with Robert and I both sitting in the seats behind him. Pam had once told me that the Knight practically never drove himself anywhere, but I found it a little strange being driven around in my own car. However, it would allow me to pay more attention to my friend instead of worrying about keeping my eyes on the road so I didn't object. We pulled out of the main gates and turned north towards the interstate. As we wound around the first curve, we pulled past a gravel drive leading off into the woods on the opposite side of the road from Valhalla. The minute we passed it, I saw a pair of headlights flash on, and a car pulled onto the road behind us. We had been traveling at a sedate pace, and the car was soon close behind us. In the glare of the headlights, it was impossible to see who was driving. Although neither of them said a word about it, I could tell that both vampires had taken notice. Conversationally, I said, "That drive leads up to an old farmhouse. I've never even seen the neighbors until now. I guess I should go over soon and introduce myself."

Joseph said, "Eric had us check out all the surrounding properties before you moved in. That place belongs to an old human couple. They almost never leave at night."

"So what?" I said, "Maybe they had company over or something."

Completely ignoring me, Joseph's eyes met Robert's in the rear view mirror, obviously awaiting orders. Calmly, Robert said, "Speed up. If they stay with us, then we'll see."

I felt the Escalade suddenly accelerating. For such a large vehicle, it certainly had some get up and go. I glanced back through the back window to see what would happen. The gap between the two vehicles began to widen, with no attempt on the part of the other car to catch us. Not having expected anything else, I said, "See? The Missus probably just sent the Mister out for some milk or something. Besides, what are you worried about? Eric is already miles and miles from here. Are you afraid my elderly neighbors might follow us and discover the entrance to the Bat Cave?"

Completely unfazed by my teasing, the Knight replied, "The King has entrusted his most precious possession into my care. It is my duty to take suitable precautions."

I stifled an urge to roll my eyes and sigh. I made up my mind to pay the old couple a visit soon, and take them some cookies or something. To change the subject, I said, "Robert, I wanted to ask you something before you go home. It's about Eric's Coronation. I want to get him a gift to commemorate it, but I haven't got a clue what is appropriate for something like this. Can you give me some ideas?"

Looking at me in surprise, Robert said, "Eric will not be expecting a gift from you. Believe me, my Lady, a gift is completely unnecessary."

"Oh, come on!" I said, "Everybody loves presents, even Vikings."

The Knight smiled and replied, "True enough, but really... you have returned to him. That is gift enough."

Shaking my head, I said, "That's sweet, but I still want to give him something cool. You've known him a long time. What sort of things does he like?"

Realizing that this was a serious question, he gave it some thought and we spent the ride into town kicking around suitable ideas. What does one give a vampire who could easily buy absolutely anything he wanted? We thought about many things, but nothing seemed quite right. Hopefully, something good would occur to me in the next week or two. Once we hit the city lights, I said, "Listen, Robert, I know you told Eric you would take me out to eat, but it really isn't necessary. I know it's a long trip back to New York and you'd probably like to get there way before dawn. There is a Jack in the Box not far from the airport. I can run by there after we drop you off."

The Knight just looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. "What on earth is a Jack in the Box?" he asked blankly.

Oh... of course. Most vampires over a certain age knew very little about _any_ human food, but most especially fast-food. I explained, "It's a type of restaurant that caters to people in a hurry. You don't even have to get out of your car. You drive up to a window and they give your food in a paper sack. It's quick and convenient."

"How do they know what it is that you wish to eat?" he asked curiously.

"Well, before you get to the window, there is a big sign in the driveway with a menu printed on it. There is a two-way speaker so you can tell your order to the person inside... although a lot of the time the speaker doesn't work too well and you end up having to yell at each other. By the time you get to the window, your order is ready to go."

All the time I was explaining this, he was peering at me strangely, obviously trying to figure out if I was pulling his leg. He said faintly, "... I see. May I inquire as to what sorts of food these establishments offer? It must be quite good to go through such antics to obtain it."

I answered honestly, "Not particularly good, no... just quick and cheap. At Jack in the Box, they serve French fries, several types of hamburgers, and my personal favorite.... Monster Tacos."

Robert asked in alarm, "Really? What sorts of monsters do they use?"

Honestly, sometimes teasing vampires was just too easy. I was tempted to say _don't worry, they quit using vampires because they were just too tough_ with as straight a face as I could muster, but decided to be nice instead. "Monster as in "large," not as in "scary supernatural creature," I reassured him, but then I couldn't help myself from adding, "Although... no one is sure what the meat _really_ is. Let's pull through and I'll get one, and maybe _you_ can figure it out."

Now the Knight was looking positively scandalized. "Absolutely not." he said firmly, "I told your Bonded that I would make sure you ate a _decent_ meal... which to _my_ mind means _inside_ a respectable establishment which has tables covered in linen and which serves meat not of suspicious origin. This meal should be served by a well trained waiter on china and not from a sack of paper!" After that, he added a few more forceful comments in French, and although I couldn't actually understand the words, his meaning was quite clear. Now I really was laughing out loud. "All right!" I conceded, "A respectable restaurant it shall be, if you're sure you have the time."

"My dear Lady, I cherish every minute of our time together. Do not worry your lovely head about my schedule. I have a travel coffin on board the airplane and if necessary can be transported back to my home during the daylight hours."

Not long after that, I found myself standing in the entry to Julius' restaurant. As paranoid as ever, Robert posted Joseph at the front door, to keep an eye out for potential trouble. The owner himself came forward to greet us, saying that the Viking had already called and told him to expect us. He said, "It is a lovely evening and our outside deck is open. Would you prefer to sit inside or out?"

Outside sounded nice, so he led us through the building and then out onto a multi-level wooden deck. It was surrounded by large old trees and lush well-lit landscaping. Tiny white lights were strung around and all the tables were covered in pristine white linen tablecloths (much to Robert's approval) and each one had small hurricane lamps burning in the center. Soft music was playing from some concealed outdoor speakers. It was all very romantic and I was surprised that Eric hadn't asked to be seated outside the last time we came, but then I remembered it had been much cooler on that occasion. Even though he was not subject to the cold, my vampire was always worried about me catching a chill. In fact, even now there was still just a tinge of coolness in the air. It was fairly late, but the restaurant still had several tables of diners both indoors and out. Julius seated us in the far corner of the lower deck well away from the other patrons.

As soon as we were comfortably seated, a waiter came out to take our drink orders. In spite of my earlier protests, I found myself suddenly hungry and I studied the menu with interest. In the end, instead of being adventurous I decided on a spinach salad and a steak. I figured I needed it to pump up the old blood count. I couldn't resist running my fingertips over the puncture marks on my neck and smiling to myself. Since my homecoming, my vampire seemed to be nearly insatiable and I had no intention of giving him the slightest reason to take even one drop less... I was enjoying our little ritual way too much. According to Dr. Ludwig, he could drink as much of my blood as he wanted without harming me, but he still seemed a bit worried about taking too much.

The drinks came right away and we sipped them as we waited on my food. Robert glanced around in satisfaction and said, "You see? This is much more civilized than a hasty meal eaten in a car."

I had to agree... except that now I wished we had chosen to eat inside. It was a tad cooler than I had anticipated. My dress had no sleeves and I couldn't quite repress a shiver. Ever the gentleman, Robert stood, slipped off the jacket to his suit, draped it around my shoulders and then sat back in his chair. "Better now?" he asked solicitously.

"Yes, much better, thanks," Through a gap in the canopy of trees, I could see the moon smiling down on us. "Isn't the moon beautiful tonight?" I said conversationally, "Like I mentioned earlier, I was visiting some friends today at the bar where I used to work, and I couldn't figure out why everyone was acting so aggressively. Most of them are shifters of one sort or another, but I had completely forgotten that tomorrow night is the full moon. Duh!"

"Yes, the two-natured can get testy at this time of month," he said a bit condescendingly, "To be quite honest, I was somewhat concerned when I discovered you were out after dark with your Werewolf bodyguard," he said, "However, Eric seems to trust him."

"Cooper? He's a sweetheart. After dark he was a little more restless than usual, but other than that he was fine."

"You must be very careful whom you trust, _ma petite_. Even those who are normally trustworthy may have times when they are not. One day very soon you and I must have a long talk about personal security," the Knight said very seriously.

Oh, boy, another male intent on lecturing me about security! Still, somehow it didn't seem so bad coming from Robert. After all, he _was_ in the security business... among other things. I figured like all really old vampires, he had his fingers in lots of pies. It occurred to me that I really didn't know all that much about Robert. I regarded him thoughtfully. The very picture of elegance, he was sitting back in his chair, long legs crossed, casually twirling a long-stemmed glass between two fingers. The light from the hurricane lamp danced gently over his handsome features as he sipped his blood. For about the hundredth time, I thought about what a hunk he was. No wonder Pam couldn't resist him, even though I knew she had a clear preference for females. I had been shocked to my core to discover that she would rather go to a fight with the Viking than have a few last minutes alone with her lover. Her goodbyes had been a bit frosty, too, and I was dying to know what was going on... but it was really none of my business. Still, our cozy, shadowy corner of the deck was very intimate and seemed perfect for shared confidences. As much as I was yearning for my Bonded and wished we weren't apart, I recognized that this was a very unique opportunity. I was hardly ever alone with Robert, and somehow I knew that no matter what I asked him tonight, he would tell me what I wanted to know without hesitation. I led into the subject by commenting, "Pam once told me that it was you who trained her as a fighter, not Eric. I was a bit surprised by that."

"That is not entirely accurate. As her Maker, the Viking did of course teach her how to protect herself in average situations, but Pamela wanted more. Although she has a warrior's soul and a natural affinity for fighting, she was very stubborn in those days and not easy to teach. He tried hard to instruct her, but by that time they had been together long enough that she had reach the rebellious stage. You should have heard the arguments between the two of them! In order to keep the peace, I stepped in and took over her training. Once I seduced her, it became much easier. She wanted to please me, you see."

Even though it still made me extremely uncomfortable to think about Pam and my husband having sex, I was still curious enough to ask, "Didn't Eric mind you having... relations with her? He's usually so... possessive."

Robert's even white teeth flashed in an amused smile. "No, of course not. I was his Brother and we shared nearly everything; but even if that had not been the case, Pamela was his child, not his mate. Their sexual relationship was merely physical and as with most Maker-child relationships, that part did not last very long. Mine never did, either."

I was amazed to learn that the Knight had children. No one had ever mentioned any, so I had always assumed that he had none. Still, I was much more interested in pursuing a topic a little closer to my heart. Quietly, I asked, "So Eric really _didn't_ love her?" Pam had once told me as much, but I thought maybe she was just trying to keep me from being jealous of their relationship and causing trouble. It was silly of me to care one way or the other. It had been a really long time ago and it shouldn't matter, but... it did.

"No, my dear, they have always been very fond of each other, but he never loved her. In fact, I can say without hesitation that your Bonded has never truly loved anyone but you."

That gave me a serious case of the warm-fuzzies. I tried my best not to look gratified, but probably failed miserably. "What about you, Robert? Do _you_ love Pam?"

Swirling the blood around in the glass, he peered down into it and said thoughtfully, "I imagine you have been told how unusual it is for vampires to love each other in a romantic way. I suppose I _have_ come closest with her... but still, the answer is unfortunately no."

His voice contained a hint of sadness, and I wondered if Pam had learned to love him his answer would have been different. Softly, I asked, "Have you ever loved anybody?"

Robert's beautiful sea-green eyes took on a far-away look, as if he was remembering back across the centuries, "Oh, yes," he cried, his eyes twinkling merrily, "I am constantly in love! I could not exist without love! That is why I like human women so dearly... they never pass up an opportunity to fall in love.... even if it only lasts a few months or even just a few nights, the _grande passion_... it is so very wonderful, no?"

He was just so very French, I had to laugh out loud. I said, "You are the only vampire I've ever known who says that. I thought it was nearly impossible for vampires to fall in love with anybody."

Suddenly serious, he said, "To you, my Queen, I will tell the absolute truth. As much as I have longed for it, I have never truly been in love with anyone since I was made vampire. Instead, I pretend to myself to be in love, just because I wish so much that I could feel it once more. You see, I was passionately, head-over-heels in love only once... with my human wife." His mouth softened as he pictured her in his mind's eye. "Her name was Cèleste and she was the sweetest, most gentle creature imaginable. Every time I laid eyes on her, her beauty took my breath away. In turn, she thought the sun rose and set in my eyes and we were very happy together. We had only been married about eight months when I got her with child. We were both ecstatic that the good Lord had chosen to bless us so soon."

He paused for a moment to take another sip of blood before continuing, "The next few months were the happiest of our lives. There was nothing more pleasing to me than to see my woman swelling with the new life inside her. She was absolutely radiant. When her time finally came, she delivered to me a strong son, who coincidentally enough we named Guillaume... which means William in French. Within two years, we had a lovely daughter as well. I was the most content man you could imagine. My lands were very prosperous, I had a wonderful, fruitful wife and adorable children. Unlike some noblemen of the time, I loved my little family quite passionately. Another year passed, and when Celeste announced that she was once again in the family way, I was anxious to welcome another child into our growing brood."

Now his voice took on that cold, rather flat tone that I knew meant that we were coming to something that he still found painful even after all this time. I had wanted to know something about him, and I was getting it, in spades. I steeled myself to listen. Sure enough, he got right down to the bad part, "This time, things did not go so well. She died in childbirth, as so many young women did in those days and the babe did not survive, either. I was completely devastated, but at least I still had our other two children to comfort me... but by the next spring, they were both dead, too, killed by an illness that swept through the countryside that year. I nearly went mad from grief. I was a very devout Christian and spent so many hours praying for their souls that my knees actually began to bleed."

Instantly, tears welled up in my eyes. I managed to croak out, "Oh Robert! I am so sorry! That is just awful!" Almost unconsciously, I set down my drink and sat forward, offering him my hand. Without giving it much thought, he leaned forward and clasped my hand firmly in his much larger one. Even though we did not share a bond of any kind, I could sense the grief that still was deeply embedded in his soul, even after all these centuries. I wished that I could help ease that terrible pain, even if only for a moment, so I reached out and very deliberately began to stroke the back of his hand with my fingertips. As my healing magic began to flow through him, his body started to relax and the haunted expression began to fade from his eyes.

Soon, he was recovered enough to finish the story, "Not long afterward, I joined the _**Ordre du Temple**_ and took myself off to the wars. I was fighting for the glory of God, and was convinced that if I died in battle I would be reunited with my wife and children as a reward for my efforts. It made me completely fearless, and soon I had gained the reputation as one of the fiercest fighters in all Christendom. Again, Fate intervened. Instead of dying in glory on the battlefield, I was taken by my Maker and turned into a dark, loathsome creature of the night. My very first thought once I realized what I had become was that I could never be reunited with my family... and the agony of that knowledge almost crushed me. The adjustment from devout Knight to vampire was extremely difficult and during those first months, I very nearly did go insane."

Instantly, the Knight's words brought to mind that amazing dream I had of Eric's life. I could only remember parts of it, but the scene of Robert being made vampire was quite vivid. Of course, it had only been a dream, but still, I had the eerie feeling that if I described my vision to Robert, he would confirm that it had happened just like I dreamed it. I very nearly told him all about it but at the last minute, I realized that he might not want me to be privy to _all_ the gory details. Instead, I merely said, "I can only imagine how hard it must have been. How did you survive it?"

His next words confirmed what I already knew to be true. "It was your husband that saved me. I was perilously close to trying to greet the sun, but he took me in hand and very gradually, he taught me to enjoy my life again. For this reason, I owe him a debt I can never repay. I love him every bit as much as I loved my real flesh-and-blood brothers... maybe even more. His sorrows are mine, and his joys are mine as well... which is why I was so pleased when he found you. You are without a doubt the greatest blessing of his long life."

My mind was tumbling now, remembering all the times recently when I seemed to have dreamed something that later turned out to be real... like earlier today, when Sam told me about Eric throwing the jukebox out the window. I vaguely remembered dreaming that very thing... and what about the dream of Eric getting my nightie wet with his vampire tears? Again, I considered talking all this over with Robert, but decided that I had better think about it a little more first. I had been considered crazy most of my life due to my telepathy, and I couldn't bear it for my vampires to begin to think the same thing now. I said sincerely, "I'm glad you think so. You have been a wonderful friend to both of us. We might still be apart if not for you."

"I could not bear to see him lose you," the Knight said simply, "I know the pain of losing the love of your life. I would have moved heaven and earth to reunite the two of you."

Even though Robert's words were quietly spoken, his eyes were blazing with intensity and I knew that he meant every word he said. He really _would_ move heaven and earth to keep Eric and me together. At that minute, I was struck by the profound realization that Robert and I were bound together not only by his oath of loyalty or by my magic, but by the shared love of our Viking. I squeezed his hand to let him know just how I felt and a very tender moment passed between us. Now I was sadder than ever that he was leaving us. Unfortunately, it was at that very moment Julius slipped up from behind me to deliver my dinner to the table. Hastily, I withdrew my hand from Robert's and placed it in my lap. A rush of color rose to my cheeks. Although he was much too well-mannered to show it, what must Julius think? Here I was, in a very romantic setting, openly holding hands with a man other than my husband and staring into his eyes with obvious affection. Oh, dear God! When would I _ever_ learn to think about my actions first?

It was a good thing Robert _couldn't_ feel my emotions just then. I was completely mortified by my stupid behavior. I had been trying my hardest to be act more like a Queen, and now this! The minute Julius had disappeared back inside, I said in despair, "Oh, Robert! That had to look just awful! Do you think I should explain that nothing was going on between us or will that just make things look worse?"

For a moment, the Knight looked completely blank, obviously wondering what in the world I was talking about; but then, a moment later, it dawned on him what I meant. "Please do not worry yourself about Julius," he said soothingly, "I promise you, he will not give this a second thought. Julius is well aware of my relationship with you and the King, and it is perfectly acceptable for me to be escorting you tonight."

"Escorting me is one thing... holding hands is another! I thought no one was supposed to touch me but Eric... except that it seems to be okay when Pam and Bill do it. Robert, I have to tell you, I'm still a little hazy on vampire etiquette. Will you please explain this to me?"

He thought this over for a moment before replying, "I know our ways seem very strange to you. I will try my best to explain. You see, Julius naturally assumes that I am a member of the King's Royal Nest. As Eric's Lieutenant's, the same would hold true for Pam and Bill. Any one of the nest may touch the Queen... in fact, it is the duty of the nest to care for and protect the Queen and any one of them may be called upon to escort her when the King is unavailable. This is expected and therefore no one will think it odd to see us alone together."

"But there _is_ no Royal Nest!" I exclaimed rather forcefully, "Bill told me all about them once. He said that living in a nest makes vampires become meaner and more violent than they already are... and I know they share their humans. That is just so gross!"

Robert made one of his expressive noises, "Pfft! I should have known that you had heard something along those lines. I believe that Bill's own experiences of nest-living have not been good ones, and so his views are understandably skewed. While it is true that is sometimes the case that the nest becomes ever darker, it is not always the outcome. In fact, I believe you once visited Stan's nest in Dallas... did they seem so dreadful to you?"

To be honest, they had seemed pretty scary at the time, but that was before I knew much about vampires. Looking back, I realized that they hadn't been bad at all. "No... I suppose not," I replied slowly, "They really seemed upset when Farrell was taken, so I know they really cared about him. They would have done anything to get him back. Also, I never saw them sharing any of their humans, at least not openly."

"Perhaps if you knew a bit more about how a nest works, you would not find them so disturbing, " Robert said, "As a rule, they are formed voluntarily by like-minded vampires, both for protection and also for companionship. There are rituals involved to bind the nest together, but these ties are not permanent the way your Bond is. Some nests last only briefly, some last for centuries. There are certain obligations involved, of course. For example, if a nest-mate is in trouble, you will fight to protect him or her. You share what you have with your nest-mates... information, resources... and yes, in some cases but definitely not all, the humans _are _shared..." At that, I know I started to glower. A corner of his mouth twitched up, and he said, "My dear Sookie, you should see your face! You have learned to scowl exactly like the Viking! Before you get too upset, I must tell you that generally speaking, the humans in question have absolutely no objection."

Thinking back on the few times I had been witness to this type of behavior, I realized that what Robert said was true. The humans didn't seem to object at all... but did that make it all right? Robert continued, "Almost always, the oldest vampire in the nest is the leader and makes the rules and enforces them; therefore, the "personality" of the nest tends to be shaped by this Elder. Those nests that devolve into ever darker behavior are led by Elders who are themselves bent towards darkness. Tell me the truth... do you think that any nest led by your husband would be encouraged to behave badly?"

At an earlier time in his long life, it would have been entirely possible... but even though the Viking still had his dark moments, over all he was a pretty good guy. "No, not really," I said truthfully, "... but still! It sounds to me like everyone is already taking it for granted that Eric has a Royal Nest, whether it is true or not. Does that mean that all the other vampires think that y'all get to pass me around? No offense, but I don't care for that idea at all!"

Now Robert was slower than ever to respond. Obviously choosing his words very carefully, he answered, "I think what you say is true... most of the vampires of this state already assume that there is a Royal Nest, simply because that is the norm. However, you are already aware that you are not viewed as an ordinary human, due to your Twice-Bonded status. Since the very beginning, your Bonded has gone out of his way to make it clear to everyone of any importance that you are _not_ shared and never will be. As for the lesser vampires of the territory, I suppose that it is inevitable there will be speculation as to what goes on behind the walls of the Residence... that is merely vampire nature... but do you really care so much about idle gossip?"

Rather bitterly, I replied, "People have been talking trash about me behind my back for nearly my whole life... I guess I shouldn't expect vampires to be any different."

"Talking... trash? I am unfamiliar with this term."

"Uh... you know, say bad things about me."

"My dear Queen, if anyone ever dares talk "trash" about you, they will have to answer to me!" Robert said indignantly, "No, the talk would undoubtedly be more in the way of admiration or perhaps even envy. To vampires, any woman who could single-handedly enthrall a nest such as ours would be viewed as a goddess!"

Sheesh! Vampires probably _would_ take that view! How warped was that? Suddenly, I realized that Robert had perhaps just let more slip out than he had intended. I was not about to let him off the hook, either. It was obvious that he had been dancing all around this issue, probably because Eric told him to keep quiet on the subject. I was dying to know what was really going on and I was not about to let the subject drop. I decided on the spot that I was going to put the Knight's oath to the test. Quietly, I said, "Robert... you just said, 'a nest such as ours'. I want you to tell me the truth... has it been Eric's intention to form a Royal Nest all along? Do you already consider yourself a part of it?"

A sudden frown creased the Knight's brow and he stared at me very intently, as if gauging how likely I was to insist on an answer. Not about to back down, I held his gaze firmly with my own. He did not reply for a long time, and for a minute I thought he would refuse to tell me. Finally, though he sighed heavily and then said, "You are my Queen, and if you ask me a direct question, I will always tell you the truth... no matter how uncomfortable it may be for the both of us. In answer to your first question, I know for a fact that Eric has never had the slightest intention of deliberately forming a Royal Nest; however, in all honesty I must also inform you that it is my belief that a very unusual one has already formed.... and yes, I consider myself a member." He went on to tell me that he and Eric had discussed this very issue only a couple of hours earlier and what had been said. He concluded by saying, "... and his greatest misgiving seems to be that that you would be disturbed by the notion. Although we were interrupted before he could say so, I think it was his intention to give you time to adjust to the idea very gradually before discussing it with you. I have probably overstepped my bounds by telling you all of this... but you did ask me."

For the first time since I had met him, the Knight looked... distraught. I just couldn't look at him anymore, so I dropped my gaze. For a long time, I stared down at my uneaten food while about twenty different thoughts catapulted through my head. A Royal Nest, huh? Crap. What if I didn't _want_ to live in a nest? What if I _hated_ the idea of giving anyone else more ammunition to dis' me? I couldn't exactly get mad at Eric for this, because apparently this was something that he had not set out to do deliberately. Nevertheless, I was suddenly sick of weird things happening in my life over which I had no control. If I raised hell about the whole thing, would it make one bit of difference? Probably not... but I had to ask myself if I really hated the idea, or was I just being childish because "Fate" had once again interfered in my life. Rhiannon had once told me that there were always two paths... so maybe I _could_ choose to change this if I wanted. So the question remained... how did I _really_ feel about all of this? After giving me a few minutes, Robert said gently, "My Lady... Sookie. Look at me."

Slowly, I raised my eyes to his. He said, "Forget the word "nest." Before we left Valhalla this very evening, you told me that I was family and would always have a place to rest in your home... and I think you were being sincere. You have prepared places for Pam and Bill as well, so obviously you care for them, too. If you are willing to accept us, we _will_ be your family and will cherish you and protect you with our lives. Am I so awful that you cannot think of me as... a very, very old uncle, perhaps? Pam and Bill could be... cousins."

The funny thing was, I already _did_ think of them as family, and had been for a long time. In fact, it had only been a couple of hours ago that I was wishing that Robert was my brother instead of Jason. It didn't feel strange at all when the three of my vampires were staying with Eric and me at Valhalla. It felt... to be honest, it felt very satisfying in a way I couldn't even verbalize. I couldn't imagine my life without the three of them around. Overall, I guess it was pretty silly of me to get so hung up on a word. Robert was waiting patiently, his expression cool and remote. I didn't know him nearly as well as I did the others, but I fancied I could see a touch of anxiety in his old eyes. It was almost as if he was awaiting my answer to a marriage proposal... and I guess in a warped way, he was. Somehow I knew that if I rejected the whole idea out of hand, it would hurt him deeply, and I couldn't bring myself to do it... in fact, to my surprise I found that I didn't want to. I decided right then that I did have a choice... and I made it. Once I did, my spirits seemed to rise. To Robert, I said teasingly, "How about if I think of you as an older brother? I haven't always had the best of luck with uncles... and as for Bill, I guess I wouldn't be the first girl in the South to have ever slept with a cousin once or twice."

At my little joke, an absolutely devastating smile spread across the Knight's handsome face. He said, "I would be honored to be considered your brother... although a tad regretful that I didn't apply for the cousin's position first."

"So how is this all going to work? Is everyone coming to live with us now, or what?"

He shook his head, and replied, "I really have no answers. This is all completely unorthodox. As King and Elder, Eric will have to decide what to do. It is probably just as well that I am leaving for New York. He may not be too happy that I had this discussion with you before he had a chance to tell you himself, and he might be tempted to try to remove a limb or two."

Even though I knew Eric was older and theoretically stronger than Robert, the Knight was no slouch. Worriedly, I asked, "Could he really do that?"

Giving me a little grin, he said, "Under normal circumstances, who can say? My Brother may be older, but I am very tricky! However, now that I have recognized him as the Elder, I would be obliged to submit to his punishments or be banished from the nest. Do not worry so, my Lady. I was only teasing."

Letting out a little sigh of relief, I said, "That's good. So you all haven't even said anything to the others about this. Are you sure they are feeling this too, especially Pam? Are you sure she's so all-fired ready to be a member of this 'family'? She's obviously mad at me for leaving Eric."

"You are right. Until she gets past this anger, she may not be ready to admit her connection to this nest. It is true that she is angry at you for leaving her Maker... but I also think she is angry because you left _her _behind, as well," he said seriously, "Pamela dislikes having feelings, and despite herself, she has become extraordinarily fond of you. When you left without so much as a backward glance, you hurt her deeply."

Guiltily, I said, "I never thought of it that way. I knew I cared for _her_, but... she always seems so self-contained... Now I feel really awful. I want to make it up to her. Do you have any idea what I should do? I made Eric promise to stay out of it."

"Of course, given enough time I think the problem would resolve itself on its own... but I doubt the Viking will allow her rudeness to continue much longer no matter what you say. Let me see... Pamela is uncommonly fond of gifts. My advice is to buy her something very unusual or very expensive... preferably both.

"A gift?" I asked in surprise, "Wouldn't she think I was trying to buy my way out of trouble? I would rather try reasoning with her."

"Reason? Pam? Trust me, try the gift."

Turning over various items in my mind, I tried to decide what would be an appropriate gift for a female vampire of Pam's disposition. I didn't know the first thing about swords, and a new pair of fir-lined handcuffs would probably give her the wrong impression. She already had enough clothes to sink a battleship. I would love to have some perfume made up just for her, but I doubted there was anybody in these parts that did that sort of thing. Hmm. Unique and/or expensive... suddenly, I knew just the thing. "Robert, does Pam like jewelry?"

"Of course. _Every_ female loves jewelry."

"All right then. I'll get Faeryn to make Pam something out of Fairy-stone," I said, suddenly excited by the prospect, "It doesn't get any more unique than that... and it will be a very personal gift, since I helped gather the stones myself! We found some really beautiful pink and gold stones down by the blue dragon's lair but Faeryn will have to use something besides silver to mount it. Maybe white gold... or platinum. What do you think of that idea?"

At first, I thought he was going to ask me to tell him about the dragon, but he surprised me. The minute I mentioned my friend's name, Robert's face lit up and his eyes began to glow. "Faeryn!" he said softly, and the way he said it made it sound like a caress, "She is quite enchanting, is she not? I was only able to speak to her for a brief time, but I could tell she was an amazing woman."

Wow! I guess my friend had made quite an impression on the Knight. Amused, I replied, "Yes, she _is_ amazing. She is a talented painter and jewelry maker and very sweet-natured."

"And so beautiful!" he said enthusiastically, "Her hair is the most lovely shade of auburn I have ever seen, and those eyes of hers... do they really change color to match her surroundings?"

"Oh yes," I assured him, "Sometimes they are even lavender! I've never gotten around to asking her if they do it on their own, or if she does it on purpose."

"Utterly fascinating!" he exclaimed, "So tell me, where does she live when she is not in the Portal?" For the next little while, he quizzed me for every scrap of information I knew about the lovely half-Fairy. While we chatted, I finally got around to eating my dinner. I said, "You know, Robert, I suspect that Faeryn might be coming for a visit soon... would you like for me to let you know when it might be? Maybe you can arrange your schedule so that you can be back by then."

At first, he said, "Yes! Yes, I would love the opportunity to see her again... but..." A shadow passed over his face, and I knew something was troubling him. "She may very well not want to see _me_," he said slowly, "After all, I am vampire. To her, I am very dangerous and untrustworthy... not exactly the best qualities to seek in a new friend."

"Oh! I guess I never thought of that..." I said in dismay, "She's only half-Fairy, though... would you still want to drain her?"

"To be quite honest, I am not sure. I am old enough to resist her scent, just as I was able to resist _yours_ last night... but if I ever tasted her blood, I really do not know if I could stop." Now he looked really sad. "As I understand it, Eric began to feed from you before your blood began to take on its stronger Fairy characteristics, so he was able to build an immunity to it gradually. I would not have that advantage. The risk would be... unacceptable."

"Does it have to come to that? Maybe we're jumping the gun a little bit here. Maybe you guys could just be... friends. Haven't you ever had a friend that you didn't feed from?"

Giving me the cutest little shrug, he answered, "Not really, no... except for you. For most human women, that is the main attraction, yes?" For emphasis, he flashed his really, really attractive fangs down and gave me a very sensual smile. Um. Wow. Older brother or not, those were some seriously sexy fangs... I felt a little weak in the knees, just looking at them. Before I started to drool, I said, "Okay, point taken. Still, if you are as attracted to her as I think you are, maybe we could figure something out."

Suddenly hopeful, he said, "Yes, I think it might be worth the effort. I will confess that I have not been so strongly taken with a woman in many a year. You Fairy women are quite irresistible, it seems... and not just in the traditional way."

"You vampire males are pretty hot stuff, too," I responded with a smile, "Now, Eric told me that you are interested in the Portal. Would you like to hear a few things about it?"

If I had offered to sit on his lap and let him drain me, I doubt he would have looked any happier. He said, "Of course! I have been burning with curiosity since your return... but was afraid you might not feel inclined to tell us much about it."

"Nobody told me I couldn't talk about it, so I guess it's okay. Hmm... where to start. Well, from a vampire's perspective I suppose the most interesting thing is that it's always daylight there."

"Always daylight?" he said rather faintly, "No wonder the legends say that vampires are taken there to burn. How horrible!"

I said soothingly, "I'm sorry, but that's just how it is. Other than that, it's a very beautiful place. There are forests and meadows and streams, similar to here but not quite the same. For example, some of the rocks there have a mixture of colors that swirl inside them... you know it as Fairy-stone... and many of the buildings there are made from it. The colors in the Portal tend to be more pastel than they are here. Everything there is soft and dreamy and very restful. Nobody ever gets in much of a hurry to do anything. In fact, taking long walks is the most popular pastime. Some Fairies find the whole place a bit dull. My friend Rhys says..." I stopped abruptly, instantly realizing my mistake.

Immediately, Robert narrowed his sea-green eyes and asked rather bluntly, "Who is this Rhys?"

"He's just one of the local Fairies," I said uneasily, "Kind of a friend of the family. No one important, really."

"I see," he said very carefully, "And did you spend a great deal of time alone with this unimportant Fairy?"

My very first response was irritation. "Older brother" or not, I figured nobody but my husband had the right to question me about other males... but I also knew that if this were Bill, we would probably be having an identical conversation. Vampire males were notoriously possessive to begin with, and now that I had mostly accepted this "nest" idea, it was only going to get worse. I could make a big deal about this now and start out our new "relationship" by trying to set some boundaries from the get-go... but since I had not gotten around to telling Eric about Rhys, maybe the better part of valor would be to keep the whole thing as low-key as possible at this point. As coolly as I could, I responded, "No, Niall was pretty strict about me being chaperoned most of the time." As far as it went, that was the truth.

The Knight looked quite relieved, "A very wise man, the Prince. He obviously realizes that a treasure should be guarded against thieves at all times... even friendly ones. Now, you were saying that the Portal seems a bit dull..."

"Well, _I_ didn't think so. I loved it there. For one thing, my magic is much stronger there and I don't get nearly as tired when I use it. For example, I..."

I stopped in mid-sentence, since our waiter was bearing down on our table. He whisked away my now empty plate, and disappeared. Not a moment later, Julius himself appeared, proudly bearing a plate which he sat in front of me with an elegant flourish. He said proudly, "Ma'am, I would be honored if you would try our latest dessert creation. If you like it, I am going to name it "Sookie's Delight" in your honor."

I hadn't actually planned on eating dessert, but it looked too good to pass up... and besides, how many times does a girl get a chance to have a dessert named after her? I dipped a spoon into it, took a tiny bite and then sighed in bliss. I exclaimed, "Wow! Julius, this is just... marvelous! The chocolate in this is heavenly!"

Obviously pleased, he said, "I'll tell the chef you said so. Now, if you don't mind my asking, were you ever able to get any information from the drainer I caught? Pam and Bill have both been somewhat evasive when I've asked about it."

Obviously, Julius had no idea that I had been on a slight "vacation." No wonder Pam and Bill had been so evasive. I looked at Robert to see if it was all right to tell him, and he nodded his approval. I gestured for Julius to join us, and while I ate my wonderful dessert Robert filled him in on what we had learned from his captive. We had barely begun when, Julius' girlfriend Jenna came outside and came straight to our table. To my surprise Julius stopped in mid-sentence, obviously not wanting her to overhear our conversation. I could tell that this was not lost on the girl. She came over and laid a hand casually on his shoulder and said, "Honey, we just had a table of six come in. I put them in the yellow room, is that okay? I know you wanted to close that room down for the night, but I thought..."

It sounded like she was getting wound up for a rather prolonged explanation. Interrupting her, he said evenly, "Jenna, I am rather busy just now. I'll be inside in a few minutes. Seat people wherever you like." He was clearly trying to tell her to stay the heck out of his business, but at least he was trying to be polite about it, especially for a vampire. Giving him an exasperated look, she said sharply, "Fine, but don't complain if they aren't where you would put them." She turned on her high heels and rather angrily strode back inside. Looking a bit embarrassed, Julius said, "My apologies for the interruption. Jenna knows nothing of vampire affairs, and I try to keep it that way."

Robert made a gesture indicating that it was of no consequence. It did not take too long to finish our talk or my treat. I needed to use the ladies' room, so I said, "Gentlemen, if you will excuse me, I need to go freshen up." They stood when I did, and Robert made a move like he was going to follow me inside. Holding out my hand in a "stop" gesture, I said, "Thanks, but I'd rather you just wait here. The facilities are right through the door there. I'll be perfectly safe inside, right, Julius?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Quite safe."

Robert said reluctantly, "Very well, if you insist. I will wait for you here."

What a worry wort! I gave him a quick smile of reassurance and headed inside. As I had told him, the bathrooms were just inside the back door and it took me little time to take care of my needs. I was just coming back out into the hallway when Jenna came popping out of the kitchen door. She took one look at me, and I could tell she had been crying. She said, "Hi. I met you before... it's Sookie, right? I thought you were married to the big blond vampire, Eric. Are you already with someone else now?"

I said evenly, "No, of course not. That is Eric's... brother, Robert. Eric was busy tonight, so he asked Robert to take me to dinner."

She looked me up and down, and I could see the wheels turning in her mind. I bet she had seen me holding hands with him, and was busy filling in the blanks... and I figured in her human mind, she was much more likely to be thinking of me as a skank than as a goddess. She said, "Huh. How interesting. I had no idea that vampires even _had_ brothers. Of course, what I really know about vampires you could put on the head of a pin. Remember the last time you were here? You told me not to ask too many questions, because if I did I'd never get out of it? Well, I love Julius and I want to be a part of his life... but he just won't let me. He won't tell me _anything_ and it's driving me crazy! How can we have a life together if he won't share?"

"Jenna, maybe that's his way of caring for you... maybe he's trying to protect you." Or maybe he didn't love her at all and didn't want her to know too many things about him. I really had no way of knowing for sure, but I still felt sorry for the girl. I said, "Trust me, there _is_ a darker side to their lives. You might be a lot happier if you don't know."

"Well, if it's so bad, then how do _you_ do it?" she asked, "I saw you all talking, thick as thieves. It's obvious you are right dead in the middle of all their secret vampire shit. What makes you so all-fired special?"

Tears were welling up in her eyes again, and I was trying not to take this personally. I could tell she wasn't really attacking me as much as she was just showing her frustration with the situation. I was just about to respond, when the back door jerked open and Julius stepped inside. I had no idea how much of our conversation he had overheard, but obviously it was enough to get him pretty stirred up. Normally he looked extraordinarily human, which was apparently one of his "talents," but just now, he looked exactly like what he was... a pissed-off vampire. His fangs down and eyes glowing like coals, he hissed, "Jenna! What are you saying! You need to apologize to Mrs. Northman, _right now_!"

Any woman with a lick of sense would have done exactly what he said and then made herself as scarce as possible, but this one was clearly much too overwrought to care. "Why should I?" she said belligerently, "She's just a human girl, the same as me! Why can you tell _her_ things and not tell me? I just don't understand!"

If the situation was not awkward enough, the back door flew open once more, this time admitting the muscular figure of the Knight. I didn't know if he had gotten worried that I had been gone too long, or if he had overheard Julius' sharp words, but either way, it was obvious he was about to get the situation under control. In a protective motion, Robert inserted his body between me and Jenna. He and Julius now stood side-by-side, both glaring at the girl. "What is going on here?" he demanded.

The girl rolled looked back and forth at the two vampires, who were both so clearly set on defending me. In her overwrought state, this was the last straw. Tears streaming down her face, she looked straight at me and cried, "What _is_ it with you! Are you fucking _all_ of them? Is _that_ why they trust you?"

Well, that did it. Robert had her by the neck and slammed up against the wall so fast I hadn't even seen him moving. Baring his Fangs at her, he growled, "You worthless human! Who do you think you are, speaking to her that way?" Somehow, his beautiful French accent made it sound even more deadly. Instantly, every bit of blood drained out of her face and I thought for a moment she was going to pass out from sheer terror.

As for me, it had been a really long day and I was already exhausted. The ache of separation from my vampire was not helping things. For the second time in one day, I had been attacked by someone's girlfriend for absolutely no reason. My lovely dinner with my Knight was now tainted with unpleasantness. I was definitely _not_ in the mood for all of this drama, and I could feel my temper begin to rise. Clearly, it was time for _me_ to take control of this situation and quickly. I had best start with the vampires. I had often seen people around Bon Temps keeping Pit Bulls as pets, but who obviously did not have a clue what to do with them. It always pissed me off, because if you are going to keep something so dangerous around for protection, you had best know how to control them. I was not going to be guilty of the same thing. In a no-bullshit tone, I commanded, "Robert! Put her down... _now_!"

Surprised, his head whipped around and it was the extremely dangerous vampire in him that stared back at me. It was completely amazing to me that someone so charming and elegant could also be so completely lethal. In a much softer tone, I said, "I mean it. Put her down."

Somewhat reluctantly, he did. She immediately drew in a deep breath and then started bawling loudly in great heaving sobs. The fact that she could still breathe enough to cry let me know that although Robert had scared the crap out of her, he hadn't really hurt her too badly. The Knight crossed his big muscular arms across his chest and stood next to me. He was still glowering, obviously willing to step back in at a moment's notice. I could see by Julius' expression that he had no idea what to do. He knew his duty was to me as his Queen, but I could tell he also felt sorry for his girlfriend and wanted to comfort her. Ignoring him for the moment, I stepped up closer to the crying girl and said coldly, "For Pete's sake, shut up. Do you want everybody in the restaurant to know your business... if they don't already? Have some dignity!"

Unbelievably, she actually did tone it down considerably. I said, "Okay, that's better. Now, Jenna, here's the deal. If you're determined to hang around with Supes, you had best learn that there is often more to people than meets the eye. You think I'm just like you... well, the fact of the matter is that I'm _nothing_ like you. As any fool can see, I _do _hold a unique position in the vampire community and I'm proud of it. I _earned_ these vampire's respect and trust, and not on my back, either. I can tell that you are frustrated with the way your life is going, but that's not my fault. Now, I am willing to let this incident pass, but don't _ever_ talk to me like that again, you hear? And I might add, I _don't_ need vampires to get my point across. I can kick your butt all on my own."

Through her tears, she raised her eyes to mine and nodded. Turning to Julius, I said, "Now, as for you... you have been dating this girl a long time. It is unrealistic to expect her to be happy not knowing anything about who you really are. Trust me... a frustrated woman of any species is a dangerous thing. It's clearly time for you to make a choice. If you love her and trust her, tell her a few things. If you don't, glamour her and kick her to the curb. If you decide to keep her, teach her some manners for her own good. If this had been Eric instead of Robert, you know we would not be having this discussion."

Obviously knowing quite well what Eric's response to this would have been, he looked a little sick. Bowing deeply from the waist, he said, "Yes, my Queen. I profoundly apologize for this incident and hope that you will see your way clear to forgetting it ever happened."

That last part was obviously a plea for me to keep this whole thing to myself and not share it with the King. Julius must have taken my words to heart, because he had just addressed me by my title in front of his human. Jenna had picked up on it instantly and said in confusion, "Queen? Vampires have Queens? But she's just a hu..." Before that last word could leave her lips, she clamped them tightly shut and looked at me a little fearfully. Julius took her arm firmly in his grasp, and said, "If you will excuse me, Ma'am, Jenna and I need some time alone."

I was still pretty cross about the whole thing, so I merely said, "Great. Now, I need to get Robert to the airport. Come on, Robert. Let's roll."

I put my hand on one muscular forearm, and tugged. The Knight gave the girl one last glare before obediently coming with me. He waited until he had me tucked safely back into the Escalade before commenting, "I wonder what he will choose to do. It is always dangerous to trust humans and particularly stupid ones."

Still not in the best of moods, I said sourly, "Watch it, buster. I'm still human."

Suddenly, Robert's own aggression vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Giving me a boyish grin he said, "I beg to disagree, my dear. You may have been born into their world, but by the way you just handled that situation, it is clear to both of us you have now grown past it. You are now unquestionably a vampire Queen, and I have never been prouder of anyone."

From Julius' restaurant, we headed straight to the airport. The Knight's jet was already fueled and waiting on the ramp. His steward Gerald came out and greeted me, and then asked about Eric and Pam. While we were chatting, Robert took Joseph aside and was clearly giving him some serious last-minute instructions for looking out after me. Once he was finished he came back over to say his goodbyes to me.

Now that it was really time for him to go, I had the most absurd urge to cry. Trying to keep my composure, I slipped off his jacket and handed it to him, and said, "Thanks again for everything, Robert. Have a safe trip."

Taking the jacket from my hands, he surprised me by bringing up to his face and inhaling the scent I had left on it. He let out a satisfied sigh, and said, "Mm. This will remind me of you on my way home. Now, I have instructed Joseph to take you straight home. Atticus is already there awaiting your arrival."

Suddenly, the strangest feeling started to build inside me. At first it was just a low buzz, but it grew rapidly, becoming more and more intense. It took me a minute to realize that it was a ferocious kind of excitement, and it was coming from the Viking. Oh crap! I knew that feeling! It meant... the fighting was just about to begin. Suddenly lightheaded, I let out a gasp. Robert looked at me in concern and asked, "Sookie? What is it?"

"The fighting... it's about to start!"

"You can feel it, even from this distance?" he asked incredulously.

I nodded mutely. Closing my eyes tightly, I tried to brace myself for what was to come. I felt a pair of strong arms slip around me as Robert pulled me close. Unfortunately, he and I did not share a blood tie, and so he could not literally absorb any of Eric's extremely intense vampire emotions the way Bill could... but it was comforting nonetheless. I rested my head on his shoulder, and waited. Only a second later, a burst of energy came through the Bond, and along with it came that dark sort of elation that had no human words to describe it... it was the part of my Viking's emotions that was purely vampire. Luckily for me, it turned out this really was a minor battle compared to the last one I had to endure. It only lasted a short time and overall, the whole experience had not been nearly as intense as the last time. I knew it was all over when a glow of satisfaction came through, letting me know things had gone well. Almost giddy with relief, I cried, "It's over! He's okay!"

I could feel laughter rumbling deep in the Knight's chest. "Of course he is, _ma petite_! Did you really expect any other outcome? You must learn to have more faith in your Viking." Kissing my hair, he gave me one last squeeze and let me go.

I laughed rather weakly, and said, "Give me a break! I'm getting better at it. I know one thing... no matter what I thought, it's much easier to actually _be_ there. This not being able to see what's happening sucks."

Suddenly sober, he said, "I can only imagine. Are you certain you are all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. This time really wasn't too bad."

Looking me over carefully, he asked, "Shall I stay for a bit? You could come aboard and have a drink."

"No, really, I'm fine. You need to get going. I'm going to go straight home and get some rest."

Grinning, Robert said, "Try to get a nap. You will probably need your strength when your Bonded returns. You know how he is after a good fight."

Boy, did I! My temperature zoomed up a couple of degrees just thinking about the possibilities. I gave Robert one more big hug before sending him on his way. The last thing I said to him was, "Bye, Robert! Hurry back, now! I'm really going to miss you."

I stood on the ramp as the jet taxied out onto the runway and then took off. I watched it for a long time, until it finally disappeared into the night sky. My heart was heavy. In a very short time, I really had become attached to the Knight, and I hoped he wouldn't stay gone too long. Sighing, I walked back to the car and let Joseph drive me home.

Before too long, we were pulling up to the gates of our Shreveport house. As Robert had said, Atticus was already there waiting for us. Joseph helped carry my bag inside before bidding me a good night. Once he was gone and I had locked the door behind him, I headed straight for the bathroom. I took a long, hot shower and tried my best to let my mind go blank. It had been one hell of a day, and all the events were still whirling around in my mind in one big tangle. One thing was for sure. My vampire and I had some serious talking to do, but it wasn't going to be tonight.

As soon as I got out, I dried off and then spent some time rubbing in my special creams and lotions, finishing up by dotting on the tiniest hint of perfume. I pulled on a short silk nightie and covered it with a matching longer robe. Even though I was really exhausted, I decided to wait up for my vampire. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out my needlework supplies, and toted everything back into the living room. I curled up on the end of the sofa, and got to work. The rhythm of the needle dipping in and out of the canvas was soothing, and as I stitched, the tensions of the day started to smooth out. I began to get sleepy and was soon fighting to stay awake. Suddenly, a jolt of energy poured through me, and all thought of sleep left my brain. The Viking! He was near, and he was in a mood!

Sure enough, only a few minutes later I heard a car pulling up in the driveway. Tossing my needlework to one side, I jumped up, wrestled with the locks on the front door, and then flung it wide open. He and Bill were standing by Bill's open trunk, talking. They were both slightly disheveled, with a few rips in their clothes and a blood spot here and there, but nothing too major. Obviously, the Viking had been in too much of a rush to get home to take the time to clean up... which was just fine with me. Just as I came outside, Bill casually reached up and shut the lid. Eric turned his beautiful golden head in my direction and gave me the full triumphant Viking grin. God, was I glad to see him! His high spirits flowed through me, infecting me with his good mood. Barefooted, I ran across the brick pavers of the driveway and literally jumped into his arms, laughing like a maniac. Wrapping my legs and arms around him, I gave him about a hundred kisses all over his sweet but dirty face. I only stopped long enough to fling a "Hey, Bill!" in the other vampire's general direction. My lack of manners didn't seem to matter, though, because my dark vampire was grinning to beat the band, too. Holding me slightly away from him, Eric said sternly, "... and exactly what are you still doing awake at this hour, Beloved? I thought I told you to get some sleep!"

I knew he didn't mean it, though. He had wanted me to be awake, and we both knew it. I said, "You should know by now I'm _very_ disobedient. I couldn't sleep until you got home. Let's go inside, and you two can tell me all about it."

Hesitating, Bill glanced down at his car. "I really should go if I'm going to get to the hotel before dawn."

"Nonsense," said the Viking, "You will stay here." Leaving no room for argument, he turned and toted me inside, chuckling the entire way. Bill followed behind, locking the front door firmly behind us. To my surprise, Eric did not set me down when we reached the living room, but kept right on going down the hallway. Supporting me easily with one hand, he opened the door to our chamber. Over his shoulder, he called to Bill, "Take your pick of the bedrooms. See you at first dark."

"Hey!" I protested, "He's a guest! I should help get him settled."

"Bill is perfectly capable of fending for himself," my vampire replied, "You have other pressing matters which require your full and undivided attention."

There was no mistaking the lust that was pouring through the Bond. Before I could spell "cat," I was laid down on the bed, my gown was history, and I was being feverishly kissed by a very amorous Viking. Obviously taking the time for foreplay was out of the question, and within seconds he had buried himself inside me up to the hilt. Ah! There was nothing to be done but hang on for dear life, and enjoy every minute of it. My last coherent thought before being completely consumed by our joint passions was that letting a vampire run off to a battle now and then did have it's advantages. A little bloodlust can be a wonderful thing. Yum!


	37. Chapter 37

_Author's Notes: First, I want you all to know that there is NO QUESTION that I WILL finish this story. It's all laid out, it is merely a matter of me having enough time to get the words down on the page. I apologize for the fact that it has been three weeks since the last update. This is an extraordinarily busy time of year for me in Real Life, and the next month is not going to be any better. I know that it is hard to wait so long for updates, but honestly, I simply cannot help it. I love my story, and believe me when I tell you that I would much rather be writing! Having said that, this chapter was an extraordinary challenge for me. I am not very good at writing the action scenes ( the lemon scenes are much easier! LOL!) and it was a serious struggle... probably the hardest chapter to date. I started over about three times... yikes! However, I pushed through and I hope you like the result._

_I got so many wonderful reviews for the last chapter, and I am ashamed to say that I deliberately did not respond to any of them... it literally takes me hours to write responses, and so I spent what little time I did have on writing the actual story instead. One of the great pleasures of writing this story is communicating with you guys, and it makes me feel bad when I don't respond... so now I would like to thank everyone who did review very, very much. You all are my inspiration.~ BTB_

**Chapter 37**

**Bill's POV: Valhalla to Magnolia, Arkansas**

The Viking strode rapidly down the front steps of Valhalla, issuing orders as he went. "Beuford, you and Clyde take your truck and meet us at your mother's house. Pam, take your van. We may need it to transport prisoners. Bill, I will ride with you."

In no time at all, our convoy was on the road headed north. At one time I would have been worried about being alone in such close proximity to Eric, for fear that he might be able to feel my tie to him, but no more. During Sookie's absence, I had determined that as long as I was reasonably careful, I could control a decent block of my own emotions without too much effort. Furthermore, I had discovered that as long as my King and I were in similar moods, I could relax almost entirely. At the moment, I had nothing to worry about since we were both irritated at the unplanned trip to Magnolia. Now that Sookie was back, I had planned on going to Bon Temps to catch up on some rather urgent correspondence for my database, and Eric was chaffing at being away from his Bonded so soon. Consequently, Eric was positively itching for a good fight, and quite unexpectedly, I realized that I was, too.

We had about a ninety-minute trip ahead of us. Never one to waste time, it was clear that Eric wanted me to drive so that he could conduct business on the way. The minute we cleared the gates of the Residence, he whipped out his cell phone and began making his own calls to the Sheriffs. Pam had taken over the task during the worst of his illness, and this was the first time Eric himself had spoken to them in more than a week. He stepped back into his role of completely-on-top-of-things King seamlessly, and in no time those calls were done. Next, the Viking put in a call to Cataliades and then to one of his financial people. Each conversation was precise and to the point with very little time spent on niceties. In between each call, he would sit back and briefly close his eyes for just a moment. I could feel that he was testing the Bond, as if to reassure himself that Sookie was still firmly tethered at the other end. By that time, there was already enough distance between us so that I could no longer feel her myself, and I felt a twinge of regret that my own connection to her was not stronger.

Obviously, this was a terrible time for them to be apart. They both hid it quite well, but of course I could _feel_ how much this parting distressed them both. I had to admire Eric's sense of duty. I doubted that I would have been strong-willed enough to leave Sookie behind if she were my Twice-Bonded. Idly, I wondered if I would ever again find someone to love enough to want to Second-Bond them, or if I even could. At this point, the question was merely an academic one. It had taken me well over a hundred years to fall in love the last time, and although our relationship was now on a very different level, I still loved Sookie very much. I could hardly imagine anyone replacing her in my affections anytime soon. Most people would think that I was insane for staying so near my former lover and her new husband, and indeed I would be hard pressed to explain it... but no matter. As strange as it might seem to anyone else, I was quite content with my life just the way it was.

In fact, I doubted that anyone could be enjoying the blissful reunion of my King and Queen any more than me, except for perhaps Sir Robert. During the last few days, I had come to regard the Knight as a friend, and it seemed a pity that he had to hurry back to New York so soon. Pam, on the other hand, was a completely different story. Over the last two nights, she had come perilously close to being outright rude to Sookie. Pam was not normally so reckless. Perhaps since Eric was her Maker, she thought she knew exactly how far she could push him... but each time she was cool to her Mistress, a sharp spike of irritation came from Eric and it seemed to be getting stronger with each offense. Even if the Sickness was gone, it did_ not_ mean that he was going to tolerate much disrespect... and most especially when it came to his Bonded. I had heard him promise Sookie that he would let her work it out in her own way, but I had my doubts. I felt as if I should warn Pam somehow, but I was not sure how to do it without giving myself away.

I glanced over at the Viking, who had finished just his last phone call. He was once again sitting back with his eyes closed. A slight smile played around his lips as he said, "Females are such capricious creatures, aren't they, Bill? One never knows what they will do next."

I wondered if he had somehow read my mind, but then it occurred to me that he could just as easily be speaking about Sookie as Pam. "Absolutely," I agreed, "But of course that is part of their allure."

"Mmm," was his only response. After a few more moments of silence, he murmured, "Ah, Sookie, my love, what _are_ you up to now?" I knew then that he had been referring to his Bonded.

I knew very well that I shouldn't ask, but I couldn't seem to help myself, "Can you tell what she is doing even at this distance?"

Those icy blue eyes of his popped open, and he rolled his head in my direction. "You cannot?" he asked curiously.

This was the first time Eric had ever asked me a direct question about my tie with his Bonded. Suddenly wary, I made sure my emotions were fully blocked before answering truthfully, "No. The connection fades quickly with distance, and even if I am close I can only guess what she is doing based on her emotions."

"Ah, but guessing is half the fun, is it not?" he replied with a twinkle in his eye. "I myself can still feel her quite strongly. It seems to me that since her return our Bond is stronger than ever."

Oh, yes, there was no doubt about it, their Bond was indeed more intense than it had ever been... but the better part of valor was to say nothing. Instead, I said smoothly, "If that is the case, I don't know how you managed to leave her behind. It must be very uncomfortable for the both of you."

"I can hardly believe the courtly Southern Gentleman is suggesting that we should have exposed the helpless Southern Belle to unnecessary danger," the Viking teased, "Besides, could you not sense how weary she was? She used a great deal of magic last night, and I fear it tired her. It was best not to tax her system further."

Honestly, I _hadn't_ noticed that Sookie was tired. Normally, I would have picked up on that right away. Had I just been too preoccupied with other things that I hadn't noticed, or...? Suddenly, an unwelcome thought passed through my head. What if our tie was lessening? I had just assumed it was permanent, but perhaps it was not. It had been many months now since she had taken my blood, and _much_ longer than that since I had tasted hers. I fought down the sharp fear that sprung into my breast by sternly telling myself I was jumping to conclusions with no evidence. To cover my confusion and dismay, I replied more sharply than I intended, "Obviously Sookie is not as helpless as she might appear. If last night's display is any indication, her magic is getting much stronger. I suspect that soon she will not need either one of us to protect her. That will no doubt make her happy. She is just so independent."

The Viking sighed heavily and said, "Yes, she certainly is... irritatingly so. I suppose I should be overjoyed at the idea that one day she will be able to take care of herself, but..." His voice trailed off.

He didn't have to finish that statement. I knew exactly how he felt. Sookie had come along and awakened the long-dormant protective instinct in both of us, which was surprising enough, but the truly shocking thing was to discover how good it felt to be needed. As irrational as it was, the very notion that she would some day no longer need us to care for her was a little unsettling. As her Bonded, Eric really had little to worry about, though. In his case, she would stay with him because she loved him deeply and they were literally a part of each other, but in my case, my continued presence in her life would be... unnecessary. Now I _was_ in a foul mood. "She has so little Fae blood, I never could have guessed she would have so much magic," I said crossly.

The Viking smiled proudly. "I believe it has to do with our Bond... and of course, my blood."

Hmph. He _would_ think that. Obviously he was implying that my much younger blood would not have been up to the task, and would never have allowed Sookie to reach her true potential. It did not make it any easier to take because he was probably right. Stung, I could not resist saying, "...or, as Robert suggested, there is more to her family tree than we have guessed. Or perhaps there is just more to the mysterious ways of Fairies than we know. Obviously her stay in the Portal had a profound effect on her in many ways. I wonder what might have occurred while she was there."

"Yes, I wonder exactly the same thing," Eric said rather darkly, "We have had very little time to discuss her time away, other than the bare basics."

Just thinking about Sookie's time in the Portal seemed to put _him_ in a bad mood. He said sourly, "That old rascal Niall gave her some very elaborate gifts. She claims he was not attempting to bribe her into staying with him, but I have my doubts."

"Sookie accepted gifts from Niall?" I asked in surprise, "She is always so touchy about presents of any kind." Much to my frustration, I had never been able to figure out when she wanted gifts and when she didn't.

"Apparently since he is a blood relative, it is acceptable. You should see the brush set he gave her. It is solid gold and inlaid with flawless diamonds."

Without having to be told, I understood why Eric was so irritated. Sookie had never had much in the way of material things, but nonetheless had a strange aversion to gifts of any kind. It had taken him a long time to get her to accept _his_ gifts without question. _He _wanted to be the one to introduce her to the finer things in life, which was his right as her Bonded. Eric was extremely wealthy, and if he wanted to give his wife twenty gold-and-diamond brushes, he could easily do it. However, I knew that the cost of the gift was really immaterial. It was really the fear of the unknown that was bothering him. What _else _could the Fairy Prince give Sookie that Eric could not, things that maybe mere money could not buy? Beyond that, were there things unique to the Portal that were so alluring to Fairies that Sookie would now long to go back? Suddenly fearful, I blurted out, "Has she given any indication that she intends to go back?"

"No," he answered, "She has promised that she will not, and I must believe her." He said it confidently, as if he wanted to believe that his Bonded would never leave him again, but nevertheless I imagined that the fear that she would change her mind might never entirely go away. For a time, Eric sat silently brooding, clearly turning something over in his mind. Almost to himself, he said, "There is something that happened there that she does _not_ want to tell me, but I cannot fathom what it is."

Briefly, I glance over at him, only to see him staring rigidly ahead. Quietly, I said, "Perhaps Sookie has just not had time to share it with you. There have been so many unfortunate interruptions..."

"True enough," he admitted, "However, tomorrow night, I plan to have a very special evening alone with my Bonded. There will _be_ no interruptions. _You_ will see to it."

My King did not have to elaborate on that order. His meaning was abundantly clear, and heaven help me if I failed in my task. "Of course. I will see to it." I replied. It was one order that I would be more than happy to carry out. Although Eric had not spoken the words out loud, it was plain that he was still somewhat uneasy about the state of his relationship... and now I was, too. He was right. Clearly what he and his wife needed was some serious time alone, to talk out any remaining issues and then let the strength of their love for each other heal their wounds. I was prepared to go to any lengths necessary to see that it happened and told him so.

Unfortunately, there was no more time for conversation because we had finally arrived at our destination. Turning off the main road, I followed the other two vehicles down the long gravel driveway to Caroline Lafferty's home. She was currently not at home, so we were merely using her place as rendezvous point. I had been to this house only once before, when I was interviewing Caroline for my database. It was a long, low brick "ranch" style house built in the 1950's. Off the back of the house was a large wooden deck overlooking a small pond, which was the home of Caroline's tame ducks and geese. The inside of the home was quite interesting. One of Caroline's hobbies was furnishing her current home to the exact date the house was built, and so the result was very much like a step back in time. Nothing in the house was manufactured later than 1955, with the exception of the electronics. She was willing to be slightly less than authentic when it came to microwave ovens, tvs, and Internet access.

I pulled up behind Pam's van and parked. The minute Eric stepped from the car, the somewhat fretful husband was carefully tucked away, leaving only the completely confident, totally focused vampire King on display. The others soon joined us. Beuford whipped out a map, which he spread on the hood of my car. He pointed out the location of the rogue nest which was not far from his mother's house. Next to the Viking, I was the stealthiest and also had the added advantage of being able to fly, so I was chosen to do the majority of the close-in advance scouting. Pam and Beuford were going to do some drive-bys of the general area in her van, so they dropped me off not too far from the back of the property. After getting the lay of the land, I was to make my own way back to Caroline's place. From the Arkansas Sheriff's excellent directions, I had no trouble locating the place.

The farm where the nest had chosen to stay was typical of the region. At the end of a long gravel drive was a large clapboard house surrounded by a dense tangle of shade trees. A decent-sized barn had been built to the south of the house, but it was in serious disrepair. The only farm equipment visible was extremely old and rusted. Unsurprisingly, the fields surrounding the house were fallow with nothing but weeds and small trees sprouting up here and there. There was not much cover except for the trees directly around the house, and the nearly full moon would not help matters. As it turned out, though, there was not going to be too much need for stealth. It only took me a few minutes to ascertain that there was no ambush planned, at least for that night.

Several cars were parked haphazardly around the front yard, and more were arriving. Rock music was blaring from a sound system that had been set up outdoors, powered by an extension cord running out of one of the bedroom windows. As I drifted silently from tree to tree, I smelled the distinct odor of marijuana floating on the air. If I had not already known it, that alone would have told me that humans were present, since the drug had no effect on vampires whatsoever. Nevertheless, it was popular among our kind as a lure and as a relaxant for humans, making them much more compliant targets. From my place of concealment, I sighed heavily and shook my head in disgust at the complete stupidity of some vampires. Instead of hunkering down to receive the visit from an angry Viking King that was certain to come sooner or later, or better yet, clearing out of the area all together, this idiotic bunch was in the process of throwing a party.

It appeared that most of the action was taking place outside in the back yard, although every now and then someone would wander in or out of the house. A couple of strands of outdoor lights had been strung across the backyard to provide some low-key illumination and a bonfire was burning merrily in a large pit in the ground. People were standing around in clumps, for the most part ignoring the lawn chairs which were scattered around. A huge metal tub of ice and beer was placed near the back door, and someone had carried an old wooden table outside to hold the hard liquor. Stealing up to the house, I attempted to get a general layout of the interior by peering in the windows. Some of them had been sealed against the sunlight so I could not see everywhere, but I did manage to get a glimpse of a room whose walls had been painted completely black. In the very center of the room stood a wooden table with restraints attached. A disreputable mattress was pushed up against one wall, right under a set of chains that were firmly bolted to the wall, and more chains dangled from a large hook screwed into the ceiling. From a series of wooden pegs hung an assortment of masks, gags, whips, and other "sporting equipment." Clearly, one or more of the nest enjoyed some seriously dark sexual practices.

Drifting back towards the front of the house, I was able to observe some of the guests as they arrived. A dual cab pickup truck was just pulling in, and soon the doors flew open and a batch of humans jumped out. This group was curiously dressed. The young men were all wearing identical tight-fitting, brightly colored clothing and caps. The two girls with them were clad in impossibly short dresses in the same garish colors. They were clearly in high spirits, and from their rather loud conversation I gathered they had just come from the Magnolia High School baseball game. Ah! I had once been to a football game in Bon Temps that had young women dressed in a similar fashion, so I knew that these females must be "cheerleaders." This was not a good sign, because that meant that at least some of the guests were underage. Once the group disappeared around the corner of the house, I slipped around and checked out the other cars. From the stickers attached to the cars, I concluded that many of the humans were associated either with the high school or the local university. It was completely illegal for vampires to consort with human minors, and whether Eric thought it was a stupid law or not, he was determined to enforce this rule. He was well aware that nothing was guaranteed to stir the local human population into a frenzy faster than vampires preying on their young.

Up to that point, I had not really given the humans in the back more than a cursory glance, but clearly I needed a better grasp of who was in attendance. I slipped toward the other end of the house, and sure enough, it appeared that most of the humans present were definitely underage. In a place like Magnolia, it would have not been hard to entice them to come. An invitation whispered into the right ear... free liquor... drugs... sexy, mysterious vampires... To the bored local youth, this party would be seen as an unprecedented and irresistible chance to take a walk on the wild side. By the looks of things, they were all hell-bent on having a good time. Male and female, they were downing liquor as if it were water, and the haze of smoke in the air was getting heavier by the minute. I could only imagine that other drugs had been provided as well. Since the Great Revelation, parties such as these were not uncommon in the vampire world. Inebriated humans were uninhibited, pliable humans. One could take one's time, look over the choices, and then cut the evening's selection (or two) out of the pack with ease. It was a sad fact that if these vampires were known to be sensible and the humans were of age, it would definitely not rate disciplinary action of any sort.

A couple of the male vampires had pulled some of the already intoxicated young women off to a fairly level spot to dance. The young women were clearly trying to out-do each other to see who could make the most suggestive moves. Several boys sat in lawn chairs nearby, chugging down beer. In response to their lewd comments and suggestions, one of the girls pulled up her top and flashed her bare breasts at them, rolling her nipples sensuously between her fingers. The vampire with whom she was dancing snugged up behind her, looped his arms around her body, and then took over the job of fondling her breasts. He had unremarkable short brown hair and was slightly taller than me but whipcord thin. Unlike most of our kind, he was not particularly attractive and I wondered who his Maker was. He ground his jean-covered erection into the girl's backside, and she encouraged him by pushing back against him and wriggling. Since observing humans was one of my hobbies I was still fairly adept at judging ages and I doubted that this child was more than fifteen or sixteen. Having been vampire long enough to have seen infinitely worse behavior, I was not shocked at all... but somehow, the young girl's gestures brought to mind the kinds of parties I had attended in my own youth, where the carefully chaperoned young women had worn lovely frocks with proper undergarments and huge hoop skirts that concealed practically everything. For the young men of the time, just the glimpse of a bare ankle or the touch of an un-gloved hand was considered a treat. Somehow this group of very young humans who obviously had such little respect for themselves or their lives made me feel... very old and very sad.

I felt as if I had seen enough. The nest's little soirée was shaping up to be the kind of event that was bound to draw the human authorities... and potentially the press, too, which was even worse. The last thing we needed was headlines. I had best get back and report to Eric as soon as possible. Actually, I was quite curious to see just how he would handle the situation. Two years ago, I would have wagered money that he would have not only approved of the gathering, he would have been the very first vampire to join in... but since then, I had actually gotten to know him and realized that nothing could be farther from the truth. Making my way to the back of the property, I rapidly took to the air and headed back to Caroline's.

I set myself down close to the parked cars, noting that Pam's van was back and that another car had pulled in behind mine. As I walked the short distance to the house, I wondered just who had joined the group. I heard the hum of voices coming from behind the house, so I assumed my companions were awaiting me there. To my surprise, I heard Caroline's very distinctive laughter ringing out into the night. It appeared that our absent hostess had come home early. I followed a brick pathway around the side of the house to where she and the others were lounging around on her back deck sipping TrueBloods. Caroline and Pam were sitting side-by-side in a porch swing and Beuford and Clyde were camped out in wrought iron chairs with their backs to me. The Viking was kicked back in a white wicker chair, long legs casually propped on the porch railing. Despite his laid-back appearance, anticipation and high spirits were radiating from him in waves.

I had not been trying to conceal my approach, but moving silently was a deeply ingrained habit. Clearly no one but the Viking had even sensed my presence. Without even turning his head in my direction, Eric said, "It is about time you got back, Bill. What did you learn?"

I wondered if anyone had _ever_ managed to sneak up on him. Stepping up to the railing of the deck, I got straight to the point, "There is no ambush waiting."

Clearly startled by my presence so close behind him, Clyde whipped his head around to stare at me. Caroline rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Easy, boy. Don't let the bad old vampire scare you." In response to her words, the hulking young vampire shrugged and looked sheepish. His grandsire let out a sharp bark of laughter and said, "Don't feel bad, Clyde, that vampire could sneak up on the devil himself. Bill Compton, you handsome thing, it has been too long since I've seen you. Come 'round here and give old Caroline a kiss."

Locating the entrance to the deck, I went up the steps and soon presented myself for inspection. My hostess popped up from her seat to greet me. Barely over five feet tall even in her high-heeled shoes, the diminutive red-headed vampiress made even me feel like a giant. As I half-way expected she would, she stood on her tiptoes and then jerked my head down to hers for a kiss... and when Caroline kissed you, you knew you had been kissed. As soon as she released me, she stood back a bit, cocked her head to one side and gave me a serious once over. "Mm, mm, mm," she said, "Delectable as ever, but always so serious. Viking, you need to teach this boy to lighten up a little."

"Hmpf," grunted the Viking, "Not everyone can be as free-spirited as you, Caroline. Besides, I am quite certain I have seen Bill smile at least once."

Coldly, I asked, "Do you want to hear what I discovered or do you want to stand around discussing my personality further?"

"You are absolutely right, Bill," retorted Eric with a chuckle, "There aren't enough hours left in the night to properly dissect _your_ personality. Now, sit down and tell us what you learned at the farm."

His gibe produced another round of laughter from Caroline and the first true smile I had seen on Pam's face in weeks. Involuntarily, I felt the corner of my mouth twitch upward in my own half-smile, which incited another round of laughter. If it would help lighten my fellow Lieutenant's mood and help smooth out the tension in Eric's entourage, it was almost worth being the target of their teasing. Shaking my head, I pulled up a chair and did as my King commanded.

Once we finally got down to business, it did not take long for me to tell the others what I had discovered. Even though Caroline normally avoided having anything to do with politics, she volunteered to lend a hand. If the rogue nest's bad behavior was allowed to continue unchecked, it would only serve to make it harder for her to continue to live in the area peacefully. "Perhaps it would be best if we waited a few more hours for the party to die down," she suggested, "It might be easier if most of the humans are gone before we confront this group. If it gets too close to dawn for you all to get back to Shreveport, you can bunk here with me. Bill, dear, I have a _very_ comfortable bed." She batted her eyes in my direction. Knowing quite well she was just baiting me, I did my best to ignore her.

Eric thought for a long moment before shaking his head. "No, from what Bill has told us, I .think we must take action before one of the young humans is badly hurt or killed." "...and of course, you _must_ get back to your Bonded before sun-up," Pam interjected, her face and voice completely neutral. It was the kind of remark that could be construed in a multitude of ways: as a statement of fact, as a gentle reminder, as a subtle form of teasing, or... as an insult. I froze, waiting to see how Eric was going to take it.

The answer was... not very well. Slowly, her Maker turned his head in her direction. Blue eyes colder than the arctic ocean, he regarded her thoughtfully. I imagine a shark looks very much like that when deciding which body part to bite off first. Never changing expression, Pam stared straight back at him. I tensed, preparing to try and intervene if necessary... not that I would stand a chance if he was truly bent on hurting her. The other two male vampires were seemingly oblivious to the tension of the moment, but it did not escape Caroline's notice. Instantly, she made light of the situation by saying, "...and who could blame him? From what I've heard about Eric's beautiful Bonded, _I_ certainly wouldn't leave her alone if I could help it. Besides, from what I understand about Second Bonds, they really shouldn't be apart at all. I was surprised to see that he didn't bring her with him."

In a not-so-subtle reminder to Pam that she had Sookie to thank for this opportunity for a little action, I said, "Actually, our Queen very graciously offered to perform a task for Pam so that she would be free to come with us. However uncomfortable it may be for Sookie to be parted from her Bonded, she is well aware how important it is for disputes to be settled at the proper time and place. Whether we are able to return to Shreveport before dawn or not is immaterial. I agree with Eric. We need to go in before the human authorities are alerted and the situation escalates."

My words were partially meant to remind both Eric and Pam that this was not the time or the place for _them_ to have a tiff. Letting anyone outside our very intimate circle know there was any dissension amongst us was not wise. Immediately, Eric said in a cool, firm voice, "No more discussion. It has been decided. This is what we are going to do..."

A short time later, I drove up the long gravel driveway to the nest's farmhouse with Pam following closely in her minivan. Eric sat silently in my passenger seat. Although he appeared completely calm, the pent-up energy flowing off of him was nothing short of exhilarating. We were careful to park so that none of the other cars were blocked in. Eric opened the door, pulled himself up to his full height, and slowly looked around. One at a time, he rolled and flexed his broad shoulders, easing out the pre-fight tension. The rather impressive muscles of his upper torso and arms rippled under the tight cotton fabric of his Fangtasia t-shirt. Turning to me with a big Viking grin, he said, "Ready for a little fun?"

Without waiting for an answer, he strode towards the side of the house with Pam and I trailing in his wake. Eric came to a halt at the very edge of the side yard and took stock of the situation. The party was now in full swing, with music blaring, bodies gyrating, and raucous laughter and shouts floating out across the yard. By now, a good many of the party-goers who could still stand were dancing, although a few had dragged some wrought-iron lawn chairs over to sit near the fire pit. I caught a glimpse of the brown-haired vampire, but by now he had acquired two new dance partners. A fangy smile was plastered across his angular face as the two young females sensuously rubbed themselves all over him. A few of the humans had already succumbed to intoxication of one kind or another and were passed out in various locations around the yard. A quilt had been spread near the base of one of the shade trees, which provided at least the illusion of a bit of privacy. On it lay a slightly built vampire with curly blond hair, who was passionately kissing a pretty young human girl. Her shirt had been removed and tossed carelessly aside. His left hand was up her so-called skirt, which seemed to me to be no bigger than a postage stamp. Even from here, I could see the vivid twin punctures on her left shoulder. Although she was not protesting, her movements were sluggish and I wondered how close she was to unconsciousness. Not too far away, a young human male was hanging over a log, vomiting. Completely absorbed in their own activities, not even one person had taken note of our approach.

Eric made a gesture to Pam, who stalked across the yard and up to the side of the house. She leaned over and jerked the plug to the sound system loose from its extension cord. The music came to an abrupt halt and in the sudden silence, groans of irritation could be heard. From the center of the knot of dancers came a loud "What the _fuck!_" Grabbing both of his partners by the wrist, the brown-haired vampire pulled them along with him as he pushed his way through the crowd. The minute he got free of the other dancers, his eyes lit on Pam. She stared coolly back, power cord dangling from one well-manicured hand. He was so focused on her, he never even glanced in our direction. I think he missed seeing the Viking and me entirely. His hard eyes gave Pam a quick once-over, starting with her low-heeled Ferragamos, traveling up the well-tailored silk slacks to her pale pink sweater set, and ending with the tiny string of pearls hanging around her delicate throat. By age appearance alone, she could have easily fit right in amongst most of the other young people at the party... except for the expensive clothes and her expression. For a split second, she reminded me of our former Queen, Sophie-Anne, who had also been delicate and youthful in appearance but extremely lethal. The vampire spit out, "Who the fuck are _you_? What do you think you're doing?"

Pam gave him a tight, thin smile. Jerking her head in the direction of her Maker, she said simply, "My name is Pam. I'm with him."

Whipping his head our way, the brown-haired vampire's eyes came to rest on the Viking. With a start, I realized that his close-set eyes were very strange, one iris a washed-out blue color and the other a pale brown. By the blank expression on his face, it was obvious that he had absolutely no idea who this perfectly enormous blond vampire standing in his driveway was, but it did not seem to matter. He was obviously not thrilled to have uninvited vampire guests of any kind, and particularly not ones who seemed intent on slowing down his party. He draped a possessive arm around each of his females and pulled them close. In a cocky tone, he sneered, "So what? I don't know _him_, either. This is a private party. You need to leave... before my brothers and I _make_ you leave." In spite of the size of the Viking, the brown-haired vampire must have been counting on their superior numbers. As far as he knew, there were six of them and only three of us.

As soon as this exchange had begun, the curly-haired vampire jumped up from the quilt and went to stand close to his brother. Now that I could see his face, I was surprised to see that he must have been made vampire at a very young age, no more than fifteen or sixteen at the most. Of course, there was no way of knowing just how old he was in actuality, and therefore he would still have to be approached with caution. The thought crossed my mind that his youthful appearance might at least partially explain the nest's penchant for very young humans. He looked so immature that it was probably hard for him to attract older women. Almost instantly, a third vampire slithered from the back of the pack of dancers to join his nestmates, and this one was as unattractive as his brown-haired brother. His long shaggy black hair was hanging loose around his face, and his dark brown eyes glowed with a dull anger. Instead of jeans, he was clad from head-to-toe in black leather, obviously in attempt to make himself look older. Like the blond brother, he must have been turned young. Even so, he was slightly more muscular that the other two.

All three of them were positively radiating aggression, which was understandable given that obviously they really did _not_ know who we were. All vampires are by nature extremely territorial and since we were invading their space without an invitation, they could only assume we were there to steal their humans at the very least. If these three were the best the nest had to offer, though, bringing Pam and I along had been a complete waste of time and resources. I suspected that the Viking could easily take all three of them without mussing his hair. In a loud, clear voice, Eric announced, "This party is now over. All humans should leave the premises immediately."

At Eric's pronouncement, a murmur rippled through the humans, along with a few loud moans of disappointment. Immediately, a few of them started to wander back towards the front of the house, but most of the guests stayed right where they were. It was if they were hoping Eric was going to relent and say it had all been a joke. As soon as Eric had spoken, three pairs of fangs were bared. The brown-haired vampire raised his hand to stop the migration of his guests and said indignantly to Eric, "Wait! No one is going anywhere! Just who do you think you are, telling our guests to leave?"

Giving the nestmates a look of cool amusement, Eric replied, "Of course! How rude of me! We have never been properly introduced. In fact, that is the purpose of this little visit. Since you have not seen fit to come and visit _me_, I thought it only proper for me to come and see _you_. My name is Eric Northman."

They might not have recognized the Viking by sight, but once Eric had become a King probably every vampire in North America knew that name and what it represented. The brown-haired vampire blinked a couple of times as the bad news penetrated his thick skull. The humans that were still sober enough to have some sense about them were looking back and forth between their hosts and us, clearly trying to figure out what to do. After taking a good look at the Viking, the smartest ones slunk past their hosts without a word and headed straight for their cars. After a brief discussion, a few of the boys stopped long enough to grab the ones that had passed out and carried them along. One young man started across the grass to retrieve the female that had been laying on the quilt with the curly-haired vampire, but Eric said sharply, "Stop. Leave her."

Hearing the ring of authority in his voice, the boy answered smartly, "Yes, sir!" He turned and scurried off after the rest of his friends. That left the less intelligent or less sober group still milling around the yard, perhaps looking forward to the entertainment of a fight without realizing the extreme danger they would be in. About that time, the fourth member of the nest came skittering around the back of the house, pulling a human girl along by the wrist. As soon as he took in the scene, he came to a sudden halt. Obviously thinking that the odds were now overwhelmingly in the nest's favor, a couple of the human males stepped forward to side with their hosts. These were both very large young men whose collar size clearly exceeded their I.Q.s. Due to their bulk, they were probably not used to being ordered around by strangers, human or vampire. Weaving slightly, one of them slurred to the brown-haired vampire, "Hey, man. Don't let that asshole boss you around. There's a bunch of us and only three of them... and one of them is just a girl."

In response to the insult, Pam said cheerfully, "If you think I'm so harmless, why don't you come a little closer, you young idiot?" Just for emphasis, she narrowed her eyes, dropped her fangs and hissed.

Her sudden transformation into dangerous vampire was startling. Immediately, the remaining guests got very still and very quiet. Even in his drunken state, the young man knew he had made a serious mistake. He took a huge step backward and began to turn an interesting shade of white. Almost simultaneously, the screen door to the back porch flew open, hitting the handrail of the steps with a loud pop. A large male vampire came barreling out, moving at such a pace I knew that the humans would only be able to perceive a blur. Coming to a stop in front his nestmates, he immediately adopted a fighting stance. From Beuford's description, I knew this had to be the Elder.

At the senior vampire's arrival, a communal gasp came from the human contingent. I had to admit, it _was_ a fairly impressive entrance. For one thing, he was stark naked and fully erect. Clutched in one hand was a long, thin-bladed knife. The other hand was curled into a claw, ready for action. His fangs were large, fully extended, and already dripping blood. Beyond that, he was one of the ugliest vampires I had ever seen. He had long scraggly black hair and small beady eyes the color of spit... in fact, all of his features were too small for the rest of his face. However, he was quite tall and muscular and gave off an air of true menace that the others of his nest had not been able to muster. I saw why Beuford had been hesitant to take him on single-handedly.

The look of recognition in the vampire's oddly-colored eyes told me that he knew _exactly_ who Eric was without being told. For a long moment, the two of them stared at each other without speaking, each taking the other's measure. The minute Eric laid eyes on the Elder, a flood of excitement surged through him. The first four nestmates would have been no sport for him at all, but this vampire might be old enough and mean enough to provide a fairly good workout. I found myself caught up in the Viking's high spirits. Eying the remaining nestmates, I set my sights on the brown-haired vampire. I could hardly wait for the fighting to start.

The Elder's very first words made it clear that he had better be a damned good fighter, because he was evidently not much smarter than his brothers. Instead of falling to his knees and begging his King for mercy for his transgressions, he sneered, "Well, well, well. So the mighty Viking decided to come to our little gathering. I must confess I am surprised. Rumor has it that you have been so busy tending to your human woman, you have little time left for anything else."

At the vampire's disrespectful words, the Viking's huge, glistening fangs flashed down. Instantly, the cool, somewhat amused exterior vanished, only to reveal his true self... an ancient, powerful, and extremely deadly vampire King. Focusing his glittering blue eyes on the remaining humans, he growled, "Leave. Now."

Terror is an excellent motivator. Once they got a look at the _real_ Eric, the humans all scattered like a startled covey of quail, and this even included the idiots who had sided with the nest. In fact, I think they were running the fastest. Within minutes, the last pickup truck had beat a hasty retreat down the long gravel drive. The only humans remaining were the unconscious young woman laying on the quilt and the girl still held in the firm grasp of the fourth nestmate. Suddenly realizing that she needed to be anywhere but in the middle of a vampire dispute, she tried to yank herself away from the male, beating her free hand against him and screaming, "Let me go! Let me go!"

The vampire glanced down at her as if he had even forgotten she was there. With absolutely no expression on his face, he slapped her once, hard, and she dropped to the ground as if her bones had suddenly melted. At first, I thought he might have killed her but by looking carefully I could see her chest moving. There was really nothing I could do for her at that point anyway, so I returned my attention to the problem at hand.

Staring straight into the Elder's eyes, Eric said coldly, "You know who I am, yet you continue to show your contempt for my position. Are you truly so stupid as to think I will tolerate such disrespect?"

Instead of dropping to his knees and begging for his life, the vampire had the audacity to smirk. His eyes had the strangest glint in them, and as I looked into their depths I realized that the problem was not a lack of intelligence at all. This vampire was truly unhinged. In a thick accent which to my ear sounded like one of the old middle-European languages, he replied, "So says the great King. Well, _your Majesty_, you have managed to fool everyone else, but_ I_ am privy to the truth. In spite of your claims of being a Viking, you are really no more than three hundred years old, which means that I have the advantage of age _and_ experience. You have carefully crafted this fabulous reputation as being a great fighter, but it is all just smoke and mirrors. When confronted with a _real_ fighter, you will not stand a chance. Perhaps _I_ will be the next King of Louisiana. I am certain your Queen will welcome a _real _vampire to her bed."

To my surprise, even that last insult did not cause Eric to completely lose his temper. Looking past the Elder, the Viking addressed the other members of the nest, "You have no doubt been misled by your Elder, who is clearly insane. Therefore, if you show me that you have seen the error of your ways and submit to my authority immediately, your punishments will be much lighter."

Before any of them could take advantage of this very generous and unexpected offer of clemency, the Elder let out a strangled cry and launched himself at Eric. Quick as a flash, Eric stepped up to met him. Of course, if it had been a serious battle, I would have attempted to move to protect and assist my King, but I was wise enough to know when my help was not wanted or needed. Likewise, the three nestmates held back, clearly hoping that the Elder would live up to his bragging and make short work of Viking. However, it was evident after the first few minutes that these hopes were doomed to failure. The Viking was not only larger and stronger, he was fast, graceful, and extremely tricky. He seemed to be able to anticipate what the vampire was going to do before he did it. Each swift, graceful movement was a total pleasure to watch. In a matter of seconds, he had disarmed his opponent...from there forward it was unmistakable that Eric was merely prolonging the fight for sport.

At that point, the best thing the other four could have done was surrender... but unfortunately, the blood pouring off the Elder had incited the bloodlust in us all. Immediately, the three that had been standing directly behind him began their attack. The fourth vampire stepped neatly over the body of the girl he had knocked unconscious and dashed away from the fighting as fast as his legs could carry him. I turned to face the brown-haired vampire, who was headed in my direction. Before I could get in the first blow, Pam flashed past me. She had pulled out her favorite daggers and was letting out her own blood curdling war whoop. She gave a huge leap. She collided with the brown-haired vampire in mid-air and then both tumbled to the ground.

Momentarily distracted by her movement, I almost did not see the black-haired male swinging one of the wrought-iron lawn chairs at my head. I managed to duck at the last minute, immediately swiveling back in his direction. Hissing, I lunged toward him. I caught the front of his jacket, but he jerked back quickly enough that all I had left in my hand was a swatch of leather. I flew after him, and I don't think he was expecting me to move so quickly. He backed up as fast and as far as he could, but he was prevented from going too far by the fire pit. I flew at him, grabbing him by his shoulders and knocking him across the fire. Fortunately for both of us, our momentum carried us far enough that neither one of us burst into flames. We landed on the ground, but after a moment of struggle we both managed to get back on our feet. We exchanged a few furious punches, kicks, and jabs, but it was clear from the start that I was by far the superior fighter.

After only a few minutes, I tired of playing with him. Waiting for another one of my opponent's totally predictable punches, I grabbed his wrist and jerked him towards me, hard. I felt and heard the bone snap. Losing his balance, his momentum carried him forward, and in a flash I had him pinned face-down in the dirt. Immediately, I sank my fangs into his neck. I could have easily ripped his throat out at that point, but since this was only a disciplinary action, I was only expected to subdue him, not send him to his final death. It would be up to Eric to decide his fate. However, even though I had my fangs firmly in him, the young idiot refused to submit. He began to flail until finally I was obligated to break the other arm and both legs to get him to stay still.

Finally, I looked up to see how my companions were fairing. As I suspected he would, Eric had made short work of the Elder, who was not much more than a bloody pile of rags, skin, and bones. The minute I had realized that the vampire was unhinged, I had known that Eric would in all likelihood send him to his final death instead of merely subduing him... in fact, I might say it was his duty to do so. In the vampire world, insanity was viewed as an unacceptable threat to the whole and not generally tolerated for long. I noted with amusement that the Viking had obviously been careful to avoid getting too spattered. I supposed he must have been thinking about the aftermath of Sabriel's shredding and the resulting mess. He had not taken the time to bring a change of clothes with him, and he would not want to go home to Sookie completely covered in gore.

Currently, the King was dangling the smallest vampire of the nest by one ankle. The way the "boy's" other limbs were flopping around indicated that they were probably broken. Eric had obviously finished his fight long before Pam or me and had been watching our efforts with enjoyment. Pam had not been as careful of her appearance as her Maker. Twin rivers of blood were dripping down her chin. Her sweater and slacks were also soaked in the red liquid, but fortunately it appeared to be mostly that of her opponent. She was standing triumphantly over him with one elegantly shod foot planted firmly on his throat. He lay beneath her bleeding profusely from at least a hundred deep slashes. Grinning fiercely, she looked over at me and remarked, "Not nearly as much fun as a sword fight, but it will do."

"I hate to be a spoilsport, but what about the sixth member of the nest?" I reminded her, "Perhaps we should go in search of him."

"Don't bother," a disembodied voice said. A minute later, Caroline stepped into the light. She was dragging another medium-sized male vampire behind her. This one was gagged and trussed in silver rope like the proverbial Christmas goose. Everywhere the silver touched his skin, it was flaking and burning and he was moaning in spite of the gag. Clyde was right behind her, and over each broad shoulder lay a young human male. They were both completely naked, and the location and nature of their wounds painted a grim picture of what had transpired. They were so still I could not tell at first glance if they were dead or merely unconscious. I wondered where Caroline had run across this last member of the nest. Eric had stationed Beuford, Clyde, and her in strategic locations around the farmhouse just in case someone tried to escape into the fields. At his grandsire's instruction, he toted the boys over to the quilt and laid them down next to the still unconscious girl.

Caroline explained to the rest of us how she had come upon her captive, "Just before the fighting started, I heard some faint noises coming from inside the barn. I figured I had best check it out. I found lover-boy here having his way with these two and by the way he had them tied up, it was pretty obvious they were not willing." Giving her captive a sharp kick in the ribs, she looked down at him and said coldly, "How do you like someone hurting _you_ when _you're _helpless? If there is anything I cannot tolerate, it is a bully. The only thing I hate more than a bully is a rapist. You had better pray that the Viking takes mercy on you. If _I_ get to choose, you won't much like it, I promise. I hear penises take a whole year to grow back." At her words, her captive's eyes widened and rolled frantically around in their sockets.

Grinning, Eric said, "Caroline, my friend, since you so graciously volunteered your assistance, the least I can do is allow you to dictate his punishment. Do with him as you will." At that, the prisoner closed his eyes and quit moving entirely. I suspected he was desperately trying to will himself into unconsciousness. One look into Caroline's eyes, and _I _definitely would have been doing the same.

Just then, Beuford came lumbering around the back of the house. Under one burly arm was tucked the remaining member of the nest, the one who had tried to escape into the fields. Beuford tossed the limp form onto the ground and remarked, "That little asshole was hard to catch. His talent must be running. I see we have the whole nest here. What now, your Majesty?"

Eric looked down at the broken and battered remains of the nest. They were all still undead except for the Elder, and all of them were badly injured but conscious. Five pairs of eyes were glued to Eric, anxiously awaiting his verdict. He looked down at Caroline's captive and said, "You are now Caroline's problem. If you manage to survive, stay out of my territory."

Strolling over to the original three, the Viking stood towering over them. Staring down at them with glittering eyes, he told them, "Your nest has caused me a great deal of time and trouble. I gave you a chance to submit to my authority and you chose to ignore it. However, I realize that to a large extent you were misled by your Elder. Therefore, I am inclined to allow you to live... but not in this territory. You are now banned from all of Louisiana and Arkansas. Sheriff Beuford here will take you across the border and leave you somewhere out of the sun so that you may heal. It goes without saying that all assets of the nest are forfeit to this Kingdom, but in deference to my friend the Queen of Oklahoma, I am going to allow you to keep one automobile. Although I have no jurisdiction there, my sound advice is to use it to get out of Oklahoma as soon after you have healed as possible. I warn you, Wanda is definitely _not_ inclined to put up with any foolishness. If this had happened in her territory, you would no doubt be staked out waiting for sunrise this very moment." As far as vampire punishments went, the one that Eric had just given them was actually quite fair, and I knew that they would consider themselves quite lucky... someday. Compared to the sentences he had handed down whilst in the throes of Bonding Sickness, these were mere slaps on the wrist.

The Viking then walked over to the vampire that Beuford had captured, the one who had tried to slip off into the night as soon as the fighting had started. For the first time, I could feel the King's anger and I thought at first he might very well put an end the vampire right then and there. Giving him a serious glare, Eric said coldly, "_You _also refused to submit to my authority... but beyond that, you are a coward. You deserted your nestmates in their time of need. There is no excuse for such cravenly behavior. I am going to allow you to live, but you may come to wish that I had not. You will be bound and left with your nestmates. _They_ will be left unbound... and they will heal eventually. I leave your fate to those you betrayed." Looking in Beuford's direction, he asked, "Any questions?"

His Sheriff grinned and said, "None at all. Leave it to me." I could tell that this whole event had cemented his loyalty to the Viking. He and Clyde picked up a couple of their prisoners and started toward the cars.

While Eric was handing down his punishments, Caroline had gone over to the two human boys that had been rescued from the barn. She knelt down beside them, and gently stroked the hair back away from their dirty, bruised faces. The look on her face was extraordinary. Instead of the hard-nosed vampiress I had come to know, she looked like the human mother she had once been. Something about how those boys had been treated seemed to have awakened a sadness within her, and I wondered why... but I was still too much of a gentleman to ask any questions of such a personal nature. About the time Eric had finished, a weak groan had come from the girl that had been knocked unconscious. Caroline looked up at Eric and said, "Leave the humans to me. I'll clean 'em up, heal them, glamour them, and make sure they get safely home. If I'm to do it before dawn, though, I'll need a little help. Do you think Pam could give me a hand? That van will come in handy."

Instantly, a burst of amusement came from the Viking. Without cracking a smile, he said smoothly, "Of course! Pam will be more than happy to help you heal the humans." He knew full well that Pam loathed most humans. Furthermore, she had the maternal instincts of a bulldozer and would much rather kill a human as heal one. This was his subtle way of punishing her for her recent bad behavior.

"Oh, no, I won't!" sputtered his child indignantly, "Clyde can help her. I'll go with Beuford to dump the prisoners."

Pinning her with his gaze, her Maker said evenly, "Oh, yes, Pamela, you _will. _After you are done, you can stay the day with Caroline and then drive back to Shreveport tomorrow night."

From the gleam in Eric's eye and the set of his jaw, any fool could plainly see that there was no use arguing with him... but that wasn't going to stop Pam. She was just opening her mouth to protest further, when I quickly suggested, "Eric, while the Sheriff gets the prisoners and humans loaded, I think Pam and I should check out the house. It is possible there may be someone hiding inside." I grabbed Pam by the arm and practically dragged her across the yard toward the screen door. I doubted there was anyone left inside, but I figured it was best to get Pam away from her Maker before she aggravated him any further.

Much like Sookie's house, the back porch led directly into an old kitchen which had seen better days. The old wooden cabinets were in serious need of a fresh coat of paint, and the linoleum floor was cracked and peeling in places. A veritable sea of empty bottles covered almost conceivable surface. The waste bin was overflowing with what appeared to be the remnants of human food... and by the smell, it was not particularly fresh. Apparently the nest had been entertaining human visitors even before this evening's event.

As she took in the scene, a pained expression came across Pam's delicate features. "Phew!" She exclaimed, "What a pigsty! How can anyone live this way?"

Spying a roll of paper towels, she grabbed them and made her way over to the sink. Quickly stripping off her ruined sweater and pants, she quickly cleaned as much of the blood from her skin as she could. Fortunately, the blood had not soaked through to her pink lace undergarments. I had been somewhat surprised to discover that my fellow Lieutenant was something of a neat freak... at least, she believed in having lots of human servants around to keep her home and her extensive wardrobe in perfect order. Somehow, I seriously doubted she had _ever_ done any of her own domestic chores. While I watched her cleaning up, I answered her question, "I have no idea why anyone would live like this, human _or_ vampire. The nest must not have been able to afford to hire any day help."

Once she was finished with her own washing up, she ran a paper towel under the tap and then walked over to me. To my complete amazement, she casually reached up and started to clean the blood from _my_ face. I was so astonished, I jerked my head back just slightly. Grabbing my jaw with her free hand, she held my face still and commanded, "Quit wiggling. This will only take a minute."

I complied, and as she scrubbed (none too gently, I might add) Pam mused, "If that Elder was as old as he claimed, how could he not have servants? I have never known an old vampire that was poor. Why would anyone that old choose such a rag-tag bunch of nestmates? I have never seen such a bunch of idiots! And why on earth did he choose such an out-of-the-way spot to live?"

Come to think about it, it_ was _a little strange for an old vampire to be living in such circumstances. Shrugging, I said, "Who knows? Maybe he irritated some _other _Monarch, and was waiting for the trouble to blow over. By the way, Pam, speaking of irritating a Monarch... why on earth are you so determined to provoke Eric?"

The look she gave me could have peeled the remaining paint off the kitchen cabinets. Abruptly stepping away from me, she tossed the now filthy paper towel neatly on top of the pile of trash. "Mind your own business, Bill," she said sharply and then stomped off down the hallway.

Females seemed to be forever saying those words to me. I just sighed and followed her. The first two rooms we inspected were sun-proofed and were in use as bedrooms, although they contained coffins instead of beds. This was a little unusual in these more enlightened times. It was an indicator that either the nest had not been in residence long enough to furnish the place, or that they had not planned on staying all that long. The next room was also a bedroom, but this one did contain a traditional bed. Judging from the crumpled sheets and clothes that were strewn about, it was definitely being used by someone... most probably the Elder. The rest of the furniture in the house was worn and outdated, and I was willing to bet most of it had come with the house... with the exception of the "game room" I had seen earlier. As in most vampire homes, the dining room was being used for other purposes. Amusingly, there was a Monopoly game box on one end of the old dining room table and next to that was a wooden spinner full of poker chips along with several decks of cards. In one corner of the room sat a small desk that held a computer. On the floor nearby were stacked a couple of file boxes. I would need to take those things with me, to see if we could locate and recover any of the nest's financial assets. Anything else of value would be confiscated and sold by Beuford, with a hefty percentage of the proceeds being sent to Eric.

After the first couple of rooms, it became clear to Pam that I was going to respect her wishes and say no more on the subject of her recent poor behavior. Somehow, I sensed that she really _did _want to discuss it, but was just not used to sharing things... most especially with me. Finally, though, she let out a frustrated sigh. "All right... I guess I _have_ been pushing Eric's buttons a bit," she admitted, "... but for some reason, I just cannot seem to help myself. Still, I can hardly believe my Master stooped to something so petty. Me, healing humans? As Sookie would say... Ick."

This was the first time since Sookie's return that Pam had referred to her Mistress without her voice dripping with disdain, so I took that as a positive sign. "Caroline seemed quite upset by what happened to those human boys," I offered, "Maybe she will do most of the healing."

"Do you think so?" Pam brightened considerably, "Maybe I can help punish her prisoner instead. I wouldn't mind _that_ at all."

"If I were you, I think I would refrain from mentioning that possibility to your Maker. If he thinks you are going to enjoy yourself, he might think of something even _more_ disagreeable for you to do."

"He used to give me spankings when I was disobedient," she said somewhat wistfully, "I guess those days are gone."

By this time, I had my hand on the doorknob to the room I had seen earlier, the one that contained all the bondage equipment. "Maybe all is not lost," I said teasingly, "Maybe you can lure Eric in here with some excuse or other, and then you can say something _else_ offensive. This room might just inspire him to _really _discipline you."

Flinging open the door, I grabbed her hand and pulled her inside, watching her face carefully to see if she would get my little joke. Instead of laughing, she merely lifted one elegant blond eyebrow and said dryly, "Huh. If so, it appears that I will have to wait my turn."

Whipping my head around, I was astonished to see that the room was now occupied by two completely nude human females. A young, well nourished blond was laying spread-eagled on the wooden table, tightly restrained with thick leather straps. Her eyes had been covered with a leather blindfold and in her mouth was a gag. Her only adornment was a tiny gold cross which dangled from a delicate gold chain around her neck. Blobs of black were splattered on her skin where someone had methodically dripped hot candle wax on strategic places. She had been viciously bitten in several tender areas, and she was also bleeding from several small cuts on her skin. The physical evidence of her tormentor's pleasure at the pain he had caused lay glistening in puddles around her body. Wounds and wax aside, she had beautiful glossy skin and hair and perfectly manicured feet and hands. I could tell that up until a few minutes ago, she had been well-cared for by someone... probably her parents... but now, she was white as a sheet and very still. Her wounds were still bleeding and she was still breathing, so at least I knew she was alive.

Not far away, the other girl was standing quietly with her arms suspended over her head. They were tied with thin leather straps to a metal bar about eighteen inches long, which was in turn suspended by chains from the large hook in the ceiling. Her head was covered with a leather half-mask, and she was prevented from speaking by the ball gag in her mouth. This girl was probably about 5'8" and quite thin. The mask prevented me from seeing the color of her hair and eyes; but from the light covering of hair on between her legs, I presumed her hair was probably a rich chocolate brown. For such a thin girl, her breasts were large and round. Both nipples were pierced, and also her belly button. A dark blue tattoo representing a single strand of barbed wire wrapped around her left ankle, and a dark red blood drop was tattooed on her neck just over the jugular. All of this lead me to believe that perhaps she had not been as carefully raised as the other girl, and also, this was probably not her first experience with vampires. Overall, she seemed to be in much better shape than the girl on the table. She had a few light bruises, a couple of bite marks that were mostly healed, and two that were fresh and dripping. The tell-tale punctures were on her left breast and on the inner part of her upper left thigh.

Finding these two females was completely unexpected and not really all that welcome. We vampires were fresh from a fight, and bloodlust was still running high. Here were two humans laid out like a smörgåsbord, and both of them were already already bleeding. Just the smell of their young sweet blood caused my dark desires to surge, but after a brief struggle with my conscious I managed to get myself back under control. This was definitely not the time to let loose, or I would be no better than the nest we had just vanquished. As casually as I could, I remarked to Pam, "Well, it looks like Caroline is going to have her hands full. Now you really _will_ have to help her."

There was no response. I glanced in my fellow Lieutenant's direction, and discovered that she was wearing a very unusual expression. Ignoring the blond female strapped to the table entirely. Pam seemed completely enthralled with the sight of the tall girl's restrained body and for a split second I thought she was going to launch herself in the girl's direction. However, she surprised me by merely walking slowly across the room and coming to a stop just in front of the captive. At first, I thought she was going to try and untie the girl, but instead she placed her palm on the girl's shoulder and ran it gently down her arm. At the moment of contact, the girl flinched slightly, but after that she stood very, very still. The ball gag prevented her from saying anything, but she never even let out a squeak or a groan. Blue eyes gleaming, Pam's next move was to run her hand from the base of the girl's throat down to her left breast. She cupped the heavy globe in her palm, almost as if she was weighing it. She eyed the blood from the bite marks hungrily. "Pam! What are you doing?" I said sharply, "She's had enough trauma for one evening, don't you think?"

My words seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she had been in. With a look of disdain, she responded, "Good God, Bill! Are you a vampire or a choir boy? We're going to glamour her soon anyway. Where's the harm? Besides, she's not exactly protesting, is she?"

"Well, the gag might have something to do with her lack of complaints," I pointed out rather sarcastically.

Pam let go of the breast and moved on to stroking the girls flank. Reluctantly giving her one last pat, she sighed and said, "It is just that her body reminds me of someone... someone of whom I was once extremely fond."

Nothing she could have said could have startled me more. I would have sworn an oath that my counterpart had never been "fond" of anyone but Robert and Eric in her entire existence, and suddenly I was burning to ask for details... but of course, she would probably never tell me. "Bill, I can't reach her hands to untie them," she said, "You do that, and I'll get the rest."

I nodded and did as I was told. As I began to work on the leather ties, I had no choice but to step in quite close behind her. There was really no other way to get her wrists loose. I could not help brushing up against her, and for a moment it seemed if she deliberately brushed her backside against me. Ah... God. I had to fight down the resulting erection, reminding myself firmly that this woman was definitely not my type. As I struggled with a knot, Pam unfastened the gag and gently eased it out of the girl's mouth. To my astonishment, she did not start screaming or crying or even talking. In fact, she clamped her lips tightly shut and said nothing. Quickly, Pam unsnapped and then removed the mask. As it came free, a cascade of silky brown hair tumbled out, falling nearly to the girl's waist. Pam gave out a gasp. For a long moment, the two females stood and stared at each other without saying a word. I was fairly certain the female had not been expecting to be rescued by two strange vampires, one of them wearing nothing but lacy underwear. Finally, it was the girl that spoke up first. "Who are you all?" she asked curiously. Her accent was the sweet honeyed cadence of Georgia, spoken in what is sometimes referred to as a "whiskey" voice... low, slightly gravelly and very sexy, "What happened to Marius?"

Ignoring her question, I finally managed to get one wrist loose, and then fortunately the other came free without much trouble. The female made no attempt to cover herself and did not beg for clothes, but instead merely shook out her hands a bit and rolled her shoulders. From her complete lack of hysteria, I got the distinct impression that she had not been the unwilling victim that we had first assumed her to be. Again, I ignored her question, but I did ask her one. "Who are _you_? What are you doing here?"

She snorted and replied, "My name is Amy, and up until just a few minutes ago, I was _trying_ to have a good time."

A slow, fangy smile broke across Pam's face as she repeated softly, "... having... a... good... time. You _like_ this sort of thing." She was eying the girl like she had just won the lottery. I knew that sometimes Pam was not opposed to a bit of bondage herself and this was probably her dream human. My fellow Lieutenant was going to be of little help in interrogating the female, since she was clearly too busy fantasizing about how to go about getting the girl back into the restraints.

Pointing at the unconscious female still strapped to the table, I said, "I take it you were here voluntarily. How about her?"

"Well... I think it was her first time and all... and maybe she _was_ a little wasted... but she did want to give this stuff a shot. She said regular sex with the local boys was getting too boring."

Looking at all the bite marks, I commented, "It looks to me like she probably got a little more than she bargained for. If this was consensual, why didn't she use her "safe word" before it got to this point?" Such games were supposed to be all about trust, and exploring one's limits. The Submissive was supposed to have a word that would let the Dominant partner know when they had reached their limit... and unless the girl was suicidal, she was clearly way past hers.

Amy scoffed, "Safe word? Get real. If the silly idiot was stupid enough to trust a vampire not to do a little biting, she deserves what she got. Besides, she's been teasing Marius and the boys something awful ever since we got here."

I caught the pronoun immediately, "You aren't local? Were you traveling with the nest?"

For the first time, she showed a bit of emotion. "What do you mean, _were_? What have you all done to Marius? Where are the boys? Who the hell _are _you people?"

To my amazement, Pam took the girl's hand and stroked it. She said, "Shhh. Settle down. We'll take care of you."

The girl jerked her hand away and responded, "Thanks, but Marius takes care of me. You had better be careful. I'm his, and he's _very_ possessive... and mean as a snake."

Without warning, Eric appeared in the doorway. I had been so involved with the current situation, I had not even heard him approach. He stepped inside and took one slow pan of the room. As his piercing blue eyes took in the scene, I could tell that although he was still subject to the same biological response as any other vampire, he was able to control it with much more ease that I had. His only outer reaction was the slight dilation of his eyes. As for the girl, the minute she got a good look at him, she had exactly the same reaction to _him_ as any other female would. She sharply sucked in a deep breath and a few seconds later the scent of her arousal filled the air. Instantly, Pam took one step closer to her, and I took one step farther away. Neither move escaped Eric's eagle eye, and I felt a surge of amusement coming from him. "I thought I would come see what was taking you two so long," he said. "So... who have we here?"

"Eric, this is Amy," Pam answered, "So far all we have learned is that she had been living with the nest. The other girl is a local. Amy, this is Eric Northman... and my name is Pam."

"Eric Northman!" Amy exclaimed, "Oh! I know who _you_ are. I heard Marius talking about you ... but from what he said, you aren't at all what I expected."

The Viking's eyes gleamed a bit as he asked her, "Oh? And might I inquire as to what you heard?"

She started to say, "Well, that you're the K.." but stopped herself in mid-sentence. Suddenly wary, she realized that maybe claiming too much knowledge about vampire affairs might not be a good thing. "Uh... I just heard him say that you were a little arrogant, that's all."

"Did he also mention how much I dislike being lied to?" Eric asked coldly, pining her warm brown eyes with his chilly blue ones, "Shall we try again?"

Instinctively, she knew Eric was very, very dangerous and not to be trifled with. Swallowing hard, Amy whispered, "You're the vampire King of Louisiana and Arkansas. Marius said that you were a puss... uh... kind of a wimp, and could care less about what happens in Arkansas." She paused, working through things in her mind. "Since you're here now, I guess Marius was wrong about you. Where is he? Have you arrested him or something? These two won't answer any of my questions."

Never one to sugar-coat things, Eric said flatly, "If this Marius was the Elder of the nest, then he is finally dead."

At his words, the girl closed her eyes. Pam hovered, obviously ready to catch her if she fainted. However, after just a moment, Amy seemed to pull herself together. Her eyes popped open and to my surprise they were completely dry. It seemed that she had no tears at all for her fallen vampire, which as far as I was concerned was proof that she had not loved him at all."Okay," she asked evenly, "What about the boys? Did you kill them all, too?"

"No," said the Viking, "They are somewhat indisposed, but they are still among the undead. They will be ejected from the territory shortly."

Amy thought that over for a minute before asking rather boldly, "So... what about me?"

Eric looked at her for a long moment, considering. Finally, he said smoothly, "Tell me something about yourself, Amy. How old are you? Where is your family?"

"I'm twenty-two, and I've been on my own since I was sixteen," she told him with a hint of defiance in her voice, "As far as I'm concerned I have no family. Well... shit. I guess now that Marius is finally dead, I have nowhere else to go."

Suddenly, it dawned on her that maybe she might be considered a loose end, and that maybe telling Eric that no one would even notice if she turned up missing was not too smart. She was a survivor, though. As quick as a wink, she came up with a new life plan. Arching her back ever so slightly, she made certain her bare breasts were showing to their best advantage. She ran the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip, moistening it. In a sultry tone, she said, "What about you, Eric? Marius taught me all about how to please a vampire. He told me that I was the best he's ever had, sex-wise, and beyond that, he always said my blood was really unique. I could make you a damned fine companion, and you can believe it."

Even though she was actually a very attractive young woman, Eric eyed her like she was three-day-old fishbait. "Frankly, even from here I can smell that your blood is rather pedestrian," he told the girl rather rudely, "In any event, I already have a magnificent Queen who pleases me in every way. In fact, it is high time I get back to her. Pam, I am going to have Bill drive me back to Shreveport. You can take care of Amy after we leave."

By that, I knew he meant that he expected Pam to _really_ "take care" of her... permanently. It would never do to leave a witness to tonight's events running around loose. Furthermore, we had no idea exactly what she had overheard while living with the nest, and it would be too difficult to glamour all of her knowledge about vampires out of her head. A frown crossed Pam's face. I could tell that she wanted to keep the human, if only for long enough to have a chance to get to know her... at least in the biblical sense. Even after our talk about irritating her Maker. I could tell by Pam's eyes that she was going to try and get the girl a small reprieve. She said, "Eric... Caroline and I are going to have our hands full to get the other humans returned to their homes before dawn. I am certain Caroline will be glad to offer Amy shelter until other arrangements can be made. I will be responsible for her until then."

Unquestionably smarter than all of the vampires of her former nest put together, Amy accurately assessed that Pam now represented her best chance of survival. From the moment he had entered the room, she had focused her attention entirely on Eric; but now she turned to Pam and gave her a sultry smile. Laying a hand on the blond vampiress' arm, Amy looked deeply into her eyes and said, "Thanks, Pam. I would _love_ to stay with you."

Unbelievably, Pam returned the smile, fangs still fully down. Eric narrowed his eyes and regarded the pair of them, a tiny frown appearing between those blond Viking brows. His child must have sensed that he was not inclined to agree to her request, so she threw in something to appeal to his practical nature, "Caroline and I could use the help. I imagine Amy might know who some of these humans are and maybe even where they live."

Knowing that if she could prove herself useful, her odds of being allowed to stay with Pam might improve dramatically, Amy said eagerly, "Yes, I _can_ help! I happen to know where this girl lives... at least, I don't know the address, but I can get you there. I don't know who _else_ you have out there, but chances are I can help you figure it out pretty quick."

After another brief moment of consideration, the Viking finally said, "Very well. Pam, I am holding you responsible for her behavior."

Now that she had gotten her way, Pam was the perfect picture of an obedient child. Bowing deeply from the waist, she said something to him in his old language. I could not understand exactly what she said, but it sounded like she was thanking him. Now that the issue of Amy was resolved, the Viking turned his attention to the other human in the room. He strode over to the table and peered down into the girl's face. He reached out and smeared one drop of her blood onto a fingertip and then plopped it into his mouth. "This one is very young and well-cared for," he said, "Someone will be out searching for her soon, if they aren't already. She definitely needs to be healed and returned to her family before dawn. Bill, help me release her. We can carry her out as we go."

Reaching down, his long fingers deftly unfastened the blond female's wrist restraints as I went to work on the ones on her ankles. In no time at all, she was free. I was thoroughly expecting to be the one to carry her, but the Viking easily swooped her up and tossed her over one of his massive shoulders. The sudden movement seemed to have snapped her out of her stupor, because suddenly she began to wiggle. He shifted her into a more secure position and started to carry her outside. Eric was so tall, he had to stoop to get the girl's wriggling body through the doorway. As I glanced up to see if Eric was going to get her under the jamb in one piece, I caught the blink of a red light out of the corner of my eye. Turning my head just slightly, I saw what at first glance appeared to be a smoke detector embedded in the ceiling... but then, it blinked again. As I took a closer look, I realized immediately that it was not a smoke detector at all. It was actually a cleverly disguised camera lens, similar to the ones we used in the security system at Fangtasia. My first thought was that perhaps Marius liked to record his bondage sessions... but that camera was very inconspicuous indeed. Why would he go to so much elaborate lengths to conceal it?

Suddenly uneasy, I grabbed what I assumed to be the girl's clothes from where they had been tossed next to the table and then followed the Viking out into the hall. As I went out the door, I heard Pam practically cooing, "Amy, dear, why don't I seal those bite marks for you? You know, they will heal _so_ much faster if I do."

If I had not been so distracted, I might have laughed out loud. Evidently Pam was going to "take care" of Amy in her own way. The first thing I did when I entered the hallway was to look up. There was no camera anywhere to be seen, and I let out a sigh of relief. Just to be certain that I was merely being paranoid, I poked my head into the front living room... and a chill passed through me. Another camera just like the one in the bedroom was installed on the far end of the ceiling. As I made my way back through the house, I located three more. I hurried after the Viking to inform him of my discovery.

Eric had already taken his squirming cargo outside, and as I opened the back door I was just in time to see him dump her rather unceremoniously on the ground. Immediately, the traumatized young girl tried to scramble away, but in a flash the vampire grabbed her by the wrist and held on firmly as she strained against his grasp. She started to wail mindlessly, and the sound was loud and highly unpleasant. "Enough!" Eric commanded, giving her a slight shake. Even the authority in his voice was not enough to break through her hysteria. Her cries increased in volume, finally becoming an ear-shattering shriek. Eric swung her around until she was facing him, gripping her in a way that she had little choice but to remain still. Staring directly into her eyes, he said gently, "Easy now. I promise, I am not going to hurt you. I want you to relax..."

I stood by silently while he glamoured her into submission and then helped to load her into Pam's van along with the other injured humans. As they worked, I took another survey of the exterior of the house. Now that I knew what to look for, it did not take me long to find several exterior cameras. I made my way back to the front yard, and pulled the Viking aside. "Eric, there are surveillance cameras everywhere," I told him quietly, "In the house, the yard... everywhere. They are very well concealed, which is why I didn't see them the first time around. It looks to be very sophisticated equipment, too. Why on earth would a nest such as this one have need of such capabilities? There is nothing worth stealing that I can see."

The King's big body went utterly still as he absorbed this unexpected news. He thought for a moment and then said just as quietly, "Perhaps there was more to this nest than meets the eye. Maybe the girl Amy knows something. In any event, there is probably a recording device somewhere in the house, and we need to recover the tapes if possible."

We headed back inside. We found Pam standing in the doorway of the bedroom that had the bed in it. Amy was inside getting dressed, Pam's glowing eyes following every move she made. Eric pushed past his child and stepped into the room. Pointing up at the camera, he demanded, "Amy, tell me what you know about these."

The girl glanced up to see what he was pointing at, and then she looked back at Eric. As if speaking to a backward child, she said, "They are called 'smoke detectors.' They make a loud noise in case of a fire. Surely you have seen one before."

Watching her carefully, he said, "I see. Did your vampires have them installed, or were they here when you arrived?"

"The night we got here, two guys in a van showed up and installed them," she replied, "I asked Marius about it, and he said the owner of the house was paying for it."

Eric asked, "So your vampire did not own this place?"

"No, he told me he was just borrowing it from a friend, but he never did say who it was. Seth might know. He and Marius were pretty tight."

"Which one is Seth?" I asked.

She answered readily, "He's tall and thin with brown-hair."

After a brief discussion, Eric and I decided that we would search the house first, and then question the vampire. We looked quite thoroughly, but we had no luck finding a monitoring station or a recording device of any kind. I took a quick look at the computer, but could not find any evidence that it was connected to the surveillance equipment. Still, I unplugged everything and loaded it into the back seat of my car, along with the two file boxes of papers. The next logical step was to follow the wires from the cameras and see where they led, so I found the access to the attic and crawled inside. Sure enough, this resulted in the discovery of a central hub at one end of the attic, which in turn was wired into a satellite dish which was mounted onto the roof. I went outside and flew up onto the roof to inspect it. The dish was the type used for high-speed Internet. I knew it well, because it was the exact same system I had set up at my own home in Bon Temps. That was not good news. It meant that the feed was probably being uploaded to some unknown location and was unrecoverable. If someone was monitoring the feed from some remote location, they would have seen all of tonight's events, including our discovery of their cameras. At that point there was nothing to be done but disconnect the feed, and so I did.

I levitated off the roof and settled near Eric, who had been watching from the ground. His arms were folded across his broad chest, and I could tell that he was deep in thought. Without a word, he turned and strode toward our vehicles. The Sheriff had tossed his prisoners into the back of his massive, completely over-the-top black pick-up truck, and Clyde was busy covering them with a tarp. Eric ordered, "Wait. I wish to question the brown-haired vampire."

Obediently tossing back the cover, Clyde said, "I don't know if you can, Sir. Pam cut him up pretty good. He lost so much blood that I doubt he'll be worth talking to until he's had some time to heal. Even then, until he feeds he won't be too rational... you know how it is."

Eric glared down at the broken and bleeding bodies which were lying tangled together in a bloody heap. "I have no intention of wasting any more time here tonight," he said, "I will take him with me back to Shreveport." Without further ado, he reached over the sides of the truck and deftly plucked the vampire in question from the pile. Eric held the vampire's body out in front of him as if he was taking out a leaking bag of trash and said, "Open the trunk, Bill. There is no point getting blood on your upholstery."

I complied. To be honest, it wasn't such a bad place to be. After my little incident in Memphis, I had realized that with a few modifications, the trunk of a car could make an admirable resting place in case of emergency. Since that time, I had made the trunk completely light-tight, added some extra padding for comfort, and also added a mechanism that would allow me to lock or unlock the trunk from the inside. All-in-all, not a bad way to spend the day in a pinch... except that I could never actually bring myself to try it out. Too many bad memories went with it. Shoving that thought aside, I leaned in and removed my overnight bag and a few other personal items to make room for the prisoner. I also made sure that the locking/unlocking mechanism was disabled, and then moved to one side so that Eric could stuff his cargo inside. He had to bend the body a bit to get it to fit, but as his legs were already broken it was not too much of a problem. About that time, Pam came trotting out of the house with Amy trailing closely behind her. The young woman was now clothed in a pair of old blue jeans and a tank top. Pam must have borrowed some of her clothes, because she was now uncharacteristically clad in an old t-shirt and a pair of cut-offs. The girl had a rather ratty duffle bag slung over one shoulder, so it looked as if the vampiress had allowed her to pack up a few of her things. Pam came straight to Eric and said, "You called?"

I had not realized her Maker had called his child to him, but apparently he had. He answered, "Yes. I may want to question this girl further. I will take her with me. Put her in the trunk."

Immediately, three voices cried in horror, "What? No!" I was shocked to realize that mine had been the loudest. Ignoring Pam and Amy, Eric looked to me quizzically. Since I had no fondness for this particular human, I could hardly understand my own violent reaction... until I realized that somehow the mere thought of shoving that poor helpless girl in the trunk with a severely injured vampire had brought back all the memories I worked so hard to forget. At that moment, I seemed helpless to slow the vivid stream of images of my extreme torture as they flashed through my head... but with an act of sheer will-power, I managed to stop them before they reached the devastating episode in the trunk with Sookie. There was no doubt about it, I had suddenly lost my cool. It was all I could do to keep from shaking like a leaf. Nervously clearing my throat, I stammered, "Eric... I just... we can't... it is just too dangerous."

He was staring at me like I had lost my mind, when Pam spoke up and said coolly, "Master, I think what Bill is trying to say is that Sookie would be extremely upset about this if she ever found out. Why run the risk? I still need this female's help tonight, and I promise, I will have her back in Shreveport tomorrow night. Your Telepath can question her then."

I hadn't known that Pam was even aware of that awful incident... but I should have guessed that Eric would have been more than happy to share the story with her. Still, her words seemed to register with him, and he responded with a gruff, "Very well, Pamela... but you had better make certain that she does not go missing while you are at rest."

Pulling a pair of handcuffs from a pocket of her cut-offs, his child gave him a wink and said, "Dear Master, I believe it was you who taught me to always be prepared."

Picking up on her cue, Amy said quickly, "I swear, I am perfectly willing to tell you whatever you want to know. If Pam needs to lock me up during the day, I understand. I've been around vampires enough to know you all have trust issues. Eric, I just want you all to know I'm not going to be any trouble at all."

Eric gave her one last glare. "That would certainly be in your best interest," he said coldly, "And by the way, you have not earned the right to call me by my given name. You will refer to me as Sir, or Your Majesty."

"Um... yes, your Majesty."

After that, Eric gave a few more instructions to Beuford and Clyde, and then said his goodbyes to Caroline. Her bent down far enough that she could give him a hug and a kiss, and even though as King he really did not need to do it, he very charmingly thanked her for all her help. Following his lead, I did the same... except that when she kissed me, she clamped both hands on my rear and gave it a firm squeeze. Startled, I jumped a bit and she hooted with laughter. She said, "Bill Compton, what you need is about a week up here with old Caroline. Some good old-fashioned sex will help to settle those nerves of yours. Give me a call, anytime!"

Chuckling, she let go of me and allowed me get in the car unmolested. She stood on the side of the drive and waved cheerfully as I put the car in gear. As we pulled onto the road, Eric gave a huge sigh of relief and said, "Bill, I must confess I am glad to be leaving. Let us see how quickly you can get us back to Shreveport.

He did not have to say another word. I pushed the accelerator to the floor, and we sped towards home as fast as the car would carry us.

Not long after we had hit the highway, Eric pulled out a the case of CD's that I always kept in my car. He rapidly flipped through the selections, looking for something to listen to on the long drive home. Knowing that he would not find any rock and roll or heavy metal, I was expecting some snide comments about my musical tastes. Instead, he soon pulled out a disc and slipped it into the player. Soon one of my favorite performances of Bach's _Toccata and Fugue in D Minor _poured from the speakers. Eric grinned and said, "Appropriate, don't you think?"

"I had no idea that you liked classical music," I said in surprise.

"Actually, I like music of all kinds," he replied easily, "Organ music is so... majestic, is it not? I am fond of Bach in particular. I was in Germany during part of his lifetime, and made it a point to go hear him play on a couple of occasions. When he performed, it truly sent chills down my spine. Trust me, the modern recordings just do not do his music justice."

I glanced over at the Viking, and saw that he had a smile on his face, remembering. Once again, I was awestruck by all the incredible things he must have seen and done in his thousand years on the planet. For a long time, we rode in silence, just listening to the music together. Eventually, he turned the sound down several notches and asked, "So, Bill... what do you make of the security cameras?"

"I honestly don't know what to think," I replied, "What about you?"

He said thoughtfully, "In the old days, certain Indian tribes would sometimes send out an advance group to provoke a fight with their enemies. These were not the tribe's best fighters, but ones that were considered somewhat expendable. The leaders of the tribe would carefully observe the result from a distance. In this way, the leaders learned a great deal about their opponents... things such as how quickly they responded to the threat and in what fashion, how fierce the other fighters were and the techniques they were likely to employ, and so on... I think what we have just seen might very well be a modern-day version of that very tactic. Someone put that nest up to bait me, and then sat back to watch my response. I think someone wants to see if I am paying attention to Arkansas. If I were planning a take-over and knew that no one was likely to notice, I might very well find a place very much like Magnolia to set up a base of operations."

Amazingly enough, he sounded and felt completely calm. I said, "For someone who just discovered he is being targeted for a take-over, you don't seem all that surprised... or worried."

He gave me the full Viking grin, "Of course not! I am a brand-new King... still very much an unknown quantity. It is inevitable that someone will be stupid enough to test me. Robert and I have a bet going to see how long it would be before it happened. _I_ was betting it would come before the Coronation... _he_ was counting on afterward. I think I just won... although since this is mere speculation at this point, he will probably try to wriggle out of paying up."

"So what do you intend to do?"

"Being forewarned is a huge advantage. Being able to discover who is behind this would be even better, so we should concentrate our efforts in that direction. Since I have been anticipating something of the sort, I have already decided to..."

We spent the next several minutes discussing his defense plans. Finally, he said, "Tomorrow evening, I want the prisoner given enough blood to be lucid. I want you and Pam to conduct the interrogation. Somehow, I doubt he knows much, but you can give it a try anyway. Try talking to the girl, too. She might know more than she thinks she does."

"Won't you be there?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "No. I think you are perfectly capable of this task. As I already told you, I am determined to spend some time alone with Sookie and I refuse to put it off any longer. Unless you find out that this take-over is being planned for tomorrow night, I do not want to be disturbed... am I clear?"

"Perfectly," I assured him, "I will tell Pam."

A spike of irritation shot through the Viking and he said, "Yes, you do that. Perhaps she will not argue with _you_. It is just as well that I will not be around her tomorrow evening. She seems to be determined to push me to my limits."

"Perhaps if all goes well with the little human girl, she will be in a better humor."

"Ah, yes... it is obvious that Pam is completely infatuated," her Maker observed, "I only hope Pam does not become too attached, in the event that we still have to kill the girl."

"Do you think she will try and keep her?" I asked curiously, "I have never known Pam to have a companion for more than a couple of days."

Eric shrugged his shoulders and admitted, "I have no idea... this would be a first. If Pam _does_ keep her, we need to have more background on her. She will not be allowed to bring her to Valhalla until we know everything there is to know about her, starting with how she ended up with that other nest." He stopped abruptly, thought for a moment, and then segued into, "Speaking of nests, that was really a strange group, was it not?"

I said, "Yes, very. I have never seen such an unattractive, stupid bunch of vampires. I thought your punishment was very even-handed, by the way."

The Viking chuckled. "I think I have been harsh enough in the last few weeks, don't you think? Just between us, Bill... I did it to honor Sookie. She gave _me_ a second chance, and in turn, I gave _them_ one. Not very vampire-like, I know. I hope I do not come to regret it."

With his words, my mood lifted. If someone as old and ruthless as the Viking could learn to have mercy, perhaps there was hope for all of us vampires. "I only hope that they learn from their mistakes," I remarked, "For example, they should stay as far away from nests as possible. Inevitably, they lead to trouble."

I could feel the Viking's gaze settle on me. He said quietly, "I hear the disdain in your voice. Is it your opinion that _all_ nests are bad?"

"That has been my experience. When vampires live together, they bring out the worst in each other."

Curiously Eric asked, "If that was your opinion, why did you join one?"

It was a very personal question, but he was my King and I was obliged to answer... but somehow, I was having a hard time getting the words out. Surprisingly, Eric was the one who spoke first. In a quiet tone, he answered his own question. "You were lonely." It was said matter-of-factly, as if it were just a given... and he said it as if he knew exactly what it was like.

His words gave me the courage to open my mouth and speak. "Yes... I suppose I was, " I said in a low voice, "I craved companionship. I wanted very much to learn to care about someone other than myself... to have a connection. But... living in a nest always seemed to bring out my dark side."

"I have seen that effect myself," he said, "However, I do not think it is inevitable at all. I think it all depends on the Elder. The one we just saw was the worst possible example of a nest leader... but I believe that it can just as easily go the other way. What if the Elder himself was attempting to be... less dark? More progressive?"

I replied, "That would be the best case scenario, of course."

It seemed as if the Viking wanted to say something else, but instead he let the topic drop. He said, "I see that we are nearly home. I need to make some arrangements for tomorrow evening." Falling silent, he spent the next few minutes texting pages full of instructions to someone, whom I presumed to be Bobby. While he was busy, I thought about our last conversation. Oddly enough, this very topic had been on my mind a great deal lately... not really so much about nest living, per se, but the long-term effects of merely being around other vampires on a daily basis... and more specifically, Eric himself.

Since meeting Sookie I had sincerely tried to regain my humanity and on most days I felt that I had made great progress in my quest. When I accepted the position as Eric's Lieutenant, I knew quite well that I would be completely immersing myself back into the Supernatural world and my greatest fear was that I would lose all the ground I had gained. After all, Eric _was_ the quintessential vampire... old, cold, utterly ruthless. However, I truly believed that it was my Fate to be with Eric and Sookie. I convinced myself that as long as I was constantly vigilant, I was now old enough and strong enough not to be influenced negatively by any vampire, even the Viking.

Since then, of course, my attitude towards my King had undergone a radical change. It had been Sookie's absence that been partially responsible for me seeing some truths about Eric. During the depths of his Bonding Sickness, I had seen first hand the darkness that lived within him, but somehow it only served to illuminate the severe contrast with his normal behavior. The Viking was certainly old enough and powerful enough to easily leave a wide path of death and destruction in his wake, but under normal circumstances, he did not. He was by nature a builder, not a destroyer. Even though technically he had no "humanity" left and in fact was not particularly fond of humans at all, he was still capable of showing the very best qualities of humanity: honor, loyalty, love, and faithfulness. Not perfect by any means, he was clearly still striving to improve himself. In short, although Eric could quite easily be the worst of the vampires, instead he might very well be the best of us.

To be perfectly honest with myself, I had to acknowledge that I _was_ starting to succumb to the Viking's influence, just not in the ways I had expected. For one example, this very evening, his excitement and enthusiasm had infused me and for the first time in years, I had allowed myself the luxury of having a good fight without feeling guilty. For another, my sexual appetites seemed to have increased exponentially in the last few months. To keep myself from exploding, I somewhat reluctantly found myself taking a page from the Eric Northman Book of Romance (the pre-Bonded addition, of course). Until then, I had convinced myself that unless I was in a relationship of some kind, having sex with a woman was wrong. Lately, I had begun to take the one-night-stands that were offered to me and found myself enjoying them... but as long as I gave my partners pleasure and treated them well, was there really any harm in it? My partners wanted sex with a vampire with no strings attached, I wanted blood and sex with no obligations... we both got exactly what we wanted out of the deal. Wasn't that sort of casual sex vastly better than empty, loveless relationships like the one with I had Selah? It was certainly more honest, and I seemed to feel much better about myself afterward.

Now I realized that for years I had been judging myself only by human standards and doing my best to turn my back on vampire nature entirely. It was both stupid and impossible, and the inner turmoil that was the result had been slowly sending me into a tailspin of serious depression. Since the strange tie with Eric had been created, I was literally forced into feeling those strong vampire emotions again... but this time around, my reaction to those feelings were completely different. I no longer thought of them as something bad, something to be avoided at all costs. By example, Eric had shown me that it was possible to be both vampire _and _a good man... and as a result, I was _finally _learning to embrace my vampire nature. The truth of the matter was that the more I was around Eric, the more comfortable I felt in my own skin. For the very first time since that fateful night when Lorena had captured me and turned me, the all-pervasive sense of self-loathing had finally disappeared. At long last, I learning to be content to be who and what I was. For that, I would be eternally grateful to my King.

As a matter of fact, it seemed that right at that very moment I found that I really _was_ feeling happy... and getting happier every second. Oh! Of course! The closer Eric got to his Bonded, the more ecstatic he was getting, and it was flowing right into me. Under his breath, he whispered, "Ah... please let her be awake..." but I didn't think he even realized that he was speaking out loud. Soon, we were close enough so that I could also feel Sookie, and somehow it seemed to increase the general sense of well-being and excitement. We came to the place in the road where I had to make a decision to either turn off and go to Fangtasia to drop off our prisoner, or to go straight to the house. Although I felt certain I already knew the answer, I asked the Viking what he wanted to do. He asked, "Your trunk is light-tight, is it not?"

I nodded. Eric said firmly, "Then take me home."

In a matter of minutes, we had pulled up to the gates. The vampire guards had already left, and the morning shift of Weres had taken over. As I waited for the gates to open, I realized that I could not afford to spend much time here if I was going to get back to the hotel downtown before dawn. I could hardly see myself squeezing into my trunk alongside our captive. I figured that now Sookie was home, Eric would not be inclined to issue any more overnight invitations. That thought made me sad, somehow. I guess I really had gotten used to having other vampires around me. How odd.

We pulled past the house and jumped out. Eric asked, "Do you have any blood in the car?"

"Yes. I have a couple of those new travel packs." Using NASA technology, a vampire had recently developed a new way of preserving blood so that it required no refrigeration. The liquid was vacuum sealed into a foil packet. An attached straw was poked into a hole to access the product. It was perfect for long trips, if one did not mind drinking room temperature blood.

Eric said, "Excellent. In the interests of keeping our guest from expiring during the daylight hours, let us give him one,"

I dug one out of my travel bag, popped the trunk, and sure enough, our guest looked like death warmed over... pun intended. I drew on the little straw to get the flow started, reached into the trunk, and stuck the straw in the vampire's mouth. The minute the tiny bit of blood on the end of the straw touched his tongue, his reflexes kicked in and he began to suck. Since his hands were bound, I wedged the bag into place so that it would not move out of reach. Eric said softly, "Modern technology is an amazing thing, Bill, truly amazing."

Just then, I heard the door to the house fly open. Sookie came running outside, and she looked nothing short of spectacular. She was clad in a sweet little nightie and matching robe, and her long golden hair tumbled loose over her shoulders. A faint blush of excitement lay across her cheeks and as she got closer, her lovely Fairy smell filled my senses. As she ran towards us, it occurred to me perhaps it might be best if I shut the trunk before she got any closer, so I did. She flung herself at the Viking, wrapping arms and her legs around him like a small child does its mother. She kissed him all over his face, only stopping long enough to say hello to me. Her enthusiasm was utterly charming, and I found myself smiling right along with the two of them. They looked so beautiful together, so... right. Their happiness at being reunited was like a warm blanket, warming all three of us.

Eric teased her a bit about being awake, but Sookie claimed that she had couldn't sleep until he got home. She wanted to hear all about our adventures and invited me to come inside. I would have loved to do just that, but I knew I was soon going to be out of time. Barely managing to keep the disappointment out of my voice, I reminded them both that I needed to get going.

Once more, Eric shocked me by asking me to stay. Knowing I should, I voiced an objection, but he made it quite clear there would be no arguing. I very carefully probed Sookie's emotions to see if she had any objections, but it seemed that she did not. Hurriedly grabbing my overnight bag, I followed the two of them inside the house and very carefully locked the door behind us. The love and lust was now coming off of my hosts in waves, and it was no surprise when the Viking carried his beloved wife straight down the hall to the door to their chamber without as much as a backwards glance. After telling me that I could have my pick of the guest rooms, he soon vanished through the door with his bride in his arms. The lovely sound of Sookie's laughter rang out as they went down the stairs. Chuckling to myself, I made sure their chamber door was shut and the locks set and then headed straight to the shower in the guest bath. I figured it was the best place to be, given the circumstances.

Not too long afterward, I was ready for the sun to take me. After my _very_ enjoyable shower, I had gone to the kitchen, heated myself some blood and carried it back to bed. As I waited for sunrise, I took the last couple of sips and then set the empty bottle down on my nightstand. Although the house was the perfect temperature, I snuggled under the soft down blanket on the bed. Ever since I walked through the front door, I had the oddest feeling... it took me a long time to realize what it was. I was content. My last waking thought before the sun sent me to my rest was _How strange. For once, I am completely happy._


	38. Chapter 38

_Author's notes*** I know it has been a long time since I published, but I have just finished up my first ever two-week long vacation. Most of that time, I was on a sailboat in the BVI's, which turns out to be a less than optimal place to write. Waaay too many distractions! My friend Annette and I did manage to do a visual search for "Shaun the Shifter/Dolphin Boy," and I am happy to report that we found the perfect candidate. YUM!_

_***Before I forget, I would like to thank all of you who have recently added me to your Favorite Author list... I consider it quite an honor! _

_*** To make up for my bad self, this chapter is pretty long. If you are an action/intrigue reader, I'm telling you now... this chapter and the next are mainly romance, fluff, and lemony goodness. In fact, I will warn you ...unless your place of business has a cold shower available, DO NOT read Eric's POV at work! **wink** _

**Chapter 38**

**Sookie's POV: "Sookie's Safehouse," Shreveport, LA.**

I cracked open one eye and peered blearily at the clock on the nightstand. Ah... crap. It was already one o'clock in the afternoon. My guilty conscience spoke up and tried its best to convince me that I should get up and get busy, even though what I really wanted to do was go right back to sleep. As I lay there battling that pesky little voice in my head, the Viking had one of his little periods of wakefulness. He had been sleeping on his back, but now he rolled over and spooned up behind me. Draping one big arm over me, he nuzzled his face into the nape of my neck, inhaled deeply, and let out a satisfied sigh before drifting back to sleep. Mmm. His long, cool body felt so good next to mine that I really, really, _really _did not want to move. Suddenly, Robert's words from the night before filtered through my foggy brain. He had told me that making a life with my vampire was going to require a certain flexibility, and there was no shame in letting go of some of the old routines that no longer suited me. Based on the Knight's excellent advice, I told my guilty conscience to shut the heck up. I wanted to rest with my vampire a little longer, and by golly, that was exactly what I was going to do.

The next time I opened my eyes, it was 2:30. By then I _had _to get up, not because of a guilty conscience but because of the call of nature. I wriggled my way out of bed and headed for the bathroom, but the minute I was done I crawled right back into bed and pulled the covers back over me and the Viking. For a long time I lay there in a half-dream state, going over all of the major events of the prior day. Jason's unexpected apology... Amelia's pregnancy test ... having sex with Eric in the hallway, not ten feet from a roomful of vampires (I blushed a little at that one)... my wonderful dinner with Robert... but best of all, the completely off-the-chain sex with my vampire just before dawn.

Closing my eyes, I relived every glorious, breathtaking minute of it. The very best part, though, had been afterward. Eric had settled me into the crook of his arm, letting me catch my breath. His long fingers had lightly sketched little patterns across my heaving breasts, feeling the vibrations from my wildly beating heart. His deep voice had rumbled low in his chest as he said, "Every warrior dreams of coming home to a woman like you at the end of a successful battle, Sookie. You are my perfect mate."

Aw. Was my husband the total package, or what? Not only was he the biggest, baddest thing on two legs, he was gorgeous, made love like a house on fire, and he could sweet talk the ladies like nobody's business. I was the luckiest girl on the planet, and I knew it. It seemed as if Eric was not done, though. In a low voice, he said, "Beloved, I regret that there have been so many interruptions since your return. I wanted things to be so different... so perfect. I..."

Laying my fingers gently across his lips, I had stopped him. "Shhh. Honey, please. You are King, and you have huge responsibilities. I understand."

He kissed my hair and then said, "Nevertheless, tomorrow night I want us to do something special... something fun. I want to spend the entire evening alone, just the two of us. Will you come on a date with me?"

A date with the Viking? Boy, that had sounded just wonderful! "I would love to," I replied, "What are we going to do?"

"Ah, my little lover... if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." he said with a smile in his voice. I should have known he wouldn't tell me his plans. That vampire dearly loved surprises... but that was okay. I loved his surprises, too.

After that, there had only been enough time left for Eric to murmur "I love you," in his old language before the sun took him. I had nestled into his big body as closely as I could get and within seconds I was asleep, too. I don't think I had been more than a quarter of an inch away from him the entire time since then. Now that I was awake (at least, sort of), I still had that strange urge to lie with him, to be with him even in his rest. I knew quite well that it was the Bond at work, and for once I was going to relax and go with the flow. Instead of getting up and bustling around, I just lay on my side in the dark, comfortable cocoon of our chamber and enjoyed watching my vampire as he slept. I stroked his smooth firm skin and wondered what if anything was going on in that beautiful golden head of his. Did vampires dream? Technically speaking, they were supposedly really dead during the day... and yet, I knew he was in there somewhere, because I could "talk" to him sometimes. It seemed pretty strange to me that I didn't know the answer to that question. In some ways, I knew Eric better than anyone ever had, but in other ways he was still the same mysterious figure he had always been. Now that I was home and things were starting to settle down, I realized that I really wanted to get to know him better.

Pushing a strand of my Viking's hair out of his face, I saw that there were still a few smudges of dirt here and there. Of course, he had chosen to use the time before dawn to ravish me instead of taking a shower. Bloodlust was obviously a powerful motivator, because as much as Eric loved having sex, he was also almost obsessively clean. From out of nowhere, the crazy notion drifted through my head that my vampire would somehow rest better if he was wasn't dirty. Without even giving it much thought, I slid out of bed and padded into the bathroom again. I rummaged around until I found a small plastic basin. After filling it with hot water, I grabbed a washcloth, a bar of soap, and a couple of towels. Carrying the whole shebang back into the bedroom, I set it all down on the nightstand. I turned on the lamp so that I could see what I was doing and then proceeded to give my sleeping vampire a little sponge bath. The first thing I washed was his face, and then I worked my way down his long, muscular body. Luckily he was lying on his side, because I knew from past experience he was so heavy I could not move him easily while he was resting. I lovingly cleaned each bit of him that I could reach... and I'll admit that I even washed some of the more interesting parts more than once. As I worked, I carefully dried each section before moving on to the next, finishing with a small kiss to his now clean skin. I spent a lot of time on his hands, making sure that every tiny smidgen of dirt and blood was removed. I had to go back to the sink to get fresh water a couple of times, but finally I was satisfied that my vampire was clean enough. After putting away the towels and things, I got out a brush and smoothed his hair.

By the time I was finished, my stomach was growling loudly. Keeping in mind my vow to take better care of myself, I decided I had better go in search of something to eat. I switched off the lamp, leaving the room dark except for the tiny night light that burned all the time. The house was completely light-tight during the day, so I could have paraded around naked with no fear of the guards or the neighbors getting a glimpse; however, out of habit I pulled on a little nightie. Giving the now spic-and-span vampire one last kiss, I headed upstairs to the kitchen. Unlike the refrigerator at Valhalla, this one had not been stocked with fresh food, but there was plenty of stuff in the freezer and staples in the pantry. I was feeling too lazy to make a big production out of preparing a whole meal, so I eventually settled on making myself a bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and some raisins. After eating, I cleaned up my few dishes. Oddly, I caught myself feeling a bit tense... like I was doing something I should not be doing... Then, it hit me what was wrong and I started to laugh out loud. I had actually been feeling guilty for cooking and cleaning for myself! Oh, brother! How my life had changed!

Just as I put my washed and dried bowl back in the cabinet, my cell phone began to ring. Nuts! I rushed back to the living room and started digging frantically in my purse, but by the time I got my hands on the elusive little booger it had quit ringing. I looked at my call log and saw with surprise that it had been my brother Jason. Honestly, even though he had apologized the day before, there was still a little part of me that was reluctant to talk to him... but I figured I was just being stubborn and I needed to get past my hard feelings. I hesitated only briefly before returning his call. He answered immediately, saying a cheerful, "Hey, sis!"

"Hi, Jason," I replied, trying to be equally cheerful, "Sorry I missed your call. What's up?"

"Well, I have to drive to Shreveport to pick something up in a little while, and thought I might drop by and see this fancy new house of yours on the way."

"Uh... I'm sorry, but you can't. I'm not there right now. As a matter of fact, I'm in Shreveport."

"Oh? You there shopping or something?" he asked, " Maybe I can meet you in town somewhere."

"No, I'm not shopping. We have a house in Shreveport near the club. Eric had some business to take care of last night and it was more convenient to stay here."

In obvious amazement, my brother responded, "No shit? Eric has _two_ houses? Jesus, Sook! Just how rich _is_ he?"

In reality, Eric had a lot more than two houses, but I was not about to discuss my husband's living arrangements _or_ his financial status with my brother. I said vaguely, "Let's just say Eric's a good businessman, and leave it at that."

"Okay, I get it. Better not ask too many questions, right? Well, if you're in Shreveport, why don't I come by your house there? I have something I'd like to give you. I've been going through some old stuff at the house, and I found some pictures of Mama and Daddy stuck in a book. I thought you might want to see them."

My heart did a little flip-flop. We had so few pictures of our parents, I really _was_ anxious to see them... but still, I hesitated. I knew that until quite recently almost no one knew the location of this house for security purposes. On the other hand, now that Eric was King and had full time guards it seemed he was no longer going out of his way to keep the location of his homes such a huge secret. On more than one occasion, he had told me that I was welcomed to invite whomever I pleased to Valhalla, adding that he trusted my instincts when it came to visitors. I supposed that would extend to this house, too. In fact, no matter which house we were talking about, surely a brother should count as a trustworthy guest. Somehow, though, I was reluctant to invite anyone over without discussing it with the Viking first. As I debated with myself over what to do, the silence grew longer, until finally Jason said stiffly,"Wow. I guess I'm still not welcome in your home, huh?"

He sounded... hurt. Ah, jeez. After yesterday, I had vowed to myself that I was going to try and repair the relationship with my brother. Not wanting to get any more bad feelings started, I said soothingly, "No, Jason, that's not it at all. It's just that Eric is planning something special for later, so I don't have as much time for a visit today, that's all."

"Oh... okay. I get that," he said, sounding less strained, "... but it would only take me about an hour to get there, and I promise not to stay very long. If you are worried about me running into Eric, don't be... I'll be long gone before sunset. I'm going to be busy tonight myself. It's the full moon, you know."

The thing was, I really _did_ want to get those pictures. One option was to get dressed and meet Jason somewhere else, but that would mean leaving Eric again. After spending so much time away from him in the last twenty-four hours, the Bond was practically screaming at me to stay very, very close. Deep down, after ever thing we'd been through recently I knew that it had been a serious mistake for us to be parted even for a few hours. We needed more time to let everything heal, and the only way I knew to do that was to stick as close to my vampire as possible. In fact, what I told Jason earlier was true. During our love-making last night, Eric had repeatedly told me in no uncertain terms that he was _not _going to let me out of his sight any time soon. I hated to ask him to drive me to Bon Temps for something so minor as old photos, since it was clear he had already taken off so much time on my account... plus, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea for my brother and my husband to see one another just yet. It was much more practical to just let my brother bring them to me. Okay, then. It was decided. I said, "All right, Jason. Let me tell you how to get here."

I gave him the instructions on how to find the house, and he told me he would get started right away. After saying goodbye, I went back downstairs to change. I had no intention of entertaining my brother in nothing but a nightgown. Once in the bathroom, I reached into the shower and turned on the water... but before it even had time to get hot, I turned it back off again. As weird as it was, I had an overwhelming urge to leave Eric's scent on my skin. I had not had enough vampire blood yet to smell it myself, but I knew that my were-panther brother certainly could. It would be a subtle reminder that even if the master of the house was not awake, he was still very much present. I went in the closet and found a pair of jeans and a Fangtasia t-shirt and put them on. I ran a brush through my hair and pulled it back into a ponytail, but decided to forgo any makeup. Taking one last look in the mirror, I decided that I looked plenty good enough for entertaining my own brother.

I headed back upstairs, firmly locking the heavy door to Eric's sleeping chamber behind me. Most of the other doors along the hallway were standing open, and for no reason I could name, I went down the hall and shut each one. I smiled when I realized that Bill had chosen "my" room, the one Eric had decorated similarly to my old bedroom at Gran's. I could not resist poking my head inside the darkened room just to take a peek. Even with the light from the hallway, it was too dark to see much. I slipped into the room and turned on the little bed-side lamp, nearly knocking over an empty TrueBlood bottle in the process. Once the light was on, I stared down at the slumbering vampire, who was lying on his back with the down comforter pulled cozily up to his chest.

Something about him was different, and it took me a long time to realize what it was. For once, Bill looked... happy. My sweet dark vampire actually had a faint smile on his strong, handsome face. He looked so peaceful, so young and carefree... it did my heart good to see him that way. Bill always claimed that he wanted me to be happy... well, I wanted no less for him and it seemed like maybe he was headed in that direction. In fact, looking back over the last couple of nights, I realized how relaxed he had seemed, not nearly as chilly and remote as he usually was. I could not help but wonder what had happened to set such changes in motion. Sweeping his silky dark bangs back with my hand, I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his cool forehead. After making sure his comforter was in place, I picked up the empty bottle, turned off the light, set the lock so that it would engage from the inside, and firmly pulled the door shut.

After taking the bottle back to the kitchen, I grabbed a diet coke from the fridge. I still had about twenty minutes until Jason showed, so I decided to make a couple of calls while I waited. The first was to Faeryn. I wasn't sure if she was still in the Portal or not, and so I wasn't all that surprised when her phone went straight to voice mail. I left a message thanking her again for all her help, and asking her to call me back as soon as she could. Next I phoned Amelia. "Hey, girl," I said when she answered, "How are you feeling?"

"Shocked," she said flatly, "I still can't believe it."

Already knowing the probable answer, I asked, "So have you told Tray yet?"

"Nope. I need some time to decide what to do first. Listen, I want to thank you for all your help yesterday. Did Eric throw a tizzy because you weren't home before sunset ?"

Oh my... that first sentence sounded ominous. It had been obvious the night before that my friend was not thrilled with the results of her pregnancy test. I figured she was just in shock and that by now she would be doing handsprings. I knew she loved Tray very dearly... so how could she _possibly_ be considering what it sounded like she might be considering? If _I _had just found out that I was pregnant, I would be completely over the moon. Trying to keep the dismay out of my voice, I answered, "Uh... no, Eric was totally fine."

"Sookie... you didn't tell him that I'm pregnant, did you?" she asked sharply.

Soothingly, I replied, "No, Amelia, I told I wouldn't and I kept my word. Now look. We've been through a lot together, and you know you can tell me anything. What is it that's bugging you? Is it just because you think it's too soon? I know you think you're not ready to be a mom, but I think you'll be just great!" Suddenly, another possibility occurred to me. To set her mind at ease, "Hey, you know that it won't be a Werewolf, right? Only two Weres can produce another Were."

"Oh, Sookie, I know!" she wailed, "That is a huge part of the problem. Tray loves being a Werewolf, and I know he is very worried about the decline in their numbers. When he finds out I'm pregnant, he's going to insist on marrying me... but then he'll _never_ have a child that will help keep his heritage alive. How can I ask him to do that? It just isn't right!"

The first thing that flitted through my mind was that it was a good thing that Tray wasn't a member of a Pack. Otherwise, it would be his duty to breed with another full Were until she conceived, whether he was married to Amelia or not. As much as my friend was clearly concerned about the dwindling Were population, I doubted she would care much for that alternative. Cautiously, I said, "I think you should let Tray decide how he feels about things. He deserves to have a say in this. It's his baby, too."

She said softly, "I know. He'd make a great dad, too. He's so calm... and patient... and sweet tempered."

"... and he's crazy about you," I reminded her, "Don't forget that. Please... just tell him, okay?"

After a long silence, she said, "I guess I will... but not tonight. It's the full moon, you know. I want him to have one last carefree night before I dump all of this on him."

"Don't leave it for too long," I said, "Withholding things can come back to bite you on the butt. If you don't believe me, ask Eric."

At that, she snorted, "Okay, how about _you_, Mrs."We-Have-No-Secrets" Northman? Have you told Eric about a certain amorous Fairy who shall remain nameless?"

"Um... no." Well, she had me there. Uneasily, I said, "Trying to decide what to do is driving me crazy. I thought I might tell him tonight... but I hate to upset him again so soon. On the other hand, I don't want us to have any more secrets between us. I keep telling myself that it wasn't really such a big deal. After all, it was only a couple of kisses. It wasn't like I had sex with Rhys or anything." Although it had been a very close call that first day... very close indeed. A cold chill passed over me. What if the Viking wanted details? If I lied about it, he would know immediately. Maybe Amelia had been right in the first place. Maybe it was better to let sleeping dogs lie.

Now it was Amelia's turn to try and sooth me. "Maybe you're right. Eric has had a thousand years of dealing with women. He's probably worldly enough to know that a kiss or two is really insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and that the important thing is that you didn't let it go any farther. After all, you are always telling me how practical the Viking is." Funny, she didn't sound like she believed a word of it.

Neither did I. This was the one time when Eric's age and worldliness didn't matter a lick. The truth of the matter was that even though Eric knew just about everything there was to know about women as far as sex was concerned, he had very little experience dealing with affairs of the heart. As hard as it was to believe, I was coming to realize that the Viking really_ had_ never been in love before he met me. Even if that weren't the case, our relationship was way deeper than a normal one, due to the Second Bond; consequently, the sense of betrayal would be infinitely worse... I had found that out the hard way. Add that to a vampire's instinctual possessiveness, and the result was a recipe for disaster. Damn. Now I _really_ didn't know what to do.

Glumly, I told her, "Somehow, I doubt finding out that his Bonded has been locking lips with a Fairy is going to bring out Eric's practical side. Jeez, Amelia... it doesn't hardly seem fair that a momentary lack of judgment could lead to such a mess, does it?"

"Honey, you are preaching to the choir," she said grimly, "Listen, Sookie, you don't think Eric would hurt you, or anything crazy like that, do you?"

Sighing deeply, I replied, "No. He would never intentionally hurt me, no matter how mad he gets. Frankly, I'm a lot more worried about him than me. I'm afraid that this is going to just about kill him... well, in a manner of speaking."

Just as I was about to elaborate on that statement, my phone beeped with an incoming call. I said, "Huh. Someone's calling. You want to hold for a minute?"

"Better not," she said hurriedly, "Tray's going to be home any minute anyway. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. Bye 'til then." I pressed the button to switch calls. "Hello?"

Jason's rather irritated voice said, "Sookie? I'm out here at the gates, but the guards won't let me through."

It had completely slipped my mind that I needed to tell the guards that I was expecting a visitor. "Uh... sorry. Let me talk to one of them."

A deep masculine voice came on the line, saying, "Mrs. Northman, this is Lyle. A young blond man by the name of Jason Stackhouse is here to see you. Is it all right to let him in?"

"Yes, Lyle," I answered, "I'm sorry I forget to come down and tell you. I guess I thought Cooper would be there, and he knows Jason."

"This is Cooper's day off, ma'am. I'll be sure that you get my cell phone number in case you need me when he's off duty. For now, I'll make sure your visitor is allowed inside."

Well, duh... I guess I _did _know Cooper had the day off. On the drive back from Bon Temps, he had mentioned it, but I had been so anxious to get home to Eric I guess I hadn't paid close enough attention. I thanked Lyle and ended the call, and then went to the entry hall to greet my brother. After punching in the lock codes, I opened the door and was almost shocked to see what a brilliantly sunny day it was outside. Shielding my eyes from the glare, I looked down the drive, fully expecting to see Jason's truck pulling in. Instead, I saw him being escorted across the pavement not by Lyle, but by Jim, one of the other guards that I knew fairly well. Apparently they had insisted on Jason parking outside of the gates.

I stepped outside just as the two men reached the small covered front porch. I was surprised to see that my brother was not dressed in his normal jeans and t-shirt. Instead, he was wearing a fashionable pair of slacks and a snappy looking long-sleeved shirt. It was open at the collar, and around his strong throat I was astonished to see the gleam of a gold chain. He had obviously gotten a haircut since I had seen him the day before and in the sunlight his neatly trimmed blond hair shone nearly as gold as his necklace. In short, he looked as good as I had ever seen him. He had always been nearly irresistible to women, and with this new GQ look he had going on, I bet the girls would be swarming over him like flies. I wondered if his new job was responsible for this rather amazing transformation.

Up until that minute, I had not been all that excited by my brother's impending visit. Oddly enough, now that I laid my eyes on him, I actually found myself glad to see him. I gave him a smile and said in greeting, "Hi, Jason. You look great!" To the guard, I said, "Thanks for bringing him up, Jim."

"Yes, ma'am," the Were replied. Locking his eyes on mine, he asked significantly, "Would you like me to come inside while your visitor is here?" He was clearly uneasy about leaving an unknown male alone inside the house with me.

Whipping off his sunglasses and giving the man a glare, Jason said indignantly, "Hey, man! Like I told the other guy... I'm her brother!"

Once Jason removed the dark lenses, I could see just a hint of the wildness of the Were-panther in his eyes. His body was fairly bristling with aggression, and although the Guard was trained to remain calm and professional, I could tell his was not far from the surface, either. The full moon was clearly making all the Were-animals on edge. In an attempt to get everyone to chill, I said, "Come on, Jason, he's just doing his job." To reassure the guard, I said, "Jim, this _is _my brother, Jason Stackhouse. I appreciate your concern, but it's really okay."

"Yes, ma'am," Jim said, but then added significantly, "I will be right outside the door here if you need me."

I was about to tell him that it was unnecessary, but then I remembered that his job was not only to protect me but also (and more importantly) the sleeping vampire King inside the house. He _was_ just trying to do his job, so I merely said, "That's just fine, Jim. Thanks so much."

The big Were gave me a formal bow, and then took up his position just outside the door.

Before we went inside, Jason took a long look around the outside of the house, his eyes taking in the two cars parked in the drive. Jerking his head in that direction, he said, "That's Bill Compton's car, ain't it? What's _he_ doing here? I thought he and Eric hated each other."

"They managed to work out their differences. As a matter of fact, Bill works for Eric now."

Jason shook his head in amazement and said, "I had heard that, but I didn't believe it."

"Well, it's true. I have to say, it certainly makes things easier all around." Ushering Jason inside, I shut the door but very deliberately did not lock it. Practically in my ear, my brother asked, "What's with all the guards? Y'all expecting trouble?"

Whipping around, I gave him a sour look and replied, "Come on, Jason. You know very well who Eric is. Vampire Kings are _always_ expecting trouble. It's part of the job description. Those are the Royal Guards."

Teasingly, he said, "Oh... the _Royal_ Guards, huh? I didn't see Eric's Corvette outside, but if his Guards are here, it must mean he's around here somewhere. So do you have a secret room behind the bookcases where you keep the coffins, or what? Inquiring minds want to know."

Ha! Not in this house, at least. Sarcastically, I replied, "We keep them out back in the crypt, of course. Seriously, Jason, nowadays most vampires sleep in a bed just like anybody else."

"Oh... really?" My brother seemed surprised by that answer. I had to remind myself that I had been surprised to learn that very same thing not all that long ago. He couldn't resist throwing in another question, "So do you really... sleep with Eric? When he's...dead? Jesus, Sook, isn't that kinda creepy?"

I started to tell him it was none of his business, but then I realized that maybe Jason hated vampires so much because he just didn't know enough about them. Patiently, I explained, "Actually, it's not creepy at all. It's not like his body gets cold or anything... at least, not any cooler than it normally is. He looks exactly like he's asleep... just very, very still. The only downside is that it's hard as heck to wake him up... but it _can_ be done in emergencies. The upside is that he never snores and doesn't hog the covers."

Jason stared at me, open-mouthed. Clearly this was not what he was expecting to hear. In disbelief, he said, "A vampire that can wake during the day? I had no idea." He looked around a little nervously.

I just laughed and said, "I keep telling you, Eric is special... but don't worry. He's resting peacefully right now."

"That's...good, I guess. So, sis, are you going to keep me standing here in the doorway, or are you going to show me around?"

Oh! I guess I _was _being a little rude. I showed Jason around the front part of the house. Remembering my manners, I offered him a cold drink as we passed through the kitchen, and luckily there was a Dr. Pepper in the refrigerator... his favorite. I would have to make sure that Juanita kept a few on hand for his visits. When it came to showing him the bedrooms, though, I found myself curiously reluctant to go anywhere near them. Instead, I breezed past the hallway, saying vaguely, "Most of the bedrooms are down that way. They are pretty standard." With all the doors shut, it was impossible to tell which room was which. I finished up the tour in the living room. Up until that time, Jason hadn't said much, but as he glanced around at the clearly expensive furnishings, he whistled low and exclaimed, "Holy cow, Sookie! This house doesn't look like much from the outside... but the inside is really something. It looks like a picture out of one of them fancy home magazines. I heard through the grapevine that Eric's house in the country is pretty nice, too."

I felt myself smiling. Gran hadn't raised me to brag, but I was proud of the homes my husband had provided me. I led my visitor over to the leather sofa and sat down. Once we were comfortable, I explained "Technically speaking, the house in the country is mine. Eric gave it to me as an engagement present. I even got to name it... we call it Valhalla. This house here is nice and all, but it's just a house. Valhalla is... special. It's truly our home."

Jason raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Yours, huh? Really. I've heard it's pretty big and on some serious acreage."

"To be honest, I'm not sure how many acres it is. It was originally a plantation, and Eric had the house restored. We've had lots of landscaping done, too, so the grounds are pretty spectacular. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe that I actually live there."

My brother shook his head and said, "I can't believe it either. Who would have ever thought either one of us would have ended up living in a house big enough to have a name? Do you have guards there, too?"

"Yes, Eric is extremely security-conscious. We have vampire guards at night and Werewolves during the daylight hours, not to mention all the electronic cameras and what-not. You've already met my personal bodyguard, Cooper."

"All Werewolves, huh? What's the matter, aren't any of the other Were-animals good enough?" He sounded a little indignant. I had to smile. There was always a little rivalry between the various species of the two-natured. I guess my brother was enough of a were-panther to be insulted that there were none of his kind on staff.

I laughed and said, "Sometimes vampires hire shifters as guards, but I've been told they come with their own set of issues. I think using Werewolves is mainly just a tradition, and I gotta tell you, all vampires are _big _on tradition. But you know, in a way it just makes sense. The Werewolves are considered the strongest and most aggressive while in their human forms, and that's what the vampires need."

"Yeah, that's what the Werewolves want everybody to think, all right. There are plenty of other species that are just as strong and aggressive... like Were-Tigers, for example. That Quinn guy you used to date was really something. I'd bet on him against a Werewolf any day. In fact, I've heard that he was strong enough and quick enough to take on vampires."

Quinn! Just the mention of the treacherous Were-Tiger's name was enough to make anger flare in my chest, but I struggled to tamp it down. There was no way Jason could have known how much I really did _not _want to be reminded of my former boyfriend, who had done his level best to break up my marriage. Trying to keep the anger out of my voice, I said flatly, "Quinn might very well be able to take down some of the younger vampires, but he wouldn't stand a chance with Eric. I guess Were-Tigers might be stronger than Werewolves, but it doesn't really matter. There are hardly any of them left, and besides... trust me when I say they are not trustworthy enough to be employed as guards."

"Why do you say that? Whatever happened with you and Quinn, anyway? I kinda thought you were really falling for him. He would have made a great husband for you, Sookie. Why couldn't you have married _him_? I would have given you my blessing in a heartbeat."

"Jason Stackhouse, don't even go there!" I snapped, "I warned you not to 'dis my husband!"

I started to rise, but Jason quickly reached out and grabbed my hand and pulled me back down. "Hey, sis, settle down," he said gently, "I'm really not 'dissing Eric at all. I know I was out of line when I said all them things to you at Merlotte's, and I already said I was sorry. I'm just saying that everything considered, Quinn could have given you a more normal life. He's like a rock-star in the Supernatural world and he has that great job... and I'll bet it's the kind of job that don't require a pack of guards hanging all over him all the time, either. Besides that, he's warm blooded. He can go out in the sun without bursting into flames, and he can even be a daddy. You may not admit it to anyone else, but I'm your brother, and I know how much you want kids. You can't hardly blame me for wanting my baby sister to have a normal, safe life, and to be happy."

"What are you, Quinn's press agent or something?" I said in exasperation, "Really, Jason. All you know about Quinn is what you've heard through the grapevine. He may _seem _like this fantastic, larger-than-life guy, but in reality, he's got some _serious_ issues. It would never have worked out between us in the long run. Brother, since we're being honest with each other, I want you to know something. My life is definitely _not_ normal by human standards, but I _am_ happy... happier than I ever expected to be. Eric and I... well, let's just say that we were meant to be together."

Obviously Jason was unconvinced, but I could see that he was making an effort not to argue. He stared at me for a long time and then said, "Okay, if you say so. One thing for sure, it looks like Eric's pretty well set for money. No wonder you quit your job. What do you do with all your spare time? If Eric sleeps all day and works at Fangtasia all night, you must not see him much."

Man, he made it sound like I was nothing but a rich, bored housewife. "I stay pretty busy, thank you very much," I said a little indignantly, "I spend _lots _of time with Eric. I go with him to Fangtasia almost every night, and I help out with running things there. As a matter of fact, we are about to expand and I am in charge of..." I was about to launch into a enthusiastic explanation of my plans for the new building, but suddenly realized that I had no idea what the status of that project was. Had Eric hired someone else to do the job while I was gone, or maybe given up on the idea entirely? We had been so consumed with more important stuff the last two nights I had never gotten around to asking. Rather lamely, I finished my sentence with, "... er... believe me, I have_ plenty_ to do."

Jason grinned and replied, "Oh, I bet. Keeping the fangbangers away from Eric is probably a full-time job." He leered and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, clearly wanting me to know he was just teasing.

"Jason, you are such an ass." I said tartly, "For your information, the Viking is crazy about me. I don't worry about fangbangers at all." Well... much. In any event, I wasn't about to share my crazy personal insecurities with my nosy brother. "Besides, Eric is the one that insists that I go with him everywhere. He can't stand having me out of his sight for long."

"Huh. So... Eric wants you constantly at his beck and call, does he? Knowing how possessive vampires are, I guess I should have known that." My brother looked at me critically for a minute and then said seriously, "Sookie, I know you're going to tell me it's none of my business, but spending_ all_ of your time with vampires just don't sound healthy to me. As much as you like 'em, _you_ are human. You need to be around other humans, doing human-type stuff during the daytime. Don't let Eric make you change your whole life for him, neither. I can tell you don't even get out in the sunlight much anymore. I know, 'cause here it is nearly May and you're still fish-belly white! You don't need to sit around the house babysitting him when he's dead or asleep or whatever the hell he is during the day. Do what other rich ladies do... go shopping... have lunch... hell, I don't know, learn to play tennis or something."

I started to get irritated, just on principle. I just hated it when Jason tried to tell me how to live my life... but in all fairness, until quite recently I had thought the same thing about my need to be "human." How could I possibly explain my current viewpoint to my brother without going into a lot of stuff that he knew nothing about? I had a sudden urge to tell him the truth... that there was a little more to our family tree that he thought. Not only was I allowing myself to keep vampire's hours, I was also learning to embrace the Fairy side of myself. Impulsively, I opened my mouth to speak, but at the last minute I reconsidered. It might hurt my brother deeply to discover that not only had the magic gene in the family passed him by, but that his blood relatives wanted nothing to do with him because of that sad fact. Instead, I said gently, "It's true. I _am_ re-arranging my life to fit in with Eric's, but that's _my_ choice, not his. I am a vampire's wife. If it means giving up a few daylight hours and a tan so that I can be with him, it's totally worth it to me. I love him, Jason. As far as I'm concerned, Eric_ is _my life now."

For a long moment, my brother stared at me searchingly without saying a word. I guess he decided that it would be best if we changed the subject away from vampires in general and Eric in particular. Somewhat abruptly, he said, "Listen, Sook, I really can't stay long, so let me show you this stuff I brought."

He handed me a small cardboard folder which he had been toting around. I opened it and pulled out several pictures. The first photo was of my mom and dad standing in front of our house. Not Gran's house, but the home where Jason lived now. My mom was obviously way, way pregnant. She was smiling, but she looked... scared. My dad had both arms draped protectively around his wife, and he was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. A little suitcase was sitting on the ground next to them. I showed the picture to Jason and asked "Do you think they were on their way to the hospital? Do you think it's you or me that's about to make an appearance?"

Giving me a huge grin, he replied, "Oh, it's me. Look at the next picture."

Sure enough, the second photo was taken in nearly the same spot, except that now Mama was considerably thinner and she was holding a baby in a pale blue blanket. Dad was gazing down lovingly at his new son, a look of stunned amazement on his handsome face. Next in the stack was a cute picture of Mama and her new baby. She was giving him a bath in the sink of our old kitchen. After that was a picture of Jason all by his lonesome, stretched out on his bath towel and naked as a jaybird. I busted out laughing and said, "Wow, Jason, look at you! You sure were a big baby. And look at that cute little butt!"

My brother just smirked and said smugly, "Yep, that's what all the girls say."

"What, that you're a big baby? I can believe that!"

In response, he rolled his eyes and replied, "Very funny."

Looking closer, I could barely see a small, light mark on that adorable, chubby butt. Oh... wow. "Hey, Jason... this looks like a birthmark. Do you still have it?"

"Yeah, I do, but you can barely see it anymore. Why?"

"I've got one, too," I replied, "Is yours shaped like anything? Like maybe... a butterfly?"

He looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "Nope. Mine is just a blob. It don't look like anything in particular."

Huh. I guess that proved that my poor brother really had not inherited more than the bare minimum of Brigant genes. It made me feel... really bad for him. How strange. Most of my life I had been a little jealous of Jason. My brother had always been so popular and good at sports... and normal. I had been the lonely telepathic freak who people thought was crazy. Now I realized that as far as the genetic lottery went, I had hit the Mega-Millions Jackpot. It made me want to be nicer to my brother, to make up for all that he was missing... even if he didn't know it. I flipped back to the last picture in the stack and stared down at our smiling mother. I said kindly, "She was so beautiful, Jason. You know, you really look like her."

He reached out and touched the edge of the picture gently. "Yeah, I guess I do. It's funny that the son took after the mama and the daughter looked just like the daddy. From the day you was born, everybody always said you were the spittin' image of him."

Shaking my head, I sighed and said, "Genetics are a weird and wonderful thing, all right."

"Yeah. I can't help but wonder what my baby is going to be like. Since I was bitten instead of born, we're not even sure if he'll be a were-panther or not. Calvin seems to think he will, but that could be just wishful thinking on his part."

I could tell by the way he said it that this was a touchy subject with him. "So is that what you want? Do you _want_ the baby to be a panther?"

"Well... yes, but only if he can be a real panther, not just a mangy, half-assed excuse for one like I am," my brother said bitterly.

The frustration in his voice was plain. My brother had always been so attractive, it must have been pretty humbling to be unable to completely turn into one of the beautiful, sleek panthers. I said soothingly, "Cheer up, Jason. Calvin told me that he had high hopes for this baby. One of the main things wrong with Hotshot is all the in-breeding. You are injecting a strong new bloodline into the mix. It could turn out that your baby and ones like him will end up saving the community in the long run." Although I didn't say it, I had the strangest feeling that the tiny strain of Fairy genes Jason possessed might make all the difference.

In any event, my words seemed to cheer Jason up considerably. "You think so? That would be something, wouldn't it? Sometimes I wish that me and Crystal could get along better. I want to be a real daddy to this kid, not just some stranger that he sees every other weekend."

"Well, I guess that's going to be up to you. You're going to have to put some effort into it, Jason."

"Yeah, I know... I know." Obviously trying to avoid a sisterly lecture about his shortcomings, Jason said, "Now look, there's one more picture you still haven't seen. I think it's my favorite. It's taken at a different time, 'cause mama and daddy look a lot younger."

I pulled out the last photo and placed it on top of the stack. It was a candid shot of my parents and a couple of other people I didn't know. It looked like maybe it had been taken on a vacation, because they were all dressed in swimsuits and standing on a beach. My mom was sitting in a beach chair, staring up adoringly at my dad. I could see why, too. He was drop dead gorgeous. Tall, blond haired, broad-shouldered, muscular... he was looking at someone out of the camera frame and laughing. He looked so young and strong and alive, it made my heart ache. Maybe it was just the way he was standing in this particular picture, but there was no mistaking it... my father had looked a great deal like Niall. I was willing to bet the farm that he had a butterfly birthmark exactly like mine, and I wondered what he and my mother had made of that strange coincidence.

"You know what I like best about these pictures?" I asked, "Mama and Daddy look so happy in them. I'm glad to know that they had some good times before... well, you know." Before they were drowned in a flash flood, but I couldn't bring myself to say the words.

Jason said, "Yeah, I _do_ know. That's why I knew you would want to see these. Well, listen, Sookie, it's been great seeing you and all, but I really _do_ need to get going. I still have my errand to run, and I need to get back to Hotshot before dark. Calvin still lets me go out with the rest of the group."

He stood up and held out his hand for the photos. I found myself curiously reluctant to give them up. I asked, "Is it okay if I keep them for awhile? I would love to show these to Eric."

"Why don't I just get some copies made for you?" Jason asked, "They have a machine at the drugstore that will do it. I'll bring them to you later, okay? Maybe next time I'll get to see your other house."

"Well... okay. That sounds good."

I stood up and we headed for the front door. Just as we hit the entry hall, Jason paused. "Hey, Sookie... where's the closest bathroom?" he inquired, "I need to make a pit stop before I get on the road."

Ah... crap. There was no powder room in this house, only the full baths attached to the bedrooms. I hesitated. From the very beginning, I had always been extremely reluctant to allow anyone anywhere near my sleeping husband... or Bill, either, for that matter... but then I told myself I was being ridiculous. I said, "Follow me." I took him down the hallway, and opened the door to the first bedroom. I pointed to the bathroom door and said, "It's in there."

Jason crossed the room and went inside. Even if it _was _crazy, I stood right outside the bedroom door and waited, as if I was keeping a watchful eye on a known felon. It did not take him long, and when he emerged he took a good look at all the other closed doors. He asked curiously, "So how many bedrooms does this house have?"

"Four," I replied shortly. Without elaborating further, I began to herd him back towards the front door. After a lifetime of hearing it, I guess my brother knew that tone of voice quite well. "You should see your face, Sookie," he said shrewdly, "You look like a mama bear protecting the entrance to the cave where she keeps her cubs. I must be getting too close to your vampire. What's the matter? Don't you trust me?"

Trust issues aside, given that there was still a very sophisticated lock and totally impregnable steel door between him and my vampire, I shouldn't be so tense... but I just couldn't seem to help myself. The thought flitted through my head that the steel door wasn't exactly the only thing guarding Eric... there was also me. Even if I didn't have it totally under control, I was willing to bet that if anything threatened my Bonded, my magic would come flowing out of me like nobody's business. Somehow, that realization allowed me to relax a bit. Sighing, I said, "Jason, you are my brother. You would never do anything to hurt me. I know that."

Touching the back of my arm, he said seriously, "I only want what's best for you, whether you know it or not."

I took a deep breath. "Sorry. I'm just not used to visitors, that's all."

By then, we had reached the front door. As I opened it to let him out, I said, "Hey, I've been meaning to ask... I heard you have a new job. What is it?"

He turned to face me. A tiny flame of excitement seemed to be burning brightly in his eyes as he replied, "Something a lot more important than working on the road crew, that's for sure. Among other things, I do pick up and delivery."

"Oh? What's the name of the company? What kind of stuff do you deliver?"

For some reason, he looked a little amused by my questions. Rather vaguely, he responded, "It's a small company I'm sure you've never heard of... As for what I deliver, sometimes it's medical supplies, sometimes it's... pharmaceuticals. Stuff like that."

"It certainly looks like it pays well... and I gotta say, you clean up real nice."

Jason stepped outside into the harsh sunshine, pulled his RayBans from his shirt pocket, and slid them onto his face. Again, he glanced up at the house and around the gated grounds and said, "Yeah, it does. Someday maybe I'll be able to afford a place like this."

I was happy to see that my brother seemed so enthusiastic about something. He had always been pretty unambitious and this job clearly represented quite a step forward. Maybe knowing he had a child to provide for had been the catalyst for this transformation. I couldn't imagine what else it might be. Impulsively, I reached out and gave him a huge hug, saying, "I'm glad you came."

For a long moment, my brother held me in his arms. I heard him draw in his breath, and let it out slowly. I knew he was getting a dose of my new perfume combined with Eric's scent, and in fact he started to say, "That is a really nice perfume you're wearing, but..." Before he could finish his sentence, his cell phone rang. Pulling it quickly out of his pocket, he snapped it open and held it to his ear, "Yeah? Oh... hi. Listen, I can't talk right now... yeah, I am... no, no, it's okay. I'll call you back." He hung up, but he had a slight flush to his face. That was a look I knew well. That was the look he used to get when he was courting a girl that he shouldn't be fooling around with. He and Crystal had been separated for quite awhile, so I really shouldn't be surprised. Married or not, Jason was not the kind of man to go without female companionship for long... say, five minutes or so. It wasn't really any of my business, but old habits die hard. "New girlfriend, huh?" I asked snarkily.

He looked at me for just a beat before answering jauntily, "You know me, sis. I'm just damned near irresistible. Well, I gotta run. Thanks for seeing me. I'll give you a call when I get the copies of the photos made."

Stepping forward from where he had been waiting patiently in the shade of the house, Jim said, "If you are ready to leave, Mr. Stackhouse, I will make sure you get out of the gates all right."

Jason gave him a surly look, but allowed himself to be escorted back down the drive without protest. I stood in the doorway and watched them disappear down the drive. Shaking my head, I took myself back inside the house and then shut and locked the door. Heading back to the living room, I glanced at the clock on the mantle and realized that I still had a couple of hours until sunset. For some reason, I was restless. I tried to settle down with a book, but couldn't keep my mind on the plot. My mind kept going over and over the visit with my brother. I got up and paced around a little, and even went outside and wandered around the yard. After Jason's comment about my lack of tan, I wished that I had a bathing suit with me, but all of mine were at Valhalla. This house had very little in the way of landscaping, and so there was not much to look at. After only a few minutes, I was bored and headed back inside. Now that my brother was gone, maybe what I needed was a shower. I _wanted_ Jason to smell Eric, but I sure as heck didn't want to irritate Eric by leaving the smell of were-panther on my skin.

From past experience, I knew that being physically closer to Eric would make me feel better, so I decided that after my bath I would just stay in our room until dark. Grabbing my needlework from where I had left it, I carried it back down to our bedroom to give me something to do while I waited. I went straight to the bathroom and showered. Once I was clean and dry, I wondered if I should dress or just put on my nightie again. Eric usually wanted to make love and have a little snack first thing, but I knew he had made plans for the evening and I wasn't sure what time we needed to leave. I decided to go ahead and get dressed, just in case. Luckily, I had brought a cute summer top and skirt with me from Valhalla, and after my shower I fished them out of my overnight bag and put them on. I platted my hair into a neat French braid and then put on the same little daisy jewelry I had worn the day before. After carefully applying my make-up, I slipped my feet into some flirty spring sandals that were decorated with rhinestones, and I was done. I hoped we were not going anywhere fancy, or I was going to be in trouble.

I went back into the bedroom, and as usual could not resist stopping to pet and kiss the vampire on my way past the bed. Taking my needlework with me, I settled into a comfortable chair and switched on the reading lamp. It cast the perfect amount of light to let me see what I was doing while still leaving the rest of the room fairly dark. Pulling out my needle and the appropriate color of yarn, I got started, but before long my mind wandered back around to Jason's visit. Seeing all those old family photos had brought all sort of feelings swirling up to the surface. Some good... some not so good. As always, seeing pictures of my parents was always bittersweet, and set off a deep sense of yearning for... I never knew exactly what. Even worse, that picture of my pregnant mother had made me face a topic that I normally avoided like the plague. By forming the Second Bond with Eric, I really _had_ cut off any chance of ever having a child of my own. Knowing it in my head was one thing, but now I felt it in my heart. It was a dull ache of longing that I was pretty sure would never entirely go away.

Unexpected tears rose in my eyes, blurring my vision, but I used both hands to scrub them roughly away. There was no denying it anymore. For me, giving up children was a huge sacrifice... huge. But I also knew that if I had it to do over again, I would _still_ choose to be with Eric. He was an amazing person, and I still could hardly believe that someone like him had ever fallen in love with someone like me. Even though Jason had been very careful not to say so, I knew he still thought I was crazy for marrying a vampire, and Eric in particular. He just couldn't seem to understand that I was telling him the truth when I said I was happy. The irony was, underneath all that Stackhouse swagger, I could tell that Jason himself was not happy at all. To me, he seemed... unsettled... agitated... lonely. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Besides the baby Crystal was carrying, I was the only family he had left. Even though he had a new job that clearly paid more than his old one, unless some miracle occurred, he was always going to be living from paycheck to paycheck. He was estranged from his wife, and only marginally accepted among the Were-panthers of Hotshot. His so-called "normal" life was clearly not all that great.

In contrast, I _was_ happy with my new life and with good reason. When we were having that little heart-to-heart talk about Quinn, I could have been a total bitch and rubbed Jason's nose in all the ways I was better off since I had taken up with vampires... but that would have just resulted in more hard feelings. Even if my life was not "normal," I had a husband who adored me. He was gorgeous, vastly wealthy, and extremely important in the Supernatural community. I had one of the nicest homes in the state of Louisiana. The Fairy side of the family had accepted me and I even had inherited a little magic of my own. Besides that, I had my vampires. I had gone from being almost completely alone in the world to having more "family" than I could say grace over.

Which brought me around to thinking about the whole "nest" thing. I had to admit, that Robert was one persuasive vampire. During our long talk, he had convinced me that being in a nest was not such a bad thing. Knowing how vampires were about explaining things, I bet there were still a few details that he had glossed over, but still... it didn't sound nearly as creepy as I had originally thought. Bill had made it sound as if it was inevitable that the members of the nest would bring out the worst in each other, but Robert said that just wasn't so. Since Eric was the oldest, apparently the nest would be shaped by his influence. He had such a strong personality, I had no doubt that would be the case. Suddenly, I realized that I had not asked Robert one very crucial question. To what extent did the vampires influence the humans of the nest? Was my own personality strong enough to resist becoming more and more like them? My vampires were awesome, the very crème of the crop... but they were still vampires. As wonderful they were in some ways, they definitely had dark sides, even Eric. Maybe... especially Eric.

As much as I didn't like to think of him that way, there was no getting around facts. Among other things, my sweet, romantic, adoring husband was a stone-cold killer by nature. There was no telling how many people he had murdered in his long life, and the only way I had managed to get past that horribly disturbing reality until now was to tell myself firmly that he wasn't like that anymore. He was trying really hard to be progressive. The only humans he killed now were ones that were a direct threat to him or his people... but that was much different than just slaughtering humans for fun and profit like in the old days. Or was it? Was my own sense of right and wrong becoming seriously skewed? There was no doubt about it, I _was_ changing and not necessarily in a good way. Nest or no nest, I now carried a piece of an ancient vampire's soul within my body... how could that _not _bring about some changes? Ever since I had become involved with vampires, I had done things and seen things that I had never in my wildest dreams thought I would be a party to, but lately there had been a major shift in my way of looking at things.

For example, there was that incident just two nights ago in Fangtasia's basement. As much as I would love to forget the whole thing, I just couldn't... and I guessed now was the time to face it.

As I tried to come to terms with my part in that horrible affair, the needle in my hand seemed to be on auto-pilot. In and out it went, with practically no thought from me. I was so deep in thought that the time vanished and I had no idea that it was nearly sunset until a deep voice from across the room said quietly, "Lover, what is troubling you?" It startled me so, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I looked up, only to see a pair of glowing blue eyes staring at me intently. My vampire was awake.

Eric's POV

Just before sunset, I gradually come to consciousness as the sun releases me from its grasp. Simultaneously, two thoughts rush through my head. One, that although I went to bed dirty, my body is now clean... and the other, that I am unfortunately alone in my bed. Leaving the mystery of how I came to be clean for later, I use my vampire senses to locate my mate. Ah... she is not far at all. In fact, she is somewhere in our chamber. Not only can I sense her presence, I smell her lovely scent. Mmm. She is... across the room in the sitting area. I open my eyes, and sure enough, Sookie is sitting in one of the comfortable chairs at the other end of the room. Amusingly, she has attempted to keep the room as dark as possible... I can never convince her that light really does not bother me while I am resting. The only illumination is cast from a reading lamp she has directed at an object she is holding in her hands. What is she doing? After watching her motions closely for a moment longer, I am somewhat shocked to discover that my wife appears to be... sewing. I was not even aware that she possessed such a skill. Obviously concentrating on her work, Sookie has not even noticed that I am awake. Because of our Bond, it is exceedingly rare for me to be able to observe her without her knowledge. I am careful not to move, so that I can make the most of this opportunity. She looks so lovely sitting there, I simply cannot take my eyes off of her. Her golden hair is neatly plaited in a long braid, and her skin has that faint Fairy glow. Her needle catches a bit of light from the nearby lamp and glints as it darts in and out of the fabric.

Something about her movements gently tugs on a cord of deeply-buried memory, and eventually brings to the surface a long forgotten image. In my mind's eye, I see my mother sitting by the fire sewing with my sisters. In those days, textiles were not mass-produced as they are today. A knowledge of weaving and sewing was a necessity. Women were valued for their skill with a needle, and my mother's decorative embroideries were particularly prized. Nowadays, of course, such skills are no longer critical to survival. Women do not sit by the fire sewing, but are instead out pursuing careers just like men. I myself have no problem with this whatsoever. Unlike others of my kind, I have always chosen to embrace modern ways of thinking and I pride myself on being a progressive vampire. I _know_ that it is hopelessly old-fashioned of me to enjoy seeing a woman engaged in such a feminine pursuit; but quite unexpectedly, I find the vision of my wife wielding a needle satisfying in a way I cannot begin to describe. Obviously I am not quite as disconnected from my past as I think.

As I watch her, I notice that a slight frown is furrowing my mate's brow. Unwilling to disturb her work just yet, I probe our Bond to see how she is feeling this night. By outward appearances, she is completely calm, but inside I find that she is anything but that... her emotions are seriously unsettled. This will never do. Wanting to find out what has caused her to feel this way and fix it as soon as possible, I break the silence by asking, "Lover, what is troubling you?"

I can tell that I have startled her. Her head snaps up and her eyes go straight to mine. Instantly, the frown disappears and is replaced by a smile. Love floods through the Bond, but it does not entirely erase those other emotions. Ignoring my question, Sookie says, "Hi, baby. How long have you been awake?"

"Not long. Answer the question, Sookie. What is bothering you?"

Obviously not wanting me to see into her eyes, she lowers her gaze back down to her needlework. Now I _really_ want to know what she is thinking. Her hands continue their work while she tries to come up with an honest yet no doubt evasive answer. I out of bed and cross the room, coming to a stop in front of her. Dropping to one knee, I lay my hand over hers, stilling her needle. Quietly but firmly, I demand, "Tell me."

Still not looking up, she answers, "I was thinking about that man in the basement. You know... Donald."

Ah. So my lover's conscience has finally spoken. I have been expecting this. As much as I want this evening to be free from anything remotely disagreeable, I know it is necessary for Sookie to deal with this, and the sooner the better. Sighing, I say to her, "Let me guess. You are regretting your part in his death."

Reaching out, I tip up her chin and force her to look at me. A sheen of tears floats in her eyes, just waiting to spill over. Mmm. They smell so good... I have to force myself not to catch one and eat it, but now is clearly not the time. Her voice breaks a little as she says, "I may not have done the actual deed, but I killed that man just as surely as if I had put a bullet in his head. Killing another human goes against everything I have been brought up to believe in, Eric... and the worst part is, I have a feeling it probably won't be the last time. Will it?"

Her confusion and grief is pouring through the Bond, and I want nothing more than to gather her into my arms and sooth these negative emotions away... but I do not. This is the first step in the long, hard journey of her coming to terms with the reality of who and what she is... of what I am... and what our future is likely to be. I know that she has the toughness of spirit to come out the other side with her soul intact, but it will be painful. If I could, I would bear this for her... but I cannot. She _must _work through it on her own. In response to her question, I shrug and reply truthfully, "Probably not."

Somehow my answer angers her. With a little heat, she says, "You don't really see the big deal here, do you? No, of course you don't. You are vampire! You are nothing but a fantastically handsome killing machine with no conscience at all. There is no telling how many people _you've_ killed."

With a slight smile at her use of adjectives, I respond coolly, "Yes, all that is fact. I am vampire and it is my nature to kill. However, this is not about me. This is about_ you_. Sookie, you have to ask yourself... if you could go back and do it all again, would you do it differently? Would you leave Lorena alive? Clancy? Debbie Pelt? Perhaps you are less disturbed by those deaths because none of them were human. Hypocrisy aside, what _about _the human... would you really have allowed that drainer to go back to torturing and killing innocent vampires? As I see it, all the deaths which can be laid at your door have been completely necessary."

Sookie looks me directly in the eye and says in a low voice, "If I had never gotten involved with vampires in the first place, none of those deaths would have _been _necessary. Up until I met Bill, I had never even seen a dead body. Bon Temps might not have been the greatest place to live, but it was safe. Your world is so... dark and violent and filled with death."

"Yes, it is. However, it is not just _my_ world... it is now _your_ world, too, and not just because you are my Bonded. You are Fairy. Even if you had never met me or any other vampire, you would still have had to face that fact quite soon. By now, you must realize that your own race is not exactly all sweetness and light. _None_ of the creatures in the Supernatural world are."

"... but I am mostly human and was raised to believe in human law and morals," she quickly reminds me, just as I knew she would... but I can tell she had grown past really believing it herself.

"Ah, yes... now you are going to tell me how little Fairy blood you have, as if that was all there was to it. My Love, you are attempting to straddle the line between the human and Supernatural world, and it is a highly uncomfortable place to be. Be honest, Sookie. Do you _really_ still consider yourself human? If so, ask yourself: Can humans teleport from place to place? Can they set small trees on fire with just a look? Can they lift the veil of darkness from a vampire's soul just by touching him? Of course they cannot. You must acknowledge it: however it came about, you _are_ a Supernatural creature, the same as me... and as such, a different set of rules apply."

Sookie is silent for a long time, clearly thinking things over. Finally she sighs heavily and says, "All right. I'll admit it. During my visit in the Portal, I realized that I _am_ more than human. After spending time with Niall, I even understand that there _are _other rules for the Supernatural world... even if I don't have a clue what they are. To tell you the absolute truth, maybe..." Once again she drops her eyes to her lap, and this time I know it is because she is ashamed of what she is about to reveal. "...maybe the _real_ reason I'm so freaked out is that part of me is not upset _enough_ at what I've done! Eric, there is a cold, dark place deep down inside me where I feel no guilt at all about killing those people. With Lorena, Clancy, and Debbie, I could justify my lack of guilt because each one of those times it was self-defense. With that guy Donald, though... he was completely human, and I probably _could _have talked you into turning him over to the human authorities... but I didn't. Oh, no. Instead, I appointed myself both judge _and_ jury. I knew if I gave him to the police that they would let him go and that he would go straight back to killing vampires, and so I decided all by myself that I just couldn't let that happen. When I left his cell, I knew darned well that you were going to kill him..._ and a big part of me is glad you did! _What the heck am I turning into?"

"Quite frankly, I believe that you are turning into the ruler that you were always destined to become, both by blood and now by marriage."

"Come on, Eric! I'm _not _a ruler! I'm just a... I'm just... Well, hell. I swear I don't know _what_ I am."

"You are my Queen... the Queen of all the Vampires of Louisiana and Arkansas, and someday it might well be more. As much as you might have thought so in the beginning, surely by now you realize that is _not_ an empty title. The other night, you merely did your duty... you helped me punish a guilty man whom the human authorities would have surely set free. By doing so, you were saving the lives of his future victims and avenging his past ones. That is not murder, but _justice._.. and _that _is why you feel no guilt. Do not worry, my love. You could no more kill an innocent person than I can walk in the sun. It simply is not in your nature."

"How can you be so sure? I'm not sure what my nature _is _anymore."

Taking both of her hands in mine, I press them to my lips. "Then let me tell you. You are a healer, not a destroyer. You were born with a true sense of right and wrong which has nothing at all to do with human law. Although you have not come right out and said it, what you are _really_ worried about that due to my influence, you will someday become like me... cold, ruthless, and utterly without conscience. I can tell you now that will never happen. Your soul is filled with goodness and light, and it is that which attracts me to you like a moth to a flame. Remember our prophecy? _Two paths, one light and the other dark, fated to converge. _That is us, Sookie, the light and the dark. Just as I influence you, you do the same to me. I think we are meant to balance each other."

For a long time, she says nothing. Eventually, she lifts those beautiful blue eyes to mine again, and this time they are clear. "I guess all this soul searching seems pretty silly to you."

At this moment, the woman before me looks so young... and vulnerable... and utterly irresistible. I brush my fingertips down the side of her sweet face, saying, "Not at all. You are very young, and new to this life. A period of adjustment is to be expected. What kind of a Bonded would I be if I did not understand this? I am here to guide you... to help you through this transition, if you will let me. I think you are a remarkable woman, Sookie, and I am proud of you. Never doubt it."

Finally I have said something right, because I am rewarded with a tiny smile. It makes me realize that so far, I have not tasted those luscious lips this evening, so I lean in and give my reluctant Queen a kiss. Of course, one is not enough, so I give her another... and another. At first, my lover's body is tense and I can tell that she is only returning my kisses in a dutiful way. She has fretted enough for one evening, though; and so I persist, softly brushing those velvety lips with mine. Soon, her body begins to relax and her lips part, allowing me inside. Encouraged, I stroke her with my tongue, slowly... sensually. With that, her hands leave her lap and make their way up my body, coming to rest on my shoulders. The lush, fragrant scent of her arousal floats up to my nostrils. The minute my lips met hers, I began to get hard, but in response to that lovely, erotic scent, my erection becomes a throbbing, aching presence between my legs. Giving a low growl, I try to press in closer, only to find something uncomfortable poking me... oh. I glance down and see it is her needlework. In a flash, I take it from her and set it on the floor next to her chair.

Using my body, I nudge my woman's legs apart. Her short skirt pushes up her thighs as I insert my body between them. I lean in, eager for more of her warm, sweet kisses. Eventually, I leave her mouth and explore her ears and neck, which I know quite well drives my little lover wild. As I prowl my way down the side of her throat, I seem to be completely incapable of keeping my fangs from descending. I spend some time running my tongue over the tiny puncture marks left over from last night. This batch has nearly disappeared, but if all goes to plan, by dawn there will be plenty more to replace them... although with any luck, Sookie will have had enough of my blood that they will heal almost instantly. As I suck and nip at her neck, her body slips forward in her chair just enough so that all that stands between my cock and her entrance is a pair of white lace panties. The damp heat from her core radiates onto my own engorged flesh, driving _me_ wild.

I press even closer to Sookie's warm body, rubbing and bumping against the thin lace guarding the access to bliss. The instinctual need to be inside of my mate is now a driving, aching force, and nothing would be easier than pushing that tiny scrap of fabric to one side and burying myself inside of that gloriously hot, slick channel of hers... but I force myself to wait. By now, Sookie herself is burning to be taken, and tries to wriggle her hand between us in order to rid herself of the fabric barrier. I stop her, murmuring in her ear, "Not yet, my lover. I have other plans for you tonight." After returning from Magnolia, I had been so filled with bloodlust that there had been no question of foreplay... only raw, untamed, animalistic sex. As much as my partner seemed to relish it, tonight I want to take my time and pleasure her, just to remind her that I _am_ capable of more... civilized behavior.

As I nibble on Sookie's delicate little ear, my hands snake up between us and begin unbuttoning her top. Unlike its unfortunate predecessor, the buttons of this top are large enough for my fingers. Once they are undone and the fabric pushed aside, I sit back in order to admire the fruits of my labor. Knowing that I want to look at her, Sookie drops her hands to her sides, her lovely face flushed and glowing. She is panting lightly, which makes the creamy tops of her breasts swell over the cups of her white lace bra. With no conscious effort from me, my erection jerks in response to the view. This does not escape Sookie's notice. Giving me a sultry smile, she reaches up with both hands and shoves the fabric of the bra cups down, exposing her nipples. With a wicked gleam in her eyes, she sensuously rolls the taught rosy tips between her own fingers... and then lets out a low, sexy moan as she does it.

In response to this highly erotic vision, a few drops of semen spurt from my tip, and Sookie smiles in satisfaction. Letting go of her breast, she reaches down and captures some of the pinkish fluid with the tip of one finger. Bringing to her lips, she slowly and carefully removes every smidgen of moisture with her tongue. The tiny bit of my blood which it contains is enough to make her eyes dilate, and I am quite certain that the sight of my naughty wife licking my cum off her finger makes mine do the same.

It seems that my temptress is not done with me, though. She reaches down and swipes the head of my shaft again, and this time when she gathers up the remaining fluid, she lazily rubs it onto one of those rosy, taught nipples of hers. She says, "Care for some?"

Ye Gods! Growling, I lunge forward and draw the glistening pink flesh into my hungry mouth. Running my tongue around her perfect little nipple, I savor the combined flavors of my own essence and my Bonded's skin. Now I am so inflamed it is simply not possible to be as gentle as I had planned. I allow my razor sharp fangs to sink into the firm flesh on either side of the nipple. Eagerly I pull at my lover's breast, relishing the life-giving blood that flows into my mouth. At the first sting, Sookie gasps, but soon she is lost in the pleasurable sensation of my suckling.

The sweet low sound of her moans make me more aroused than ever. It makes me crave more of her delectable blood, but taken from a slightly different location. Releasing Sookie's breast, I kiss my way down the rest of her body. Dropping back onto all fours puts me in the perfect position to nuzzle and lick the inside of her thighs. Of course, the lovely Fairy's luscious scent is more concentrated in this area and I confess that it goes to my head a bit. I use my fangs to slice through the slender bands of lace and then tug the ravaged panties from under her bottom with my teeth and toss them to one side. At last I can feast my eyes on the lovely sight of my Bonded's most secret place, which is already so slick and wet it glistens. I cannot wait one more second to taste her essence, so I slide my tongue through the very center of those tender folds in one long, slow lick. Sookie lets out a ragged yelp and bucks as if an electric current has passed through her. Closing my eyes, I stop long enough to swirl her sweet slick fluids around the inside of my mouth. Her delicate Fairy flavor is incomparable and to a vampire, absolutely intoxicating. Insatiable now, I go back for more. Knowing well that there is no stopping me at this point, Sookie winds her fingers through my hair and hangs on for dear life.

Using only my tongue and my teeth, I mercilessly drive my lover toward ecstasy. As she nears her peak, I replace my mouth with my fingers because I want my bite to be what sends her over the golden edge. After licking the smooth soft skin of her inner thigh in preparation, I sink my fangs into one of my all-time favorite places to feed... her femoral artery. The very second I do, Sookie cries out sharply and begins to orgasm; and as she cums, I deliberately leave my fangs embedded in her skin. The tips of my fangs are extremely sensitive, and the vibrations they pick up from her contractions are heavenly... not to mention the lovely, hot blood that is pulsing into my mouth with every wild beat of her heart. Although I would love to take more, I force myself to seal the wounds after just a couple of mouthfuls. With any luck, there will be plenty of opportunities for more later, and I want to pace myself.

Quickly rising to my knees, I resume my position from earlier, except this time those pesky panties are gone. My sweet lover is flushed and panting, but oh so ready for me. The need to be inside my woman is urgent, nearly burning in its intensity, and it takes an enormous amount of will power to make myself enter her slowly; however, watching Sookie writhe and beg me to go faster makes it worth it. I proceed to torture my willing victim with slow, deep thrusts. Almost the minute I am inside her, the the urge to climax starts to build. Centuries of practice have given me superb control in that area; but sometimes with Sookie, my discipline threatens to desert me. It is both exhilarating and annoying to finally find a woman that causes such intense passion in me that all my hard-won self discipline goes flying out the window. Tonight, I am absolutely determined to be in control, and in fact I manage to stay focused... that is, until my Lover starts to orgasm. Her velvety sheath clutches my cock, the waves of her climax running up and down its swollen length, milking me... ah!.. Suddenly, the slender thread of control snaps. There is no slowing down the climax barreling through my body, and with a shout I bury myself to the hilt. My essence shoots deeply inside my mate, the powerful eruptions going on and on...

Once we have both regained the ability to speak, Sookie says, "My goodness. That was... intense. I've never had sex in a chair before."

"My love, I have been thinking about our goal of marking every room in Valhalla. I have decided to extend that to include all of the furniture as well."

Eying my rather large frame, she asks skeptically, "Uh... is that even possible?"

Giving her a rakish grin, I assure her, "Certain items may present somewhat of a challenge, but I trust that my imagination and ingenuity are up to the task."

Sookie rolls hers eyes and says teasingly, "Ha! I can just see us perched on top of one of those teeny-weeny antique side tables I bought in New York. The way you make love, there would be nothing left but kindling."

"I prefer to take that as a compliment. I will even admit that it is possible that one or two of the more fragile pieces might be sacrificed, but I assure you, the results will be well worth it."

"I spend enough of your money replacing shredded panties," she reminds me," Let's do our best to keep the furniture in one piece. Although... I _do_ enjoy shopping in New York with Robert. He's _so _much fun, and so knowledgeable, too. Maybe you won't get _too_ grumpy if I'm only gone for a day or two..." She bats her eyes innocently and then waits expectantly for my reaction.

Never one to disappoint, I give her a play growl and say, "You are not going _anywhere_ without me, and especially not with the Knight. You would soon get used to all his romantic ways, and then you would be dissatisfied with your practical, unromantic old Viking... plus, that old rascal would be begging you for more kisses at every turn."

Thoughtfully she says, "Hmm. Yes, you may have a point. There _is _nothing more irresistible than a gorgeous, extremely romantic man with a lovely French accent... who just happens to be one of the world's greatest kissers. I suppose I'd better not risk it."

In spite of the fact that I know she is just baiting me, I cannot suppress the tiniest bit of jealousy. There is a hint of truth in the growl that comes out this time. "What _is_ it with women and a French accent?" I ask the nearby lampshade, "_I _could have an accent, but no... _I_ refuse to stoop to such tactics. And who would have thought that _my_ wife... my _Bonded_... would prefer the kisses of my brother after only one sample? And to think that I foolishly allowed him to escort her to dinner last night! I must be getting senile in my old age..."

My serious conversation with the lamp makes Sookie laugh out loud. She throws her arms around my neck and says, "I never said I _preferred_ Robert's kisses! I just said he was _one_ of the world's best kissers, not _the_ best one. That title goes to you. As for the accent, I've got to tell you... yours makes me melt right into a puddle."

"What accent?" I ask indignantly, "I do not have an accent!"

Something about my statement makes her giggle uncontrollably, and she replies, "Uh huh... whatever you say. Just remember, I think that non-existent accent of yours is one of the sexiest things about you."

Really, women _are_ the most inscrutable creatures. There is absolutely no accounting for what they find fascinating. It was a lot of hard work losing my accent! Grumbling to myself, I pick up my maddening wife, toss her over my shoulder, and head to the shower. Shrieking with laughter, Sookie takes the opportunity to swat at my bottom with both hands. She manages to gasp out, "What an ass!"

I presume she is referring to my anatomy and not my character. As it happens, we are just passing by one of the large bathroom mirrors. Given her current position, the reflection of Sookie's own rather spectacular ass is incredible, and I have to stop and admire it fully. It makes me... hungry, in more ways than one. I reach up and lovingly stroke one exquisitely round cheek. "Thank you, but I have to say that the Queen's bottom is definitely equal to the King's."

With that, Sookie realizes just what has captured my attention. She makes a strangled sound like, "Erk!" and then demands, "Eric Northman, you put me down!"

Now_ I _am laughing. Ignoring her pleas, I cart her into the shower and turn on the water before finally setting her down. As soon as the water is hot, Sookie picks up a sponge and some soap and begins to scrub me. It brings to mind something that I meant to ask her earlier, "Dear One, perhaps you would care to explain how it is that I went to my rest still covered in grime, but awakened perfectly clean?"

Unexpectedly, I can tell she is a little embarrassed by her answer. "Um. It was me. I didn't mind that you were a little dirty or anything... I just thought you might be more comfortable if you were clean. I hope you don't mind."

"Mind? No. I find the idea that you cared for me in such a way to be very... satisfying."

Now that she knows I am not annoyed, she gives me a cute little leer and wiggles her eyebrows at me, "I found it pretty satisfying, too. I'll be glad to be your House Fairy anytime."

"House Fairy? I am not familiar with this creature."

"Oh... of course. I forgot that you don't know much about the Portal. I was just making a little joke. You see, all the high-born Fairies there have servants, which are called House Elves. Uh... you know about Elves, right?"

"Yes, they are a lesser type of fairy. I have even seen one or two. Ugly little things. I understand that they are not nearly as tasty as the real thing, either."

With a disapproving look, Sookie says sharply, "Eric! Be nice. They are all really, really sweet and extremely loyal to Niall."

Knowing first-hand how Sookie usually feels about servants, I am a bit taken aback by her attitude. Somewhat cautiously, I ask, "So I take it that you did not object to Niall having servants?"

"Well, I did at first, but honestly, that's just how it is in the Portal. Plus, the Elves really like their jobs, and it hurts their feelings if you don't let them do it. Once I relaxed a little, I have to admit that I enjoyed them. My Elves took really, really good care of me, and to be honest, I kind of miss them."

What? Did I just hear her right? Astonished, I say, "_Your_ Elves? Niall gave you your own?"

Sookie is behind me scrubbing my back, so I cannot see her face as she replies, "Yes. I have two, Aderyn and her daughter Morwenna."

Unbelievable!_ I_ had to practically twist her arm just to get her to accept a housekeeper! "I see. These Elves of yours... what exactly are their duties?"

"Uh... they take care of all my personal needs. For example, they take care of my clothes and stuff, and tuck me into bed at night. They bathe me, rub in my creams, dress me, brush my hair... like that. I guess _you_ might call them ladies' maids."

At her words, I feel my temper flare. No one... NO ONE is allowed to touch my Queen's body without my express permission! The very idea of a pack of strange Elves running their hands over my Bonded's skin in such an intimate fashion is completely unacceptable! Although I have not spoken any of this out loud, Sookie catches on to my agitation immediately. Puzzled, she asks, "Eric, what's wrong? You're always trying to get me to hire servants!"

Rather grumpily, I explain, "I fully intended for you to have a personal maid, once you got past your ridiculous aversion to them... but one that I had very carefully selected myself. Furthermore, I do not understand why you refuse to allow me to give you even one, and yet you accept two from Niall!"

"Honey, you are getting all bent out of shape over nothing," she says firmly, "All members of the Royal Family have their own Elves. Niall was just trying to make me feel like a part of the family."

Hmpf. Expensive gifts... personal servants... no matter what my rather naïve wife thinks, obviously my first instincts were correct. The Fairy Prince _had_ been attempting to lure his great-granddaughter into staying with him in the Portal. GRRRR! When next we meet, he and I are _definitely_ going to have a few words about this situation.

Knowing that I am still unsettled, Sookie comes around to stand in front of me so that she can talk to me face to face. She says firmly, "Maybe I should _also _mention that Niall went out of his way to make sure everyone addressed me by my title. Since I was so mad at you, I couldn't figure out why; but now I think it was his subtle way of reminding everyone that I was your wife... including me. Eric, believe it or not, I think he wanted us to get back together. Please don't be mad at him."

Surprised, I ask, "You said 'everyone.' Who besides the servants and your family were present?"

An emotion flashes through my Bonded, but my own are too agitated for me to catch what it is. Sookie hesitates for split-second before answering, "Uh... well, Faeryn and her mother Rhiannon, who were there to keep me company. Also, some of Niall's friends were invited to visit. You should be happy to know that he introduced me as your Queen without batting an eye."

Hmm. So the Prince of the Fairies openly acknowledged that his great grand-daughter is my Queen, at least to a chosen few. Well, well, well. That is a very interesting piece of news, and I will have to think more about Niall's motives later. Still, I suppose that by his insistence on the use of my Queen's proper title, he was showing me at least a modicum of respect; and so I find myself somewhat mollified. I can tell that my reaction is making Sookie quite tense, and that will never do. Even though we have some issues to resolve, I still want this evening to be a joyous one. I resolve to keep a tighter grip on my emotions for the balance of the night. Taking the sponge from Sookie's hand, I begin to bathe her, saying, "I must confess to being surprised to hear that Niall has revealed your identity to _anyone_... but I am happy to hear that he acknowledged our connection. Who were these other Fairies?"

"Oh... just close friends of Niall's," she says vaguely, "I could tell that they were all pretty curious about you, but mostly they were too polite to ask me very many questions."

Now, that _is_ rather amusing. One corner of my mouth twitches up, and I say, "Oh, I can well imagine that they would have _plenty_ of questions, given that you are the very first Queen of the Vampires to be in the Portal. Given how angry you were with me, if they had been any less polite I suspect they might have heard all manner of dreadful things about vampires in general and me in particular."

Shaking her head, Sookie says seriously, "No, that's not true. Even though I _was_ mad at you, I wouldn't have ever said anything bad about you in public. I was raised better than that."

She says it with such sincerity, I believe her. It is good to know that she is loyal even when she is not speaking to me! Now I find that I am in a _much_ better mood. After making sure that Sookie is adequately rinsed, I turn off the water and retrieve towels for both of us. Wrapping herself in one of them, Sookie goes into our closet to dress. "Are we still going on a date?" she asks, "What should I wear? I'm going to warn you, I don't have anything fancy at this house. Just Fangtasia-wear and casual stuff. Everything else is at Valhalla."

"Of course we are still going. Wear the skirt you had on earlier. It flatters your legs, and besides it has..."

"Let me guess," my wife interrupts, grinning."Easy access, right?"

"Absolutely. Also, as much as I like that braid, I want your to wear your hair down tonight. I want to be able to run my fingers through it when the mood strikes me."

It is only the work of a moment to pull on some jeans and a t-shirt, and after that I prop myself in the doorway and watch Sookie dress. She begins by rubbing a heavenly-smelling cream into her skin. When I inquire where she got it, she catches my eye and replies, "It is made in the Portal. This was the same kind of cream Aderyn rubbed into my skin after my bath. She was worried that I wouldn't take care of myself properly when I got back home, and so she got Claudine to bring me a whole bag full of it."

By the way she said it, it is almost as if she is expecting me to object... again. It occurs to me that I _have _given her cause to be a tad leery of my reactions. If I want her to tell me everything, I suppose I must try to be less... intense. Making an effort, I smile and say, "It smells delightful. Maybe what you need is a House Vampire to help you rub it in. I am happy to apply for the position."

Obviously relieved at my reaction, Sookie returns my smile. Shaking her head decisively, she says, "Uh-uh. No dice, Mister. If you do, one thing will lead to another, and we'll never get to our date. I am _dying_ to know what you have planned... oh! ... er, sorry." She continues to dress, pulling out some fresh (and intact) panties and a matching bra. She slips back into the same clothes she was wearing earlier, and then brushes her hair out long, the way I requested. Also to please me, she only applies a minimum of makeup. The very last thing she does is to center the medallion of the necklace she is wearing around her neck. Since her return from Niall's, I have noticed that she has worn none of the jewelry I have given her except for her wedding rings. Eying the cheap daisy necklace with disfavor, I will myself to keep my mouth shut. I absolutely loath my Bonded wearing costume jewelry of any sort... I simply cannot stand the thought of anything but gold or platinum touching her skin. Since I am attempting to be an agreeable vampire, I will not scold her; but I console myself that it will soon be replaced with something much more suitable for the throat of a Queen.

Before we leave the room, Sookie asks if we will be returning to this house tonight, and I tell her no. She goes back into the closet, grabs her overnight bag, and then heads into the bedroom where she begins to hurriedly gather up her sewing. "I noticed that you were working on something earlier. May I see it?" I ask.

A bit shyly, she holds it out. It is a very pleasing design of roses. "Very lovely," I compliment her, "I believe this type of work is called needlepoint, correct? Did Pam teach you?"

Shaking her head, she answers quietly, "No, Faeryn's mother Rhiannon taught me. She said it would help me calm down and think clearly, and believe it or not, it does."

I smile and confess, "When _I_ need to calm down and think clearly, I sharpen my sword."

At this revelation, Sookie chuckles and says, "That's funny... when you're sharpening that sword, it has the exact opposite effect on everybody else in the room." She pauses for a minute, but then continues, "Really, Eric, I wish you could meet Rhiannon. Besides being the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, she's completely amazing. She is more like a Queen than anyone I've ever met. I wish... I wish I was a lot more like her."

Ah ha! So the changes in Sookie's outlook and behavior must be at least partially due to this Fairy's influence. For someone to have such a profound impact on my headstrong wife, she must be special indeed. I truly would love to meet her. "Once we have determined that I am once again fully immune to Fairies, why not invite her and Faeryn for a visit?"

"Yes, I think I just might do that. As a matter of fact, I tried to call Faeryn today, to thank her for all of her help and to talk to her about a couple of other things. By the way, you're never going to believe this, but I think Robert has a crush on Faeryn."

"A crush on her...? I am unsure what you mean but it sounds uncomfortable."

"Oh... it means he is completely fascinated with her and wants to see her again. I think they would be perfect for one another... except for the teeny tiny problem of him possibly wanting to drain her. There has to be some way around it, though. I've been thinking. Maybe I could give him enough of my blood that he..."

I cut her off immediately, "Not a chance."

"But Eric!" she says in surprise, "He's your brother! There wouldn't be any sex involved. We could..."

"No."

One look at my face and I think she knows that any further argument is a complete waste of her breath. She says, "Okay. I can see maybe we'd better talk about this later. Let's get started on our date. I can't wait to find out where we're going!"

In response, I give her a mysterious smile. Taking her overnight bag from her hand, I usher her upstairs. As we emerge from our chamber and start toward the entry hall, out of long habit I take a sniff of the surrounding air. Instantly I stiffen. There is a distinct odor of were-animal in my house. In the split second that it takes for that alien smell to trigger my protective instincts, the front door begins to swing open. Without wasting another second, I drop the overnight bag, grab Sookie, and shove her behind me. Indignantly, she says, "Eric! What the HELL!" just about the time Bill steps through the door.

In my Lieutenant's hand is an empty bottle of TrueBlood with a straw stuck in it. Catching sight of us, he looks me directly in the eye and says calmly, "Relax. I smelled it, too. I already checked the house and talked to the guards. It was Sookie's brother, Jason."

From behind me, I hear a small voice saying, "Ah... crap. Honey, I'm sorry I forgot to tell you that Jason came to see me today, but we've been kind of... busy since you got up."

Jason Stackhouse was _here_? In my_ home_ while I was _resting_? That idiotic, disrespectful were-panther was _alone_ with my Bonded _without me being present_! How dare he! Full moon or not, I have half a mind to hunt him down and …

Clearly alarmed, Sookie steps out from behind me and says, "Eric, I'm sorry! You said I could invite anyone I trusted, and Jason _is _my brother! Even so, I kept my eye on him the whole time. The guard Jim was right outside the front door and if I had called out he would have been in here in a flash."

She looks and sounds so stricken, I try to quell my irritation. She has no way of knowing of my recent confrontation with her brother, and also, she is quite correct: I _have_ given her permission to invite guests to Valhalla; and since I have never made it a point to tell her, she obviously does not realize that the location of this particular house is still a closely guarded secret. I do not hold Sookie responsible in any way for this breach of security. I _must_ remember to be more specific with her in future. Still, the damage is done. I am just about to ask her what prompted her to invite her brother here, when Bill beats me to it. Rather bluntly, he asks, "Sookie, what in heaven's name made you ask Jason to come here, especially during the day? The last I heard, you two weren't even on speaking terms."

"I ran into him yesterday while I was at the farmhouse and we patched things up," she willingly explains, "He apologized for all the crappy things he said before the wedding. He found some pictures of our parents that I had never seen before, and..."

The reason that she invited him here is fairly immaterial. There is something about her explanation that interests me much more. Interrupting her, I ask, "Exactly what were these "crappy things" he said?"

A little tingle of fear passes through my Bonded. It is quite obvious that she is both unwilling and unprepared to answer my question. She thinks for a second before responding, "Honey, it really doesn't matter. He apologized."

"Since you have clearly gone out of your way to conceal this entire incident from me, I would say it matters a great deal. You _are_ going to tell me."

Bill sighs and shakes his head, as if he knows I have just made a tactical mistake. He looks as if he would love to disappear into the woodwork. Sookie narrows her eyes and says forcefully, "You make it sound like I'm the _only_ one who has forgotten to mention a few things. For example, what the heck happened to my house? Let me guess... when I left, you lost your temper."

"Nice try at deflection, but it is not going to work. Answer my question, Sookie."

"No! You answer _my_ question! _What happened to my house_?"

"Very well. I can see that you are going to be stubborn about this," I reply coolly, "In the interests of time, I will go first. Obviously, I _did_ lose my temper. I _did_ do a little damage to your house. It has been repaired. I sincerely regret that I damaged your things. Now, I have now answered _your_ questions. Let us get back to mine."

For the longest time, she stands glaring at me, but eventually she relaxes and lets out a huge sigh before saying, "Before I tell you, you have to promise me that you won't hurt Jason."

That is easy. I can always have someone else do it. Truthfully, I tell her, "I promise. I will not harm your brother."

Giving me a withering look of contempt, Sookie says, "Uh huh. You must think I just fell off the back of the turnip truck this morning. _You_ can't hurt him, and you can't send anybody else to do it, either."

Ah, so my Queen is getting to know me better than I realized. After a moment, I respond, "Very well. I agree to your terms. I will not harm your brother in retaliation for this incident." I am very careful to limit this promise to cover this one event only. With a brother such as Sookie's, I suspect there might be more such occasions in our future. I do not care if he _is_ her brother. I cannot and will not allow him to continue to upset her with no consequences.

Sookie gives me a long, searching look, obviously trying to figure out if I am in some way being tricky. Finally, she says in a low voice, "All right. No more secrets, right? When I told Jason that I was marrying you, he flipped out and told me he wasn't going to let me go through with it. Things got a little heated, and Sam and Cooper came over to throw him out. At that point, Jason got really upset and shouted at me that I must be having sex with you and them, too, and not one at a time, either."

Instantly, my blood begins to boil. Jason Stackhouse called his own sister... my Bonded!... a whore. Through gritted teeth, I inquire, "... and who besides Merlotte and Cooper heard this exchange?"

"Um... the entire bar."

Wonderful. As small as Bon Temps is, that means the entire town heard about this incident. I am well aware that Sookie is still quite sensitive when it comes how the members of her hometown perceive her, and it takes little imagination to know how embarrassed she must have been by this very public display. Equally unacceptable is that by all appearances, I have allowed this horrible slur to my wife's reputation to stand with no repercussions whatsoever. For a moment, I am so angry that I am uncertain whether or not I will be able to keep my promise, and in fact I cannot suppress the loud growl that rises in my chest. To my surprise, I hear an identical growl coming from my left. I glance over at Bill, only to discover that he is very nearly as irate as I am. If only I had not given Sookie my word that I would not send someone else to do my biding... my Lieutenant would clearly be more than happy to take my place. I am hoping that he has the sense not to say a word... technically speaking, as long as I give him no direct orders, _he_ is not bound by my promise.

Then my eyes swing back to Sookie. Needlework clutched to her chest, she stands braced before the two large irate vampires in front of her. By her stance, she is clearly expecting more argument... except that her eyes are squeezed shut and her face has gone pale. Without opening her eyes, she snaps out, "Both of you! Cut it out! Please!"

Immediately I realize that she has just absorbed the blast of anger from not only me but probably Bill as well, and so I try my best to reign in my temper. This is easier said than done, though, and it takes more than a minute to get my emotions under control. Once it has reached a more manageable level, Sookie's blue eyes pop back open and she says, "I swear, you two are going to be the death of me. Now, boys, listen up. I pretty much knew you all would react badly, which is why I didn't want to tell either one of you. To be honest, I was pretty pissed off about the whole thing myself... but in human families, stuff like this happens all the time. It's sad, but generally it just means that you don't speak to each other for awhile... maybe even forever. There are no beatings involved."

To my astonishment, instead of retreating into chilly remoteness, Bill says rather heatedly, "That is not so, Sookie. It is a worthy man's duty to defend his womenfolk's honor. When I was human, if _anyone_ had spoken to my wife or my sister in such a fashion, I would have called him out and thrashed him soundly. How can you expect Eric... or me... to do less?"

"That was a long time ago, Bill. Things have changed."

Squaring his shoulders, Bill replies, "Yes, things _have_ changed, but not in the way you mean. Up until now, you had no worthy men to defend you. Now you do."

Laying her hand on his arm, she looks up into his face and says softly, "Oh, Bill. I know I do. I know very well that all I have to do is say the word and Jason or anybody else I might happen to be mad at would be toast... and I can't deny that at the time, I wouldn't have minded one of you kicking his butt a little... but that would have been wrong. See, if that had happened, Jason would _never_ have come around. Now he's had time to think it over, he's sorry he said all those things. Like I said, he apologized for everything and I've forgiven him. He's my only human brother and I want things to be right between us. I guess after everything that's happened recently... I just... I just..." Her voice falters and then she swallows hard before continuing, "I just want everything to be all healed, you know? I want _all_ of my family to get along. I mean it, Bill... _please_ don't do anything to Jason."

Her only _human _brother? If I am not very much mistaken, those words were not carelessly spoken. It is quite clear that Sookie is including Bill as a member of her "family" and it is equally obvious that he thinks of himself that way, too. Hmm. By the looks of things, I think our conversation about nests will be coming up much sooner than I imagined. As for Bill, as he gazes down into Sookie's big blue eyes, his own expression softens. Sighing deeply, he says, "As you wish." Taking her hand, he bows down and kisses it, sealing their pact. The minute he lets her hand go, she turns to me. Reaching up, she gently places her palm on my cheek and says sweetly, "Baby, I know that letting this go is going to be hard for you... but I really, really want to give Jason another chance. Please... for me?"

Really, what vampire could resist such a charming request? Gruffly, I reply, "I already gave you my word that I would not harm him for this incident. In return, though, I want _you_ to promise _me_ that you will not keep such things from me."

My wife is also never one to give her word lightly, so she thinks it over for a minute before replying, "Okay. Deal. I think Jason's learned his lesson, anyhow, so it shouldn't be too hard for me to hold up my end."

She stands on her tiptoes and gives me a good smack on the lips to seal _our_ bargain. That tiny peck is not nearly enough for me, though, so I pull her to me and give her a more energetic sample. As soon as I let her go, I look down at her and said sternly, "Now, you _do_ understand that even when you are with your brother, I still expect you to keep your guards nearby. Yes? Good. Now, Dear One, I believe it is past time for our date to begin."

Smiling, she answers, "I can't wait! Let me grab my purse and a bottle of water first, okay? All this arguing has made me thirsty." She reaches out and plucks the empty bottle from Bill's hand before heading towards the kitchen.

The minute she is out of earshot, I say softly to Bill, "Brother or not, I do not trust Jason Stackhouse. The safety of this house has been compromised. Change the codes immediately. Start looking for a suitable location for a new place. We will discuss the details at a later date. Also, as soon as Pam returns from Magnolia, I want the two of you to question our prisoner. If you have no success, I will try my hand tomorrow evening. Feel free to stay here tomorrow if you wish. Sookie and I will be at Valhalla... but once again, I want to remind you again that unless it is _extremely_ urgent, I do not wish to be disturbed tonight. Understood?"

My Lieutenant gives me a half-bow and says, "Yes, sir. I understand."

I give him a few more instructions for the evening until Sookie is back and ready to depart. The three of us leave the house together and walk out to the cars in the driveway. The Escalade is parked next to Bill's Cadillac, and just as I am opening the passenger door for Sookie, a muffled thumping begins to emanate from the trunk of Bill's car. Obviously startled, Sookie swings her head in the direction of the sound and asks, "What the heck is that?" just before the probable cause occurs to her. Narrowing her eyes, she says suspiciously, "Uh oh. You boys never _did_ tell me about what happened last night. _Please _tell me there is not somebody in that trunk."

"Very well," I say obediently, "There is nobody in that trunk."

"Eric Northman, you are _such_ a liar! Bill Compton, how could you of all people keep someone in the trunk? Honestly!"

Looking a bit sheepish, Bill replies, "We didn't have time to drop him off at Fangtasia last night, but the trunk is light-tight... and if it makes you feel any better, I've already fed him, twice. That's what the straw in the bottle was for."

"Oh, for Pete's sake! Well... okay. Let's hear the details."

Turning her firmly back to our own vehicle, I say, "I will be more than happy to tell you all about it... on the way to our date. Now, let's get going, shall we?"

Still grumbling, she climbs into her seat. I shut her door, jump in the driver's side, and finally we get started on our way. ******

On the relatively short drive to our destination, I relay everything that occurred in Magnolia. Naturally, Sookie is quite disturbed to hear that someone is attempting to gather intelligence on us. "Eric! This is awful! Don't you think _you_ should be there to interrogate this guy? And what about this Amy person? I bet she knows plenty. Just let me at her! Our date can wait one more night."

"Oh, no, it cannot. Sookie, there is _nothing_ more urgent right now than us having one night alone together. Pam and Bill are perfectly capable of handling things for one more evening. Besides, we are already here."

Sookie has been so intent on our conversation, she has not been keeping track of our movements. Now she glances up and takes in our surroundings. She looks a bit confused, because I have pulled up in front of a rather unexciting brick warehouse in the old part of Shreveport. She asks me, "Uh... what is this place?"

"Be patient. You'll see." Up until now, I have deliberately kept her away from this building. I own the entire block, and the warehouse at the other end is where I sometimes carry out interrogations. Now that she has seen the basement at Fangtasia, that place would not be nearly as much of a shock to her... except that, in a addition to interrogations, I also used to bring fangbangers here when I was in the mood for some seriously dark sex. In fact, I really _must_ remember to get someone to dismantle my former "playroom"... I am certain that Sookie would be quite revolted by it. I park the Escalade on the street and then go around and open Sookie's door for her. As soon as she is out of the car, I reach into the back seat, grab her things, and then shut the door.

Now my little lover is completely bewildered. "Are we spending the night... here?"

Shaking my head, I gesture for her to follow me up to the side door, where she stands patiently at my side while I punch in the electronic code. Swinging open the door, I take her hand and pull her inside and then shut and lock the door behind us. The first thing Sookie says is an uncertain, "Eric, honey, it's so dark in here I can't see a thing! Can you find the light switch?"

Of course, _I _can see perfectly well. Unable to help myself, I set down her things and then slide up behind her. Playfully, I whisper in her ear, "What is the matter, little one? Is the pretty little Fairy afraid of being in the dark with the big, bad vampire?"

Instead of being startled in the least, she replies coolly, "Hmm... let me see. Nope, I guess not. I guess you'll just have to try harder, Mr. Vampire."

I just laugh and say, "All right, then, brave girl, come with me." Once again, I take her hand and lead her into the interior of the building, coming to a halt in the middle of the big open space. "Now, just stand here," I tell her, "I'll go get the lights." I make my way over to the wall and flip the switches to the fluorescent lights overhead, all the while keeping my eyes on Sookie's face. The room is suddenly flooded with light, and she realizes that she is standing in the center of an arc of automobiles... and not just any automobiles, either. Eyes wide, she gasps and says in delight, "Oh, wow! What a bunch of cool cars! Is this a museum or something?"

As I stroll back to her, I answer her, "No, these were all mine. I couldn't possibly save all the cars I've ever owned, but these are my favorites from each decade."

As I had hoped she would, Sookie looks completely fascinated. She says, "These were all yours? Oh... wow. Will you... tell me about them?"

That was exactly my reason for bringing her here. No one has ever seen my collection save Pam and Robert and the human currently employed to maintain them. I want very much for my Bonded and me to get to know each other better and in this small way I can share at least a part of my life with her. Taking her arm, I lead her to the oldest first and then progress around the room from there. With the very oldest models, she keeps glancing back and forth from the car to me with the strangest expression on her face. Clearly it is hard for her to visualize me actually driving these when they were new... and what my life was like over a century ago. I know that intellectually she knows how old I am, but somehow this makes it all more real to her. I wonder what she will think when I show her some of my possessions that are _much_ older than these cars...

Sookie seems particular taken with one of my personal favorites, a bright yellow 1911 Mercer Raceabout. She leans in to study the interior, obviously taking great care not to touch anything. Chuckling, I tell her, "Go on... climb in. Unlike its owner, the car will not bite you."

She hesitates for a minute before gingerly crawling into the driver's seat. I try to visualize Sookie dressed in suitable clothing from the same era as the car.. and I confess, it is hard to imagine my very modern woman in such confining garb. I _much_ prefer her in her little cotton sun dresses. As she says... easy access. Still, just for fun, someday I would like to dress her in something from the 1850's... I would absolutely love to bend my sweet Southern Belle over a chair in our living room, slip off her pantaloons, hold up the voluminous hoop skirt and petticoats, and have my way with her... mmmm.

Sookie interrupts my wonderful little fantasy by saying, "Eric, you should see the smile on your face! Does this car bring back good memories?"

"Er... not exactly. More like... future ones. However, I must say you look quite adorable in that car."

Smiling at the compliment, she says, "Thanks! This is pretty sporty compared to most cars in those days, right?"

"Oh, yes. This was considered one of the very first sports cars. It could go over 70 while most other cars would only do about 50. I actually had one from 1915 as well, but Pam wrecked it not long after I bought it."

She nods her head and says, "Considering how Pam drives, I'm not surprised. Too bad, though. I bet most of these cars are worth a bunch now."

"Yes, some of them more so than others," I agree, "For example, I paid around $2,500 for this one when it was new, which of course was a great deal of money at the time. However, one just like it sold at auction recently for nearly $900,000.

Now Sookie's eyes are big as saucers, and she swallows hard. She jerks her hands back from the steering wheel as if it had suddenly grown blistering hot. "Nine... hundred... thousand... dollars," she repeats, clearly stunned. "American money? Oh, my god. Why on earth are you letting me sit in it?"

She starts to climb out, but I stop her. "Sookie... this car was made to be driven. Would you like to drive it?"

"What? Do you mean to tell me it still runs?"

Grinning, I reply, "Of course. They all do. As part of our date, I thought I'd let you pick which one you like best and we'll take it out for a spin."

For just a minute, Sookie just sits and stares at me as if I have lost my mind, but then the corners of her mouth begin to curve upward in a smile. She says, "Well... to tell you the truth, it sounds like fun. But maybe I could pick one that isn't worth quite so much... okay? I'd be so nervous, I wouldn't enjoy myself."

Giving her my hand to help her climb out, I say, "All right, Beloved, come see the rest of your choices."

As we proceed around the room, I tell her about each car and what I was doing around the time it was purchased. About half-way around the room, she lovingly runs her hand over a shiny hood and says, "These are all just wonderful... but I'm a little surprised. I mean, considering how... uh... well-to-do you are, why aren't there any Ferraris or Maseratis or really over-the-top stuff like that?"

"Those sorts of vehicles draw a great deal of attention, which up until the Great Revelation was the very last thing any vampire needed. A few of our kind chose to ignore that reality, but personally I always considered them too much of a risk. My size and appearance made me conspicuous enough. When they were new, none of _these_ cars were so out of the ordinary as to garner more than a passing glance."

A sharp stab of sadness shoots across our Bond. Sookie squeezes my hand and says softly, "Sometimes I forget how hard it must have been for you to stay hidden all these years. I'm glad all that is over now."

"Yes. It never ceases to amaze me how many vampires think we should have remained hidden. Even with all the problems and discrimination we face now, I _love _being 'out'."

"So... now that you can be as conspicuous as you want, how come no fancy-schmancy foreign car?" she inquires, "Or are you just determined to 'Buy American'?"

"Why not? Technically speaking, I am just as American as you are," I point out, "I have been living in this country off and on for over two hundred years. I should think that would qualify me. Besides, I _like_ Corvettes."

Sookie looks around and says laughingly, "Yes, I can see that... along with a bunch of other 'muscle cars.' You do know what humans say about guys who buy cars like this, don't you?"

"That the man driving them must be handsome and exciting, with a keen sense of adventure?"

"Hardly," she replies with a grin, "The old saying is that men buy cars like this to make up for certain... physical inadequacies."

I try my best not to look offended, but then Sookie makes things worse by adding, "Don't worry, honey... no matter what anyone else thinks, you and I know different, right?"

At the resulting scowl, she breaks into peals of laughter. The sound is so lovely, so musical, that instantly I relax and before I know it I am smiling again, too. By now we have made our way to the cars in question... those from the '60's and '70's. Sookie looks them over and says, "Believe it or not, I even know what some of these are. Out of the whole collection, which one is your favorite?"

"Of all the ones here, I suppose it would be the '66 Corvette. It was always a great deal of fun to drive." She gives it a thoughtful look and then rather tentatively asks, "Compared to some of the others, it isn't all that old... how much is _it _worth?"

"Oh... I think when last I looked, it would sell for around $95,000 or so... maybe more by now."

With that, she just clamps her lips together and shakes her head in disbelief, which makes _me_ laugh out loud. I tell her, "I can see that these prices upset you, so I am not telling you any more. I want you to pick the car you really want to drive, not just the least expensive one. You might be interested to know that my _real _favorite is the least valuable of the lot... and in fact, it has yet to be added to the collection, although it _will_ be quite soon."

"The Corvette you're driving now? Why is _it _your favorite?"

Taking her hand, I draw her to me. I kiss her ever so gently on the lips before replying, "Have you forgotten our very passionate interlude on the hood of that very car?_ I _certainly have not."

To my surprise and delight, this elicits a blush from my lover. Even after all this time, I think she still feels guilty for her response to my advances, since technically she belonged to Bill then. As for myself, I will treasure that special moment forever. To tease her a little, I say, "I knew from that moment forward that it was only a matter of time until you left Bill and came to me. Your desire for me was obvious."

"It was _not_! I was just... playing along. Besides, if anybody's desire was obvious, it was _yours_! There was absolutely no hiding it in those Lycra pants."

"Yes, you could hardly peel your eyes away from me all evening... even _before_ I became aroused," I remind her rather smugly.

Now completely flustered, she sputters, "I was not looking at _that_!... Well, okay, maybe I was, but only because I had never seen anything as ridiculous as a vampire in tights. It had nothing at all to do with the size of your... package."

Grabbing her hand, I pull her to me and bend her nearly backwards with an intense kiss. Before she can protest, I swoop her up and deposit her gently on the hood of the '66. Covering her body with mine as I did on that fateful fall night so long ago, I rub myself against her and then kiss her passionately. To my everlasting surprise, she begins to protest... but at least this time it has nothing to do with another lover. She exclaims, "Eric! Stop! We might scratch your car!"

Into her ear I whisper sexily, "Forget the car. Yield to me, Sookie."

That produces a low, throaty chuckle, but then she says teasingly, "Now why would I do that? What makes you think I'm any more interested than I was the last time you had me on the hood of a car?"

My fangs drop down and I scrape them sensually down the side of her throat. She cannot resist shivering with pleasure, and her body begins to undulate under mine. In between tiny nips, I murmur, "Just as before, my Lover, I can tell quite well that you want me... your body is more than ready to take me. I knew it then and I know it now."

"Oh? Just _how_ do you know? I thought _I_ was the telepath."

I take in a deep, satisfying breath and let it out slowly. "I can smell your arousal, of course."

A light laugh comes from my mate. "Oh, come on, honey. You can not." She waits a beat and then, "You... uh, you _can't_, can you?... Oh, holy cow! You can!" she practically wails, clearly horrified.

She struggles to sit up, but I pin her with my body. Into her hair, I breathe, "Of course I can. So you see, it is a waste of time telling me how uninterested you were that night... the scent of your arousal was quite strong. Bill almost certainly smelled it, too."

"Oh... my... god. That's... that's just _gross_!"

I laugh softly and raise my head so that I can see into her eyes. "Far from it... it is _wonderful_."

Now she is struggling in earnest. "Eric, let me up!"

"No. I like it when you struggle. It makes the scent even stronger. Do not be embarrassed, my angel. To a vampire, there is nothing more pleasant than the scent of a beautiful woman's arousal. It is like... vampire catnip. Do you know, each woman's scent is quite individual? Even if I had never had your blood, I would know yours anywhere."

I lay my mouth over my lover's protesting lips and give her a deep, passionate kiss. If she really wanted me to let her go, I might, but our Bond and her scent lets me know that is not want she wants at all. Snaking my hand between our bodies, I manage to shove her short skirt out of my way. I slide my hand inside her now damp panties, searching for that special spot that gives her pleasure. As I knew she would be, she is already hot, swollen, and dripping wet. The minute my fingers come in contact with her sweet nub, her wriggling subsides slightly. Between kisses I tell her, "You always smell like sunlight... and roses … and Fairy. When you are aroused, that scent becomes saturated... heavier... extremely erotic... and utterly intoxicating. It goes straight to my head. It makes me... hungry." All the while I am murmuring this to her, I continue to stroke her in just the right spot. My woman's body is still moving, but she is no longer trying to get away. Now her hips are moving in rhythm with my hand. As the sensations become more intense, she lets out a deep moan and her arms come around my neck.

"... and just in case you are wondering, my love, your taste is exquisite as well. I crave your essence on my tongue nearly as much as I do your lovely blood... I fear I am addicted to it. I could lick this sweet place between your legs for hours and still never get enough."

The combination of my words and my rubbing have done their work... I stare down into the blue depths of her eyes as they lose focus. I watch with great satisfaction as my beautiful wife shatters apart. I can feel the pulses of her pleasure on my hand and also through our Bond. When we started, I had honestly not intended to do more than give her another orgasm, but now the desire to be inside her is overwhelming. In a flash, her panties are history. I unzip my jeans and spring my now throbbing erection. Having sex on the hood of a Corvette is not going to be easy; but I have fantasized about it so many times, I have already worked out the logistics in my head to the point that my body knows exactly what to do... I maneuver us into just the right position. I slide my hands under my now willing lover's extraordinarily fine ass and prop it up, both to give me better access and to give us traction on the car's slick surface. Sookie welcomes me between her legs, anxious hands helping to guide me into place. With one swift move, I join us deeply. I give my own groan of pleasure as Sookie wraps her legs around my waist and urges me on.

Since I have already made love to her once tonight, I should be able to take my time... take it slow and easy... but it seems that the opposite is the case. Ever since that first night, I have wanted this so much... dreamed about it so many times... and in my fantasies, there was never anything slow and easy about it. In my mind, it was always hot... hard... filled with passion... and that is exactly how it is right now. I pound myself into my woman, marking her... claiming her all over again. All too soon, the pressure of my climax begins to build. I grit my teeth, trying to hold it back just... a... little... longer. As my cock prepares for its release, it becomes even harder and more swollen; and in response, it sends my lover rocketing towards her own orgasm. Even though it is unnecessary to bring her to completion, I simply cannot resist biting her... and of course, the minute my fangs penetrate her skin, it shoves the both of us right over the precipice. As I explode inside her, I actually have the sensation of falling... a moment later, I hear someone shouting, calling out to the gods in my native tongue... and then I realize it is me.

Talk about an out-of-body experience! It takes a long time for the shockwaves of our spectacular joining to subside. Sookie's heart is pounding away in her chest, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. We remain locked in place, neither one of us willing to move. My face is buried in a froth of golden hair and I am not sure whether it is mine or hers... probably both. When I am finally able to speak, I manage to murmur, "That was certainly worth the wait."

With a soft chuckle, Sookie responds, "Honestly, if I had known it would be like this, I might have "yielded" to you the first time around, Bill or no Bill."

"Too bad you did not. It would have saved us all a lot of time and energy."

Sookie snorts and says, "Nah... I think the chase was good for you. You appreciate me more because I didn't cave in at the first opportunity."

Only half-way teasing, I respond, "Well, it certainly gave me plenty of time to learn how irritatingly willful and stubborn you can be."

"I am _not_ willful and stubborn!"

Raising my head, I look her square in the eye and say, "Oh, yes, you _are... _but no matter_. _I am just the vampire to tame you." I run one hand down her flank, reminding her of the pleasures I have just given her.

The edges of her eyes crinkle in amusement as she gives me a wicked grin, "Well, maybe I can be a _little_ stubborn. As long as you're planning on "taming me" with your body, I guess I'll let you give it a go... but I'm warning you now, it might take years and years."

"One can only hope. It is just as well that I am immortal," is my reply. I shove myself off of the car and then help Sookie to her feet, while saying, "Now, my Angel, back to business. Have you decided which car you wish to take on our date?"

Sookie looks at all her choices with a judicious eye, and then points to the 1957 Thunderbird convertible. "That one," she says firmly, "I'll feel totally glamorous in that one, just like a movie star from the '50's."

While she retreats to the bathroom to clean up a little, I set myself to rights and then retrieve her things and stow them in the trunk. By the time she returns, I have opened the large overhead door and am waiting patiently in the passenger's seat. She looks a little shocked that I am actually going to let her drive, but after a brief argument, she slips into the driver's seat and starts the engine. It rumbles to life, and the huge smile that spreads across my Bonded's sweet face lets me know how much she is enjoying this portion of our date. Although she doesn't yet know it, there are plenty more surprises in store. She puts the car into gear and it rolls forward into the soft spring night...

_Author's note: This chapter was getting extremely long (25,000 words to this point!), so I decided to stop it here and take it up in the next chapter... stay tuned for the second half of "Sookie and Eric's Big Talk."_


	39. Chapter 39

_Author's Notes: These characters belong solely to Charlaine Harris. I just play with them for my own amusement. _

_*I want to say up front that I blatantly lifted a concept in this chapter directly TrueBlood. To keep from blowing the story for you now, see author's notes at the bottom of the page._

_**I would like to thank SMFogleman for being on top of things. She pointed out that in the books, Tray already has a child in high school! Whoops! I haven't quite figured out how to fix this yet, but I'm working on it. It has been so long since I read the "canon" I seem to be forgetting some of the minor details... sorry!_

_***I would also like to thank VerityW. She has been helping me correct past errors in the story (although I haven't actually uploaded the changes yet... I wanted to get this chapter posted first.)_

_****Last but not least, I want to thank my best friend and cohort Smluver. She keeps me moving forward when I get stuck, lights a fire under my butt when I get lazy, and just generally takes good care of me. She's also a talented artist and has made some amazing wallpapers for my stories. Check them out at digital fairy creations (all one word, no spaces) dot com. The newest one is Bon Temps Nights. Cool!_

**Chapter 39**

**Sookie's POV: Shreveport, LA. The night of the "Big Date"**

The minute my control-freak, alpha-male, type-A vampire husband offered to let me drive one of his prized classic cars, I knew without a doubt that he really _was _willing to do absolutelyanything to make me happy. It made me nervous as all get-out, but eventually he talked me in to it. Finally, I hopped in the car (an absolutely pristine 1957 Thunderbird convertible with the top down), fired it up, and off we went. I felt exactly like Grace Kelly in _To Catch a Thief. _I couldn't remember if it was the same kind of car she drove in that movie or not ... but it was certainly close enough for me. I wished that I had a brought along a long, flowing scarf that would whip out behind me ever so elegantly in the wind... instead, all that was whipping in the wind was my long hair, which at the request of the Viking I had worn loose. Having to pull strands of it out of my eyes and mouth every ten seconds sort of ruined the cool, elegant look I was hoping for. To keep it out of my face, I finally had to get Eric to dig a scrunchie out of my purse so that I could pull the wild mess back into a ponytail. Not as romantic as long flowing locks, but at least I could see where I was going. Much to my amusement, a minute later Eric was back in my handbag, scrounging for another band so that he could get his own flowing locks under control. Cary Grant hadn't had those sorts of problems in the movie, but I didn't care. As far as I was concerned, my handsome husband was the one man on the planet even sexier than my favorite old movie star... or any of the new ones, for that matter.

After pulling out of the warehouse, I had asked the Viking where we were headed. He told me that it really didn't matter to him, so I drove around the old part of downtown Shreveport for a little while just to get a feel for the car. It was pretty fun, too, because from all the stares we got, you would have thought we _were_ movie stars. Normally I wasn't all that crazy about people staring at us, but somehow tonight it seemed... fun. Eric was in high spirits, and as usual they flowed through our Bond right into me. I had to admit, it felt really good to be happy for a change. It had been weeks and weeks since we had done anything just lighthearted and fun... in fact, not since our wonderful honeymoon. We had been through so much since then... Eric becoming King and all the crazy aftermath... our trying to settle into our life together as newlyweds... and then, the devastating events in Las Vegas and the horrible separation that had followed. After our reunion, our time alone had been very limited due to Kingdom business. Even now, there was trouble brewing, and I had offered to put our date on hold so that Eric could deal with it. Much to my relief, my vampire had flatly refused. I had always dreamed of a man that would put me first, and it seemed that was exactly what my husband was doing on this occasion. Really, what more could I ask?

As usual, Eric had lots of mysterious plans for our "date." Frankly, I didn't care what we did as long as we were together, alone. If it was up to me, I would love nothing more than to go back to Valhalla and veg out on our big comfy sofa and watch old movies... but I was willing to bet that the Viking had something much more exciting up his sleeve. We had already had a pretty spectacular start. You could have knocked me over with a feather when he first turned on the lights in his warehouse. I had never seen so many fantastic cars in one place, ever. I had really enjoyed looking at them, but the real treat was getting the back story of each one of them. For my very private, secretive vampire, sharing his history with me was a definite sign of his love and regard for me; and just like on the other occasions when he had done so, it made me feel extremely close to him. The mind-blowing sex on the top of his favorite car didn't hurt things, either.

After I had navigated around downtown for a little bit (being very careful to stay the heck away from the vortex of Fangtasia for fear of getting sucked in), Eric spoke up and suggested we head out to the country. It was a beautiful, warm evening and the full moon was already on the rise. I was having a blast driving, but being out in the country would mean I could concentrate more on our conversation and less on the maniac drivers in the city. It wasn't long before we were out of town and winding down some country roads. The whole time we chatted about this and that, keeping the talk very light. There were still plenty of things that we desperately needed to discuss, but it was clear that we were both reluctant to go there just yet. It seemed that for the time being, both of us were content just to be together. Every so often, Eric would tease me about driving so slowly, which resulted in another vigorous round of banter... and a lot of laughter.

After about an hour, Eric pulled out his cell phone and sent a quick text to someone. Without waiting for a response, he shoved the phone back in his pocket, turned to me and said, "My Lover, if you have no objections, I would like a turn at the wheel." Finding a safe spot, I pulled over so we could switch places. Soon we were humming down the road again... but at a _much_ faster clip than before, naturally. We made so many twists and turns that I temporarily lost track of where we were, but then it seemed that things were starting to look familiar. Sure enough, I recognized some of the landmarks that were scattered along the road. We were not far from Valhalla! Soon the fence line of our own acreage came into view. "Are we going home?" I asked. It was fine by me, but I was just a bit surprised.

Eric grinned and said mysteriously, "Yes... and no." Before I could get anymore out of him, we were pulling through the front gates. The guards bowed as we drove past but did not attempt to speak to us. Instead of parking in front of the house, for once Eric pulled the car into the garage. He opened my door and then led me outside, stopping just at the edge of the drive. "I thought instead of going out somewhere in public, what we really needed was a night at home alone," he said lightly, "Will you take a walk around the grounds with me?"

Now I really was confused. To tell the truth, though, I was really more than happy to be at home, and I told him so. "I was hoping you would feel that way," the Viking said, "We have never had enough time to explore our estate properly. Tonight seemed like the perfect time."

Without waiting for an answer, he tucked my hand around his arm and led me out of the garage and over to one of the flagstone paths that had been laid while I was gone. It meandered over to the little ornate wrought-iron gate to the east of the house, beyond which was the footpath that led through the woods and down to the lake. Eric swung it open and we stepped through. The rough dirt path that had been there before was now covered with flagstones. Side-by-side, we strolled down the walkway as it wound through the thick stand of trees. After a moment, Eric asked, "Sookie, do you remember the last time we traveled this path together?"

"How could I forget it? It was one of the best nights of my entire life! It was the night you proposed!"

The Viking smiled down at me fondly. "Exactly so. If you remember, it was a full moon that night, too. In fact, it was exactly three moons ago. That night was very special to me. I will never forget it. It was almost as special as..." His voice trailed off, as if something had just interrupted his train of thought. I nearly asked him _as special as what? _but decided he would finish his sentence when he was ready. As we progressed into the heart of the forest, it became darker and darker. Soon, it was all I could do to keep from stumbling, even on the new, level path. I must have been clutching Eric's arm pretty tightly, because he broke the silence by asking in a teasing tone, "What is the matter? Surely the lovely little Fairy is not afraid of these deep, dark woods."

"Don't be silly!" I replied carelessly, "This is our land. There are guards everywhere. I'm perfectly safe out here, right? I'm not the least bit afraid." I was lying through my teeth, but it was such a little white lie I was hoping my Bonded wouldn't be able to feel it. The truth was, when we were children Jason had scared the beejeebers out of me by telling me horror stories about an escapee from a mental institution, who was now living in our woods and just waiting for an opportunity to cut little girls up into small pieces with his ax. Consequently, I still had a completely ridiculous aversion to walking through dark, dense woods by myself at night. I would feel like a total idiot telling _anyone_ about it, much less a vampire_. _Eric would probably laugh himself , I was not about to feed that massive ego of his by admitting that the only reason I _wasn't_ afraid was because the scariest thing in these woods was the one I was currently clinging to like a limpet.

The next words out of Eric's mouth made me wish I had given him a more truthful answer. With one side of his mouth twitching up, he said, "Somehow I knew you would say something along those lines. I'm glad you are so... unafraid. I need to run back to the house and get something. I'll only be gone a minute." Without waiting for an answer, he spun around and vanished... or at least, he'd been moving so fast it seemed like it. Now I _was_ alone... very, very alone. I told myself stoutly that there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of... otherwise, my extremely over-protective vampire would never have left me... all... alone. Oh. Crap.

I hovered on the path, unsure of what to do. Finally I decided that it would be much harder for crazed ax-murders to hack up a moving target, so I started walking toward the lake again. Well, to be accurate, I was really shuffling along, since I could hardly see two feet in front of me. I had hardly taken more than about ten steps forward, when off to my left, something in the trees gave out series of haunting cries followed by a bone-chilling screech. I nearly jumped right out of my skin. A cold sweat bloomed over my whole body, and I thought seriously about just poofing back home. As I went into "threatened Fairy-mode," my body began to give off a light glow... which at least helped a little with the darkness. Slightly reassured, I gave myself a stern talking to. "Get a grip Sookie!" I said out loud, "Some vampire Queen you are! That was just a dad-gummed ol' owl. There aren't any ax-murderers out here, and no lions or tigers or bears, either!"

A voice breathed into my ear, "... but there _are_ vampires."

I gave out a shriek that could wake the dead, and it was all I could do to keep from popping away. Instead, I whirled around and punched my now laughing vampire in the arm as hard as I could... which of course was like hitting a block of marble. "Eric Northman, you did that on purpose!" I said indignantly.

"Sorry, my love, the vampire in me just could not resist." he said, still chuckling, "To come upon an unsuspecting Fairy walking through the woods at night is every vampire's dream..." In mid-sentence, he stopped, took a big sniff, and instantly the pupils of his eyes became big as saucers. Quick as a wink, he jerked me into his arms, buried his head in my neck and began snuffling me. As if to himself he murmured, "Fairy, with just a hint of fear... completely delicious." He sounded like a wine snob describing the nuance of a particularly good vintage. Lust and hunger came barreling through the bond, and a second later I felt the sweep of his tongue as he licked my skin as if preparing it for his bite.

Wait just a danged minute! If the vampire thought he could get away with scaring the crap out of me like that and then be rewarded with a snack, he was sadly mistaken! If he was going to have _this_ Fairy's blood, he was going to have to work for it! Gathering myself together, I poofed myself away...

…. about 20 feet further up the path. The minute my body had completely materialized, I burst out laughing. The stunned look on my vampire's face as he realized that his dinner had just flown the coop was just as delicious as he claimed my scent was! "What's the matter, vampire?" I said in a sultry, teasing tone, "Not quite quick enough?"

As Eric's head whipped up to meet my gaze, I drew in a sharp breath. My vampire's eyes were nearly black with dark desire and I suddenly wondered if I had bitten off more than I could chew. I knew quite well that he was so old and so fast, I probably didn't have a prayer of _really_ eluding him... but then he seemed to shake himself and gave me a big Viking-style grin. "I see my little Fairy is feeling frisky tonight," he said playfully, sidling closer, "So you think you are faster than me, do you?"

Laughing, I held my hands up, palms out, in a "I give up" kind of gesture... all the while slowly but steadily backing away from him. "Um... maybe. I guess we'll just have to find ou..."

Without warning Eric made a sudden lunge toward me, and so I poofed another 20 feet up the flagstones. I materialized again and looked back down the path, expecting to see him standing in the spot that I had just vacated... but he was nowhere to be seen. Huh. Now where did that vampire get off to...?

"Looking for someone?" a deep voice said in my ear, as strong arms clamped around me and pinned me against a huge, rock-hard body. I heard a soft chuckle and then, "Dear me, I seem to have captured a Queen. Really, Sookie, when playing games, you always need to think one or two steps ahead."

Rats! I made a mental note to myself that the next time I was playing cat and mouse with a vampire, I needed to be less predictable. I giggled and said, "Okay. I give up... but no more scaring me, all right? You just about gave me a heart-attack." I wriggled myself around so I was facing him, and then turned up my face so that he could give me a serious, no-holds-barred kiss. It seemed that our little game of chase had gotten _my_ engine revving, too, and I could not suppress a little moan of anticipation. Laying one big hand on my butt, he pressed my lower body against the enormous bulge in his jeans. Oh... yum! Breaking my lips away from his insistent mouth, I tilted my head to one side, shamelessly offering him my neck. "You won, fair and square."

With a growl, the Viking dipped his head to my throat. He scraped his fangs across my skin... nipping... licking... teasing. I squeezed my eyes shut, eagerly waiting for the sharp but blissful pain of his bite... but instead, Eric merely kissed my neck and then lifted his head. He gave me one of those ultra-sexy smiles of his, the kind that would have a fangbanger on her knees in no time (and a Fairy, too, come to think of it) and said, "I think perhaps I will wait to claim my prize. These flagstones would be much too hard on your back."

"Mr. Smug! What makes you think I was offering anything but blood?"

Bending his golden head down to my ear again, the vampire murmured, "My sweet little Fairy, there is no way that I can drink _your_ blood without wanting to get get inside you. I am spoiled. I prefer to taste you as you cum."

Oh... god. At those highly erotic words, my temperature shot up at least ten degrees. At that point, I would have willingly sacrificed a little skin for a nice, hard round of love-making... but apparently Eric meant what he said about waiting. He released me from his embrace, and then once again tucked my hand around his arm and started down the path to the lake. Around the next bend, the canopy of the trees started to thin out a bit, allowing the bright moonlight to illuminate our way. Picking up the conversation we had been having before his return to the house, Eric said, "As I was saying, the night of our engagement was very special to me. I wanted to commemorate that wonderful evening, and so..."

We had finally come to the end of the flagstone path. Past the edge of the trees was the little clearing near the lake where my vampire had once proposed. Just as it had been three months ago, the lake was still as glass and absolutely beautiful. The moon was huge in the sky, so bright and full that it bathed the whole area in light. I only vaguely noticed all those things, though, because my eyes were glued to something that was totally different than before. Not far from the water's edge, in the very spot where my hopeful suitor had once erected a sheik's tent, stood a little cottage! It was a story-and-a-half with a covered porch all the way across the front. Since it was so close to the water, it had been raised off the ground a few feet and the piers of its foundation concealed by lattice work. The cabin had clearly been styled to compliment the architecture of the main house. All along the front there were similar floor-to-ceiling windows flanked by tall, dark green wooden shutters. Soft light poured from the interior, giving the place a welcoming glow. As my mouth fell open in astonishment, Eric finished his sentence. "... I had this place put here as a reminder. What do you think?"

Stunned, I just stood and stared at it for a moment before answering, "Honey, I think it's absolutely amazing. Can I see the inside?"

Giving me another pleased smile, the Viking said, "Of course."

Taking my hand, he led me up the front steps, across the front porch, and through the broad front door. The interior was just as wonderful as the outside. It consisted of one large rectangular open space with a stone fireplace on one end. On the far wall of the room was a neat little galley kitchen. Along the back wall, a set of unadorned wooden steps led to the upstairs. The floor was made of wide pine planks that had the smooth, worn patina of great age. In fact, the whole structure had the feeling of being old, even though I knew that it had been very recently constructed.

As for the furnishings, they were simple but elegant. A comfortable looking sofa and a couple of chairs covered in white cotton slipcovers were arranged in front of the fireplace, and on the floor was a braided rug in soft faded colors. A large pine hutch was placed along the back wall, its shelves curiously empty. In my mind's eye, I imagined it someday overflowing with a variety of books, boardgames, jigsaw puzzles and other pastimes good for a rainy day... or night. Near the kitchen sat a round table and chairs. The soft light in the room came not from electricity, but from several strategically placed hurricane lamps. It was the coziest little cabin imaginable!

Eric's big arms come around me, and he pulled me back against his body. Kissing the top of my head, he said, "I hope you like it."

"Honey, I love it!" I said with enthusiasm, "This is like our own little private hide-away. We can take a vacation without ever leaving home! It is _such _a cool place. How did you get it to look so old and authentic? It looks just like it has been here as long as the big house."

"That is because it _was _built around the same time. Do you know what a garçonnière is?"

"Uh... no."

"Loosely translated, it means "a young man's apartment" or "bachelor's quarters," he explained, "Back in the day of the plantations, it was the custom for a place like this to be built away from the main house, and after a certain age the boys of the family would take up residence in it so they could pursue "manly" things. This structure was originally located in the woods to the west of the main house, but I had it moved here and modernized. Besides the obvious structural repairs, the kitchen was added, as well as a bathroom upstairs."

"This is just wonderful... but it seems impossible that this was restored and furnished in the time I was gone."

"It wasn't. I had this project started even before the wedding. I thought it would be a nice place for us to relax. Things have been so hectic since our marriage, there never seemed to be enough time to show it to you. There did not seem to be any hurry, until...

Even though was I was still leaning against him and could not see his face, I could feel his sadness. Before I could stop myself, I finished his sentence, ":... until I ran off, right? But if I was gone, what was the hurry?"

For a long time, he was silent as he formulated his answer. Finally, he sighed heavily. "Because of the Bonding Sickness I was not thinking straight. I became convinced that even if you _would_ consent to come home, you would not want to live with me. As I told you before, I was hoping that if I got the house and grounds completed, you might stay at Valhalla instead of going back to live in Bon Temps. That is why I wanted this place to be ready, so I could stay here. I thought it might be close enough to keep the Bonding Sickness at bay, but far enough away that you would not have to see me if that was your wish."

Even though his voice was even, there was no hiding the residual feelings of pain and sadness that welled up inside him. Clearly we still had a ways to go until all the wounds from our recent ordeal were healed. I swirled around and hugged him to me tightly. Burying my head in his big chest, I said simply, "I am _so_ sorry, honey."

"I was absolutely determined to win you back, Sookie," he said softly, holding me just as tightly, "I hoped that sooner or later I could lure you here, and the memories of the magical evening we once spent in this spot might soften you towards me."

"Oh, Eric. You have no idea how much I wish that I could turn back time and re-do everything. If only I hadn't poofed away from you, maybe we could have worked things out sooner."

Shaking his head, he said, "I deserved it for being so stupid. I should never have kept such critical information from you, no matter how I thought you might react."

Eric's words made me realize that _I_ was still withholding a piece of information from _him_. Steeling myself, I was just about to lay it all out and face the consequences, when the Viking continued, "However, that is all behind us now. We have both learned some very important lessons and are stronger for it. I want this evening to be a celebration of our love for one another. A new beginning, of sorts."

He was looking down at me with such tenderness, such love in those incredible sapphire eyes, how could I possibly say anything but, "That sounds wonderful, baby." Still, his words had finally pushed me off dead-center. No matter how much it was going to hurt both of us, I had decided that I _was_ going to tell him all about Rhys, and soon... just not right that minute.

My Viking tipped my face up to his and gave me the sweetest, most gentle kiss imaginable, and then gave me a brilliant smile. "Now, my lovely wife, let us proceed with our date. Would you care for a glass of wine?"

"Ah... yes. That would be nice."

Eric strolled over to a small wine rack tucked under the stairs and selected a bottle. He plucked two wine glasses from inside a glass-fronted cabinet. After opening a couple of drawers, he located a corkscrew and deftly pried out the cork. He filled one of the glasses and then went to the small refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of blood. It only took a minute to heat it in the small built-in microwave, and then he poured a good dollop from the bottle into the other wine glass. The entire time, I watched him with complete fascination. In all the time I'd known the Viking, I had practically never even _seen_ him in a kitchen, much less doing anything as domestic as opening a bottle of wine... but like everything else he did, he did it with style and grace. His movements were both elegant and precise, with absolutely no wasted motion.

How could watching a man do something as simple as pouring a glass of wine make a girl's hootchie sit up and take notice? I swear I didn't know, but mine certainly did just then... until I remembered that little tidbit concerning certain scents that Eric had let slip earlier. Purely out of reflex, I found myself clamping my knees together, as if that would do a bit of good... but then, I thought to myself _Why be embarrassed? He said the scent of a woman's arousal was like catnip for vampires... so let's just see what happens. _Sure enough, as soon as my vampire got close enough to hand me the wine, his nostrils flared as he inhaled my scent ever so discreetly. Almost instantly, the pupils of his eyes expanded again and a faint smile came across his handsome face. His eyes began to glow as they met mine, and it was clear that he knew exactly what I had been thinking. Instead of teasing me about it, though, he just said, "Come, let's sit outside and enjoy the evening."

We settled into a couple of comfortable chairs on the front porch, and for a long time we just stared out at the still water of our lake. Sipping our drinks and holding hands, we sat in companionable silence. From off in the distance came the call of a lone wolf... but then his cry was answered by the yipping and howling of several others. If I had heard that sound a couple of years ago, it would have probably sent chills down my spine, but now I just smiled and said, "It sounds like the pack is having a good time. I really appreciate you allowing them to use our land for their run."

Shaking his head, Eric said wryly, "For some reason, my wife seems fond of the mangy beasts. I am willing to do whatever it takes to please her. Besides, we have so many of them working for us now, I suppose I think of it as a kind of employee benefit... and an un-taxable one, at that."

My ever-practical vampire. I just laughed and said, "Yes, I guess you _would_ look at it that way. Hmmm. I wonder... do panthers and wolves get along?"

A moment of silence and then a careful, "No, I do not believe they do. Why? Has your brother asked to bring his group here as well?"

"No. I guess I was just thinking about him, and it was just idle curiosity, that's all. To be honest, the panthers make me pretty uncomfortable, and besides... I'm pretty sure that bunch never strays too far from Hotshot," I paused, not wanting to upset the tranquility of the evening, but feeling the need to apologize for earlier. "Listen, Eric... I'm sorry I let Jason come over today without asking you first. I could tell that you weren't too happy about it."

"The last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable in our home," Eric replied after a long pause, "I want you to be able to have friends over, if that is your wish... but perhaps it might be better from now on if we discussed any new potential guests beforehand."

Knowing how obsessively secretive most vampires were about their resting places (and Eric in particular), I was still amazed that he was willing to allow me to have _anyone_ over during the day. "Okay. That sounds like a good idea. So... is it all right if Jason comes to Valhalla?"

Another pause. Instead of answering my question directly, Eric said, "Sookie... let me ask you something. When your brother apologized, did you by any chance listen to his thoughts?"

"Well... sort of. I usually have a policy of not listening to friends and family members. It's just too invasive... but I have to admit that I made an exception in Jason's case. Now that he's two-natured, it's a lot harder than it used to be, but I could tell that he sincerely wanted to make up with me. I figured that was good enough."

Eric fingered the stem of his glass, deep in thought. Finally he said, "I think it best to be honest with you. For a variety of reasons, I am not fond of your brother and I find it difficult if not impossible to trust him. Nevertheless, I do recognize your deep desire to keep your relationship intact; therefore, I will attempt to at least be civil. Have him over if you must, but please... never, under any circumstances, let him know exactly where I am resting."

Of course, I would _never_ tell anyone that information for any reason, and I made sure my vampire knew it. Returning to the subject of my brother, I explained, "I guess I feel sorry for Jason. My own life is just so blessed. I have you... and our friends... and now the Fairies. Jason really doesn't have anybody but me. Except for a little bit of Fairy charm, the magic genes in the family must have passed him by completely. Because of that, Niall doesn't even want to meet him."

"So no trips to the Portal for your brother, eh?"

Shaking my head regretfully, "No, I guess not... and frankly, I can't quite see Jason fitting in there, anyhow."

"Well, I suppose that is _one_ thing that your brother and I have in common."

I made a Robert-like noise. "Pffft. Besides both of you having an over-abundance of testosterone, you and Jason have absolutely nothing in common," I assured him, "Y_ou_ would fit into the Portal just fine."

Dropping my hand, Eric crossed his arms across his chest. "That is not possible," he said stiffly, "I am vampire."

"Well... I know it's not _physically _possible because it's never dark there, but if it weren't for that... Eric, even if you _are_ vampire, you have more in common with the Fairies than you might think. I know you have a hard time believing that, but it's true. I wish... I wish so much that I could take you there with me," I said wistfully.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Eric leaned his head back and rested it against the wall behind him. "Do you, Sookie?" he said hoarsely, "Do you _really_ wish that?"

Through the Bond, I felt my vampire's warring emotions. As curious as he was about what the Portal contained, he was also... fearful... and jealous. Every time I brought up anything about the Portal, I got the same reaction. At first, I had been pretty surprised by such a strong response. Normally, Eric was anything _but_ insecure... but after thinking about it made sense. First off, the vampire in him hated the fact that it was the one place that his Bonded could escape him, and there was not one thing he could do about it. That loss of control alone would be enough to drive him crazy. Not having the remotest idea of what the place was really like would compound the problem. Add that to the fact that my being there gave him Bonding Sickness... no wonder the mere mention of the Portal gave him the heebie-jeebies.

As for the jealousy... I was coming to find out exactly how much the Viking disliked the idea of anybody but him caring for me and giving me things, but that was only part of it. Obviously, Eric was afraid that I might decide that the Portal was so wonderful, I might someday want to go back instead of staying here with him. It was up to me to convince him that was _not_ going to happen, and the sooner the better. I took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, I really _do_ wish I could take you with me. I wish that you could see for yourself how beautiful it is. The countryside looks something like it does here, but all the colors of things are slightly different and sort of soft and dreamy-like. Sometimes the colors swirl around, just like they do in fairy-stone... and speaking of fairy-stone, there are literally whole mountains of it there! The Fairies use it to build things with, everything from houses and bathtubs right down to the little tiles in a board game they all play."

I knew he was listening, but the vampire could have been carved in wood for all the reaction I got. Choosing my next words carefully, I told him, "The plants and animals are totally different, too. I would _love_ to take long walks with you and go exploring. Do you know, there really _are_ dragons? I wouldn't be so afraid of them if you were with me."

Suddenly the vampire's eyes popped open, and those intense blue laser beams focused on me. Success! I had been hoping that his brilliant mind's thirst for knowledge would overcome his jealousy. Eric sat forward in his chair, eagerly peppering me with questions about dragons. I told him everything I knew about them and then said, "I know there are several books about them in Niall's library. Baby, you would absolutely love it in there. It has more books than any library I've ever seen, and some of them are even older than you. The first time Niall showed it to me, my very first thought was that you would bury yourself in there and not come out for weeks."

A faint smile crossed those perfect lips. "So... you _were_ thinking of me while you were gone," he said with satisfaction.

"Yes, I was... no matter how hard I tried not to," I replied honestly, "I even dreamed about you... a lot. In fact, most of those dreams were pretty hot... but a few of them were... really strange." I decided that maybe I had better tell him about some of those dreams, or visions, or whatever they were, the ones that seemed to have actually happened. Eric was really old and really smart, and I bet he could figure out what was going on.

Before I had a chance to speak, my vampire beat me to it. His eyes had taken on that special glow that meant he was really excited by something. "Yes," he said, "I would very much like to discuss those dreams..."

Suddenly he stopped, and I could tell he was listening intently to some sound that my ears could not yet detect. He still seemed pretty relaxed, though, so I figured it wasn't anything to worry about. Gesturing in the direction of the path, he said, "Dear One, we will have to continue this most important conversation later. I do believe we have visitors."

Visitors? I had been really, really enjoying having my husband all to myself, and a sharp spike of disappointment stabbed me. I couldn't hold back a sigh as one of the Royal Guards stepped out of the trees, followed closely by two men in the white tunics and baggy black pants. All three men were toting large boxes. Eric waited for them to approach the porch before addressing them. Without rising from his seat, he said civilly, "Good evening, gentlemen. Joseph, will you show them where to set up?"

The guard answered, "Yes, sir," and then escorted the two men inside the house. As they crossed the porch, one of the men appeared to be pretty calm and he gave us a cool nod as he went past. The younger of the two was a different story. He was clearly as nervous as all get-out, and he was eying Eric like a postman would a Doberman in a front yard... wondering if it was chained up or not, and if so, exactly how far the chain would reach. Even though Eric hadn't asked me to, I figured it wouldn't hurt anything for me to listen in. The first guy was thinking _... If only I can please this vampire, all my hard work will be worth it... Everything must be perfect. Stay focused, Sebastian... _

I had no idea what he meant by any of that, but it didn't sound like he was aiming to cause us any problems. The younger man was thinking of how big and scary Eric was and if Sebastian was about to start catering to vampires, he might have to start looking for a less stressful (and dangerous) job. Again, I judged him pretty low on the trouble-o-meter.

As soon as the door shut behind them, I turned to Eric. "So... what's all this?" I asked curiously.

"Did you think I would forget to feed you?" my Bonded asked me with a twinkle in his eye, "Your dinner just arrived."

"Oh! How nice! I guess I _am_ pretty hungry... but since when does it take two guys to deliver one little dinner?"

"They are going to do more than deliver it. That was a chef and his assistant, here to prepare it for you."

"You hired a chef to come all the way out here just to cook just for me?" I asked incredulously, "Wow... that's the most romantic thing I've ever heard of! When you said this was going to a special date, I guess you meant it."

"I wanted to prove to you that Robert was not the only vampire capable of pulling off a little romance."

"Aw, honey... you _are _the most romantic vampire in the whole world!" I said enthusiastically, "I love you so much!"

I could tell by the way my vampire's eyes were glowing I had said the right thing. "Do you now?" he asked with just the hint of a smile, "I have a sudden desire to hear more. Come sit on my lap, and tell me exactly how _much_ you love me."

Unexpectedly, I could feel that he really _did_ want to hear it... craved it, in fact. Like a slap upside the head, it occurred to me that although the Viking said those magical words to me all the time, I rarely ever said them to him. I always figured that our Bond would let him know how I felt much better than mere words. On the other hand, it made me feel _wonderful_ when he said them to me, and I would seriously miss it if he stopped... why should it be any different for him? I rose from my chair and went to him. Eric pulled me into his lap, and I leaned into his ear and began to whisper all the little words of love that I felt but hardly ever spoke. The feeling of happiness that came back to me through our Bond told me everything I wanted to know. Apparently even big, manly vampire Kings needed to hear "I love you" from their mates sometimes. I promised myself that from now on, I would do much better.

While I was whispering sweet nothings in his ear, Eric was busy petting me. After pulling the scrunchie from my hair, he ran his fingers through the long waves and spread it over my shoulders. Next he ran his hands over every inch of my bare skin, returning more than once to delicately finger the twin punctures from his latest bite. All that stroking felt really nice, and it was giving me wicked thoughts. Finally running out of things to say, I began to eye the vampire's earlobe and decided that it needed nibbling. That in turn led to some serious kissing, and things were definitely starting to heat up when the Royal Guard stepped out onto the porch. Like most of Eric's vampire guards, Joseph was very intense, but I could see a twinkle in his eye as he caught sight of us. "A thousand pardons for the interruption, sir, but the chef says he is ready whenever you are."

I could tell that Eric was not particularly happy at the interruption, but instead of the growl I was expecting, he only sighed and said, "Thank you, Joseph. I will call you when it is time to escort the humans back to their vehicle."

Since the humans were inside and unable to see him, the guard gave us both a full bow and then disappeared silently into the woods. I started to slide off Eric's lap, but he held on to me tightly for just a moment longer before finally letting me go. "This makes twice tonight that I've had to wait," he grumbled, "It is a good thing that I am a patient vampire."

"Patient! You? Not hardly," I scoffed teasingly, "Besides, you've already had your way with me tonight... twice! Isn't that enough?"

"As you say... not hardly," he responded with a fangy grin, "Eat well, my lover. You are going to need your strength for later. The night is young." He stood up, rearranged the rather prominent bulge in his jeans, and then offered me his arm. "Will you allow me to escort you to your table, madam?"

"I'd love to," I answered with a smile, "... but... um... if you don't want to scare the cooks..." That tell-tale bulge wasn't the only give-away of his lingering arousal. I tapped on one of my own canines, just as a little reminder. With a slightly sheepish look, the vampire said, "Oh... of course," and in a flash the fangs were retracted.

In the short time since their arrival, the men had unloaded their cartons and gotten everything organized. Neatly lined up on the kitchen counters were pots, dishes, utensils, and several containers of raw ingredients and pre-cooked items, all awaiting final assembly. A couple of small sauce pans were simmering on the stove, and a wonderful smell wafted from the oven. The two chefs were standing side-by-side near the table, which was now covered in a long white linen table cloth. It had been formally set for two with china, crystal stemware, and gleaming silverware. In the center of the table was a small arrangement of pink roses, along with some tall tapered candles that were already lit and casting a buttery glow. Briefly, I wondered to myself why they had bothered to set the second place. It was obvious they knew their client was a vampire and couldn't eat... but I had to admit, it gave the table symmetry.

The Viking escorted me over to my chair and got me seated before taking his own place. The older of the two men stepped forward. Even though he was not very tall, he was a striking man, probably in his early thirties. His hair was black as coal and long enough to be pulled back into a tight ponytail. He had very strong, manly features and a set of shoulders to match. Even under that chef's tunic, I could tell he was well-built, and I wondered how in the world he managed to stay so slender given his job. The most remarkable thing about him, though, was his eyes. They were dark and intense and ringed with long dense lashes. I was willing to bet not very much escaped _his_ notice. Instead of offering his hand to Eric, he gave a little half-bow and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Northman, I am Chef Sebastian Sinclair and this young man is my sous-chef, Douglas. I have prepared a delightful menu for you this evening. With your permission, we will get started."

Eric sat back in his chair and gave Chef Sinclair a once over, his eyes flat and remote. He said nothing but gave the go-ahead with a cool flick of his wrist. Somehow in the few steps between the front porch and the table, he had gone from loving, playful husband back to cold, unapproachable, and slightly scary vampire. Well, okay... extremely scary vampire. It never ceased to amaze me just how different he was around humans. After giving it a lot of thought, I had finally come to realize that it wasn't just a front, either. This totally intimidating character _was_ the real Eric... except for that tiny part of him that belonged to me. That was the part that contained the sweet, romantic guy who had been cavorting in the woods playing grab-ass with his Fairy not more than an hour ago. Luckily, Chef Sinclair did not seem intimidated in the slightest, but as soon as Eric's icy gaze settled on his assistant, beads of sweat popped out on the poor guy's forehead. I wanted to tell my vampire to cut it out, but I knew that would be a mistake. Instead I decided to be as gracious as I could and try to set the young man at ease. I smiled at the pair of them and said enthusiastically, "I don't know what is on the menu for tonight but it smells wonderful! I can hardly wait."

That won me a smile from both men. The chef said, "Douglas, please pour the wine for Mrs. Northman's first course."

While the assistant was busy dispensing my wine, the chef retreated to the kitchen to put the finishing touches on the first course. In practically no time, Chef Sinclair set a delicate china bowl in front of me with a flourish and announced, "Essence of butternut squash with seared sea scallop, chive oil and young seedlings. I think you will like this very much." Swallowing nervously, I peered down at the concoction in front of me. In spite of the fact that the man had just rattled off some pretty snooty-sounding ingredients, I had no idea what kind of soup it was... but at least it was pretty. Eric had gone to a lot of trouble to round up this chef, I was not about to insult him on the very first dish by balking. Keeping my hands in my lap, I glanced up at Eric, only to see the chef's assistant putting down another bowl in front of him. "What is this?" Eric asked rather stiffly, "Is it not perfectly obvious that I am..."

Chef Sinclair cut in, "... vampire. Yes, sir, I quite understand. However, I see no reason why those of your kind should be denied the pleasure of sharing a romantic meal with their companions on occasion. Consequently, I have developed a menu to suit your special requirements. The worldwide market for fresh, freely-donated specialty bloods is beginning to open up, and I have incorporated several of them in tonight's menu for variety and flavor. I understand that you … hold an extremely important position among your people. I would be honored if you would consent to sample my offerings. This, for example, is a warm soup made from the blood of a pure-bred Norwegian donor. It has been stored in an oak wine barrel that was originally used to age a wonderful Cabernet sauvignon. This imparts just a hint of the wine flavor and also the smokiness of the oak to the blood."

Although outwardly Eric appeared as cool as ever, I could feel that he was completely flabbergasted. I couldn't tell what shocked him more: that the human seemed to know that there were such things as vampire Kings and that Eric was one of them, or the idea of being served a "meal" for the first time in a thousand years. He stared down into the small bowl in front of him much the way I had looked at mine... confused but hopeful. To help cover any awkwardness, I picked up my spoon and said, "Well, mine certainly looks good. I think I'll start."

Dipping the spoon into the hot liquid, I scooped up a little and bravely put it in my mouth. I was half-way expecting it to be awful, but instead it was... absolutely wonderful. Creamy, flavorful, unique. "Oh, wow. Chef Sinclair, this is delicious!"

The chef gave me a satisfied smile and said, "My dear Mrs. Northman, please... call me Sebastian. I am so happy it pleases you."

I took another bite and then another. Eric, on the other hand, had yet to move. Slowly, he lifted his hand and made a motion as if to pick up his spoon... but just before his fingers came into contact with the metal, he stopped and let his hand hover in mid-air. Seeming to understand just what the trouble was, the Chef said rapidly, "Ah, please forgive me. I should have mentioned that there is no real silver anywhere on the table."

Eric nodded and then quickly picked up the spoon. He held it a tad awkwardly, and idly I wondered what sorts of eating utensils Vikings had used when he was human. Carefully, he dipped the spoon into his "soup" and then brought it to his lips. I knew I was staring, but after all, I had never seen my vampire "eat" before. He gingerly closed his mouth around the spoon, removed it, and then swallowed. A slow smile crossed his face. "Interesting," he said, "Very interesting." He took another small spoonful, and then another. I was so involved with watching him that _I_ almost forgot to eat... but then I remembered how uncomfortable I felt sometimes when _he_ was watching _me_ eat, so I got back to work on my own dinner.

As soon as we were finished with our soup, that set of dishes was whisked away to make room for the appetizer. For me, "pan seared lump crab cake, presented with fire roasted corn and cilantro relish, smoked chipotle aioli, and butter poached leeks." That title was certainly a mouthful... but it was absolutely the best crab cake I ever put in my mouth. For Eric, "a fusion of pacific islander and thai blood, carbonated and chilled." This was served in a fluted crystal glass, and my vampire took tiny sips of it while I nibbled at my crab cakes. Next came the main course, which the chef prepared in a blazing hot skillet just before serving: "fillet of beef, presented with caramelized shallot and red wine reduction, served with crisp truffle scented potato rosti, white asparagus and morel mushrooms." Eric's main course was "blood from natives of the Brazilian rain forest, whose diet consists entirely of fresh fish and a certain locally grown fruit. It has been reduced and jelled." Eric actually ate that one with a fork!

After serving each new course, the two humans would retreat to the kitchen area, busily preparing the next round. As we ate, Eric and I kept a light conversation going, deftly managing to avoid any topics not suitable for human ears. It was such a strange experience... actually eating dinner with my husband... that I just didn't know how to feel. Mostly, I was really enjoying it, but there was just a tiny part of me that felt... sad. I'll admit it. I was childish enough that part of me was afraid that my vampire would like the experience of eating these new dishes better than feeding from me. I knew it was stupid and crazy and selfish... but I just couldn't seem to help it. I used to be worried that the only reason any vampire liked me was for the little taste of Fairy in my blood... now I was worried that it wasn't quite up to snuff! How crazy was that?

Besides that, even if my vampire _did_ prefer my blood, I knew very well that he had already fed from me twice this evening. Now that he was "eating" again, wouldn't he be too full to take any more of mine tonight? I had really been looking forward to more fun and games later, so that thought was a real buzz-kill. While all those nutty but vaguely upsetting thoughts tumbled around in my head, I found myself just picking at my food even though the steak was absolutely divine. After only a few bites of his "entrée," Eric gave me a piercing look and then set down his fork. Chef Sinclair noticed this immediately. "Is there something not to your liking, sir?"

Eric, who by then had warmed up to the man ever so slightly, replied, "Not at all. Actually, I have enjoyed this experience very much." Looking over at me, he asked, "How is your steak, Sookie? It looks quite good."

"It's absolutely delicious. I guess I'm just getting full."

My vampire looked at me as if he knew exactly what was on my mind. Completely ignoring the other two men in the room, he scooted his chair around so that he was sitting right next to me. He neatly picked up a piece of steak with his fingers and offered it to me. "My love, I want to feed you," he said softly, his eyes almost hypnotic in their intensity, "Will you take a few more bites, just to please me?"

How could I say no? I opened my mouth, and he placed the morsel gently on my tongue. Sure enough, somehow it was just better when he fed it to me. After several more bites, I picked up my glass (every course had come with a different kind of wine) and took a sip. Eric was staring hungrily at my mouth, and so I leaned forward and let him lick the essence from my lips. Oh, yum. Love and desire began flowing back and forth across our Bond, and I guess I was so into the moment with my vampire that I forgot to maintain my mental shields. Both men's thoughts stampeded into my head at the same time. The assistant, Douglas, was thinking _oh, man... is he __gonna bite her now? I always thought it would be gross but damned if I'm not gettin' a boner just watching them... _Sebastian was thinking _If this vampire is as old as the rumors say he is, he must be unbelievably strong, and yet... he is so very gentle with her. They clearly adore each other. I only pray that some day Celia will come to love me as much..._and several images of a very attractive vampiress flashed through his head. Ah! That explained a lot, but instead of listening in any more, I quickly blocked both humans right out. I didn't want to think about anyone or anything right that minute but my Bonded.

Deliberately I took another sip of wine, and got another of those extra-special Viking kisses that I could feel all the way to my toes. If we had been in a restaurant, I would have resisted such a public display; but we were in our very own snug little cabin, and these two men obviously weren't offended in the slightest... although I bet it wouldn't have slowed Eric down one whit even if they were. The several glasses of wine that I had consumed in the last couple of hours weren't doing much to slow _me_ down. It was all I could do to keep from dragging Eric upstairs and having my way with him. Vaguely I noticed that Douglas was clearing the dishes to make the way for the next course. From the heavenly smells coming from the kitchen, I knew it was dessert, but as far as I was concerned, whatever it was couldn't be nearly as yummy as my vampire's lips.

I was so focused on Eric that the sounds and movements of the two humans in the room receded... that is, until I found myself holding onto nothing but air. One minute, my vampire was whispering in my ear, "One more course and they will be out of here. Then I can have my _real_ dessert" and the next minute, he was gone. Almost simultaneously, I heard one startled gasp, a frightened yelp, and the crash of dishes breaking as they hit the floor. Uh oh. Whipping my head in the direction of the noise, I saw Eric looming over Sebastian, one huge hand firmly clamped around the startled chef's wrist. In the man's palm was half of a lemon, which he had been just about to squeeze into whatever sauce he was preparing. The chef was clearly startled but had enough self-control to stand his ground. Not so his assistant. After dropping the dirty china, the quivering sous-chef had flattened himself up against the wall and as far away from the vampire as possible.

I wasn't sure if Eric had caught a whiff of the lemon, or if he had just seen what was about to happen. In typical vampire fashion, he had interceded physically when probably a well-timed shout would have done the trick. Clearly he was not too irritated, though, because his fangs were not down... but by the way Douglas's eyes were rolling around in his head, it would have been a waste of breath trying to point that out to him. In a very calm, very reasonable tone of voice, Eric said, "No lemons, Chef. My wife is allergic to them."

Sebastian nodded and Eric let go of his wrist. The chef was probably an inch or two shorter than Bill, which meant he was considerably shorter than the Viking. Once he found his voice, he craned his head back and looked Eric straight in the eye. "Mr. Northman, I do apologize... but when your day man Mr. Burnham called, the only dietary restriction he mentioned was garlic. Are there any other ingredients I should avoid?"

"No, just those two. It seems Mr. Burnham and I need to have a little chat about attention to detail." The Viking's tone was so cold, it chilled even me. Poor Bobby. I hated for him to get in a bunch of trouble over something so minor. Maybe later I could figure out a way to keep Eric from being too hard on him.

Obviously trying to diffuse the tension, the Chef said soothingly, "This is truly not a problem. I can use a slightly different recipe for this topping, and Mrs. Northman's dessert will be every bit as delicious. And for you, I have prepared a lovely sorbet from the blood of an Italian diabetic..."

Okay, that was just gross. Before he could go into any more glowing details on that particular culinary delight, I broke in and offered my two cents. "Eric, I'm too full for dessert right now, anyway. Maybe Sebastian can get it all ready, and we can eat it later. Why don't we go for a walk around the lake while my dinner settles?"

It didn't take long for him to think that over. Whipping out his cell phone, Eric hit a number on his speed-dial. "Joseph? Come to the cabin. When Chef Sinclair is ready, escort him back to his vehicle."

As Eric was replacing the phone in his pocket, Sebastian said, "I believe I can find my way back to the van without having to bother your guards. We merely follow the path through the woods, correct?"

"This estate is quite large and mostly untamed," Eric told him with a cool smile, "Even if you stay on the path, you might run into some... wildlife in these woods. The guard is for your own safety."

He wasn't kidding, either. There were _lots_ of things in our woods with a bite, and not just vampires! With the Shreveport pack on the prowl, it would not be a good thing for the two humans to go wandering alone, tonight of all nights. Talk about a "recipe" for disaster! I glanced over at the poor young assistant to see how he was recovering from his earlier shock. Clearly this last bit of news hadn't helped to settle his nerves at all. By his pasty completion, he looked to be on the verge of passing out. I hoped that once I got the Viking out of his sight, he would drag himself together long enough to be of some help to his employer.

Eric pulled out his money-clip and peeled off a thousand dollars. He started to hand it to Sebastian, who shook his head firmly. "Mr. Burnham paid for my services in advance."

"This is in addition to your fee," Eric assured him, again offering him the bills. "My compliments on a job well done. I was especially impressed with your creativity. My wife and I are going to be doing a great deal of entertaining in the near future and we may require your services again."

One thing about the Viking, he was really good about rewarding people who went above and beyond. Clearly astonished at such a generous tip, for the first time all evening Sebastian seemed at a loss for words. He cleared his throat and said, "Thank you. It has been my pleasure to cook for you this evening. I would be delighted to be of service to you at any time. Your man knows how to contact me."

"If I may offer a slight suggestion... get some less temperamental help next time. The smell of fear overpowers the delicate aromas of the blood in your recipes."

Sebastian blinked a couple of times, absorbing this advice. He turned his thoughtful gaze towards Douglas and I didn't have to be a telepath to know the young man _was_ going to be looking for a new job soon, whether he wanted to or not.

Eric came back to the table to help me up. I rose and said to the Chef, "My dinner was wonderful, Sebastian. Thank you for coming all this way."

The Chef gave me a brilliant smile, revealing a shining row of perfectly white, even teeth. "It has been an honor to serve you, madam. I hope to see you again soon," he said with a half-bow. He had been very careful not to so much as brush his hand against me all evening, and I suspected that his vampire girlfriend had warned him not to touch me. This courtesy would not have escaped the eagle eye of the Viking, and no doubt scored the human some serious brownie points. In fact, the man's behavior all evening had been impeccable... professional, cool under pressure, and above all, very respectful of the vampire and his customs... and I had a feeling that we would be seeing more of Chef Sinclair in the future.

Taking my arm, Eric steered me out of the cabin and down to the lake. At the water's edge, a fairly large area had been cleared of vegetation and slightly graded. Sand had been added to form a little beach but beyond that, the rest of the shoreline was in its natural state. We headed off to the east, where we discovered the merest suggestion of an old footpath. It had been so long since anyone had used it, it was still pretty slow going. The moonlight was bright enough that I could see fairly well, but after only a few yards I began to wish I had worn tennis shoes instead of sandals. "I think this trail could use a little grooming," Eric commented as he lifted me over a fallen log.

"Oh, I don't know. I kind of like it wild, don't you?"

"Hm. Yes, I suppose I do. To tell you the truth, I used to love hunting in the woods."

Oh... dear. As much as I usually liked for Eric to share, those words fell under the category of WTMI. The mental image that flashed through my head gave me a serious chill, once again reminding me that my handsome, much beloved husband was really an extremely deadly predator. I could feel the vampire's gaze on me, and I knew he felt my reaction... but he offered no apologies. Instead, he shifted the topic just slightly by asking, "Did you enjoy your dinner, my love?"

"Yes, it was wonderful! What a treat! Um... how was yours?"

After thinking for a minute, Eric answered, "At my age, it is hard to be surprised by much... so the sheer novelty of it was quite enjoyable. What do you suppose prompted the human to think of it?"

Hmpf. I noticed the Viking had deftly avoided commenting on the taste. "Sebastian's girlfriend is a vampiress named Celia. Besides her, food is his only passion, and he wanted to be able to share a romantic meal with her. He really thought up all those dishes to impress her, but I don't know that it did any good. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to think she loves him nearly as much as he loves her."

Eric gave me a quick glance, obviously surprised that I had listened in without any prompting. "Celia, eh? I wondered where he learned his manners. She must care for him more than he thinks, or she would not have shared so much information with him. Clearly she went so far as to tell him who I am, an act for which I could discipline her if I was so inclined."

The last bit was said with just a hint of ice in his tone. "Sebastian seemed trustworthy and level-headed to me... and smart," I said soothingly, "It sounded to me like you plan on hiring him again. If he's going to be around us much, he would have probably figured it out pretty quickly anyway."

"True on all counts," he admitted, "Once the Coronation is over, it will be time for us to start entertaining. Now that Valhalla is finished, I would like to have some parties here instead of New Orleans. For example, we will need to have a few house parties for some of the other Monarchs. It is expected."

Oh... jeez. Suddenly, the dinner in my stomach did a slow roll. Gran had raised me to be a lady and have nice manners, but nothing in my background had prepared me to throw grand parties. Naturally, Eric could tell that I was not exactly excited by the prospect. Draping his arm around me, he proceeded to give me a little pep-talk as we walked along. "Beloved, I know it may seem a little overwhelming to you at first, but I know you are more than capable of hosting such events. Juanita will be there to help you hire the proper staff, and now we have found a very capable chef. Perhaps we should start small... we could have a formal dinner party with only our ne... our own vampires. They could find some humans to bring along."

Eric was trying his best to be supportive, which I figured was not something that came naturally to a vampire like him. I appreciated the effort, but as usual we were running into the old vampire vs. human difference in world view. He seemed to think that it would be perfectly acceptable for our vampires to round up a bunch of strange humans for me to practice on, like a little girl practicing her tea party skills with her dolls. Maybe he thought that if things didn't go well, he could just glamour the pack of 'em and I could start over again until I got it right. Even if I _had_ been willing to go along with such a plan, after our evening with the "escort" Tiffany in Las Vegas, I was a little leery of what sort of companion Pam would turn up with... And then there was Bill. Even though I absolutely adored Eric and was very happily Bonded to him, I was not really sure I was ready to see my former lover with another woman in my own house. What if he turned up with someone as high-and-mighty as that awful Selah? Even worse, what if he brought someone sweet and lovable? As horrible as it was of me, it was entirely possible I would feel a spurt of possessiveness or jealousy... and then _Eric_ would feel it... and then... Hoo boy. We all might be right back to square one.

Now my stomach really _was_ churning. Eric must have realized that his suggestion had only made things worse, because he hastened to add, "... _or._.. maybe you would prefer to start with your own family. Of course, just to make certain I am totally immune, I should have plenty more of your blood beforehand... In fact, we could start right now."

He gave me his best leer and then a wink, which broke the tension and made me laugh. "Mr. Greedy! You've done nothing but feed since you got up tonight! Aren't you full?"

"Not at all. Just because I no longer _require_ large amounts of blood does not mean that my capacity has changed," he assured me, "Why, when I was a young vampire, I could easily drain a... er... ah, I had quite a large appetite." My vampire certainly seemed to be in the mood to blurt out all sorts of things tonight, but I was thankful that he had decided to edit that last little tidbit. I sneaked a glance at my companion. All the physical effects of the Bonding Sickness had completely disappeared and now he looked much the same as he ever did... in short, completely gorgeous... but I wasn't so sure about the internal ones. There was no mistaking that Eric's emotions were much closer to the surface than they had been before I left. He seemed to be feeling _everything_ much more intensely now... love, happiness, contentment... but unfortunately anger and jealousy, too. It was like the Sickness had blown the lid off a deep well of feelings that had been contained for centuries, and so far the Viking had not managed to drag that lid back over the hole and plug it back up. Maybe at this point he wasn't really trying.

And that wasn't all. Just like that last statement about his hunting preferences, he seemed to be opening up his real life to me, letting me see and hear things that up until now had remained hidden from my view. I wondered if this was just a temporary window of opportunity that would close as the last vestiges of the Sickness disappeared, or if Eric himself had finally decided to let me get to know the vampire inside. For the very first time since I'd known him, I felt like I could ask him absolutely anything, and he'd tell me the answer without hesitating. Part of me was really happy to be getting closer to my husband, but the other part was wondering if I was really ready to find out _everything_. Like how many people he had to drain to get really full...

While we were on slightly unpleasant subjects, I decided to pull out one of my own. "Honey, I just have to ask. You still seem a little... ticked off at Niall for letting me stay with him. Are you sure you are okay with having him over for dinner?"

This was a serious question and Eric knew it. I could tell by his silence that he was turning this issue over in his mind thoroughly before giving me an answer. Sighing heavily, he replied, "Sookie, I knew when I asked you to marry me that over the years there might be certain... issues with your Fairy relatives, mainly having to do with the normal prejudices between the races. At that point, any problems would have been purely a personal matter and dealt with as such. Once I became King, however, it raised the stakes considerably. I know you turned to Niall for protection because he is your great-grandfather, not because he is the Fairy Prince... but nonetheless, if it had become public knowledge that the Prince of the Fairies was keeping my Queen from me, it could have had far-reaching consequences for all of us. Even though it _was_ kept quiet, as a vampire King, I really _should_ demand reparations for my inconvenience and suffering. Niall is no doubt wondering why I have not yet done so... but it would surely only lead to further unpleasantness. I will not pretend that I am not still... how did you put it?... "ticked off," but I find that my desire for my wife to be happy is stronger than my pride. For your sake, I am willing to let this incident go even if it does make me appear weak. Therefore, if you wish to entertain Niall in our home, I promise to be civil."

Coming from a proud guy like Eric, that was a huge concession. I stopped walking, pulled his head down and gave him the best kiss I owned. "Thank you, baby. You can be so sweet sometimes..."

He snorted. "Hmpf. Do us both a favor, and _never_ say that to anyone but me. As a vampire King, it is not exactly a quality I want advertised."

"It will be our little secret, I swear. As far as anybody knows, you are just as cold and ruthless as ever. Now, back to the subject of dinner parties... if you're sure it's okay, I would love to have Niall and Claudine. After that stunt Claude pulled, I have half a mind to invite him so he can _be_ your dinner... but that would be rude, wouldn't it? I'd like to ask Rhiannon and of course Faeryn, too... and if _she_ is coming, I would love to invite Robert, but I guess that might not be such a hot idea..."

Eric surprised me by saying, "Actually, I think that Robert might be old enough and strong-willed enough to be trusted, especially if we are careful with the seating arrangement. To be honest, I have my own less than noble reasons for wanting to invite him. The Knight is quite well known for his elaborate parties, and his guest lists always include the rich, the beautiful, and the famous. For years, he has teased me unmercifully for living in such a boring cultural backwater as Shreveport, and now is my chance to shut him up once and for all. Even _he_ cannot fail to be impressed by being included in the very first Fairy-Vampire dinner party, particularly when the guest of honor is the Fairy Prince himself. Furthermore, for once it is going to _be_ an actual dinner party. I can hardly wait to see his face when our Chef puts the first bowl of that marvelous "soup" down in front of him."

"Was it really that good?" I asked, trying my best not to sound wistful.

"Yes, it was quite delicious. Very nearly as good as a bottle of Royalty, in fact."

Eric's gaze shifted to my face, but I quickly looked the other way. As casually as I could, I tossed out, "So... I guess for vampires, Royalty is the ultimate." Nothing like a little fishing expedition.

"Yes, for most vampires I suppose it is... but why all this interest in blood all of a sudden?"

_Don't tell him_, Sookie, I told myself firmly, _don't do it_._ You'll sound needy and pitiful_... I cleared my throat and replied vaguely, "Oh, I don't know... I was just wondering."

"Ah... I see," Eric said in an amused tone, "I thought perhaps you were wondering if I preferred the taste of Sebastian's new recipes to _your_ blood."

Ah... shit. Busted. That vampire was entirely too smart for my own good. There was only one thing to do to... lie like crazy. "It really never crossed my mind!" I said with as much dignity as I could muster.

All that got me was a chuckle. "Ah, Sookie, my love, you are a terrible liar." Still, he let it drop.

By this time, we had worked our way around to the far end of the lake. The land there had a gentle roll to it, making it a bit higher than the surrounding area. It was by far the prettiest stretch we had seen. In the moist, acidic soil, huge masses of azaleas had grown and thrived, and most of them were in full bloom. Unlike modern azaleas, they had a rich spicy scent so I knew they were either wild or very, very old. In the midst of this fantastic grove was a small, flat space completely covered with a soft carpet of pine needles. Two old trees had fallen together at just the right angles to form a little place to sit with a perfect view of the lake. I pointed this out, saying, "Look, honey, isn't this beautiful? Those trees make the most perfect little love seat." The minute the words left my mouth, I realized that they _were_ perfectly placed... in fact, much too perfect to be natural. Trees that large would have been tremendously heavy and almost impossibly to move, except by... oh.

I felt like a cartoon light bulb had just come on over my head. Eric laughed and said, "Come sit down with me, Sookie." He tugged gently on my hand until I followed him over and joined him on the rustic "bench." Putting his arms around me, he pulled me close. I snuggled into him, and for a moment we sat and watched the moonlight reflecting off the water. From our vantage point, we could see nearly the entire lake. Our wonderful little garçonnière looked so romantic sitting snuggly in its cove with the sandy beach! I sighed happily and burrowed even closer to my vampire. "Baby, this is place is just... perfect!"

"I found this spot not long after first I discovered the property," Eric said quietly, "I used to come here sometimes just to sit and think things over."

"Oh? What kind of things?"

"Actually, most of my thoughts centered around an irritatingly stubborn telepath from Bon Temps who was clearly bent on driving me insane."

Aw... he came here to think of me? I was in danger of melting into a puddle and dripping right off my log. Just as Eric had craved me telling him how much I loved him, I was dying for him to tell me more. "Really?" I prompted, "You used to think about me... a lot?"

"To the point of distraction. I always felt so _alive_ when I was around you, and no one else had ever made me feel that way before. I wanted you so badly I could taste it... all I could think about was your beautiful face... your luscious little body... your fantastic, completely unique blood... and mind you, that was even _before_ it began to change." He put one big hand on my throat and rubbed his thumb back and forth over the jugular. "Even if you _are _too proud to ask, I am going to tell you anyway. I _love_ the taste of your blood. I will _always_ prefer it to anything Sebastian or any other cook can dream up."

In spite of myself, I muttered, "But it's still not quite as good as Royalty, right?" Oh... gah. What in the ever-lovin' HELL was wrong with me, asking a needy-ass question like that?

But my vampire just laughed softly and said, "You still do not get it, do you? Your blood was _always_ better than Royalty... and now that you are maturing, it is _infinitely_ better. What is sold in those horribly expensive bottles is merely the blood of human Royalty, and fairly watered-down lines at that. You, Beloved, are Fairy Royalty. For a vampire, _that _is usually considered the ultimate... except that _your_ blood takes it one step farther. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. From the very first, I could detect another component to it, something beyond just human and Fairy. I've never once tasted any thing remotely like it. It makes your blood completely, unquestionably unique."

"Uh... really? Why haven't you ever mentioned it before now?"

"You never really wanted to talk about this before now."

That was certainly true enough, and I could hardly believe I was so intrigued with the topic even now. "So... what do you think it is?"

"I have asked myself that many, many times," he said thoughtfully, "Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe it is just... you. Someday, we might find out, but it really doesn't matter. No matter what it is, I am completely, irrevocably, and unashamedly addicted to _your_ blood and no other. Anything else is just a pale substitute."

That statement led to some rather intense kissing, but eventually we came up for air. (Well, at least I did.) Thus far, our date had been absolutely perfect. At that very moment, I felt so close to my vampire, so... connected, that I felt like I could ask him _anything._ I opened my mouth and said, "Eric... there's something else I've never gotten up the nerve to ask you."

"Ask away, my love."

"Obviously you like the fact that I'm part-Fairy because of how it makes me taste and smell... but of course there's a little more to it than that. When we first fell in love, _you_ were the only one that was magical. It's a well known fact that in some marriages, when one of the partners undergoes a radical change of some sort, the other partner doesn't necessarily like the new dynamic. Well... you know that before I left, I never really took all the magical stuff too seriously, right? While I was in the Portal, though, I decided that it was wrong of me to turn my back on my gifts... so I started practicing my magic again. It turns out I might be better at it than anybody could have guessed, and I don't feel so weird about it anymore. So, I guess what I'm asking is... do you mind that I have magic of my own, and that from now on I'm going to be using it?"

For just a moment, he looked at me like I had totally lost my mind. "_Mind_ your magic?" he exclaimed, "I_ love_ it! As a matter of fact..." He took his arm from around me and then slid off the log, going down on one knee. What the heck? Taking my hand, the Viking kissed it tenderly. His sapphire eyes were glowing with an inner light, they way they always did when he felt really passionately about something. Never taking his eyes from mine, he continued, "... I was going save this for when we got back to the cabin, but somehow this feels like just the right time and place." He paused for just a moment, and when he resumed his voice was slightly hoarse, "The truth is, I am in_ awe _of your magic, Sookie. You have done things I never dreamed possible... like being able to communicate with me while I am resting... or keeping me up past dawn... or lifting the darkness from my soul and making me feel alive again. In fact, through your magic you once gave me the greatest gift I have ever received. That gift was so amazing, so... incredible, that I felt it only right that I give you something special to honor it."

I must have looked as bewildered as I felt, because he asked, "You really have no idea what I am talking about, do you?"

I shook my head, more confused than ever. Eric laughed softly. "I thought not," he said, and then explained, "The last morning of our honeymoon, I went to my rest just before dawn. Apparently, you went back up on the front deck of the sailboat to watch the sun come up. Sookie... as you watched that sunrise... _I saw it, too!_" He paused. A torrent of raw emotion was pouring through our Bond, so strong it made me slightly dizzy. With every word, the Viking's accent was getting thicker, his deep voice vibrating with emotion. "For the first time in over a thousand years, I saw the sun! It was if I was actually there! I could see every fantastic color in the sky ... I could feel warmth of the sun's rays upon my face!" At that point, he broke into his native language for a few sentences until he seemed to remember that I couldn't understand a word. Not even slowing down, he switched back to English, "It was a miracle ... a _miracle_, Sookie!... and you are the angel who gave it to me." Pure, unadulterated adoration was coursing through our Bond. The power of his emotions completely overwhelmed me, and I felt tears well up in my eyes in response.

Eric hurriedly fished a tiny satin pouch out of his front pocket and pressed it into my palm. He curled my fingers over it, kissing each one in turn. Raising his head, he looked into my eyes and ordered softly, "Please... open it."

With shaking fingers, I untied the drawstring and poured the contents of the bag into my hand. I stared down at the necklace now resting in my palm, and let out a loud gasp. In my hand lay a perfectly enormous round diamond set into a circle of smaller white stones that radiated out from it in waves. The fabulous center stone was as yellow as the sun it was clearly meant to represent. Even in the moonlight, its facets glittered and danced with an inner fire. Stunned, I just sat and stared it. Eric leaned in and kissed my forehead, then rested his head against mine. "I designed this myself. When you wear it, I want it to remind you that no one... _no one_ will ever be as special to me as you are."

Two fat tears tears spilled over and trickled down my face. Eric gave a little laugh and said, "I hope that means you like it. May I put it on you?"

I nodded, still not trusting myself to speak. Quickly removing my old daisy necklace, he deftly replaced it with the new one. He started to pitch the old necklace out into the water, but I caught his arm just in time. "Please don't."

"Why not? It is not good enough to touch your skin."

How could I explain this so he would understand? I whispered, "It reminds me of my old life. I want to keep it to remind me just how far I've come."

Eric hesitated for a moment, but then slid it into the satin bag and stuck it back in his pocket. I fingered the magnificent new necklace around my throat. There was literally no telling how much it had cost. As much as I loved it, there was something I felt I just had to get straight. "Honey, this necklace is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen and I absolutely love it. It's even more special because you designed it yourself... but I want you to know that you don't have to give me such expensive things to make me happy. You've given me so many amazing things already! The house... my car... all the incredible jewelry... the fur coat... You have literally spent a fortune on me... and yet, you never buy yourself anything. It makes me feel... a little uncomfortable. You shouldn't be spending all of your money on just me."

"Oh, believe me, I went through a long period where _all _I did was acquire things... but eventually I came to realize material things were never going to fill up the empty places in my soul. _You _did that... and now I find it makes me enormously happy to give youthings. Trust me, the last thing you need to worry about is how much anything costs. I plan on spending the next several centuries draping you in furs and jewels and whatever other pretty baubles I can find."

"... but honey..."

Eric laid his fingertips gently on my lips. "Shhh. Remember that for me, the sun literally rises and sets in your eyes. However much I give you, it will _never_ be enough."

Well, that did it. The tears started rolling down my cheeks. Using both hands, my vampire gently brushed my hair away from my face, and then he leaned in and started licking away the moisture. Mmmm. It was soothing and sinfully erotic at the same time. Of course, each one of those tears was just a tiny little vampire aphrodisiac, and before long passion had been added to the strong emotional mix still rolling through the Bond.

Before long, the last tear had been consumed, and I was half-way expecting my clothes to be ripped into shreds at any second... but instead, Eric kissed gently kissed my forehead, then the tip of my nose, and finally my mouth. His lips were as soft as a newborn's as he brushed them against mine. He murmured against my skin, "My dearest wife, let me honor you."

Sliding his strong arms under my body, Eric lifted me effortlessly off the log and laid me on the soft, deep blanket of pine needles covering the ground. For once, he removed each of my garments with care, laying them neatly to one side. Rising to his feet, he began to shed his own clothes, first pulling off his shirt and then his jeans. Once he was completely naked, he stood at my feet staring down at me. His lovely eyes were drinking in the sight of me, his expression a mixture of love, awe, and pride. For once, I was not embarrassed in the slightest, so I lay still and let him admire me. Under his loving gaze, I _felt _beautiful.

In turn, I could not take my eyes off my Bonded. In all the time I'd known the Viking, he had never looked better. He stood before me proudly, a strong, arrogant male completely at ease in his own skin. The moonlight kissed each curve of his perfectly muscled body, enhancing his natural vampire glow. His golden hair was still pulled back in a ponytail, but I fervently wished that it was down. Almost as if _he_ was the telepath, Eric reached up and pulled the band loose. He ran a careless hand through the long silky strands, spreading it out across his broad shoulders. Instantly, heat and moisture rushed to my core, drenching me. Knowing exactly the effect he was having on me, a sultry smile played at the edges of those perfectly shaped lips. There was positively no doubt about it... this vampire was by far the most intensely masculine creature I had ever seen, and yet the only word that came to my mind to describe him was "beautiful."

I probably would have been content to lay there all night just looking at him, but of course Eric had other ideas. Kneeling at my feet, he began a slow prowl up my body, lingering at all his favorite spots along the way. As soon as he had paid sufficient attention to my front, he gently rolled me onto my side. Spooning himself up against my back, he nuzzled at my neck with lips and fangs. His erection was a solid, pulsing presence between us. After all his attentions, I was a quivering mass of need. I wanted that hard length that was pressed against my back to be inside me, _now_. I rolled my hips, rubbing my butt against him... wantonly offering myself to him. In his lovely old language, he whispered, "_Vill du__ ha mig, min gudinna? Låt mig dyrka dig med min kropp." (__Do you want me, my goddess? Let me worship you with my body.)_

With that, Eric slid that magnificent hardness into me, making me cry out with pleasure. I was so ready for him, the minute he was fully inside, I climaxed. His hips began to surge in a slow rhythm, stroking me, prolonging the contractions of my orgasm. As I rode out the pulsing waves, he chuckled softly in delight. Even after the last spasm subsided, my lover continued to move inside me, his motions unhurried and sensual. He stroked my body with his free hand, petting me, giving me time to recover... but within seconds, my body was already responding to his slow thrusts. As a little sigh of bliss escaped my lips, his arm slid around my body and pulled me back tightly against his chest. "Sookie... you are the most amazing creature," he murmured into my hair, "Do you have any idea how much I adore you?"

In the warmth of that soft Louisiana night, my vampire made love to me. No other lover could have been as attentive or as tender. With every kiss, every thrust, every slow caress, my husband was showing me exactly how much he cherished me. We had already had sex twice since first dark, and both of those times had been wonderful, passionate, exciting... but this was on a different plane entirely. It was one of those mystical times, when all barriers vanished. Our bodies and our souls were in such perfect sync, we were very nearly one entity. Our pleasure at being joined was so great, neither one of us wanted it to be over, but all too soon we reached the point where both of us were struggling to hold back our orgasms. As that special tension in my center began to build, I was completely overcome with a burning need to have _all_ of my lover inside me, his cock, his fangs... his blood. I wanted to the feel that spectacular rush as the magic in his ancient blood spread through my veins, giving me his strength and fierceness.

Somehow my vampire knew exactly what it was that I wanted. Before I could even ask, I could hear the soft crunching sound as he bit into his own wrist. Bringing it to within an inch of my lips, he offered it to me. He said softly, "_Jag vill känna mitt blod i dig_. _(__I want to feel my blood in you.)_

Although I couldn't understand the individual words, their meaning was perfectly clear. Laying both hands gently on his wrist, I brought it to my mouth. The minute the familiar taste of my Bonded's blood hit my tongue, I couldn't help myself. Instead of a lady-like little sip or two, I began to take long pulls, greedily sucking down as much of the magical elixir as I could before the wound closed. Eric moaned in pleasure, and only a second later his fangs sank into my shoulder. As my blood pulsed into his mouth, he thrust as deeply as it was possible for him to go, and held it there... and we both shattered. As always during a mutual blood exchange, our Bond was wide open, allowing us to feel each other's pleasure. Sharing a vampire's orgasm is a very intense, mind-blowing experience under any circumstances, but that night, my lover was holding absolutely nothing back and so it went way _beyond_ intense...

A second later, I came back to consciousness. The last of the spasms of my orgasm were still fading away, and my heart was ponding as if I had just run a marathon. My very first thought was, _Wow! How many men can say they are going to fuck their woman senseless and mean it? _Anxiously, Eric exclaimed, "Sookie? Are you all right? Did I hurt you?"

A bit dizzy and still trying to catch my breath, I panted out, "I'm... perfectly fine. In fact... I'm better... than fine. I'm great! That was... amazing. Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Yes, but I am greedy. Say it again."

"I love you. I love you. I love, love, love you."

Chuckling, he said, "Mmm, nice. Now tell me what a wonderful lover I am."

I said teasingly, "Well... normally I wouldn't, because the last thing you need is for yet another woman to tell you what a great lover you are..."

In mock sadness, he said, "Yes, everyone but the one woman I _want_ to hear it from."

"... but that was so awesome I guess I'll indulge you this once. You _are_ the most wonderful lover in the whole universe."

"Of course I am," he said smugly, "Now that I have finally gotten you to freely admit it, I am satisfied... and by the way you are glowing, it is quite obvious that you are, too."

It was true. My Fairy glow was pouring out of me. I laughed and said, "I guess I _am_ satisfied... not to mention full of your blood. It always seems to bring out the Fairy in me."

One of the benefits of having such a well-endowed partner was that even if he wasn't fully erect, we could still lay joined after making love. All during this little "pillow talk," Eric was still inside me, and in between sentences he would lap at the at the twin puncture marks on my shoulder, which had already started to heal. In answer to my last statement, my vampire gave me a good snuffle, and immediately the Gracious Plenty gave a mighty twitch in response. The vampire said, "Mmm. It certainly does. Tell me, my sweet Fairy, what does _my_ blood taste like to you?"

Up until very recently, I had tried my best not to think much about it. Now that I had finally gotten over my ridiculous guilt over drinking Eric's blood, though, I gave his question some serious thought. What _did_ his blood taste like to me? Honestly, my human vocabulary just couldn't describe it adequately. In a way, it reminded me a little of a very old and horribly expensive port that Robert had served me in New York one night... earthy, rich, incredibly smooth, and highly intoxicating. Add to that a slight undertone of some exotic dark spice... but none of those weak words could come close to doing my vampire's potent, ancient blood justice. I thought for a long time, and finally replied, "It tastes like power."

Of course, that answer seemed to please Eric to no end. Besides being able to feel it through the Bond, I could feel it elsewhere, too... he was now fully hard again, obviously ready for more action. With a little laugh, I said, "Hold on there, big guy. You've been showing me _lots_ of attention in the last twenty-four hours, and I guess I'm a little sore. Can we take a little break and let your blood have a chance to kick in?"

"Ah... of course. Come, lay with me for awhile."

He slipped out of me, rolled onto his back, and then tucked me into the crook of his arm. I lay on my side facing him, absentmindedly running my fingertips lightly over his chest. A few stray pine needles clung to him, and I brushed them away. In turn, Eric reached over and removed a few of them from my hair. Giving me a rueful smile, he said, "This wasn't exactly what I had in mind, you know. I had it all carefully planned out. I was going to take you back to the cabin... put on some romantic music... do a little dancing... and when the time was right, I was going to present you with your necklace. After that, I was going to take you upstairs and make passionate love to you in a lovely white bed suitable for a Queen. I never dreamed we would end up celebrating such an important occasion on the hard ground in nothing better than a pile of pine needles. So much for romance."

"Honey, trust me...this was about as romantic as it gets," I said sincerely, "In fact, this whole evening has been absolutely perfect. Thank you so much for all of it."

A satisfied smile lit up his handsome face. He reached out and caressed my face. "_D__u är välkommen._ That means 'you are welcome'."

"Your language is so beautiful. I _love_ to hear it. I only wish I could understand you."

"I very much hope that someday you _will_ understand me."

He wasn't just saying that, either. To my surprise, I could feel that he really _did_ want that, very strongly. Hmm. Suddenly, just the kernel of an idea floated through my mind... and it was such a good one, I tucked it away for later. I said, "Some things I can understand even if I don't know exactly what the words mean. For instance, I knew you wanted me to take your blood... I could _feel _that. But what was it you told me before that?"

Taking my hand, he kissed my palm tenderly and then placed it over his non-beating heart. "I called you '_min gudinna'... _my goddess. You are, you know. No one but a goddess could possibly make me feel like this."

Something about those words coming from his lips... the way he just smiled at me... and making love to him next to water... all of those things brought to mind that extremely realistic dream I had just before leaving the Portal. I said slowly, "Eric... I started to tell you earlier about the dreams I had of you while I was gone. One of them in particular was so vivid I could swear it was really happening. It was absolutely wonderful. I dreamed that I made love to you by a beautiful pool of blue water. You told me I was a goddess then, too. The most amazing thing about this dream was that you were... still human. It was broad daylight and your heart was beating! You looked just like you do now, except that you were slightly tanned from being outdoors all the time and you had scars on your body from fighting. There was a big one right here." I pressed my finger to his left pectoral, where one white puckered slash had been.

Instantly, a speer of excitement shot through the Viking. Rolling onto his side so that he was facing me, he pinned my eyes with his intense blue gaze. Very carefully Eric said, "Sookie. I _did_ have a scar there. The man that gave it to me was the first person I ever killed in battle."

What? He had actually had a scar there, in the very same spot where I dreamed it? Could that _possibly_ be a coincidence? With a shaking hand, I brushed a spot on his upper thigh. "There was one here, too."

Solemnly, he nodded. "I got that one a year later. It got infected and took a long time to heal."

"Okay, what's going on here? I was in the Portal when I had that dream, so I couldn't have just pulled it out of your head... could I?"

Not giving me a direct answer, the Viking said, "You had many dreams while you were away. Let me see... One of them took place in New Orleans. You were being chased down a dark street, until I rescued you by letting you into my home. We became lovers. I was your first." Through the bond came a burst of something I was coming to recognize as a uniquely vampire emotion... a complex, twisty snarl of love, lust, pride, elation, and above all, possessiveness.

His words (and feelings) were so unexpected, it took a minute for their meaning to penetrate my whirling brain. How on earth did he know the contents of that high erotic dream, unless... oh. Keep my tone as even as possible, I asked, "Eric, judging from what happened in the library the other night, obviously there are a few critical details you have omitted to tell me about our Bond. Can you make me dream things? Is that it?"

"Ah... not in the way you mean. This is totally different. As far as I can tell, you and I have been _sharing_ dreams."

I was so shocked by this news, that I couldn't stop myself before blurting out, "How could we possibly be sharing dreams? I didn't even know that vampires _could_ dream!"

Looking slightly offended, Eric said, "Of course we dream. We can even choose the subject of those dreams to a degree. We just do it during what you call "down time"... although now that I am older, I seem to be dreaming a bit during my rest as well."

All this was causing my head to spin. Desperately trying to make sense of what he was telling me, I asked, "So... can we do this because of my telepathy, or because I'm Fairy? Or... can all Twice-Bonded couples share dreams?"

Frowning slightly, Eric replied, "I must confess I do not know nearly as much about Second Bonds as I should. I had every intention of pursuing that issue as soon as we returned from Las Vegas... but of course I was sidetracked. The Queen of Oklahoma indicated that she knows something about them, so I think we should make time to speak to her at the Coronation."

I thought back to my brief encounter with Wanda. Clearly, she knew all sorts of mysterious things... like Sylvan. "Yes, I would _love_ to have a long talk with Wanda," I replied very seriously, "I bet she might be able to tell us some very interesting things. So... you think sharing dreams may just be a normal part of a Second Bond?"

"It is possible but I doubt it. I truly believe that the combination of our very special personal attributes has resulted in a Bond that is extraordinarily strong and quite unique. For example, I have never once heard of _anyone_ being able to communicate with a vampire in their rest, or allowing the vampire to see things like sunrises. Our strong mental connection is almost certainly a consequence of your telepathy and your magic. For another thing, I do understand enough about Second Bonds to know that the human partner is simply not capable of blocking it, even slightly. _You_ shut it down in the blink of an eye. I imagine it is the Fairy in you which gives you that power... but fortunately for me, our Bond is so deep that even _you_ could not hold it closed when you were asleep." He stopped for a moment before adding almost reluctantly, "Our dreams were a great comfort to me, especially since I could _feel _you before or after each one. When they stopped, I very nearly_ did_ go insane. I thought you had figured out what was happening, and that you hated me so much you stopped the dreams deliberately."

A wave of sadness and fear rolled through him, and the bleak look in his lovely old eyes was enough to break my heart clean in two. I buried my head in his chest to keep from crying. A couple of nights back, Eric had warned me that the wounds produced during our separation might take some time to heal. Clearly we just had to get some of this stuff out in the open before we could put all this behind us... but it was going to painful. "I wasn't smart enough to figure it out," I muttered against his skin, "I had no idea what was causing those dreams, and so I asked Niall to give me something to make them stop. Even then, I _still_ had the dream of you when you were human... and the rest of it."

"The _rest_ of it? I do not recall anything past us making love."

Oh... holy crap. I had no way of knowing that Eric hadn't shared _all_ of that dream, and somehow I sensed that my proud, secretive vampire wasn't going to be happy with the content of the second half of it _at all._ Mentally kicking myself, I said hastily, "Maybe since you didn't share it, it was just a regular old garden variety dream." Even as the words left my lips, I knew it wasn't true.

Obviously Eric did, too. Completely disregarding my last statement, he said, "You are reluctant to tell me about this dream. Was it so awful?"

"Well... yes and no," I faltered for just a moment, but I knew he was going to insist that I tell him about it, so I might as well spit it out. Reluctantly I said, " I... I dreamed that I saw you being made vampire... and then I saw what your life was like afterwards."

The Viking's big body went completely still. For the briefest moment, I felt a chill as my Bonded did what he had sworn he would never do again... as if a steel curtain had dropped between us, he blocked me from feeling his emotions. This time, I knew exactly what was happening... and even though part of me hated it, the other half understood perfectly why he had done it. Some things were so intensely private, so excruciating, you couldn't bear for another person to know. I would have been completely mortified for him to know the slightest thing about my problems with Uncle Bartlett, much less be able to view them in a dream, and I certainly couldn't stand for him to know how much it still hurt me even to this very day. No, at that moment my vampire needed his privacy, so I lay as still and quiet as I could and tried to give him a minute to collect himself. I was hoping that once he got himself under control, he would release the block and let me back in without any nagging from me.

A few long minutes ticked by. Slowly but surely, I could feel my vampires emotion's come trickling back across the Bond until it was fully open. Unsurprisingly, what was on the other side was a ugly tangle of dark vampire emotions, strong enough to leave me gasping... but instead, I clamped my lips tightly shut and didn't make a sound. If I was going to be Eric's mate, I was going to have to learn to be strong enough to deal with his emotions, and there was no time like the present. It also occurred to me that what my vampire needed was a good dose of happy magic. I gathered my energies and was just about to get started... but to my surprise, my battle-hardened warrior was having none of it. The minute I tried to stroke his skin and sooth him, he grasped my wrist to stop me. In a remote voice, Eric commanded, "No. I want to hear this with a clear mind. Tell me what you saw."

I knew he was hoping against hope that it had been just a random dream and not stuff I had pulled out of his memories. For a split second, I thought about lying my head off just to make him feel better... but that would have been wrong on a lot of levels, and I knew he could tell it was a lie, anyhow. "Well. You had just been wounded in a big battle when your Maker grabbed you and drained you. You didn't want to take his nasty old blood, but you changed your mind at the very last minute. He was a horrible Maker! You were this magnificent warrior and deserved some respect, but instead he threw you into a pit and kicked dirt on you. like you were just some old dog bone! The sorry rat bastard didn't help you through your transition at all." By the way the Viking's awful emotions ratcheted up yet another notch, I knew everything I had dreamed had been completely true. Oh dear lord! How had he ever endured such misery for so many years? My eyes welled up with tears, and immediately they began to leak out and pool on my husband's broad, unmoving chest.

Oddly enough, instead of making him feel worse, my tears seemed to calm Eric's feelings slightly. I was praying he had heard enough of my sad tale... but no. So softly I could barely hear it, he asked, "Was that the end of your dream, or was there more?"

There was really no point in beating around the bush. "He was a very cruel, twisted vampire, Eric, without a lick of goodness or mercy in him," I said fiercely, "I saw how he treated you and your nestmates, and believe me when I tell you that if he wasn't already finally dead, I would hunt him down and stake him myself."

When it became obvious to him that I knew some if not all of the gory details, Eric gave out a huge, defeated sigh, as if his worst fears had come to pass but he was helpless to do anything about them. I gave him a chance to say something, but he remained silent. Even if he_ didn't_ say it out loud, I knew he was horrified that I had seen the terrible, degrading things that had been done to him over the course of a couple of centuries. There was only one thing I could think of to say, even if it was going to hurt like the devil. In a low voice, I said, "I know what it feels like to be forced to submit to someone older and stronger than you are. My Uncle Barlett was a pedophile, and he molested me when I was a young girl. It was horrible and sometimes I still have nightmares about it. I never wanted you to find out, because the very last thing I _ever_ wanted you to feel for me was pity... but... now at least we're even. I know your worst secret and you know mine."

Strangely, Eric didn't seem to be all that surprised by my little confession. Instead of asking me a bunch of questions, he said sternly, "I feel no pity, only sorrow and anger for what was done to a helpless child. Beyond that, I am proud of you, because you rose above it and became the splendid, loving woman that you are now."

"I could say almost exactly the same thing to you... well, except for the 'woman' part."

He thought that over for a minute. "You do not view me as weak? I do not revolt you?"

I wanted him to see my face when I responded, so I pushed myself up into a sitting position. Looking him squarely in the eye, I said firmly, "Weak? Eric, I would say you are the strongest person I've ever known, both physically and mentally. As for being revolted... that is a big, fat 'not only no, but _hell_ no.' I can hardly tear myself away from you for five seconds!"

Gruffly he said, "You have no choice. It is the Bond at work."

"Oh, but I _do_ have a choice, and I've already made it. Don't forget, the Bonding Sickness doesn't affect me in the Portal. I am with you now because I love you and I don't want to live without you. I am _proud_ to be the Twice-Bonded of the great Eric Northman."

As the truth of my words penetrated the vampire's mind, my sincere and overwhelming love for him began to flow across the Bond and seep through the dark snarl of his emotions. Before long, his body began to relax and the barest hint of that cute little Viking twinkle returned to his eyes. "So... you think I'm "great," do you?" he said with a slight smile, "It is about time."

Normally, I would have had a snappy comeback, but for once I figured even the all-mighty Viking could use a little ego-stroking. I gave him my sweetest smile and told him, "Well, let's see... you _are_ a great kisser... and a great lover... and a great provider... and a great fighter... and I think you're going to be a really great King... so, um... yeah, I'd say you are pretty great." I gave him a kiss after each point, just for emphasis.

My little speech earned me a pleased chuckle, and suddenly the crisis had passed. Surprisingly, though, it seemed that Eric was still not done with the topic of dreams. "So you really had no idea that our dreams were shared?"

"No, it never occurred to me. So... do you have any idea how this all works?"

"Not really. As far as I can tell, one partner initiates the dream, but from there forward it is a mixture of each partner's desires, fears, and memories... all those elements that contribute to a normal dream."

"I guess that makes sense. Sometimes I couldn't figure out why on Earth I was dreaming about certain things... but those parts must have been coming from you." I cast my mind back over some of my dreams... no, o_ur _dreams... and tried to sort them out. The strange thing was, other than a couple of minor details, almost _all_ of the major elements in those dreams must have come from me... which meant that Eric now knew some of my deepest, most private desires and fantasies. Some things probably wouldn't come as much of a surprise to him, like my yearning for a baby, but others... well, they were things that a lady had no business even _thinking_ about. Oh... fuck... me. This was _much_ worse than him reading my diary.

Of course, Eric must have already gone through this same mental exercise days ago, and by the way he was watching me, he knew exactly what was going on in my head. Giving me a broad grin, he said, "Some of those dreams were quite something, weren't they? I enjoyed the erotic ones a great deal."

"Er... Eric... about me wanting you to be my first lover... ah... I'm sure that's a common fantasy for _all_ women who were not virgins when they finally meet the true love of their lives. As for some of that other stuff..."

The Viking held up one over-sized palm. "Before you go any further, you might be surprised to know that until this very minute, I thought _I _was the one that fantasized about you being a virgin. Clearly, it might be harder than I imagined to pinpoint whose desires are whose, since it seems that some of them are mutual... but I think it might be quite fun to figure it out." He wiggled his eyebrows at me suggestively, and in spite of my embarrassment, I had to laugh. "Seriously, my angel, neither of us should be ashamed. We _are_ Twice-Bonded, and so for all intents and purposes, we are one. Once we get past the strangeness of it, I suspect that having no secrets between us will be very... liberating."

By the way his eyes were glowing and the sudden jolt of pure lust that came shooting through the Bond, I just _knew_ he was thinking about that darkly twisted and highly erotic dream of the Phantom... oh, man. A few of the things that were said and done in that dream flashed through my mind, and the resulting mix of arousal, embarrassment, and guilt made my body flush from one end to the other. Cheeks as red as apples, I tried to head off that particular discussion by saying hurriedly, "Well, I _have_ been wanting us to get to know each other better... and even if it is a little embarrassing, I guess this is a step in the right direction. You know, honey, I thought about telling you about some of my dreams ever since I got home. I hoped maybe you could make some sense out of them... but now that we've had this talk, I think I'm figuring things out. Some of my dreams obviously _were_ just dreams... but a few of them were completely different. Now I realize they were more like... visions. Kind of like the reverse of you seeing the sunrise through my eyes... I was seeing things through you."

Obviously Eric had taken note of my response and my attempt to change the subject. For a few seconds he stared at me with the strangest expression in his eyes, but in the end all he said was, "Oh? I am intrigued by this. Tell me more."

"Well... for one thing, I saw you in Merlotte's. I couldn't tell what upset you, but it made you mad enough to throw a jukebox out a window. When I went to Bon Temps yesterday, Sam told me it had actually happened."

Clearly this came as a complete surprise. Eric blinked a couple of times, absorbing this news. "Truly amazing. Were there any other such visions?"

It was clear he felt no guilt or remorse over the incident at all. I couldn't quite keep myself from saying, "Honey! Is that all you can say? You tore up Sam's bar! What caused you to do such a thing?"

Eric shrugged. "It was not long after you left. I was beside myself with grief and worry, and the Bonding Sickness was already progressing. Your brother came by and irritated me further... it was just a way of releasing some tension. Why does this bother you? I paid to have everything fixed."

"Money doesn't fix everything! Now that you're the King of this territory, you're going to be setting an example for all the other vampires. Tearing up bars and beating people up for no reason is _not_ the best way to go about that."

"Oh, come now. Rednecks do it all the time, just for fun. I did not kill anyone... is _that_ not a good example?"

I sighed, because I was clearly wasting my breath talking. My Viking _loved _to fight. It was as much a part of him as his blue eyes or blond hair. Bonding Sickness or not, I bet there were _plenty_ more bar brawls in our future.

Eric rubbed my cheek with his hand. "That scowl is not very attractive, Sookie. Now, I want you to tell me what other visions you had."

The first one that came to mind was the one of my husband sitting in our bedroom, holding my nightie to his face to keep from crying. I had already humiliated him enough for one night, so I decided to save that one for later. What else was there?... Oh. Oh dear. There was one vision that I had deliberately blocked out, because it had been so disturbing... but now it started to trickle back into my head. Even though I could barely remember any of it, a sense of dread began to crawl up my spine. "Eric, one of these visions happened when I was wide awake," I said slowly, "In it, you were holding a woman in your arms. She looked kind of like one of the waitresses from Fangtasia... that blond one, Valerie."

My vampire had over a thousand years to develop his poker face. Through the Bond came a jolt of surprise … and then guilt. Immediately, my imagination went into overdrive. I was desperately trying to recall the details of the vision. So far all I could remember was that Eric had been holding the woman in his arms... Oh my god. Now that I thought about it, I realized that it _was _Valerie. I was well aware that before we were an item, Eric had freely used the waitresses at his bar to satisfy his needs, nutritional and otherwise. Although she had never said so straight out, I instinctively knew by her behavior that this particular girl had been on the Northman buffet at some point. As the boss's new wife, I could have come up with some excuse to get rid of her, but I couldn't quite bring myself to fire a waitress who clearly needed her job. Instead, I just avoided her like the plague. Had they been lovers while I was away? At the very least, in my vision it looked as if he had been feeding from her.

At the very possibility that they had renewed their relationship in my absence, my stomach lurched and my head started to spin. Feeling my distress, Eric reached out to pull me close to him, but I jerked away and scrambled to my feet. I just _had_ to put some distance between us so I could think. I began to pace around the small clearing. As I concentrated, the first part of the vision swam back into my head and crystallized. By the trickle of blood running down the girl's neck, it was completely clear that the vampire _had_ been feeding from her and not bothered to seal the wounds. Judging from the slackness of her body, she was either unconscious or dead... and by the angle of her neck, I was willing to bet on dead. Now I was really _was_ sick. From Eric's condition on my return, I knew he had been starving himself... at some point, had he gotten so desperate for blood he lost control and drained her accidentally? Or... had he just done it because it felt good? There were still some big issues that my vampire and I hadn't gotten around to clearing up...

While I was busy pacing around in tight circles, Eric had pulled himself up into a sitting position. Using the logs as a backrest, he silently watched me for a few minutes, obviously waiting for me to calm down. When it didn't happen, he finally spoke. His voice deep and even, he said, "Sookie. Obviously you only saw a portion of the entire event. Do you want me to tell you what actually happened?"

Yes. No. I didn't know if I did or not. Finally, I jerked my chin up and down. "Very well," he said, "It was Valerie, and I did kill her. There was no sex involved. I confess, I _did_ feed from her... but I swear to you, it was only a couple of mouthfuls and I..."

"Stop! Stop! Don't say another word!" I fairly shouted at him, "You're feeling guilty because you broke your promise to not _feed_ from anybody else, not because you _killed_ this poor woman! Aren't you? Good God, Eric! How could you?"

That bad vampire had the audacity to look offended! He rose to his feet, all 6'5" of stark-naked Viking, and stared down at me. Rather haughtily, he said, "She was the only person I killed the whole time you were gone, and she deserved it."

"Deserved it?" I yelled, "Come on, Eric! Was she selling V? Was she selling information about us? That girl was too stupid to do any of those things. What could she _possibly_ have done to deserve it?"

A flash of anger came back to me through the Bond. "Honestly? She was killed because she had the bad luck to irritate a vampire in the throes of Bonding Sickness."

Eric's terse words stopped me in mid tirade. Oh, boy. If this wasn't a case of the pot calling the kettle black, I didn't know what was. Although our fight had been the direct result of Eric's reluctance to tell me things, it was _my_ bolting off to the Portal that had caused him to get sick ... so basically, I was every bit as guilty of her death as he was. That knowledge was so overwhelming, so horrible, that I could no longer stand. I fell to my knees, sure I was going to throw up every bit of Chef Sinclair's marvelous dinner. A cold sweat broke out all over my body. As I fought back the nausea, the thought floated through my head that Eric had been right about something else, too. All those other deaths I had been whining about earlier in the evening _weren't _the same at all. I hadn't felt much guilt about those others because they really _had_ been justified. In cold contrast, Valerie had been entirely innocent, and I would probably carry the guilt of her death around with me forever. At least I could quit worrying about becoming a stone-cold killer with no conscience... I just wasn't cut out for it.

It took me a long time to get myself under control. Finally, I sat back on my haunches and stared up at my vampire. Arms firmly crossed against his massive chest, Eric was as impassive as the proverbial cigar store Indian. Something about his expression caused the last elusive piece of my vision to spring back into my head, the part where he had let go of the woman and let her limp body fall to the ground like a sack of garbage. As he stared down at his victim, his handsome face had been cold, so utterly devoid of even the slightest emotion, that it chilled me to the bone. I couldn't repress a shiver. "You really don't feel guilty at all, do you?"

"For killing her? No. Guilt over killing some insignificant human is simply not in my emotional repertoire."

I couldn't help it. I stared at him like I had never really seen him before. Giving a sharp, bitter laugh, Eric said, "You should see your face, Sookie. You look completely horrified. Why the shock? Obviously you have known about this side of me all along. What did you call me earlier? 'A fantastically handsome killing machine'? That was an apt description. I _am_ a killer by nature. Humans are my food source. It is biology, not a character flaw."

"... but I thought... I thought that you were at least_ trying_ to be better. You hardly ever kill humans anymore... at least, not as far as I know, you don't."

"Ah, yes, but do you really _want_ to know?" he asked with a sharp edge to his voice. "You say that you want me to always tell you the truth, but clearly you do not like it when I do."

"Just because I want to hear the truth doesn't mean I have to like it!"

"And you usually don't, do you?" he fired back, "In this case, the truth is that in order for vampires to live in the open, it is necessary for us to refrain from killing humans whenever possible. I have not suddenly developed a conscience, I am merely being practical. Beyond that, I love my partially human wife, and I know that it disturbs her when I kill humans. I am trying my best to keep her happy, even if I have to go against my very nature to do it. But that is not enough for you, is it? I thought someday you would come to accept me for what I am, but now I see that our natures are just too different. No matter how hard I try, I will always be less than perfect in your eyes."

If Eric had slapped me, it would not have hurt as his words just did. He sounded so bitter... so hurt. In all the time we had been together, he had never once sounded like that. Instantly, my guilt over Valerie's death immediately took a backseat to my Bonded's bad feelings. I stammered, "Eric... honey... please don't say that! I don't _expect_ you to be perfect. I love you in spite of our differences. I just..."

He cut me off. "Do you? Because to me it seems that you care about the death of some worthless human more than you care about me. You are quick to condemn me, but have you even bothered to ask what the Sickness was like for me? Do you know how much restraint it took on my part to keep from killing every human within my reach, and a few vampires as well? Have you any concept at all of what Bonding Sickness does to a vampire? Let me tell you. It peels back every last vestige of civilized behavior. It destroys nearly every ounce of self-control that has taken centuries to develop! It strips away any vestiges of goodness you might have left, leaving you with nothing but blackness and anger and the very darkest of vampire instincts. It turns the deep love you have for your Bonded into a weapon against you. The yearning for your mate is both unrelenting and excruciating. It robs you of your reason, leaving you on the very edge of insanity. Do you know, I came exceedingly close to tearing Pam apart for some minor transgression. Yes! My own child. So you see, my darling wife, you should be_ happy_ I only killed the one_."_

Along with anger, a mixture of pain, desperation, and fear left over from his horrible ordeal came pouring out of him. If anything in the world could have made me feel any worse, I didn't want to know about it. What he said was true. I _hadn't _asked Eric about his struggles with the Bonding Sickness, but it wasn't because I didn't care. Knowing how my proud vampire felt about appearing "weak," I had honestly thought he just wouldn't want to talk about it... but now I could see that he had taken that for a lack of concern. Without even meaning to, I had hurt him yet again. It was time to start repairing the damage if I could. "Oh... Eric. I'm just sorry there was _any _killing. I am just as much to blame for that woman's death as you are... maybe more. I can't imagine how awful the Bonding Sickness was for you, and I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you. And even if it _is_ hard for me to hear the truth sometimes, I'm really glad you are being honest with me."

"Our problems started because I kept things from you. I have learned _my_ lesson. I will do _anything_ to make this relationship work, Sookie, and if that means telling you unwelcome truths, that is exactly what I am going to do. Since your return, I have been trying my best to hold nothing back. Can _you_ say the same?"

I sure hadn't seen that coming. I scrambled to my feet. "What? What do you mean?"

The Viking pinned me with an icy glare. "Do you think for one moment I have not felt all of your little flashes of guilt? I have waited patiently you to tell me about whatever it is, but clearly you think that full disclosure does not have to work both ways."

Uh oh. The shit had just hit the proverbial fan. I had obviously waited a little too long to come clean. Mentally kicking myself for being so stupid, I started to backpedal as fast as I could. "No! That's not it at all! I _don't_ want any secrets between us. I _was_ going to tell you... in fact, I was going to do it tonight... but up until now, everything was so perfect, I just didn't want to..."

"To what? To upset me? If you are so worried about that, it must be something unpleasant, indeed."

"Not really... well, it sort of depends on... oh, hell," I took a deep breath, and started again in what I hoped was a more coherent, reasonable tone. "Eric... baby... listen. Obviously you are a little out of sorts. This is probably not a good time to get into this. Maybe we should..."

"Sookie. Stop. The longer you hesitate, the harder this is going to be. You _are_ going to tell me, and you are going to do it now."

He said it in the exact same no-bullshit tone that Niall had used when holding court. The vampire was a master interrogator and under his piercing sapphire stare, I felt like a bug under a microscope. There was zero chance of lying to him. Not long ago, his imperious attitude would have made me madder than a wet hen, but right then I was flat out scared. My Bonded had never spoken that coldly to me before. His words had made me realize how much he had been through because of me... not just the Sickness, but having to constantly fight his natural instincts just to keep his wife happy. What if my harsh words just now had been the final straw that caused him to decide that our natures really were too different for us to co-exist? I didn't care if I _could_ give him little gifts of magic every now and then... he could still decide all the effort it took to live by my "rules" wasn't worth it.

Even if I was still pretty bone-headed about some things, I _had _managed to learn one important lesson from our recent ordeal. Killer or not, I could not live without my Bonded, and I was desperate to do whatever it took to make things right... but for the life of me, I couldn't see that telling him the truth about Rhys when he was already so upset was going to do anything but make things infinitely worse. Clearly Eric was still in a much more vulnerable emotional state than I had realized, and I wasn't much better. I wasn't sure either one of us could withstand another serious fight so soon. I tried one last time to avoid the inevitable. "Look, this is getting blown way out of proportion. There _is _something that I need to tell you. In the grand scheme of things, it is really pretty minor, but we've been through so much I just couldn't stand for there to be even a tiny bit of bad feeling between us. I have already upset you once tonight, badly enough for you to block our Bond even though you promised me you never would... and now with this business about Valerie... can't we save what I have to tell you for another time?"

I knew what his answer was going to be by the stubborn set of his jaw. "No. If it is really so minor, what is the point in waiting? Please... let us get past this."

The Viking was clearly not going to take no for an answer. He had been totally honest with me about killing that woman and had taken his ass-chewing like a man... obviously it was time for me screw up my courage and do the same. I knew his reaction wasn't going to be pretty, but no matter what happened, I made a solemn vow to myself that I was _not_ going to run away this time, come hell or high water. I went over to him and took his hands in mine, then took a deep breath and forged ahead. "Baby, I want us to get past it, too, so I guess I'd better just spit it out. First, I want to say that after my time in the Portal, I finally understand what you have been trying to explain to me about vampires and their instincts. I get it now. Some behaviors are just so ingrained that they _are _nearly impossible to overcome. In fact, I was a little surprised to find out that Fairies have some biological stuff hard-wired into them, too."

"Such as...?"

"Well... for example, in order to keep the species going, Fairy males have this ability to attract Fairy females. If one sets his sights on a particular female, it is almost impossible for her to resist. It's almost like a vampire's glamour. Fortunately, it seems that I have enough human blood in me to be resistant to it."

Those blue eyes were now glittering dangerously. "... and so, my Lover, are you going to tell me how you know this?"

Uh oh.

_More Author Notes: For those of you that don't watch the show, I stole the idea of the vampire menu from TrueBlood. In one episode, Bill was at a dinner party hosted by Russell Edgington. I was overcome with a desire to see how our Viking would react to "eating"! So kudos to the writers of TrueBlood and my apologizes for snatching your stuff._


	40. Chapter 40

_Author's Notes: Charlaine Harris is the creator of these wonderful characters. I am just borrowing them for our amusement._

_****Thanks to Verity V. and Rocky for proofreading. You guys ROCK! _

**Chapter 40**

**Sookie's POV: The Azalea Grove, Valhalla **

As much as I hated to tell my adoring (and insanely jealous) husband that I had deliberately let another man kiss me, I knew that there was no way around it now.

By the look in those ice-cold Viking eyes, it was clear that he had a pretty good idea of what was coming next. Every muscle in his body was tense, as if he was preparing for battle. I swallowed nervously and said in a low voice, "Well... remember when I told you about meeting some of Niall's friends? One of them was named Rhys and..."

That was all it took. Before I could even finish the sentence, jealousy, horror, pain, and an overwhelming anger thundered through the Bond. The vampire's deadly white fangs flashed down... and in the moonlight they looked positively _huge_. In a voice as cold as death, Eric said, "You fucked him, didn't you? You were angry with me for something I DID NOT DO, and you went off and had SEX with a FUCKING FAIRY!"

The look of outrage on his face scared the hell out of me. Without even meaning to, I gulped, let go of his hands, and took a big step backward."No, Eric! I _swear _I didn't! All he did was _kiss_ me!"

Advancing toward me, he shouted, "You are LYING! Have you forgotten that I shared that very erotic dream of the Phantom with you? This Rhys was the man you were going to marry in that dream, wasn't he? You were already fucking him when you had that dream, weren't you? WEREN'T YOU!"

"NO! Eric, that was just a dream! ALL HE DID WAS KISS ME!"

"I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU! Do you think that I am STUPID? Everyone in the Supernatural world knows all about those damned Fairy males and their fucking charm!"

Oh, fuck me! I was in big, big trouble! This wasn't exactly my first rodeo when it came to Eric and jealousy. To be honest, this type of unreasonable reaction was exactly what I had feared all along... but I had failed to take into account the lingering effect of his Bonding Sickness. Because of that, all of his "normal" vampire reactions were liable to be way, way worse than I had counted on. It didn't take a brain surgeon to see that Eric was no longer my rational, loving husband at all, but a totally enraged, heartbroken, blazingly jealous vampire male... which meant that he was both irrational and extremely dangerous.

The thing that scared me the most was his eyes. They had gone flat and emotionless, just like a shark's. I had no idea who had just crawled into my husband's body, but whoever was looking out at me through those vivid blue eyes wasn't the Eric I knew by any stretch of the imagination.

If that wasn't bad enough, the dreadful vampire emotions stampeding through the Bond were so overwhelming they were making me dizzy and a bit sick to my stomach... but I knew if I was going to get through this episode unscathed I was going to have to somehow manage to keep my wits about me. I knew that our Bond would probably prevent Eric from killing me, but what he wanted... no, what his vampire instincts _demanded_ was for him to capture his human and bring her to heel _right now. _

To make matters worse, I was struggling with tamping down a few instincts of my own. Every Fairy gene in my body was screaming at me to POP THE HELL AWAY FROM THE ANGRY VAMPIRE, NOW! The _really_ crazy thing was, the Bonded part of me couldn't stand to do it! On my return, I had given the Viking my solemn promise that I would never leave him again and I meant it with every fiber of my being. If I popped away this time, Eric might never trust me again. Even though my Fairy-brain was telling me that sticking around was outrageously dangerous, the Bonded part of me was urging me to _go_ to my vampire... to submit to him.So what in the hell was I going to do? The only answer my addled brain could come up with was to keep out of the vampire's grasp until he came to his senses.

So in a grim parody of our earlier game in the woods, I began backing away from him. I was practically babbling now, in the futile hope that somehow my words might penetrate that infuriated vampire brain. "Honey, please listen! Even though I was convinced that you were screwing that skank Sabriel at the time, I _still_ loved you way too much to sleep with Rhys! I only let him kiss me!"

I don't think Eric heard one word I said. He threw his head back and roared. "_How dare he lay a hand on my Bonded_? I AM GOING TO RIP HIM TO SHREDS IF IT IS THE LAST THING I EVER DO!" Then he looked straight into my eyes and growled, "Come. To. Me. _Now_."

Well, that did it. The threat in his voice was clear. Immediately I could feel my magic starting to rise within me, whether I wanted it to or not. I couldn't seem to stop it, but maybe I _could_ pick where I ended up. My eyes lit on a nice flat spot right at the edge of the clearing... but in the very instant before I dematerialized, I was hit by a freight train. More accurately, my body was tackled by approximately two hundred and seventy pounds of naked male vampire and knocked flat to the ground. The air rushed out of my lungs in a big whoosh, leaving me stunned and unable to move a muscle. Before my brain could make sense of what was happening, Eric flipped me over onto my stomach and straddled my legs, effectively pinning me in place with his heavily muscled thighs. A moment or two later, I finally managed to suck in some air. Going into a full blown panic, I immediately started to struggle. I was newly full of the Viking's extremely potent blood, which meant that I was much stronger than usual, but of course I was still no match for his vastly superior strength. If anything, my writhing around just added a new layer to the mix... in addition to anger, a tremendous burst of dark pleasure and anticipation swirled up through the Bond.

Leaning his body over mine, the vampire planted a palm on the ground next to my shoulders and balanced himself on his arm. He scooped his other forearm under my mid-section and effortlessly popped me up onto all fours. Holding me tightly against his body, he ground his tremendous erection against my backside. I had always wondered why Fairies allowed a vampire to drain them when they had the power to just poof away... but I was finding out the answer to that the hard way. Once the vampire had me firmly in his grasp, I was still capable of wriggling around but seemed completely unable to summon the energy to pop. It was if his dark magic was overshadowing my own.

Bringing his mouth next to my ear, Eric spoke to me in a voice so unlike his own that I hardly recognized it. "My sweet little Fairy, did you think really think I was going to let you leave me again? Allow you to go back to your lover? No, Sookie. I see that I must teach you a lesson... _you are MINE _and after tonight you will _never_ forget it. I am going to _take _what is mine, and mine alone."

Completely without warning, my vampire's thoughts invaded my head. Unfortunately (or maybe _fortunately_), he had reverted to thinking in his old language. I could not understand a bit of it... but along with those undecipherable words, I caught images coming from the icy, twisted depths of my infuriated vampire's mind. At first they confused me, because he seemed to be remembering one of the darkly erotic things he had done to me in our shared dream of the Phantom... and then I realized that he wasn't _remembering_ the past dream at all but planning for the future... the very near future. If my enraged Bonded had his way, one particular act from the dream was about to become reality.

Now I _really_ put some effort into getting away from him, which turned out to be a seriously rotten idea. Faster than a cobra, the vampire sank his enormous white fangs right into the base of my neck, right where it curved into my shoulder. This bite was not just for feeding, but was intended to hold me in place and make sure I _couldn't_ escape him. Unlike the pleasant, deeply erotic bites I was used to, this one hurt like a son of a bitch. I bit back a scream, because instinctively I knew that the sound would only stir him up even more.

Now the panicked Fairy part of me went into all-out survival mode, and so even with those razor sharp fangs embedded in my flesh I still tried to flail around. OW! OW! OW! All I got for my efforts was a ragged, painful wound.

Instead of letting go, the vampire clamped down more firmly than ever. From his chest came a low growl, clearly warning me to stop moving or risk serious damage to my throat. He took his arm from around me and shoved his hand down between our bodies. Grasping the hard length between his legs, he rubbed the head of it over my rear entrance. In his excitement, a spurt of his essence shot from his tip, nature's way of moistening me and providing some much needed lubrication. The sad thing was, under different circumstances, this particular act might not have been entirely unwelcome. Since our marriage, my Viking had taught me to be a lot more adventurous than I had ever thought I could be... but if he did this in anger, it would forever be a _bad_ thing... a hurtful thing, to be avoided at all costs.

I shut my eyes tightly, and wished with all my heart that I knew what to do or to say that would stop him from hurting _both _of us... and just like magic, the knowledge I had so fervently prayed for came to me: _Sookie, you need to quit being so stubborn, and listen to what the Bond is trying to tell you! _So, in a supreme act of will-power, I shut off the Fairy half of my mind. I allowed the knowledge of the Second Bond flow into me. In a moment of startling clarity, I understood that the Bond had been telling me how to deal with this situation from the very start, but as usual I had refused to pay attention. It was profoundly simple. My vampire _needed_ me to submit to him... and no matter how hard it was, I needed to do it.

In spite of the danger to my neck from his bite, I had never really stopped struggling. Consequently, it had taken Eric a few minutes to pin me in just the right position for penetration... but just as he began to press that massive hardness into me, I willed my body to become still and completely passive. To my total amazement, practically the instant I let myself go limp, the Viking also stopped moving. His big body became rigid and still as a stone. With the help of the Bond, it seemed as if I had somehow managed to get his attention... now I needed to make the most of it.

In that momentary calm in the eye of the storm, I deliberately allowed the vampire's black emotions to flow into me and then right on through me... and into the tiny void that was created, I sent him back a few of my own feelings. Even if his dark magic had not been blocking my own, I was much too upset to send him any healing magic. All I could do was send him the one thing that I _could_ access... my love. This was the biggest lesson I had learned from my time in the Portal. No matter how dire the circumstances, my love for my vampire would always be burning inside me. Balancing myself on one arm, I reached up with the other hand and gently touched the side of his face with my fingertips. So softly that only a vampire could have heard it, I said, "Eric, I am your Bonded and I love you with all my heart. Please don't hurt me."

As soon as the words left my lips, I could sense that some terrible internal struggle was taking place. Somehow, I knew better than to move or to say a word. After a minute or two, Eric's fangs released their hold on my neck and at vampire speed, his body left mine. From somewhere behind me came a strange, extremely loud crackling. I managed to swivel my head around just in time to see the Viking yanking an entire tree out of the ground by the roots. Lifting it over his head as if it were a three-foot sapling instead of a mature tree, he threw it away from him as hard as he could. It crashed into a smaller stand of trees, mowing them down like bowling pins... then, the vampire threw his head back and ROARED. The agonizing sound of his pain and anger filled the night... and then, he vanished. He had been moving so fast, I couldn't even tell what direction he was headed.

The minute the Viking disappeared, I collapsed face down onto the ground and lay there stunned. My body and my mind felt bruised all over. The bite on my neck throbbed and I could feel the warmth of my blood as it leaked out and dripped onto the ground. Obviously, the enraged vampire had not been inclined to seal the wounds before taking off. Courtesy of Eric's linebacker routine, there were a couple of other minor scrapes and bruises... but all in all, I knew it could have been much, much worse. Thanks to the vampire blood I had so recently consumed, our tussle hadn't hurt nearly as much as it normally would have. It would not be long until my body began to heal all on its own, and even the gaping wound in my throat would probably be gone in a day or so.

So, all in all, I was just fine. Just. Fine.

Except that immediately, I burst into uncontrollable sobs.

The truth was, I was absolutely, inconsolably miserable. My Bonded had _left_ me!... and it was all my fault! I had _hurt _him, badly enough to trigger those horrible, dark vampire instincts of his. Why on earth hadn't I told Eric about Rhys the very first night I returned, when he was making his confession about the fiasco with Sabriel and Sandy? He would have forgiven me then. By making him practically force it out of me, it made it appear that the whole thing was much more important that it really was. I was stupid, _stupid,_ STUPID! Obviously he hadn't believed me when I told him that I had only kissed Rhys. What if he could never forgive me? I couldn't force him to listen to the truth _or_ beg his forgiveness, because he was gone. As fast as the Viking could fly, he could literally be anywhere. Now I finally understood how painful and frightening it was to be the one left behind.

It was a long time before the tears stopped. I was so exhausted that I hardly even twitched when a low whine sounded right in my ear. A minute later, a warm, wet tongue took a tentative swipe at my shoulder. I mustered up enough energy to roll my head to the left. An enormous silvery-brown wolf was standing next to me, staring down at me with its lovely golden-brown eyes... very familiar eyes. Oh. I should have known. It was Cooper. He must have heard all the racket and come to see what was going on. I bet a dirty, sobbing Fairy was the _last_ thing he expected to find!

I was still too miserable to even speak, so I just let out a ragged sigh. As if in sympathy, the great wolf threw back his head and let out a loud, deep, guttural howl. It sounded just like I felt, and in a strange way it comforted me. Rolling onto my side, I stretched out one hand, palm out. Without hesitation, Cooper licked it and then lay down beside me. My Were was obviously offering a combination of companionship and protection, just like he always did, and right then I was more than glad to accept it.

For a couple of minutes we lay quietly side-by-side, me still trying to get my head on straight and Cooper... well, Cooper was busy thinking his own mysterious wolfy thoughts. As the shock began to recede, it began to occur to me exactly how strange my earlier reaction had been. For the love of Pete, what was wrong with me? I had confessed to a minor indiscretion and gotten called a liar and physically attacked in return... and I was _worried_ that my abuser had left me? I should be doing the happy dance! And after that, I should be searching through that recently created pile of kindling for a nice sharp stake, on the off chance that the crazy vampire showed his face around here again! Any _normal_ woman would be calling 911... but instead, even now my mind and my body were crying out for my Bonded to come back to me. How warped was that?

Except... maybe it wasn't so warped after all. I wasn't really "normal" anymore, was I? I was a strange brew of human and Fairy, with a piece of the soul of a Viking vampire thrown in for flavoring. It had never been clearer to me that I no longer thought or acted entirely like a human. A few short weeks ago, I _would_ have been simply furious and unforgiving as hell... but as hard as I tried, the best I could muster now was mildly irritated. In fact, it was downright shocking to realize that deep down inside, I was hardly mad at Eric at all.

However, I supposed my uncharacteristically passive reaction wasn't really so unusual, given that I was still in full-out "Twice-Bonded-mode." Just as I had once dug deep down and accessed the pure Fairy part of me, a few minutes ago I had allowed the Bonded part to rise to the surface. For the first time since our "real" ceremony, I had shoved aside the Fae and human components, and fully immersed myself in the strange magic of the Second Bond. The result was a woman who was calm and wise and able to allow the vampire's overwhelmingly strong emotions to flow through her without absorbing them. _That_ version of me had understood my vampire's reactions on almost a cellular level.

Now I finally, _finally_ got it. Even though most of the time he looked like one, my husband was really, truly _not_ a man... and it was just plain stupid for me to expect him to act like one. Eric was vampire, and his violent reaction had been instinctual and nearly uncontrollable. There was probably not a single vampire on earth, even the courtly Sir Robert, who would have reacted differently. Now that I was more "myself," I didn't like being vampire-handled one bit... but I _understood_ it, and I was willing to forgive Eric for it.

In fact, I was overjoyed that he had managed to stop when he did.

Now that I stopped to think about it, it was pretty amazing to discover that the Bond didn't only work in the vampire's favor. Once I quit fighting against it, it had provided me with the knowledge to keep my Bonded from _really_ hurting me. It was a relief to know that even though the Viking might be bigger and vastly stronger, I wasn't completely powerless to control him when he got out of hand. Given my husband's nature, I was going to need all the advantages I could get.

My fingers sought out the enormous yellow diamond that was miraculously still hanging from its slender chain around my neck. Bringing the cool, flashing stone to my lips, I kissed it and then grasped it tightly in my fist. Eric had said that it was a token of how special I was to him, but it was way more than that. To me, it was a symbol of just how interconnected we were... a beautiful, eternal reminder that for all intents and purposes, my vampire and I were one. If the Ancient Pythoness' prophecy was true, our unconventional union was no accident but our Fate. Someday, together we would serve some higher purpose... but that didn't imply that our path was going to be an easy one. Given our vastly different outlooks and natures, we were bound to run into these types of issues in the future. All we could do was to trust in our love, and try to allow the Bond to guide us through the rough times.

As a matter of fact, at that very moment our Bond was telling me something pretty important. It informed me that although my vampire was still extremely upset, he was somewhere nearby. As fast as the Viking was, he could have been nearly to Shreveport by now. Maybe... just maybe... he hadn't _really_ left me, but just gone off to cool down. Earlier, Eric had proclaimed that he was willing to do whatever it took to make our relationship work, and in spite of what had just transpired, I felt exactly the same way. Juanita had told me once that one of the secrets of a good marriage was to never go to bed mad, and I had learned the hard way what excellent advice that was. My vampire and I desperately needed to work this out before dawn... before this new wound could fester. All right, then... I had better come up with a plan.

The first thing that came to mind was to pop back to Valhalla, get cleaned up, and then "call" my vampire to me. Maybe by then he might be calm enough to come back and hear the truth without getting violent. Clearly I couldn't count on that, though. I knew I was risking further injury, but I flat-out didn't care. Supposedly, the Bond wouldn't _let_ Eric kill me, and as I had recently discovered, it even gave me ways to keep him from hurting me too badly. If it took a few more bumps and bruises to resolve this, so be it. After everything I had been through in the last few years, I knew that I was plenty tough enough to handle just about anything. In fact, the idea floated through my head that maybe I should just let the vampire "claim" me and get it out of his system... at least I would be giving it up willingly this time.

It wasn't much of a plan, but it was the best I could do on short notice... hmmm, maybe with one tiny revision. It might be better to conduct this little meeting at the new cabin instead of the big house. In case of another vampire temper-tantrum, there would be _much_ less to repair.

Okay, then. I had best get my raggedy butt in gear. I was just wondering if my wobbly legs would support me if I tried to get up, when Cooper leapt to his feet and stared intently at something over my left shoulder. I jerked my head in that direction to see what fresh hell was coming at me now. In the shadows along the edge of the clearing stood another wolf. Oh... make that _wolves_. As silently as whispers, they started to slide out from the cover of the trees, their yellow eyes glowing eerily in the gloom. So there I was, naked and bleeding in the middle of the woods, and now knee deep in werewolves to boot. Well, if _that_ just didn't put the icing on the cake!

Even though technically I was a Friend of the Pack, I was never quite sure how much human thinking the two-natured retained when in their furry state. Not wanting to make any sudden movements, I slowly sat up and brushed off the pine needles clinging to my body. Normally I would have been scrambling around trying to find my clothes, but somehow I knew that in their current form, the Weres could care less if I was naked or not. Looking down, I was somewhat surprised to discover that I was still glowing like a candle. Oh, dear. I knew practically nothing about Werewolf-Fairy relations. I hoped they weren't staring at me like that because I looked tasty.

Just as I started to get to my feet, another wolf strolled into the clearing. Black as night and larger than all the others, I recognized my old friend Alcide. He was followed closely by a smaller wolf which I assumed was his current female. The Shreveport pack leader stopped a couple of feet away from me and gave me an intense stare. Alcide and I had kind of a strange relationship, and I never quite knew how he felt about me. Having no idea whether he could understand me or not, I found my voice and greeted him politely, "Hey, Alcide. How are you?"

Ignoring me, he looked straight at Cooper, who had not moved from my side. He gave his leader a strange sort of half-growl and then a short bark. Apparently in response to this message, Alcide came toward me and didn't stop until we were practically nose to nose. There was really no aggression in his movement, and since Cooper seemed okay with this, I was not afraid. The pack leader gave a couple of long sniffs, as if testing my scent. He then shocked the heck out of me by taking couple of licks at the deep graze on my bicep that I had gotten when Eric knocked me to the ground. It stung, but I figured it was a sign of respect for the packleader to care for me like that; so I sat still and let him do it.

It was a good thing the big Were hadn't gone for the really nasty wound on my neck, for two reasons. One, because it would have hurt like crazy; and two, the blood from that one had dripped down my shoulder and over my breast. To get all the blood off, Alcide would have to... well, let's just say that I was already in enough trouble as it was. Once the scrape was cleaned to his satisfaction, the alpha-male turned around and faced his pack. Putting back his enormous black head, he let out a howl that could probably be heard for miles. At his signal, the rest of the pack moved in closer to the three of us and formed a kind of loose circle. Once in place, they, too, began to howl.

The pack's strange magic was thick in the air, and I could feel my own rising in response. Just like when Sir Robert had sworn his oath of fealty, the _real_ Fairy came bubbling up inside of me. It came to me that I needed to thank these wolves for their friendship, but to do it right I needed to get to my feet. Unfortunately, I was still a tad bit wobbly. As if to give me strength, Alcide and Cooper stood on each side of me. Their strong, muscular bodies gave me enough balance to stand without too much trouble. Once upright, I gathered my energy, raised my hand, and allowed my blessing to flow out. Since I was so full of Eric's blood, my magic was particularly strong, and I had no trouble sending it out far enough to envelope the entire pack even without touching them.

No sooner had my aura settled over all of us, than I felt a familiar warmth growing in my chest. Oh! Oh! My vampire was approaching! A burst of excitement shot through me, and immediately the glow around me intensified. The Bond told me that my mate's emotions were still in an uproar, and so complex that they were impossible to sort out... but the overriding ones were very familiar, since they had made an appearance earlier this evening. Just as they had been when he had perceived a threat in our Shreveport house, his territoriality and protectiveness had been triggered. Clearly, my Viking was coming to defend what was his.

Only a second or two later, Eric landed at the edge of the clearing and immediately took a very aggressive stance. Glowing with an unearthly light, every spectacular muscle in his completely naked body was tensed and ready for battle. His eyes were burning sapphire embers and those enormous fangs were already bared and flashing. At that moment, there was nothing remotely human about him at all. My vampire warrior was both utterly terrifying and breathtakingly magnificent. Unexpectedly, a tingle of old-fashioned lust ran through me, closely followed by a small shiver of fear.

If I could hardly take my eyes off of him, it seemed that the Viking was equally fascinated by me. For a long moment, Eric did nothing but stare at me as if he had never really seen me before. Under the vampire's intense and seemingly hostile gaze, I felt Alcide shift closer to me... but the minute the Were's muscular, furry body came in contact with mine, a low nasty growl came from the Viking's massive chest. Instantly, my Werewolves responded in kind. The fur on their backs stood straight up and bristled with aggression. As if it had been choreographed, every last one of them lowered their heads, bared their own fangs, and began to growl back.

Oh... fuck me! This was _bad!_ Eric must have been close enough to hear the pack's howling and misinterpreted its meaning. Even if he was furious with me, he had rushed back to protect what was his. Now he could see that I was unharmed, but the Weres were still blocking his access to his Bonded. Due to our dust-up over Rhys, the Viking's jealousy and possessiveness was already at an all time high, and this was probably the last straw. The pack sensed his aggression but had no way of knowing it was not directed at me. My instincts told me they were willing to die to protect their Fairy. If it came down to an out-and-out brawl, there was no doubt that most, if not all of the Weres would be seriously injured or killed in the fighting. Even worse, I wasn't sure if even the Viking could take on an entire pack of Werewolves and survive. The blood in my veins turned to ice just thinking about it.

I had to take this situation in hand, and quickly. First, I needed to stop the Viking from attacking, but I also wanted him to understand that I loved him and was on his side. In his agitated state, I wasn't sure if mere words would penetrate, so I held up one hand in the classic "stop" position. Simultaneously, I sent a burst of love through our Bond and the thought/feeling _Please wait! Let me handle this! _directly into his brain. By the way the vampire's expressive eyes flashed, I knew he had gotten the message, but as worked up as he was, I didn't think it would hold him for long.

Tearing my eyes away from the Viking's, I immediately focused my attention on the Weres. Addressing the entire pack, I said firmly, "It's okay, guys. He's not here to hurt me. You can stand down, now."

Too bad this little speech did absolutely no good. Okay... maybe they really _didn't_ understand English too well... time to pull out the big guns. Fortunately, my magical energy was still strong. I knew that Alcide controlled the entire pack, so if I could get through to him hopefully it would transmit to the whole lot of them. Laying my hands on top of Alcide's and Cooper's heads, I let my soothing magic flow directly into them. As I stroked their soft fur, I said formally in Sylvan, "My friends, I thank you for your care and protection... but there is no need for bloodshed tonight. This vampire is my mate... my Twice-Bonded. We are one. If you harm him, you will harm me as well. You must let me go to him."

Just to make sure that I covered all the bases, I wished as hard as I could that the Weres would understand me. After that, all I could do was wait...

**Eric's POV of "the recent unpleasantness"**

Somehow I know what Sookie is going to say before the horrible words even leave her lips... and in the split second before she obeys my command to tell me everything, I heartily wish that I had listened to her pleading and _not _forced the issue. Guilt and fear is simply pouring off her in waves. I know full well there is only one thing that could cause such a reaction in a woman like Sookie. It is my worst nightmare come true, the one thing on earth that I thought would never happen. My first and only love is about to confess that she has betrayed me with another man.

Who? Who could _possibly_ have been foolish enough to take what is mine? At lightning speed, the possibilities run through my mind. The most likely candidate is Luke. When I caught up with Sookie in Bon Temps, she was wearing nothing but his shirt. She could have easily been fucking him the entire way home from Las Vegas in that ostentatious black jet of his... but wait! She had another flash of guilt just now, when we were discussing the dreams we shared. There was an unfamiliar man in one of those dreams, a man that she thought she loved and was going to marry... a man she called... Rhys.

Sure enough, my unfaithful lover opens those perfectly-shaped angel's lips of hers and says, "Well... remember when I told you about meeting some of Niall's friends? One of them was named Rhys and..."

Unfortunately for all concerned, the journey from happy, doting husband to insanely jealous vampire is an exceedingly short one. In the blink of an eye, all rational thought vanishes right along with any semblance of self-control. Angry words are exchanged. Of course, Sookie tries to deny having sex with this person... but from the level of guilt she is feeling, it is obvious she is lying. The roaring in my ears drowns out her protests. My woman... my Twice-Bonded!... has been fucking another man, and not just any man, either... but a full-blooded Fairy male. My chest feels as if it is being ripped in two. Nothing that my god-forsaken Maker ever did to me could approach the level of pain and rage this awful knowledge has produced.

Terrible, dark emotions ripple through my entire body, triggering my very worst vampire instincts. All that I know, all that I _feel_ with every fiber of my being, is that I _must_ claim what is mine without delay. I can tell by my female's eyes that although she is afraid, she _knows_ she should come to me and show contrition... to beg me for mercy... but instead, she begins to back away. Knowing how stubborn she is, I suppose it should come as no surprise that the willful little thing is actually trying to elude me.

So once again, we engage in a round of keep-away. This time, however, I am in no mood for such games, and so I demand that she stop this nonsense and come to me immediately. I am very generously giving her one last chance to submit to me on her own... but _still_ she refuses to obey me. With dark amusement, I see in her eyes that she is beginning to contemplate dematerializing. Foolish Fairy! Surely she cannot think that I am going to allow her to leave me again! That I will let her to go back to her lover? Does she really think that she is quick enough to disappear before _I_ can catch her? I am faster than almost any of my kind, and although I have taken pains not to mention it, I have always been quite adept at capturing Fairies... and then fully enjoying the fruits of my labors. Fortunately for this particular Fairy, supposedly the Bond will not allow me to drain her... but as for fucking her, now _that_ is an entirely different matter. Clearly, my wayward female needs to be taught exactly to whom she belongs, now and forever. I _must_ make her submit... but I have to catch her first.

All Fairies give off a tell-tale shimmer just before they dematerialize. This can only be seen by those with extremely acute vision... for example, very old vampires. My own Fairy is just beginning to send out those tiny prisms of light when I launch myself at her. The unexpected impact knocks her to the ground. Ha! Success! Immediately I roll her over and prepare to punish my disloyal mate, in the way vampires have done for countless millennia. At first, she lays quite still. At this unexpected show of submission, the terrible rage inside me eases slightly. It pleases me that my female is smart enough to understand my needs and has decided to obediently accept her just punishment. This is good for both of us, because this means she will not be too damaged in the process. Unfaithful human companions often do not survive their disciplining. If she is truly repentant, perhaps... perhaps I should rethink the situation...

But before that thought can go any further, my recalcitrant female suddenly takes a deep breath and starts to struggle. Obviously, her submission was not heartfelt, but just a cheap Fairy trick to escape! Does she _really_ think me that stupid? Now I am angrier than ever... but also, very aroused as well. The silly little thing clearly does not realize that her defiance is actually quite stimulating. The harder she fights, the harder my cock becomes.

The view of that writhing, lush little ass beckons me... promising me the one pleasure that I have denied myself for far too long. And why have I done so? Because I had some ridiculous, unvampire-like notion that this particular act, with this particular woman, was something worth waiting for. I fooled myself into thinking that if I could only be patient and prepare my innocent lover for it slowly, this extremely intimate act would be something completely special... something to be savored and cherished between soul-mates. What insipid, sentimental claptrap! I am old enough to know that a vampire should _never_ care about anyone's pleasure but his own. This is what comes from keeping Fairies as pets! Not only are they untrustworthy and wicked, clearly they can use their magic to make a vampire forget his true nature. In addition to her infidelity, I am going to punish this Fairy for enchanting me into acting like a simpering, weak, pathetic human. I am vampire, and from now on I am going to act like one... starting _right now_.

Without further ado, I lean over and lift my unwilling partner onto her knees, getting her in position. With a few well chosen words, I give her fair warning of what I am about to do and why. Instantly, this has the desired effect... her attempts to escape are redoubled. The feel of the Fairy's firm, silky body wriggling so desperately under mine is quite delightful... and that smell!... but it is the exquisite sensation of her fine little ass wriggling against my engorged length that truly sends my dark desires into overdrive. Enough playing! It is high time that I tame my wildcat and show her who her master is. However, since I have foolishly shared the gift of my blood with her, she is quite strong and tricky enough to be a decent challenge. What is a vampire to do but subdue her in the prescribed fashion?

With one quick strike, I sink my fangs into the base of her neck. This bite is intended to dominate and control; and to emphasize that point, I make certain that it is no pleasurable love-bite. Even with my fangs firmly embedded in her skin, the stubborn little spitfire will not be still! Due to her thrashing about, the delicate skin around the twin punctures begins to tear away from my fangs... but instead of letting go and moving to another spot, I merely clamp down even harder. I give the Fairy a growl, to warn to her _stop moving_! This is a very, very dangerous time for both of us, and the point at which so many companions do not survive. Not only would it be extremely easy for me to accidentally snap her neck, the taste of her blood and the feel of the raw flesh under my mouth sets off even an darker vampiric urge... the need to bite again, and again, and again... very much like a shark in a feeding frenzy.

To my surprise, though, something from deep within me finds that thought strangely repulsive. I find I really do _not_ wish to damage this one any more than necessary. Oh, no. I have plans for this tender little body... Obviously, it is going to take more than once to teach _this_ rebellious Fairy her place. Mmmm. I can spend the next few days (or maybe weeks!) giving her the discipline she needs. Now I am sorry I burned the house in the country. It would have been perfect for such activities. I suppose I will just have to make do with the playroom at the warehouse. The very thought of some of those upcoming discipling sessions sends me to the brink of orgasm... I simply _must_ get inside the Fairy, NOW!

While these happy thoughts have been buzzing around in my brain, I have finally managed to wrangle my female into the perfect position for penetration. As I rub the head of my cock between those firm round cheeks, a burst of semen shoots from the tip, preparing the way. A dark elation rises within me, and I know the time has finally come to claim what is mine by right...

… but just as I begin to insert myself into that tight, virginal channel, something very odd happens. The soft little body underneath mine ceases to struggle, and becomes utterly and completely passive. This is so unexpected, so startling, that it makes me pause in mid-shove. My head begins to spin. What _is_ this I feel? It is as if a tiny ray of light is seeping into the black, warped depths of my vampire brain and then spreading out into the rest of my body. It is something altogether warm and sweet... and so very soothing. It makes me want to be still, so that it does not go away.

Simultaneously, my female raises one small hand and brushes my cheek with her fingertips. In a voice so soft that I have to strain to hear it, she says, "Eric, I am your Bonded and I love you with all my heart. Please don't hurt me."

At first, her words make no sense. She... loves... me. She loves me? For the tiniest moment, a sliver of rationality slides back into my head, allowing the meaning of those words to penetrate. Now I know what that strange feeling is that is trickling into my very being... it is the warmth of this woman's love. Stunned, I ask myself _How is it that I can feel this? I am vampire! How can her feelings possibly be strong enough to get inside me when I am in such a state? ..._And then_... How can she possibly still love me, even now? _In that brief, fragile moment of clarity, the answer comes to me in a blinding flash. She is _not_ just some ordinary human pet, who can be easily replaced. This is _Sookie_... my Twice-Bonded! She is part of me. _What am I doing? I should not hurt her in this way!_

Instantly, the darkness that is fighting to regain control of my mind swirls back to the surface. Close on the heels of that last thought comes... _but she __**betrayed **__me! I __**must**__ punish her! _

For a long moment my body remains frozen in place, while inside my very soul a terrible battle rages. The rational Bonded male in me struggles mightily to overcome the base, vile instincts of the angry, injured vampire. By an exceedingly narrow margin, the Bonded part wins. I tear myself away from Sookie before my self-control slips away again... but the rage and frustration this leaves within me is nearly unbearable. I _must_ direct all of this fury at another target, RIGHT NOW! Mindlessly, I rip into the closest thing to hand... a full grown sycamore tree. Even for me, it takes a decent amount of energy to tear it from the ground... now what? I hurl it away from me, knocking down a couple of its brothers in the process. Unfortunately, it does not even come close to easing me. Throwing back my head, I let out a roar of sheer frustration. Before the darkness can consume me again, I take to the air. Even though my brain is still in a jumble, I know that I need to get as far away from Sookie as I can.

Without the foggiest idea of where I am going, I just fly. I am completely consumed with one overriding desire... to seek out this Rhys and destroy him without delay. If I had the slightest clue where to find him, I would be headed in his direction right now... but no doubt the coward is probably hiding out in the Portal where he knows I cannot get at him. GRRRR! I have NEVER been as furious or frustrated in my long existence! I almost wish now that it _had _been Luke that Sookie had chosen to fuck, because I would have known _exactly_ how to deal with another vampire!

But... no. _My_ female had to pick a fucking _Fairy_! GRRRR!... _**GRRRRRRR!**_

As I continue to fly aimlessly about, those infuriating thoughts and others just like them continue to careen around inside my head like a thousand bad-tempered, drunken clowns inside a small circus tent. Fortunately, flying uses up a fair amount of energy and is generally quite soothing. After only a few minutes, some of the blinding rage begins to ease and I begin to regain a bit of rational thought. Having no idea how far I have gone or in which direction, I glance down to get my bearings. I am somewhat shocked to see a very familiar landscape beneath me. I was really expecting to see the lights of Fangtasia or perhaps one of my other houses... but it appears that I have been flying in circles around Valhalla! Perhaps this is not really such a surprise, though. When injured, vampires will instinctively return to a place where they feel safe... where they can go to ground and heal themselves. Obviously, even in the short amount of time we have occupied it, Valhalla has become that place for me.

I am quite close to the main house and start to land on the front drive. At the last minute, I pull back. Is it wise to be this close to Sookie at this juncture? Even though I have regained some self-control, I am still quite upset. It would take precious little to set me off again. Perhaps it would be best to go somewhere else until I am once again firmly in control of myself... but then it dawns on me this may be a non-issue. The minute I released her, my Fairy would have regained the use of her magic and by now she has undoubtedly popped herself right back to the Portal, never to return. The fact that I cannot tell one way or another is proof positive that I am not nearly past the danger zone. Grimly, I wonder: if she has left me again, how long it will take the Bonding Sickness to return in full measure?

In any event, it is probably best if I do not go inside the house just yet. It would be a shame to have to restore the place again so soon. As an alternative, I zoom up to the roof and settle myself near the highest point. Lying back, I gaze up at the stars. This estate is far enough away from the lights of Shreveport that I can see them quite well from up here. They are nearly as bright as they were the night that I lay in the cockpit of our sailboat with my new bride in my arms, teaching her all about the constellations. I mark that night as one of the happiest in my long life. I had been so sure that my Sookie loved me, then... but maybe I just wanted it to be true so badly that I convinced myself that it was so. Maybe she has _never_ really loved me. Maybe she just used her Fairy magic to trick me into believing she did.

The second that awful possibility crosses my mind, something deep inside tells me it is not the truth. Sookie _did_ love me once, very much. If she had not, the Second Bond would never have formed. I suppose the strength of that love was irreparably damaged during the fiasco in Las Vegas. Up until then, things were very nearly perfect. Yes, all of our troubles began with that awful bitch Sabriel! I heartily wish I could resurrect her, so I could have the pleasure of shredding her again! And let us not forget the good Queen Sandy's part in all of this. Grrrr. At the time, I was much to occupied with getting my Fairy back to deal with her, but someday... somewhere... I will repay her for all the trouble she has caused me. Of course, I must be brutally honest with myself. Most of this whole mess can be laid at one door, and one door only... mine. If only I had been less secretive from the very beginning...

The plain, unvarnished truth is that if I had been more honest with her, Sookie would never have gone to the Portal or ever met this Fairy Rhys in the first place.

But no! I _refuse _to accept all the responsibility for this! Sookie bears a good deal of the blame, because she was too stubborn to listen to the truth before condemning me! Furthermore, even if she did believe I had been unfaithful, that still does not excuse the fact that she broke our sacred vows and had sex with another man! Just the mere thought of it causes another serious bout of rage.

_How? How could she do it?_ How could she let another man inside her body? Allow him to release his essence inside of her? Sookie is not the kind of woman to have casual sex... dear gods, does she love him? The very idea makes me quite ill. I would much rather have been staked, and that is a fact. What was it about this male that attracted her in the first place? Was he so much better looking than me? I cast back into my memory and bring forth the details of that wildly erotic dream in which this Rhys appeared. Mentally, I fast forward it until I get a clear image of this man... this fucking _Fairy_ that has dared to touch what is mine. Tall, well-built, dark blond hair, green eyes. Yes, there is no denying that like most Fairy males, he is extremely attractive.

GRRRRR. From this night forward, I will _never_ forget his face. I am a patient vampire, and if it takes me another thousand years, I will track this male down and then exact my revenge. I will take great delight in tearing this... this _thief_ into tiny, tiny bits. Much to my dismay, now that I have recalled his appearance, I cannot help but imagining the two of them together. In my mind's eye appear graphic visions of this gorgeous male kissing my woman... caressing her... tasting her. Sookie once made reference to how well endowed Fairy males are, and now I know just how she discovered that revolting fact. The image of him thrusting his over-sized Fairy cock into her hot, silken channel is nothing short of sheer torture. No wonder she has always been able to accept my size without complaint... she is biologically designed that way! It drives me right to the brink of insanity to realize how perfectly beautiful they are as they lay entwined... as if they were designed for each other... each of them so golden, so filled with light, and so very, very magical...

With that hideous thought, everything suddenly becomes quite clear. Magic. Biology. _That_ is the answer to my question. Sookie went to him because he is just as magical as she. It is only natural that she would be drawn to those of her own race. Fairy females are biologically programmed to have sex with willing Fairy males. She even tried to tell me this, but I would not listen. Now I understand. This Rhys used his damnable Fairy charm on her when she was at her most vulnerable, and she was unable to resist.

My only consolation is the inescapable conclusion that this Rhys must not be much of a lover. After all, Sookie _did_ voluntarily leave him to come back to me. Does that not prove that she loves me more?

So now the question becomes... even knowing that she was overcome by her own instinctual behavior, can I forgive her?

Even in their right minds, vampires are _**not**_very forgiving creatures. It would mean fighting against _my_ very nature to do it.

How totally ironic.

I have to ask myself... am I really even willing to try? But... did I not just give Sookie a lecture on accepting me for who and what I am? Can I really expect her to overcome her own instincts when I clearly cannot control my own?

Suddenly, my musings are interrupted by an awful racket off in the distance. It sounds as if every one of those mangy Weres are howling at once. I wonder if they have managed to corner something particularly tasty. It seems to be coming from the direction of the far end of the lake... approximately where I left... oh no. SOOKIE!

Launching myself off the roof, I fly in that direction as fast as I am able, mentally berating myself the entire way. I left my woman, my delicate, vulnerable, fragile female, alone and bleeding in the middle of the woods, knowing full well there was a pack of Werewolves roaming the property! What in the _hell _is wrong with me? I should have sent one of the guards to retrieve her immediately, to keep her safe until I could regain my composure... but of course, I was not exactly rational enough to think of it. If those nasty animals have harmed one hair of my Bonded's golden head, there will be nothing left of _any_ of them but small, bloody pieces of fur and bone.

It takes practically no time to get back to the spot where I left her. I land on the edge of the clearing, fully prepared to fight. As I feared, the entire pack of Werewolves is present... but the scene unfolding before my eyes is anything _but_ what I expected. An achingly lovely Fairy female stands in the middle of the glade, and it seems to my vampire eyes as if she is almost made of light. Her hair is slightly tousled, its long golden waves tumbling over one shoulder of her luscious, perfectly formed body. Her intensely blue eyes sparkle brighter than any of the stars I was just watching. She is flanked by two huge Werewolves, and the rest of the pack is circled closely around the three of them. The entire group is enveloped by her beautiful golden aura.

I am almost stunned to realize that this exquisite Fairy is mine. It seems nearly impossible that the magical creature before me could ever have anything to do with someone as dark as me. Completely enthralled by her beauty, I drink in every inch of her spectacularly nude body. With a sharp pang, I realize that the only imperfections on it are ones that I caused myself, the worst of which is an ugly, ragged wound at the base of her neck. A ribbon of blood has dripped over her shoulder, across one round breast, and down her body... a vivid red slash against her creamy white skin.

Instantly I am filled with remorse. How could I have treated my beautiful, trusting Bonded in such a fashion? If anyone else had done it, I would hunt them down and kill them without a shred of mercy. The Bonded male in me is overcome with the need to lick that nasty wound clean and then to heal it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the vampire part finds the view of that blood on her breast to be highly erotic. It makes me want to lick every scrap of the tasty red liquid off her, and then fuck her until she begs for mercy... but I know I cannot. In my current, still agitated state, this would be incredibly dangerous. Besides, after the way I treated her, she may not willingly allow me to do _any_ of those things, now or for some time to come.

As for myself, from the very instant I laid eyes on her again, I realized that even if she had fucked a hundred Fairies while she was gone, it would be impossible for me to live without her. I cannot pretend that I am not still angry and hurt... but in spite of that, I find that I _do_ want us to get past this. I _want_ to have a life with my Bonded at my side, even if our own biology is against us. If I can forgive _her_, perhaps she can forgive _me_. It is entirely possible that Sookie may already feel the same way, or she would not still be here. We _must_ talk this over... get this straight between us, and the sooner the better.

I want to go to her... to get her to agree to go home with me, so that we can talk... but there is the small matter of the wolf pack standing between us. My gaze shifts down to the huge black wolf at her side. If I am not very much mistaken, it is the packmaster Herveaux. Our eyes meet, each taking stock of the other. Immediately the Were takes a step closer to Sookie, brushing his big body against her thigh. _He did! _The mongrel actually had the temerity to rub himself against my Bonded's naked body! HOW DARE HE! SOOKIE IS MINE!

A blast of fury rips through me, and I cannot suppress a loud growl. Instead of heeding the warning and getting out of my way, the pack immediately goes on the defensive and growls back. This reaction does not particularly surprise me. This is the problem with Werewolves, and why they are viewed with disdain by vampires. They are aggressive and brave, but have no common sense. Instead of acknowledging my superiority and then beating a hasty retreat, they are preparing to fight to the death without the slightest chance of winning.

I admit that taking on an entire pack of Werewolves at once _is_ a challenge, but there is no question thatI _will_ prevail. A certain amount of damage to my body is inevitable, but all of it will heal or grow back sooner or later. The most important thing is to keep from injuring Sookie in the fighting, but I feel sure she will be sensible enough to pop herself out of the way. Various plans of attack flash through my head. Clearly, I must take out Herveaux as soon as possible, so I will do that first and then go from there...

Just before I begin to move, Sookie seems to realize what is about to happen. She holds up her hand to stop me, and at the very same instant the warmth of her love penetrates the cold, dark interior of my being. In that mysterious way of hers, she is mentally asking me to _please wait, let me handle this._ Her lovely eyes are pleading with me, and so I force myself to hold back for a moment to see what she is going to do. Addressing the entire pack at once, she says soothingly, "It's okay, guys. He's not here to hurt me. You can stand down, now."

This has absolutely no effect whatsoever. I could have told her that these animals are too stupid to understand the spoken word. Instead of giving up, however, Sookie focuses her attention on the two large wolves at her side. Placing her hands on top of their heads, she begins to stroke their fur. By the gods, I just _hate_ to see her touching them! Another burst of jealousy wells up within me; but it seems as if that emotion is tamped down by my own fascination at what is transpiring. The golden aura surrounding all of them intensifies, and I know that my Fairy is allowing that wondrous, soothing magic of hers to flow into the wolves. She opens her mouth to speak, but shockingly, this time what flows from her lips is not English! _"Fy ffrindiau, yr wyf yn diolch i chi am eich gofal ac amddiffyn ... ond nid oes angen i dywallt gwaed heno. Mae'r fampir yw fy nghariad ... fy Tollau ddwywaith. Rydym yn un. Os ydych yn niwed ef, byddwch yn niweidio fy nghyfer yn ogystal. Rhaid i__ chi gadewch i mi fynd iddo ef."_

The soft, lilting words are like music to my ears. They are so lovely and musical, I could listen to them for hours... no, for days... and never get enough. Even though I have no idea of their meaning, the enchanting syllables flow across my mind like a healing balm, and the black, snarly knots inside me begin to loosen. Although I have have only heard it spoken on a few occasions, I know at once it is the mysterious language of the Fae. For once in my life, _I _am totally speechless. I am certain that when Sookie went into the Portal, she could only speak a very colloquial form of English. Now, only a few weeks later, she is rattling off the world's rarest and most difficult language as if it were her native tongue! How is that even possible? If that were not amazing enough, the effect of those words on the Weres is even more stunning. As the lovely Fairy passes her magic into the two wolves, they quiver in obvious pleasure from nose to tail. Herveaux gives a short joyful bark, and immediately the rest of the pack relaxes. Those Weres standing between Sookie and myself deliberately move aside, opening a clear path between us.

In turn, I find that my own aggression has mostly dissipated. Immediately I start to stride forward, but after only one or two steps I come to an abrupt halt. Although Sookie's expression has not changed, the moment I begin to move towards her, a sharp blast of fear rushes through the Bond. I _know_ she still loves me, but nonetheless, she is frightened... and as much as it saddens me, she has good reason. Clearly, in spite of all my past promises, I _am_ a danger to her... at least, under certain circumstances. Right now, I seem to be fairly rational and at least partially in control of myself, but I cannot blame her if she does not care to chance getting close to me just yet.

Now more than ever we need to talk, but I do not care for an audience. The best thing to do is to get back to the house and thrash this whole incident out before it gets any worse. From Sookie's wary reaction, I doubt walking back through the woods with me will be very appealing to her. Since the Weres are now fully aware that she is Fae, perhaps it would be best if she pops herself home and waits for me there. I am just about to suggest this, when she takes matters into her own hands and begins to walk toward me. There is no doubt she is afraid, but still she seems determined to approach the volatile and untrustworthy vampire.

I really should not be so surprised, because I know full well that my woman is anything but a coward. The minute Sookie gets within a few feet of me, though, her scent reaches my nostrils. The intoxicating mixture of blood and fear and Fairy combined with the rank odor of Werewolf very nearly sets me off again. The sudden desire to throw her to the ground and claim her in front of the pack is almost overwhelming. Clearly I am not nearly as in control as I need to be. Sharply, I warn her, "Do not come closer, Sookie. It is not safe."

At my terse words, she comes to a sudden halt. The smell of fear intensifies, and I can see the faint shimmer that tells me that my Fairy is about to dematerialize. Every muscle in my body is shouting at me to _move_, to capture her before she is gone... but with a supreme effort, I hold myself back. I absolutely _refuse_ to hurt her again. As for the Fairy, she stands rigidly still, her eyes squeezed tightly shut... and to my amazement, the shimmer begins to subside. After a moment, Sookie opens those startlingly blue eyes and blinks a couple of times, as if she is just as surprised that she is still standing in front of me as I am. For a couple of beats, we regard each other thoughtfully. Finally, I say, "You did not leave me."

"No." A slight pause and then, "_You _didn't grab _me_."

"No. I couldn't bear to hurt you again."

Sookie lets out a heavy sigh. "Obviously, we need to talk..." She glances over her shoulder at the pack, and then back at me. "... but not here. Let's go back to the cabin. Will you fly me there?"

Shamed by her trust, I drop my eyes to the ground. "I think it would be better if you used your magic to get there. I may not be able to touch you just yet."

"I want the pack to see that you aren't going to hurt me."

Shaking my head firmly, I refuse. "No. It is not wise."

"Eric. Look at me," Sookie pleads. Slowly, I raise my eyes and meet her captivating gaze. Really, she has the most mesmerizing eyes in the entire world, and probably in the Portal, too. No wonder she had a pack of Fairies chasing after her! Just gazing into those calm blue depths seems to sooth me. In her honeyed Southern accent, she says softly, "Eric, you are my Bonded and you love me. You are _not_ going to hurt me now. Baby, please...I_ need_ you to take me back to the cabin."

Without waiting for my answer, she takes several steps closer... close enough that I can touch her. This vulnerable young female is risking great harm just to show her faith in me. I pray her trust is not misguided. Quite obviously, my ability to control myself is serious compromised at this point, and I am terrified that the slightest thing will spark another dangerous reaction. I know that my instincts are partially triggered by smell, so perhaps if I am careful, I can at least _hold_ her without risking catastrophe... Taking great care not to breathe in any of her scent, I sweep her up into my arms. Much to my relief, the very instant her fragile, naked body is cradled next to my skin, all of my baser instincts seem to recede to a more manageable level. Now, mostly what I feel is an intense desire to care for my Bonded.

Leaving the pack of Weres behind without even a backward glance, I take flight. The trip back to the _garçonnière_ takes no longer than the blink of an eye. I land near the front porch and then carry Sookie directly inside. My intentions were to set her down on the sofa and then retreat to a safe distance while we have our discussion, but find that I am not yet willing to let her out of my arms. I have proven to myself that I can _touch_ her without wanting to force myself on her... but what will happen when I let myself catch her scent? There is no sense taking any chances. I start to explain, but find that I cannot quite verbalize it. "Sookie, if I... you see, I might not..." I am stammering like a fool. Just spit it out, Eric! "Ah, you need to bathe."

I start to put her down, but she wraps her arms around my neck and burrows closer. "Baby, I am _so_ tired. Will you do it?" she mumbles into my chest. I really should not. I always find bathing her intensely erotic, which might not be the best thing for either of us just now. No. I _definitely _cannot risk it.

The next thing I know, I am halfway upstairs with my exhausted, dirty Fairy in my arms. I tell myself sternly that it is only because she is far too tired from her recent ordeal to walk to the upstairs by herself. I am just going to take her as far as the bathroom and then head straight back downstairs to wait. Quickly marching up the rest of the stairs, I stride through the bedroom to the bath at the far end. Although Sookie has yet to see this part of the house, she never even lifts her head from my chest. Taking her as far as the bathroom door, again I think about putting her down, but... surely there is no harm in just running the bathwater for her. I nudge the door open with my foot and step inside.

I have not been up here since the place was completed, and I am too focused on staying in control of myself to give it more than a cursory glance now. Spying a comfortable-looking chair in the far corner of the room, I gently set my female down in it and then head over to the free-standing copper bathtub. After turning on the taps, I look around for some bath oils. As always, Daniel has followed my instructions perfectly, and there is a nice variety of bottles displayed on a small wooden table near the foot of the tub. Picking one up, I uncork the bottle and take a good sniff... but unfortunately, half of what I inhale is Sookie's own scent. It is all over my skin... and more is coming directly from the source... before I can stop them, my fangs snick down and I get an instant erection.

Ah, this will never do! Right now, _any_ strong emotion or physical sensation is a potential trigger. Besides, the last thing I want is for my Bonded to feel threatened in any way. After coming so close to being brutalized, the last thing she needs to see right now is my arousal! I expect that it will take her quite some time before she is ready to face having sex with me again. Luckily, I have my back to her. To give myself a few minutes to get things back under control, I take my time in selecting a fragrance... except that I am just pretending to smell them. This is probably the first time in history a vampire has prayed to _lose_ an erection.

Still, somehow I manage it. By the time I turn back around, the tub is almost full, so I dump in some of the oil and turn off the taps. I glance over at Sookie. She is leaning back in her chair, absently fingering the Sunrise Diamond and staring into space. She looks truly exhausted and so instead of leaving her alone as I had planned, I go back over to fetch her. Normally she would be protesting that she can walk perfectly well on her own, but now she lets me pick her up again without a word. Just before lowering her into the tub, my gaze settles on the tantalizing vision of my Bonded's left breast. It is still covered in that delectable blood of hers. All it would take would be a couple of swipes with my tongue and... oh, no. Quickly, I squeeze my eyelids shut to block out the visual stimuli, but it is too late... cock up, fangs down.

Rather hurriedly, I finish settling Sookie in the tub. If I just kneel here beside the tub for a minute or two, hopefully my erection will go away before Sookie sees it. Once she is in the water, my Bonded gives me a sweet, expectant smile, one which I have to remind myself not to return. After a moment, she says, "This tub is plenty big enough for both of us. Why don't you join me?"

I force my fangs to retract before answering, "Sookie, I... honestly, I do not think it would be safe." I can tell that my refusal has hurt her, so I give up any idea of leaving. Instead, I reach across her to grab a bar of soap from atop a small ledge attached to the wall on the far side of the tub. "Here... just let me bathe you."

First lathering up my hands, I begin to clean away the blood and dirt. Sookie lays her head back and allows me to care for her. As I feared, I _do_ find it highly erotic. The feel of my hands gliding over her firm, ripe flesh does absolutely nothing to cure my erection. It takes an extra bit of rubbing to get the blood to come off of her breasts, which causes her rosy little nipples to pucker in response. This in turn causes my own hardness to twitch wildly, thumping itself rather painfully against the side of the tub. Quickly, I leave that danger zone behind and start over again in a more neutral location... her feet... and work my way up those spectacular legs of hers. I take particular care to carefully clean the dirt out of the scrape on her knee.

All this time, Sookie has not uttered so much as a syllable, and her eyes have never once left my face. I run my hand over the top section of her upper leg, but before I can move on to her stomach, she willingly parts her knees, exposing her inner thighs. Oh... no. Dare I? Before I can stop myself, my palm slides across the firm, round curve, only to come perilously close to that sacred spot between her legs. It would be so very easy to move my hand just a fraction to the right and up, and slide my fingers across those secret folds that holds the key to her pleasure... but no! I am already painfully, dangerously aroused, I _absolutely_ cannot go there! She will just have to manage that herself! Giving myself a firm mental shake, I quickly remove my hand from the water.

That leaves only one other place to which I must attend. This spot is nearly guaranteed to make me forget all about my arousal. Sure enough, once I roll Sookie's head to one side and see the deep, jagged lacerations made by my fangs, my erection deflates almost immediately. Once again I am filled with remorse and an urgent need to lick it clean, seal it, and then heal it... but the tingle of fear coming from Sookie stops me in my tracks.

Still, she does not ask me to stop. She is a very practical woman, and must realize that this injury really must be repaired. I need something better than my hands to use for something this serious, so I locate the towel basket and select a soft washcloth. After first dipping into the hot water, I use the very tip of the cloth to dab at the ugly-looking wounds... which only serves to make them begin to bleed again. As I knew she would, Sookie bears the pain as stoically as any Viking ever born. To my amazement, her only comment is, "I wish you would just go ahead and lick it. I know you want to, and it would hurt less."

Oh... as tempting as it is, I know I should not. I really, truly should _not_. So of course, I do.

Knowing that I am flirting with disaster, but curiously unable to stop myself, I lean over the rim of the tub and hover over Sookie's injured throat. I delicately run my tongue around the very edges of the gashes, and then across them. The taste of her unique blood hits my tongue, firing up all my senses at once... and as I feared, just those few drops are enough to shove me perilously close to the edge. Instantly, the intense, dark drive to claim what is mine again rages within me. I am consumed with wanting to pluck my female from this tub, fuck her slick wet body right here on this floor, and then gorge myself on her fantastic blood.

Exercising every ounce of will-power I have left, I jump back from the tub. Instead of bolting outside, though, I find myself hovering near the door. I am torn between exercising common sense and my instinctual need to not let my female out of my sight again even for an instant. Sookie looks shocked at my abrupt movement, but then the strangest expression crosses her lovely features... as if she is listening intently to something that even I cannot hear. Almost immediately she gets that look of resolve on her face, the one that means she is bound and determined to do something no matter what. She slowly rises from the water and climbs out of the tub, but instead of grabbing a towel she comes to stand directly in front of me. Beads of water cascade down her now clean skin, and I try not to imagine myself licking them off one tiny drop at a time. Hoarsely, I warn her, "Sookie. I am not as in control of my reactions as you might think. I need to go. We can have our discussion at another time."

The eyes that look back at me are no longer that of an innocent young girl, but that of a full-grown woman. The knowledge in them is as ancient as I am. "Nope," she says and then steps forward and slides her arms around my neck. She begins to slowly rub her damp but luscious body against mine. "This can't wait."

My whole body is shaking with the effort of keeping myself firmly in check. In desperation, I beg her, "Sookie, please... you must stop."

This doesn't slow her down in the slightest. She pulls my head down to hers and whispers in my ear, "You are vampire, Eric. I know you need to claim me... so do it."

"Do you just _want_ to get hurt?"

She shakes her head firmly, "No. I just want this to be over, so we can go on with our lives. So come on... claim me."

"No."

I think she realizes that my mind is made up, because she lets go of my body and turns her back to me... but then, she falls to her knees and leans forward. Resting on her forearms, she leaves her sweet round bottom raised in the air. In this undeniably submissive pose, she is completely exposed and totally, achingly vulnerable. Love and fear is tumbling through our Bond, in just about equal proportions. Turning her head to the side and exposing the unblemished side of her throat, she says softly, "I am your Bonded, Eric Northman. I belong to you, and you alone. I told you the truth. The only thing I'm guilty of is foolishly allowing a man to give me a couple of kisses. I wish I hadn't done it, and I'm truly sorry for it. If you think I need to be punished for it, so be it. I will love you anyway."

Her words have the unmistakable ring of truth to them. Quite suddenly, as if a switch has been flipped into the "on" position, I am once again completely in control of myself. In some mysterious way, this act of total submission by my proud, feisty, indomitable wife has finally given me the strength to subdue my dark, primitive vampire instincts and shove them back into the deep black pit of my soul where they belong. I have no idea how Sookie knew exactly what to do, and I can only imagine how difficult it was for her to do it... but now I find myself more in awe of this amazingly strong, utterly fearless woman than ever.

In less than a second my Bonded is in my arms and being carried into the next room. Taking her to the bed, I shove aside the gossamer bed drapes and lay her gently on the pristine down comforter. I stand at the side of the bed for just second, admiring the view. My beloved fairy-wife is propped up by a stack of fluffy pillows. Her hair is slightly tousled as if she has just been thoroughly and successfully fucked (or in this case, successfully _not_ fucked!) and her skin is still rosy from her hot bath. In spite of everything, her expressive eyes are filled with love... and the very best, most astounding thing is that her fear of me seems to be gone. This is _much _closer to my original plan of how this evening would end up... my loving wife comfortably ensconced in a bed especially prepared for a vampire Queen and King.

Realizing at once that Sookie is still wet from her bath, I make a quick trip back to the bathroom for a towel. As I pat the remaining moisture from her skin, I try to think of a way to apologize for my frightening and highly uncivilized behavior. How can I possibly explain this so that she can even come close to grasping it? Dropping the damp towel on the floor, I perch on the side of the bed and take her hand in mine. Rubbing my thumb over the back of it, I feel the delicate bones just under the skin. It is amazing that I did not injure this fragile creature any more seriously than I did. It always amazes me just how resilient Sookie is, both in body and spirit. Mentally, I turn over various ways to start off this very important conversation. In the end, all I can manage to do is state the obvious. "I hurt you." So much for eloquence.

"Yes," she acknowledges gravely.

"It was wrong."

"Yes."

"Sookie... you see, I am vampire and I... "

With a slight smile, she finishes for me "...have lots of stuff hard-wired into you that is really hard to control. You aren't human and I can't really expect you to act like one. We already had this conversation, remember? On our honeymoon?"

"Yes, I remember. This time was different."

"I'll say! The last time I was able to pop away, even when you were holding me!"

"The last time, I was not expecting it. I suppose back then I still thought of you as human."

"So... I'm guessing that once you get your hands on me, your magic trumps mine?"

"That is it in a nutshell... but that is not what I meant. This time my impulses were _much_ more intense... even _more _uncontrollable. I cannot explain it, and I do not expect you to comprehend how irrepressible those impulses truly are. No one but another vampire could understand it."

"Right... except for someone who is Twice-Bonded to you and can feel practically everything you do. Plus, like I tried to tell you earlier, now I have a few of my own instinctual responses. Just because I understand it, though, it doesn't mean I have to like it. Eric, I gotta tell you, getting hurt by my own husband for _any_ reason does not exactly thrill me. I've always been of the opinion that men that get physical with their wives are pond-scum, but... like I said, I really do know this is different. "

"Right now, I _feel_ like pond scum. It frightens me to think that I could have hurt you even more seriously than I did."

"That's true... but you stopped just in time," she reminds me, "Even though you scared the crap out of me, I knew all along that the Bond wouldn't let you kill me."

"Maybe... but as much as I hate to point this out, we still do not know enough about our Bond and its parameters. Supposedly I cannot _deliberately_ kill you, but what about accidentally? I do not wish to frighten you, but there is always that possibility."

At that notion, Sookie looks a little shaken. "Eric... can I ask you something? You have the most self-control of any vampire I've ever met. Do you think that you'll _ever_ be able to tone this down a little?"

"I ask myself the same thing. I have spent many centuries trying to tame my baser instincts, and I find _any_ loss of control... disturbing. Of course, until recently I never wanted or needed to control these particular instincts. As harsh as it sounds to you, I have never really cared whether I hurt a companion or not. I have never been in love before, so I simply have no experience in this area. It seems that the more passionately I love you... the deeper our Bond becomes... the more strongly I react. Sookie, as hard as I try, this might be the one thing that I can _never_ learn to control."

The corner of her mouth curls up in an adorable little half-smile. "I guess it's a good thing that _I_ have some control over you, then."

Frowning, I say sternly, "_No one _controls me."

"Sorry to tell you, sweetie, but I can... at least, indirectly," she replies blithely, "I found out that if I let it, our Bond tells me how to keep you from _really_ hurting me. You can glare at me all you want, Eric Northman, but it won't change a thing. I can imagine that a vampire like you just _hates_ the idea of someone having even a smidgen of control over them... but you know what? I figure what's good for the goose is good for the gander."

"What? What on earth does domestic fowl have to do with this situation?"

"Oh... it's just a saying. It means if the husband can do something, he shouldn't complain if the wife does the same thing. In this case, _you_ obviously have the ability to control _me_ to a certain extent... like you did in the library the other night. Care to explain _that_?"

Ah. I have rather been expecting this to come up sooner or later. "All vampires have some control over their Bonded companions, Sookie. You know that."

"But I thought that stuff doesn't work on me because I'm part Fae!"

"It appears that even the Fae are not immune to the magic of a Second Bond. Why are you bringing this up now? You didn't seem to mind at the time."

"I was waiting for the right time. Silly me... I didn't want to end up in a fight! Eric, exactly how long have you known you could do this?"

"Honestly... I knew it was a strong possibility even before we formed the Bond. I thought we had finally gotten to the point in our relationship that this truth would no longer upset you. Have I not proved to you that I have no intention of using it to your disadvantage?"

"Well... maybe. But I'm warning you, Buster, I'm not going to take it well if you do."

"Oh, believe me, I have no desire to be on the receiving end of that famous temper of yours."

"Hm. Maybe tonight isn't the best time for you to talk about _my_ temper."

That makes me chuckle. "Touché, Mrs. Northman." Bringing both of her hands to my lips, I kiss her palms and then her wedding rings. Looking deeply into her eyes, I say sincerely, "I am truly sorry for my behavior, Sookie. Dare I ask you to forgive me?"

Taking back one of her hands, she lays it gently on my cheek. "I already have."

"You never cease to amaze me, Sookie. You are truly the most forgiving creature I have ever known."

"Not really. I just love you, is all," she says solemnly. "Baby, now that we've discussed how bad y_ou've_ been, I figure it's my turn in the hot seat. It was _my_ bad behavior that started this whole thing. Eric, I am really, truly sorry for letting someone else kiss me, and then not telling you about it any sooner. Can _you _ever forgive _me_?"

"Sookie... obviously the very thought of you in another man's arms is very upsetting to me, but certainly much easier to bear than what I first believed to be true. Given the circumstances, I suppose I should be grateful that it was only a few kisses. So yes... I forgive you."

A blast of relief comes through the Bond, but there is something else underneath it. Now that both of our emotions are starting to settle down, I realize that even though she has not made the slightest whimper, my female is in pain... because of me. Now I _really_ feel like pond-scum. "Why did you not tell me you are hurting?"

Sookie shrugs. "Gran had _another_ saying, 'If the bone isn't sticking out, it isn't worth whining about.' It was _much_ more important to get this whole mess straightened out. I know very well that y_ou _wouldn't have said anything about a little bit of pain, either."

"Oddly enough, my father had a very similar saying," I reply with a smile, "As his daughter-in-law, my love, you would have pleased him no end. You are the very epitome of everything feminine and yet on the inside, tough as any man ever born... the perfect Viking woman. Your _husband_, on the other hand, cannot bear for you to be in pain for another instant. So, please... allow me to heal you."

In response, Sookie willingly lays her head back against the pillows and rolls it to one side, exposing the nasty wound. I see that I had not quite finished what I started earlier. The ragged gashes are still seeping in the center. Ah... they look so tempting! I would dearly love to lick them, but Sookie will no doubt prefer that I just go ahead and heal them without delay. My fangs elongate and I bring my hand to my mouth, but before I can pierce a finger, Sookie glances over and says in surprise, "Oh! Um... aren't you going to lick it first?"

My mate is looking at me expectantly, almost as if... yes, the Bond tells me she _wants_ me to do this... _needs_ it, in fact...just as much as I need to do it. Steeling myself against the possibility of another erection, I place one hand on each side of her shoulders. Leaning across her body, but being careful not to let my skin come in contact with hers, I begin my delicate task. By now, the remaining blood has finally started to thicken on its own, and is more concentrated and delectable than ever. Whatever dessert Chef Sinclair left waiting for me downstairs could not hope to compare with this!

With each swipe of my tongue, Sookie gives a tiny moan, expressing a mixture of pain and contentment. Incredibly, she seems to be _enjoying_ having her vampire care for her in this way. I have healed her on several occasions in the past, but for some reason, this time seems special. There is an intimacy to it, almost like making love... it is tender, sweet, and yet highly erotic, all at the same time. Much to my relief, the taste of her blood has ramped up all of my senses, but this time only in a good way. I can hear the comforting thud-thud-thud of her heart... smell the delightful fragrance of blood and aroused Fairy... feel the marvelous sensation of Sookie's breasts as the tips brush lightly against my chest. I take my time but all too soon, the punctures are cleaned and ready to be healed. Piercing a couple of fingers, I quickly smear the resulting blood where it is needed and then watch in satisfaction as the wounds gradually disappear. I cannot resist giving the now smooth, blemish-free skin a couple of kisses.

During this highly erotic procedure, my unruly member has hardened yet again and this time there is no concealing it. The best I can do is to pretend it does not exist. I sit back and contemplate my Bonded. She looks down, and then gives me a slow smile. Leaning forward, she softly touches her lips to mine. "Thank you," she breathes without taking her mouth from mine.

Her lips are nearly as delicious as her blood. I kiss her again. "You are very welcomed. Now, my angel, you have been through quite an ordeal tonight. You need to rest. Will you lay with me?"

There is no missing the stiff member that is still poking out of my lap like an extra limb, so she looks a little surprised at my request; but then she merely nods and scoots over without further comment. I take my place beside her and draw her carefully into my arms. Cradling her soft little body to me, I kiss the top of her head. I can feel her exhaustion, and I will be more than happy to be a good vampire for a change, and just hold her until she falls asleep. As is her habit, she runs her fingertips lightly over my skin, tracing the outlines of the muscles from the top of my chest all the way down my stomach... eventually heading for that circular indentation that she amusingly refers to as my "belly-button."

As always, I find this very soothing... except for the fact that once she reaches my navel, she will be only a hair's breadth away from the tip of my still engorged shaft. To distract myself, I allow my mind to wander over the events of the evening, both good and bad. I try my best _not_ to think about the treacherous Fairy that attempted to steal my wife right out from under me, but I am unsuccessful. There are so many things I want to know, and yet... it is probably best if I do not. However, I _must_ set my mind at rest about one thing. "Sookie?"

"Yes, baby?"

"This Fairy... this Rhys... do you have feelings for him?"

Dead silence... and then, "I am going to tell you the the absolute truth, because you deserve to hear it. I was pretty miserable when I first got to the Portal. I figured you were back here having sex with Sabriel and no telling who else. I felt like the world's biggest fool, believing even for an instant that a vampire like you could _ever_ be faithful.

Niall kept me company most of the time, but after a few days, he had to go away on business. I went walking in the woods, got lost, and was rescued by Rhys. He was nice enough to show me back to the palace. After that, I went walks on with him a few times, just to distract myself from thinking about you. One day we went on a picnic. That was where I saw the unicorn I told you about.

That day, it started to rain, so we took shelter... and that was when he kissed me. Even though I didn't know what it was at the time, I felt the pull of that charm you were talking about... but like I told you, I must have enough human blood to be able to resist it. Even though I was beyond furious with you, you will be glad to know that I told him I was still a married woman and not interested in having sex with him.

After that, he still came around, but just as a friend. After the picnic, he never tried anything else, until the very last night I was there. By that time, I wanted to come home, but I just couldn't figure out how I could do it. I just couldn't see how I could _ever_ accept sharing you with other women, so... I was toying with the idea of staying in the Portal."

Clearly, Sookie can feel the distress those words have caused me. She sits up so that she is facing me, but continues to rub my skin in slow, soothing circles. "I know this hurts, but let me finish. Rhys had become fond of me, and that night he asked me to stay in the Portal... with him. Now, I know you are going to want to blame this whole thing on my "biology," but the truth is I wanted to see what it would be like to kiss another man without any magic interfering... to see if there was any possible way I could _ever_ forget about you. I made him promise not to use his charm, and I _deliberately_ let him kiss me. I'm sorry, but I did... but it was that kiss that taught me that no matter what, I was still madly, passionately in love with _you_... and that I would be, until my last breath. No other man... Fairy, vampire, whatever... no other man will _ever _take your place in my heart and in my soul. _You_ are my Bonded, and no matter what happens, I will _always_ love you."

After speaking those last, indescribably beautiful words, Sookie leans down and gently touches her lips to mine. Her hand seeks out my erection and starts to stroke it. Of course, I have been aching for her touch it all along, and I cannot suppress a moan as a spurt of my essence is released. I do not want her to think she _has_ to do this to earn my forgiveness, so I tell her, "Beloved, this is not necessary. I forgive you. I know you might not care to have sex with me so soon after..."

Sookie lays her lips over mine again. "Shhh," she murmurs against my mouth. "Did you ever think that maybe I _need_ you to claim me... or that maybe _I_ need to claim _you_?"

It is true. The delicate, heady scent of her arousal drifts up and tickles my nose. At the same time, I can feel her desire for me through our Bond. Without waiting for my response, she throws one long leg over my hips, positions me under her hot, already wet center, and begins to lower herself onto my stiff, throbbing cock ever... so... slowly. My amazing wife... my Twice-Bonded... proceeds to show me exactly how much she loves me and needs me, and always will. She makes love to me so sweetly that suddenly I find myself wanting to weep... not in sorrow, but to release this bubble of joy that is rising inside my chest. I am so caught up in the sensation that it takes me a moment to realize we are both bathed in the golden cocoon of her Fairy aura. Her hands are sweeping delicately up and down my skin, and with each stroke she has been passing her magnificent, healing magic into me. This time, though, it is not just for me. Her light meshes perfectly with my darkness, and in some mystical way, it allows us to _share _the joy that her magic produces. We are so in tune that we reach our completion at the very same time. In that glorious instant, we become... one.

It takes us both a long time to float back down to earth. Afterward she lays on top of me while I stroke her back, but eventually she raises her head and looks me in the eye. With a Madonna's smile, she asks, "It is almost dawn, isn't it?"

Surprised that she knows that, I respond, "Yes, it is. How can you tell?"

"It happens when I've had a lot of your blood. I can tell when it's time for sunset, too. Back when we weren't sharing blood, it disappeared for awhile, but I guess tonight I finally drank enough. I love it. It makes me realize that a part of you always lives in me."

If I weren't already brimming with happiness, her words would have made me so. "You are a very unique creature, Mrs. Northman. Part human, part Fairy... part vampire. I am so very happy that you are mine." I give her a few more kisses before reluctantly getting up to make certain the light-tight shutters are firmly in place and that all the doors are shut and locked tight for the coming day. By the time I am through, Sookie has pulled back the covers and gotten between the freshly pressed sheets. Climbing in with her, I lay my head on her chest, so that I can hear her heartbeat. It is such a comforting sound. While we wait for the dawn, she hums to me and runs her fingers through my hair.

"Sookie?"

"Mm-hmm."

"When did you learn Sylvan?"

As she chuckles, the little vibrations inside her chest tickles my ear. "Oh! I guess I _did_ forget to mention that, didn't I? Well, as it turns out, Fairies are just _born_ with it. Once I heard it spoken enough, it just... made sense. Crazy, but cool."

"It is beautiful! Will you teach it to me?"

I can _feel_ her shock. In total surprise, she asks, "_You_... Eric Northman... want _me_... to teach _you_ something? Wow!... That's... Well, that's just amazing! I would be _happy_ to do it! When do you want to start?"

"Now. I want to start _now_. Actually, just talk to me. I want to hear you talk to me. Tell me how much you love me."

… and so, I find myself laying in complete contentment in my enchanting fairy-wife's arms... blissfully listening to the combination of her heartbeat and her sweet voice as she speaks to me of love in the lyrical, mystical words of the Fae... until the sun finally rises and sends me to my rest.


	41. Chapter 41

_Author's Notes: ****Charlaine Harris is the owner of these wonderful characters. I am only playing with them for my own amusement._

_***** I am posting this on Sunday evening, to combat TB withdrawals!_

_***** I forgot to thank Daisy for her help with last week's Sylvan._

_***** Thanks again to my proofreader Verity V. She is also a great researcher!_

_***** On Monday, Sept 20 at 8pm CT, I will be one of the guests (along with Terri Botta, DeeDeeINFJ, Tiffany, and scribeninja) on "Dead Air," a BlogTalkRadio show. The subject this week is Fanfiction! (blogtalkradio dot com slash ericnorthmannet) _

CHAPTER 41

Sookie's POV: The Garçonnière by the lake, Vahalla.

The next day, I woke with a start. I blinked a couple of times, to make sure my eyes were really open. Sure enough, they were… it was just very, very dark in the room. At first it was a little disorienting, and it took me a minute to remember where the heck I was. Oh... right. I was in the light-tight bedroom of the romantic little garçonnière Eric had built near the lake to commemorate our engagement. I had merely forgotten to turn on a nightlight before falling asleep. Everything felt and smelled new and a bit strange. One thing was comfortingly familiar, though. As usual, I was wearing an over-sized Viking vampire like a coat of paint. He had wrapped himself around me so snugly that I figured I might need a chemical remover to peel our skin apart. I didn't care. Last night had been pretty extreme, and even though the evening had ended on a positive note, waking up wrapped in his arms like I always did reassured me that everything was more-or-less back to normal.

Purely out of habit, I looked around for the glowing face of a clock. There wasn't one that I could see, and Eric wasn't wearing a watch. I had been awake until dawn, so it was probably well after noon. I supposed it really didn't matter what time it was. It wasn't like I had to _be_ anywhere... but after a lifetime of being on a schedule, it still seemed strange to me that I didn't need to do that anymore. Technically, I was what Gran always referred to as a "lady of leisure," meaning I was currently unemployed and married to a man wealthy enough that I never had to hit another lick if I didn't want to... well, except for helping Pam run Fangtasia... and helping out with tons of Kingdom paperwork... and screening humans... and interrogating the odd prisoner now and then... and keeping two Royal Residences staffed and decorated... Oh! And last but not least, my latest task of overseeing the expansion of Fangtasia. Whew! Come to think of it, maybe it was a good thing I _didn't _have a regular job. I wouldn't have the time or the stamina for it!

Still, _none_ of those things had to be at any particular time, so if I had wanted to sleep a little longer it would have been just fine; but as long as I took enough of Eric's blood on a regular basis, I just didn't seem to require as much sleep as a normal human. I must have finally had enough of his rich old blood to where that particular little perk was starting to kick in again, right along with my weird ability to sense sunrise and sunset. Hopefully, the magic contained in his blood had also finished healing up my bumps and bruises while I slept.

After carefully disentangling myself from the vampire, I sat up in bed and stretched, testing my body. Sure enough, the vampire blood had done its work, and I wasn't even slightly sore. To my delight, I found that I was not quite as sluggish as I had been expecting. I had used up an absolute boatload of magical energy the night before, what with soothing irate Weres and vampires right and left. Usually using that much magic would have left me completely drained (well, not _really_ drained!); and while it was true that I wasn't ready to run any marathons, I felt… lighter somehow, like a huge weight had been lifted off of my soul. I was _so_ relieved that I had finally 'fessed up about Rhys. I hadn't realized just how much keeping that secret from Eric had been dragging me down.

So, it seemed that both my body _and_ my spirits were fully recovered. The only thing wrong at the moment was that, as Jason would crudely put it, I needed to pee like a racehorse. Without giving it a second thought, I summoned up a little fairy-glow, just enough so that I could make my way safely across the pitch-black room. I was half-way to the bathroom before I realized what I was doing, and it made me chuckle. I could get a job at the circus as "Sookie the Human Candle!" Once safely in the bathroom, I flipped on some real lights and took care of business.

Once that was done, I took a closer look at my new surroundings. I had been much too focused on Eric last night to give a flip about the décor. The bathroom was modest by vampire standards, meaning that a party of six could not comfortably use it at the same time, but it was still way more luxurious than anything I had ever owned up until recently. At the time the cabin was originally built, this room would have not existed; but whoever had designed it had done a masterful job of making it blend with the age of the structure. I was already madly in love with the marvelous copper tub, and now I noticed the matching copper sink which was cleverly set into the top of an antique dresser.

Staring into the mirror over the basin, I eyed my reflection rather critically. Hm. My hair was a train wreck, but other than that, I was the picture of health. There was not a bruise, scrape, or bite mark in sight. Of course, I had to take the time to admire my new necklace. Seen in the light, it was more spectacular than ever. The enormous center stone flashed with brilliance. I had never even seen a yellow diamond before! I knew that stones like this one were very rare and very expensive. I shuddered to think how much it had cost… but really, what _would _the vision of a sunrise be worth to a vampire who had not seen one in over a thousand years? For Eric, this necklace marked a very significant event in his life, and to him it would be worth every penny. Of all the jewelry he had given me, this was by far my favorite because it meant so much to him.

Finally turning away from the mirror, I continued to admire the bathroom's décor. I was willing to bet most of this was more of Daniel's fine work… which reminded me: I desperately needed to call him. Eric's coronation was just around the corner, and I needed to see if the interior designer had ever gotten around to re-doing the Royal suite at the Residence in New Orleans. However, I couldn't phone him just yet, and for a very good reason… I didn't have a cell phone. It was still out in the woods, right along with every stitch of my clothes and Eric's, too. Eric was pretty good about thinking ahead, though, so maybe he had had the forethought to have some of our clothes brought over to the cabin ahead of time. I spotted a closet door just across from the potty and went to look inside. It contained extra blankets, pillows, two more sets of linens, and lots of fluffy towels, but was disappointingly bare of anything else. Bummer. I had been hoping to find at least a robe or something…

Padding back into the bedroom, I fumbled around until I found a bank of light switches. The very first switch turned on a small lamp at the opposite end of the room. Luckily, it was low wattage and gave out the perfect amount of soft light. It brought to mind a new little tidbit about vampires that I had learned the prior evening. When we arrived, the cabin had been very romantically lit by nothing but hurricane lamps and candles. At first, I thought maybe there was no electricity to the cabin. When I asked him about it, Eric had explained, "Actually, I prefer this kind of light. It is much easier on a vampire's eyes than modern lighting… but of course the cabin does have electricity. If nothing else, I knew that my very modern wife would appreciate some air-conditioning during the Louisiana summers."

I hadn't said so, but I had done without air-conditioning all the time when I was still struggling to pay the bills. Back then, it had been an expensive luxury I couldn't always afford. Now, thanks to Eric, worrying about bills was a truly a thing of the past. Yup, my husband had definitely pulled a Rhett Butler, sweeping Scarlett O'Hara (me) out of near-poverty and then providing every luxury. Grinning, I envisioned myself dressed in a hoop skirt, shaking my fist to the sky and announcing, "As God as my witness, I'll never be sweaty again!" Since my thoughtful husband was determined to see to my comfort, clearly I needed to start thinking more about _his_. Among other things, I was going to pay lots more attention to the lighting levels in our home.

Anyway, now that the light was on, I could see how wonderful the room really was. The furnishings in the bedroom had the same flavor as the rest of the cottage: simple but very chic. A tall old armoire stood just outside the bathroom door. A bit farther into the room was a matching antique dresser. Opposite that was the bed, which was (of course) the focus of the room. It was the most romantic looking thing I had ever seen! It really _was_ a bed fit for a Queen, and not just because it contained the naked, scrumptious body of the resting King. Although it had to be new (there was no such thing as a bed that huge in the old days), like all the other furnishings, the four-poster bed _looked_ antique. Gauzy bed drapes hung gracefully from the rails connecting the tall bedposts. There were enough pillows for an army. The all-white bed linens were obviously custom-made, with Eric's royal crest elaborately embroidered along the edges.

Sometime during last night's activities, the luxurious white comforter had slipped off the end of the bed. I picked it up and spread it lovingly over the Viking's still form. As usual, I couldn't resist sitting down next to him and petting him a little. Smoothing back his silky hair, I studied Eric's strong, nearly perfect features. How could that beautiful golden head possibly contain anything but goodness and light? Of course, I had always _known_ that the Viking had a dark side (vampire, duh!), but last night I had gotten up close and personal with it. Because I had finally given in and allowed the Bond to become fully open, I had had the life-altering experience of being able to _feel_ the same terrible, simmering blackness that the vampire did. That brief glimpse into the abyss had been a real eye-opener. There were really no human words to describe what it meant to be vampire. If people knew what it was _really_ like, no one in their right mind would ask to be turned.

One would think that after discovering the true level of violence and cruelty that lurked inside my vampire, I would have been desperate to get as far away from him as possible. Strangely enough, it had the opposite effect. Instead of driving us apart, the whole ordeal had somehow made our Bond tighter than ever. For one thing, even though our natures were as different as daylight and dark, our love was powerful enough to overcome even our instinctual differences. Beyond that, I found that my respect for Eric had grown tremendously. Until last night, I had never truly appreciated the enormous amount of will-power it took for the Viking to keep all that darkness under such tight control. It was a good thing that he did, too. As old and powerful as he was, the damage he could do if he was so inclined was just about incalculable. I shuddered to think about what might happen if for some reason he ever decided to let go and give that side of his nature full rein.

Tenderly, I traced the arch of one masculine eyebrow with a fingertip. It was just such a mystery… How could someone be filled with such awful darkness, and yet have such a great capacity for generosity, loyalty, and above all, love? Maybe it was because Eric's true nature, the one he had been born with, was so good and so strong that even becoming vampire could not destroy it. The struggle to achieve some sort of internal balance must have taken centuries, and I could only imagine how excruciating it must have been. As a result, my ancient vampire's psyche was probably so twisty and complex that I might _never_ be able to truly understand him. All I could do was love him and try to accept him as he was.

Suddenly, the notion popped into my brain that maybe loving him _wasn't_ all I could do. Supposedly I had inherited Niall's talent of helping the soul to heal. Maybe I could use my gift to help ease some of that darkness right out of Eric. The very instant that idea occurred to me, goosebumps rose all over my body. Deep down inside, I knew it was _not_ just a random thought, but the absolute truth. _I was meant to use my gifts to keep Eric balanced, to keep the darkness from overtaking him. It was really important for me to nurture the goodness that was still within him. Our Bond would help guide me__._

It was if a huge chunk of a puzzle had snapped into place, allowing me to see part of the bigger picture. Suddenly, I was filled with a sense of purpose. I _did_ have a job to do, and it was a lot more important than interviewing waitresses at Fangtasia or questioning Eric's human "guests." Someday, because of my influence, the Viking would be able to fulfill his Fate. I still didn't know exactly what that Fate was, but it really didn't matter. For the first time in my life, I knew without a doubt I was on the right path.

In fact, I became convinced that every bit of the trauma we had been through recently had been necessary to get me to this very point in my life. In a very short amount of time, I had undergone some pretty radical changes: I had learned to embrace my Fairy heritage and my magical abilities; I now had a much deeper understanding of what it really meant to be vampire; I had finally accepted that the human way of looking at things was not the _only_ way, and maybe not always the _best_ way; I had come to believe that my vampire and I actually _were_ Fated to be together; I had discovered that come hell or high water, our love for each other was both deep and enduring; and last but not least, I was now fully prepared to listen to what our Bond was telling me.

As a matter of fact, I sensed that maybe it was trying to tell me something right that very minute… so I pulled back the comforter a bit and began to stroke the Viking's long cool body. Closing my eyes, I fully opened my mind and my heart to our Bond. The knowledge that flowed into me only confirmed something I had already guessed. Eric really was _not_ completely over his Bonding Sickness, even now. Furthermore, the Bond was letting me know that until my vampire was completely healed, he was going to be quite volatile and even more dangerous than usual. I needed to keep him as calm and as happy as possible for the next few days.

Hmmm. Now what would be certain to keep a Viking vampire happy? That was easy! I could just have sex with him every half hour or so. Yep, that would do it, all right. It was a dirty, dirty job, but I was willing to make that sacrifice for the good of all mankind. Smiling to myself, I leaned down and softly brushed Eric's cool, velvety lips with mine. "I love you, honey, and I'm going to be taking extra good care of you from now on. I figure that I'm going to need to keep my strength up for later, so I'm going to go down and get something to eat, okay? Sleep tight."

I was just about to head back to the linen closet to make a toga from an extra sheet, when my eyes lit on something I had not noticed before. At the very end of the room was a pair of comfortable-looking, overstuffed chairs. Across the arm of one was folded a blanket made up of garish blue, green, and yellow squares… oh my! Could it really be…? I quickly crossed the room to get a better look and then started to chuckle. It was the old quilt from my farmhouse, the one that Eric had claimed was the ugliest thing he had ever seen. He had clearly retrieved it and put it in here to make me feel at home. Aw! That vampire! Wrapping myself in it, I headed to the door only to find it locked tight. Uh oh. Eric had been so high on my magic just before bedtime that he had forgotten to tell me the code! After thinking it over for a minute, I tried the date of our engagement and Voilà! It popped right open.

I made my way downstairs, being careful not to trip over the edge of my quilt and take a header. It would be just my luck to break my neck while the vampire was unavailable for healing purposes. Just as I hit the bottom step, my stomach gave a loud growl. Boy, I was hungry enough to eat a horse! I went straight to the refrigerator and looked inside. Jackpot! Right between the bottles of TrueBlood and human drinks, Chef Sinclair had left several plastic containers. Eagerly I pulled them out and started popping off the lids. Oh, yum! There was some really great-looking cake, a creamy (and lemon-free!) topping, and a bunch of fresh raspberries. Not bothering to find a plate, I dumped a portion of the berries and sauce into the cake container, and then rummaged around in the drawers until I found a spoon. I dug in, brought the first bite to my mouth, and then groaned in ecstasy. Ohhhhh, man! Even without a fancy name and served cold out of a disposable plastic dish, Chef Sinclair's dessert was absolutely divine!

Instead of sitting inside to eat, I decided to go sit out on the porch and enjoy the view of our lake. Holding the plastic container in one hand and keeping my quilt firmly in place with the other, I made my way over to the front door. It was quite the juggling act to get it unlocked and opened, but I managed. Stepping out into a brilliantly sunny, comfortably warm spring day, I turned to the chairs to the left of the door… and immediately let out a little gasp of surprise.

Kicked back in one of the porch chairs was my bodyguard Cooper. Instead of his normal blazer and pressed chinos, he was dressed in a worn pair of blue jeans, a scuffed pair of cowboy boots, and an old Harley Davidson t-shirt which was just tight enough to emphasize the well-developed muscles of his arms and upper chest. He had not bothered to shave, either; and the dark blonde stubble on his strong jaw made him look more masculine and dangerous than ever. The minute I stepped out the door his chin jerked up and his head swiveled in my direction. He looked slightly startled, as if maybe I had interrupted a little cat-nap… uh, wolf-nap. That was perfectly understandable given that he'd been out running around in his furry form all night. "Hey, Coop," I said in surprise, "What are you doing here? Aren't you off again today?"

Immediately scrambling to his feet, he swept off his RayBans and gave me an intense once-over. His highly intelligent eyes went straight to the base of my neck. The last time he had seen me, that area had been bleeding like a stuck pig. Now it was now as smooth and unblemished as a baby's bottom. After satisfying himself that I was completely unharmed, the brawny Were replied, "Yes, technically I _am_ off duty, but I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Oh. Well, as you can see, I am just fine."

Cooper narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to one side, studying me. After a moment, he asked seriously, "You need to get out of here? I can take you anywhere you need to go."

I knew he was offering to help me escape from Eric while he was resting, if that was what I needed to do… no matter how much trouble it would get him in. Shaking my head, I gave my faithful (and brave) friend a smile and replied, "No, thanks. Really, everything is fine."

Reaching into his pocket, my bodyguard pulled out his cell phone and hit a number on his speed dial. "Jim? Yeah, she's here at the cabin… uh-huh, she seems to be all right… call the others, will you? Thanks."

Snapping his phone shut and shoving it back in his pocket, he said, "Sorry. After last night, everyone was a little worried. Jim was hanging around at the big house to see if you'd turn up, but somehow I felt like you were here. I… uh, I brought your stuff."

He pointed to a pile of clothes sitting on the little table next to his chair. Hoo, boy. Seeing that little pyramid reminded me that the last time Cooper and I had seen each other, I had been naked as a jaybird. Come to think of it, he had been naked too, but at least he had the advantage of a fur coat. At the time, it hadn't seemed embarrassing at all, but here in broad daylight it was easier to feel awkward about the whole thing. To give myself some time to recover my composure, I said, "Oh! Thanks. Um… can you wait a minute? I'll be right back."

Carefully setting down the container of cake, I scooped up the clothes and dashed back inside. All the shutters were still firmly shut, so I saw no point in going all the way back upstairs to dress. I sat the pile of clothes down on the back of the sofa and sorted out my stuff from Eric's. My bra and wispy little panties had been carefully folded up inside my skirt, and instantly I felt heat rush to my cheeks. Somehow, the idea that Cooper had handled my underthings seemed a lot more intimate than him seeing me naked! Still, I would much rather it was him than any of our other guards.

It took me no time at all to dress, and I was headed for the door when I changed course. I went back to the kitchen and rustled up a second spoon and a small bowl before returning to the porch. My bodyguard was still standing in almost exactly the same place I had left him. The look on his face was so strange that for a split-second I was tempted to "listen in" and see what was going on in that Were-brain of his… but Cooper fell into that "family and friends" category of people that I considered to be off-limits. Instead, I picked up my cake and plopped down in a chair, fully expecting him to sit back down. Instead, he continued to hover rather nervously in front of me. This was so unlike my normally calm, unflappable guard that I had to ask, "Cooper, is something wrong?"

"Uh… no, ma'am. Not a thing."

"Then why are you hovering?" I asked suspiciously, "Sit down, would you? And what's with the 'ma'am' stuff?"

Unbelievably, he blushed! He did! My perfectly enormous, burly, he-man bodyguard turned red as a beet! The big Were cleared his throat a couple of times and finally stammered, "Er… well, I… you see, ma'am, after last night I realized that I hadn't been treating you with the respect that you deserve. I've been much too familiar with you, and I hope you'll forgive me."

What the _heck_? I eyed Cooper narrowly, trying to figure out what on Earth had brought about this sudden transformation. It took me a minute to figure it out. It _had_ to be a result of the whole Fairy thing from last night. Rather irritably, I said, "Cooper, cut it out. I'm still the same old Sookie I always was. Now sit down here and have some of this cake with me."

I spooned half of my cake into the bowl I had brought with me, stuck the extra spoon in it, and held it out to him. After a few seconds, he gingerly took the bowl from my hand and then perched on the edge of the other chair. I took a couple of bites of my dessert, and all the while his lovely golden-brown eyes never left my face. I couldn't decide if he was awestruck, in love, or flat out scared… maybe all three at once. More gently this time, I said, "I wish you would relax. You're making me nervous. Why aren't you eating? Don't you like cake?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do… but it's a sign of respect among our kind to allow those of higher rank to eat first."

"Ah… okay. I appreciate that, but it's not necessary. I liked our relationship just fine the way it's been up until now. Obviously, last night somehow changed the way you look at me. You already knew I was part Fae, so what's the big deal?"

Cooper said quietly, "You told me your family was important, but not just how important. You are related to the Prince."

This was not a question, but a statement of fact. Crap! Cautiously, I asked, "Why would you say that? What difference does it make anyway?"

A hint of a twinkle came back into his eyes. "Surely you don't think that any run-of-the-mill Fairy could hope to control an entire pack of Werewolves, do you? Besides, I got a pretty good look at your bottom last night. You bear the Royal mark."

Now it was my turn to blush. "Cooper! What were you doing looking at my butt! Okay, forget I asked that. How about this instead… how do you know so much about Royal birthmarks or anything else about Fairies?"

The handsome Were was quiet for a moment, thinking out his reply. "To answer your question, you need to understand a little bit about Werewolves. Being two-natured, some things are imprinted on us before our birth, much like any other animal. Other knowledge is passed down through oral tradition, like humans often do. According to one of these legends, the Werewolves and the Fae once had a much closer relationship than they do today. Apparently, Werewolves once revered the Old Ones as being the most magical of all Supernatural beings. Many of them would even do the bidding of the Fairy Prince if called upon. For many centuries, an elite band of Weres often acted as guards and messengers for the Royal family, and in exchange, these wolves were almost never ill and lived much longer than their normal life-spans.

When the human population started to multiply and became a threat to all Supernaturals, the Fae responded by retreating into their own realm and keeping mostly to themselves. Their Prince offered safe haven in the Portal to their Werewolves and some of the other magical creatures. For the two-natured, though, this came at a steep price. Something about passing through the veil automatically triggered the change, so all weres inevitably arrived in their animal form. Once in the Portal, they were often unable to regain their human shapes.

Even so, some of were-animals accepted the Prince's offer and those breeds disappeared from the Earth entirely. Some, like the Were-Tigers, saw this as an attempt by the Fairies to subjugate them and flatly refused. The Werewolves trusted the Fae, but did not want to give up their human selves, and so they decided to stay Earth-bound as well. Since that time, the two races have had little to do with each other and eventually their close connection faded… but even after all this time, most Werewolves still hold the Fairy Prince in great esteem."

"Wow! That's quite a story. So… is that why y'all responded to Sylvan?"

"Yes. To this very day, the ability to understand that language is imprinted on us before our births… although as far as I know, the ability to speak it was lost many generations ago."

Needing some time to absorb that information, I sat back in my chair and downed a couple more spoonfuls of cake. Eventually, I looked over at Cooper, who had yet to take his first bite. "Look, Cooper… I guess there isn't any point in denying that I _am_ related to the Prince. The thing is, he and Eric both think it could be really dangerous for me if anybody else knows it. I guess I really shouldn't have given myself away like that last night… but it just seemed the right thing to do at the time."

"Your secret is safe with us," Cooper said with great sincerity, "Alcide has forbidden everyone to discuss this event outside of our pack and this extends to those few that were not there to witness it for themselves. I have to tell you, finding out that you were not only Fairy but a member of the Prince's family really knocked Alcide for a loop. I've never seen him so shocked by anything."

I thought about how close Alcide and I had come to having a romantic relationship. Ha! I bet the big lug _was_ pretty shocked and probably wished now he had tried much, much harder. No matter how petty it was of me, I couldn't hold back the tiniest smile of satisfaction. At least Eric had fallen in love with me before he or anyone else knew that I was Fairy or who my relations were. Cooper continued, "Will you allow me to ask you something? While you were gone, were you staying in the Portal with the Prince?"

I nodded. In a hushed voice, he asked, "Is it as beautiful as the legends say it is?"

"Yep, it's pretty cool. Someday, if you want, I'll tell you all about it."

"You want to know something really strange? My dad always took great pride in claiming that he and my mother were both directly descended from those wolves that served the Prince. I always thought it was total crap… but from the very beginning, I felt right down to my bones there was something special about you. Guarding you felt natural, not just something I needed to do for a paycheck. Then, when I saw that butterfly birthmark last night, I knew _exactly_ what it was. The knowledge of those birthmarks and what they mean has been handed down through _my_ family for untold generations. It suddenly became clear to me that there must be at least some truth to the stories my parents told me. If it _is_ true, don't you think it is an amazing coincidence that out of all the people in the world, I came to be working for _you_?"

"A couple of months ago, I probably would have thought it was all crap, too, Coop, but you know what? So many crazy things have happened to me lately, I've come to realize that when you are dealing with the Supernatural world, just about _anything_ is possible… and that around me, there _aren't_ a lot of coincidences. If I had to guess, I'd say that you were intended to meet me all along."

"Honestly, I have never been a big fan of coincidence myself, so maybe you're right," Cooper admitted, "Now that I finally know who this mysterious family of yours is, things are beginning to make a lot more sense. If you don't mind my asking, what is your exact relationship to the Prince?"

"Niall is my great grandfather. I really have very little Fairy blood, but I was lucky. As you saw last night, I ended up with a little magic anyway."

The big Were snorted, "A _little_ magic? What I felt last night was not just 'a little magic'! And your birthmark is _very_ clear."

"So? Does that mean something?"

"As I understand it, the more distinct the mark, the closer the person's relationship to the Prince. Supposedly, the reigning Prince's mark is so sharp, it looks more like a tattoo than a birthmark. Also, I think his is the only one with a ring around it."

"Huh. That's very interesting. Honestly, the only one of these I've seen is my own… oh, except for a photo of my brother's when he was a baby. His was so blurry you could hardly tell what it was, and he says it has faded completely by now. I feel bad for him because he didn't inherit any magic at all, except for a little charm. In fact, he doesn't know about that side of the family at all, so don't tell him, okay?"

"I didn't think he was so damned charming" my guard muttered under his breath, and then in a more normal tone added, "He won't hear it from me, but do you really think you can keep something like that secret?"

"I don't see why not. Practically no one knows about it… well, at least until last night they didn't. Are you _sure_ the other members of the pack can be trusted not to give me away?"

"Yes. No Were would ever betray you after accepting your blessing… and that holds true even after those of us that work for you are gone."

"Gone?" I asked in alarm and confusion, "What do you mean? Are you all quitting?"

"No, but chances are we're all going to get fired at sundown," he responded seriously, "I doubt Eric is the kind of vampire who takes kindly to being threatened by his own employees."

Uh oh. I hadn't thought of that. "Cooper, you leave Eric to me. If it comes up, I'll talk to him. You know yourself, most of the time he's a pretty reasonable guy."

"He sure as hell didn't look reasonable last night… that's why everyone has been so worried. That was one irate vampire! I don't know what your fight was about, but it must have been a doozy."

"Let's just say there were some serious issues that we had to lay to rest… er, no pun intended."

"Well, you lived to tell about it, so obviously you must have a trick or two up your sleeve… or I guess I should say, a little Fairy magic," Cooper said, "I suppose if anybody could handle a vampire like Eric, it would just about _have_ to be someone exactly like you."

"Oh, he can be a handful, all right," I agreed, "… but he's _my_ handful, and I love him."

Eyes crinkling at the corners in amusement, the Were replied, "I guess you must, since you didn't high-tail it right back to the Portal. I bet if it had been a human man that treated you that way, you would have waited until he fell asleep and then beat him half to death with a baseball bat. In fact, maybe it's Eric I should be worried about! Should I be looking around for a pile of ash with a stake in it?"

"Nah… although to tell you the truth, the thought did cross my mind!" I laughed softly and then reassured the guard, "Don't worry, His Majesty is perfectly safe and resting peacefully upstairs. Look, Coop… I don't want you to get the wrong idea. Last night was the first and only time Eric has _ever_ injured me in any way. The whole thing was a direct result of our separation. We had a lot to get straightened out, but we managed to get through it. Hopefully things will be much smoother sailing from here on out."

"To be honest, nobody but me was particularly surprised. Everybody knows how dangerous vampires are, even to their companions. It doesn't take much to set them off, either. I have to say, though, _I_ was completely shocked by the whole incident because I know first-hand how much Eric adores you… but I guess vampires will be vampires. In any event, I for one am glad you two have patched things up."

"Thanks, Cooper. Being a vampire's wife definitely isn't easy, but at least I'm learning how to deal with it. Nevertheless, I really appreciate you all coming to my rescue. Will you thank everyone for me?"

"You already did, remember? None of us is _ever_ likely to forget it, either."

"All right, then... before we close the subject, I have one more thing to say. I have enough craziness in my life without _you_ treating me different because I'm related to the Prince. I need someone around me who is just… normal. If you _really_ want to do me a favor, just act exactly the same way you always have, okay? ... Great! Now that we've got all that hashed out, why don't you sit back and enjoy that cake? Eric had a Chef come all the way out here just to cook for me last night. Everything he fixed was amazing! This is what he made me for dessert, and it's seriously yummy."

Finally, the big Were relaxed, sat back in his chair, and obediently took a huge bite of his share of the cake. A slow, contented smile crossed his handsome features. For the next few minutes, we sat side-by-side and ate our snack in companionable silence.

After the last scrap disappeared, Cooper sat back and yawned so wide I thought his jaws might pop. "What's the matter, big guy? One of those cute lady wolves keep you up too late? You look like you could use a nap."

"Actually, it was a Fairy that kept me awake. I told you before… I was so worried, I just couldn't rest until I found out if you were safe."

"Do you mean to tell me you haven't been to bed at all? Cooper! What time is it?"

"Let's see… it's about 2:45. If you don't need me for anything, I think I'll head back to the trailer for a little shut-eye."

Before long, my bodyguard had said his good-byes and rambled off in the direction of his temporary home for a much needed rest. Okay, I had several hours to kill before sunset… what was I going to do? Suddenly, it came to me. Duh! Jason had just reminded me yesterday how disgustingly white I was… and here I was at a lake on a wonderfully sunny day … I needed to tan! There was only one minor problem… no bathing suit. I was too lazy to walk back to the big house to get one, but was still a bit too pooped to "pop." After using all that magic the night before, I figured I should conserve my energies until my batteries had time to recharge a bit.

For a minute, I thought about sunbathing nude. No one should be roaming our property but our guards, and unfortunately most of them had seen me naked anyhow. Still, whatever was left of the modest, well-raised woman in me was uncomfortable with the idea. In the end, I decided on a compromise of sorts. Going back inside the cabin, I got a coke out of the fridge, and then grabbed a couple of pillows and my old quilt off the sofa. I carted it all down to the little beach near the water and spread the quilt on the sand. After finding a nice flat spot to set down my coke, I quickly stripped down to my bra and panties and placed my clothes near to hand. I plopped down, got my pillows plumped up just right, and settled in for some serious sunbathing.

It was an absolutely perfect spring afternoon, warm and sunny. It was the kind of day that made you glad to be alive. Thanks to Eric's blood, I was able to experience all the sights, scents and sounds of the glorious afternoon on a whole other level than I ever had before. Even the colors around me seemed unusually rich and vibrant… then it suddenly occurred to me that this was the first time I had seen this place in the daytime! It had been pretty at night, but in the daylight it was nothing short of spectacular. From the little beach, I was in the perfect spot to take in the beauty of the wilderness around me. The water of our little lake was throwing off sparkles in the afternoon sunshine. Various bushes and trees were in their spring bloom, and a few early patches of spring wildflowers added to the riot of color. As if it had always been there, our charming little garçonnière nestled cozily in the shade of two enormous oak trees.

Closing my eyes, I used my enhanced hearing to _really_ listen to the soothing sounds of nature. A light spring breeze was rustling the leaves of the nearby trees. Birds chirped merrily, squirrels chattered and fussed as they chased each other through the brush, and off to my left, I could hear the buzzing of bees as they industriously collected pollen from a nearby azalea. The warmth of the sun's rays dancing across my skin felt simply marvelous. Something about being out in the woods on such a beautiful day, completely surrounded by nature, made my heart sing.

Suddenly, I had the strangest feeling, as if I was being watched… but how could that be? Knowing I was alone, I was not bothering to mentally shield myself. Since I could not detect any human thoughts at all, I wasn't particularly frightened. Still, there _was _something… I opened my eyes, and very slowly turned my head towards the trees. Sure enough, standing at the very head of the trail back to the house was a white-tailed doe. She stood stock-still, clearly poised to leap away at the first sign of danger. For a long moment, we stared at each other. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a slight movement and realized that two tiny fawns were standing in her shadow! They were so young that their coats were still covered in white spots. They were so sweet my heart just about melted.

While on our many walks in the Portal, I had seen Niall call various wild animals to him. Not counting vampires, the only thing I had ever attempted to call to me was birds. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to see if I could manage a larger animal. Ever so slowly, I sat up and then extended my hand, palm up. Following Niall's example, I mentally sent my best wishes to the doe and her young in Sylvan and then invited them to come closer. After thinking it over, the doe very cautiously took about two steps into the opening and then stopped abruptly.

Hm. The Prince never needed any extra inducement to get the animal to come to him, but I was new at this. Obviously what I needed was a bribe. I knew that deer mainly liked to eat leafy green stuff in the springtime, but they were also fond of berries. There was still a container of raspberries in the kitchen, but if I got up to get them, the deer would surely bolt. Okay then. Although I had never tried to call anything to me from this distance, and certainly not through a solid wall, I really didn't have anything to lose… so I gathered my energy, mentally located the precise place I had left the container, and then pictured the berries in my hand… and poof! Instantly, my palm was full of luscious red raspberries.

Grinning in triumph, I carefully laid out a row of them on the very edge of the quilt. Catching the doe's eye, I mentally invited her in for a snack. I concentrated on letting her know that it was perfectly safe, that I would never harm her or her babies. Slowly but surely, she crept forward until she was close enough to lean her head down and snuffle up the treats. Her twins followed in her wake. Holding my breath, I carefully offered her the remaining berries. To my great delight, this time the doe came straight to me and took them from my hand. She even allowed me to stroke her head as she ate! The physical sensation of her soft lips grazing my palm was unbelievably sweet, but the real thrill for me was the fact that this lovely wild thing had given me her trust. Once the berries had all been consumed, the doe and her twins wandered over to a nearby shrub and began to nibble at some tender green shoots. Wow! What an experience!

A huge bubble of joy rose inside me, and immediately I sent a prayer of thanks to God for such a perfect, perfect day. The only thing that could make me any happier was if my vampire could share it with me… and suddenly, I thought… well, why not? According to the Viking, I had once shown him a sunrise and I hadn't even been trying. Using every ounce of concentration I had, I wished like crazy that my Bonded could see what I was seeing, feel what I was feeling. I thought/felt _Eric! Wake up and look! …_and only a moment later, I could feel him stirring inside my mind. I turned my head very slowly, allowing my gaze to scan the entire area so that he could "see" everything. Almost instantly, total elation came rushing back through our Bond. _Sookie! I can see it! Everything is so beautiful__! _

_Yes, baby. It is such a wonderful day that I wanted you to share it with me._ _Can you see the deer? I used my magic to call them and they came right to me! _

The Viking's delighted laughter echoed in my head and filled my heart._ Sookie, look! Look at the sunlight dancing on the water! Look at the trees and the flowers… the colors are all so vivid! Oh, my angel, look at the sky! It is as blue as your eyes!_

Unfortunately, my magical energies were still not at full strength. All too soon, I felt my concentration beginning to slip._ Honey, I wish I could show you more, but it takes a lot of energy and I'm getting tired._

_Sookie, you __**are**__ a goddess… I love you so much._

_I love you, too. I'll see you at first dark. _With that, the slender thread of our connection was broken.

I couldn't believe my little experiment had worked so well! I could hardly wait to talk it over with Eric. How was I ever going to be patient enough to wait all those hours until sunset? I sighed so loudly that it startled the deer, and instantly they turned tail and bounded away. Once again I lay back on my pillows and closed my eyes. I tried to let my mind go, to wander freely… but of course, all paths inevitably led right back to Eric. I wondered if all newly-weds were so obsessed with their new husbands, or if it was just me. Even if he did have a dark side, most of the time he was just about the best husband in the world. Besides being the best lover on the planet, he was also thoughtful, loving, generous to a fault, and was always trying to come up with little surprises for me. Last night was the perfect example…. Well, right up until the unpleasantness over Rhys.

Refusing to let that portion of the evening taint my memories of the whole night, I deliberately replayed every detail of our wildly romantic "date" in my mind. When I got to the discussion about the shared dreams, I felt myself blushing yet again. Some of those dreams had been pretty revealing, not to mention steamy! As usual, Eric had found my embarrassment amusing. I bet _most _people would find having all of their innermost fantasies open to someone else's scrutiny to be horribly embarrassing, not to mention invasive… but of course, my vampire and I were definitely _not_ "most people."

Now that I had a chance to adjust to the concept, I actually found the whole idea pretty cool. I wondered if my Bonded and I had the ability to share dreams all the time or only when we were apart. After everything we had been through recently, I had no intention of being away from him again for a very long time. Surprisingly, I found the thought that we might never share any more dreams slightly disturbing. Since our rather hurried marriage, how many times had I wished that Eric and I could get to know each other better? Wasn't this just another way of doing so?

Besides, like my vampire had pointed out, it might be kind of fun to sort out exactly whose fantasies were whose. Thinking back over some of the details of those dreams, I quickly found out that it was not as easy to do as I first thought. Some of the wilder sexual stuff might have come from him… but to be perfectly honest with myself, not necessarily all of it. Off the top of my head, I could only think of one thing that almost certainly had come from Eric, because it was such a "guy thing" to fantasize about... the red Ferrari that had been parked in front of the future version of Valhalla. Now, what had been on those personalized license plates?... oh, yeah. "Fang 1." I found myself laughing out loud. How perfectly Eric was that? Arrogant as hell, but factual all the same.

Actually, a car like that would certainly make a suitable addition to Eric's amazing automobile collection, and I certainly wouldn't mind christening it properly, either. Suddenly, a very vivid vision of me "yielding" to him on the hood of it floated through my head. This time, I was bent at the waist with my palms flat on the hood, and the Viking was giving me a nice, thorough pounding from behind. Mm, mm, mm. Quick as a flash, my little hootchie was wet and throbbing in real life. Uh oh! Uneasily, I wondered if my vampire could somehow get into my daydreams, too, and immediately started to feel guilty about having such un-ladylike thoughts… but then I had to laugh at myself. I was on a mission to make the Viking happy, wasn't I? What could possibly please him more than to tap into that erotic little fantasy?

The answer to my own rhetorical question hit me like a ton of bricks.

The only thing the Viking would like more than _sharing_ my fantasy of fucking like bunnies on the hood of a fancy new Ferrari would be actually _doing _ it.

According to him, Eric had never indulged his passion for such a car before the Great Revelation because it would have made him too conspicuous. Since then, he claimed that he bought Corvettes because he liked them, which was probably true enough as far as it went… but his dreams told me something different. Deep down, he would absolutely love to have a Ferrari. The old reasons for not having one were gone, so what was the real reason he hadn't bought himself one? I had a feeling that it was just a hold-over from a thousand years of being cautious. After so many centuries of having to remain hidden, I guessed it _would_ be difficult to break some of those deeply ingrained habits. It made me blazing mad to think of all the years of Eric's life that had been spent living in the shadows.

Thank goodness times were different now! Vampires could be as conspicuous as they wanted. Furthermore, Eric was the blooming vampire King of Louisiana, for Pete's sake! If he wanted a Ferrari, that's exactly what he should have. I had been trying to think of the perfect Coronation gift for weeks, and I figured I had hit on just the thing. It was a scary proposition, though. I figured those types of cars were horribly expensive, maybe as much as $100,000. I had never, ever spent that kind of money on any one thing in my entire life. Could I really bring myself to do it? What if I bought it, and Eric didn't like it? Could I return it? What I knew about buying expensive sports cars would fit on the head of a pin.

Maybe what I needed was a second opinion. Hmm. Bill wasn't exactly the Ferrari type. Pam was still mad at me. That left Robert. I bet an ultra-sophisticated vampire like the Knight would know all about cars like that. I knew he wouldn't be available for several more hours, but I was anxious to get the ball rolling. Reaching over to the little pile of clothes, I pulled my cell phone out of the pocket of my skirt. I found his number on my speed dial and hit send. After a couple of rings, it went to voice mail. Robert's sexy French voice said, "This is Robert de Craon. I am unavailable at this time. Please leave a message." For some reason, hearing such an utterly mundane message from a nine-hundred-year-old former Knights Templar never failed to make me smile.

I obediently waited for the beep and then said, "Robert? This is Sookie. I think I finally figured out what I want to get Eric for his Coronation, but I'd like to get your opinion first. Will you please call me tonight? By the way, I really enjoyed our dinner the other night, and I want you to know I have been thinking about everything you said." I paused for a minute and then added, "We miss you already. Come home soon, okay?"

After disconnecting, I thought for a minute and then scrolled through my address book until I found the number I wanted. I pushed send and a moment later a smooth, jovial voice answered. "My dear Queen Sookie, I am delighted to hear from you. How are you this lovely spring day?"

"I'm just fine, Mr. Cataliades. How are you?"

"Never better! How is the King? I trust he is quite recovered by now."

Oh. By that, I knew he had been aware of Eric's Bonding Sickness, if not the circumstances surrounding it. Without going into details, I replied cautiously, "Eric is much better now, thank you."

"And the Prince? He is well?"

Ah, crap. If he knew I had been with Niall, he must know pretty much everything. As one of Eric's closest advisors, I should have known the wily old half-demon would have been in the loop. I swallowed back my embarrassment and answered politely, "The last time I saw him, he was fine, too."

"Wonderful, wonderful! I hold your great-grandfather in the highest esteem. How did you find the Portal? I have never had the pleasure of seeing the Palace, but I understand it is magnificent."

"Everything in the Portal is beautiful, especially the Palace; but I'm more than happy to be home now."

Lowering his voice another notch, he said, "You must forgive me for such a personal observation, but I must tell you how happy I am that you and Eric have reconciled."

"Er… thank you."

"Not at all. I am quite fond of both you and the King." He paused for a moment before continuing, "In a union such as yours, there are bound to be these little disagreements from time to time. Please… just know that I am here to serve you as well as the King. In the future, I would be more than happy to act as a go-between. I am discretion itself and only have both of your best interests at heart."

I could tell he meant it, too. "Thank you. I hope nothing like this ever happens again, but if it does, I'll keep you in mind."

Clearing his throat, he said in a more businesslike tone, "Well. I suspect that you called for a reason. How may I be of service today?"

"I feel a little awkward about asking you this, but I know you keep track of most of Eric's finances," I said hesitantly, "Ah… I was thinking about buying him something pretty expensive for his Coronation gift. I know he's been spending lots of money lately, what with the new house and all the jewelry and the reception and everything… I wanted to make sure we could afford it. I guess I should know more about our finances, but…"

Before I could confess anymore about how ignorant I was, he cut me off by saying, "Madam, please! Why should you trouble your lovely head about something as mundane as finances? That is part of _my_ job, and it is my pleasure to answer any questions you may have at any time. Now, what do you have in mind for this special gift? A Royal jet, perhaps? Of course, if Eric had taken on Nevada as I advised him to do, he would have inherited Felipe's. It might be a trifle late to order one and have it properly outfitted in time for the Coronation, but perhaps I could pull a few strings…"

Rather rudely, I interrupted him. "Do you mean to tell me that if I wanted to buy Eric a private jet, we could afford it?"

"Yes, of course you can," He said this quite calmly, as if I had asked him a question about the weather.

I couldn't help it. I burst into hysterical laughter. To his credit, the attorney never so much as sighed at my undignified outburst. Finally getting myself under control, I said, "Sorry about that. I have a bad habit of laughing when I'm nervous. All I really wanted to buy Eric was a sports car. A Ferrari. With a personalized license plate."

Without missing a beat, Cataliades said smoothly, "Ah! What a perfect choice! Would you like for me to make the arrangements, or would you prefer to take care of the purchase yourself?"

"I'd like to talk it over with Sir Robert first. If I decided to go through with it, he can probably help me with the car, but if you could see to the license plates, I'd surely appreciate it."

"Of course. What would you like them to say?"

"Um… Fang 1."

A rich chuckle came over the line. "Absolutely perfect. I could have not thought of anything better myself."

"Do you think anybody else already has that plate? Should I think of an alternate just in case?"

Another chuckle, this time with an undercurrent to it that made me shiver just a little. Cataliades said, "Please leave all that to me. If that is what you want, that is exactly what you will get."

Uh oh. In the future, I had better remember to be careful what I asked him for. I bet the old half-demon was as good at "persuasion" as any vampire ever made. "Okay, great. Now, how should I go about paying for this?"

"Let me see. I believe those vehicles go for around $200,000 or so," he mused, "Since you have been spending so little, your household account has been building up quite nicely. There is more than enough in it for such a minor purchase… but if you prefer, you can refer the car dealer to me and I will handle it."

$200,000. Minor purchase. Right. Feeling another round of laughter coming on, I said hurriedly, "Okay, thanks, Mr. Cataliades. I'll be talking to you soon."

I disconnected the call and let the phone drop from my numb fingers. I felt a little faint. $200,000! Who in their right mind would pay that kind of money for a _car_? Maybe Eric had never bought one because he refused to pay such an outrageous price for the danged thing! Maybe I had better re-think the whole thing. On the other hand, it was certainly a lot cheaper than a jet! I had no idea how much airplanes like Robert's cost, but it had to be into the millions. Ha! Before our marriage, Eric had provided me with credit cards that supposedly had no limits. Irreverently, I wondered if I could just charge one. I bet a purchase like that would generate some _serious_ rewards points! I could picture myself calling up Gulfstream and ordering a spiffy new jet, just like a normal wife might order a new dishwasher from Sears. I would finish the call by asking ever so casually, "Oh, by the way, do you take American Express?"

That was all it took. Laughter bubbled up inside of me, and I lay back on my pillows and absolutely hooted. I laughed until tears came to my eyes. Finally, I managed to get myself under control. I wiped my eyes and sniffed a few times, and thought for about the gazillianth time how much my life had changed since becoming Mrs. Eric Northman.

Obviously, now it was more important than ever that I talk it over with Robert. For a vampire, he was very level-headed, and he knew Eric better than anybody. In the meantime, I had better get busy thinking up some alternatives, just in case. I already had one thing in mind, but it was the kind that didn't involve any money, only thoughtfulness. Gran always said those were the best kind of gifts, because they were from the heart. The only problem was that this particular gift required help from Pam, and she was still pissed. Boy, I wished Faeryn would call me back, so I could order my bribe. For a number of reasons, I seriously needed to get the "make up with Pam" show on the road.

Flipping over on my stomach so I could get some sun on my back, I re-arranged my pillows and wriggled into a comfortable position. Come to think about it, I wondered why Faeryn _hadn't_ returned my call yet. Surely she wasn't still in the Portal. With a pang, I realized how much I missed everyone there, especially Niall. I missed our long walks, and playing chess, and fixing him his afternoon tea just the way he liked. I also missed all of the house Elves. I hoped that Morwenna and Aderyn weren't too worried about me out living among the vampires. Even after all the trouble he had caused me, I also missed that crazy Rhys. I missed all of his wild stories and… Oh, holy crap. _Rhys!_

What in the world was I going to do about Rhys? More to the point, what was _Eric_ going to do about him?

Vampires were not exactly known for their forgiving natures. Once Eric had finally come to his senses last night, he had forgiven me for my little indiscretion… but only because he was my Twice-Bonded and he truly loved me. I guessed it was _possible_ that, given the circumstances, the Viking might just forget the whole thing… Yeah, right. Eric Northman was not the kind of vampire that was _ever_ going to overlook another man making a serious move on his woman. If I had been thinking straight, I could have negotiated for Rhys' safety. Eric had been so mortified about hurting me, he probably would have agreed to _anything_ I asked. Now, the very _last_ thing in the world I wanted to do was as much as mention Rhys' name in front of Eric, ever again.

I had no way of getting in touch with Rhys to warn him, and even if I did, Eric would probably take a very dim view of me having _any_ contact with the handsome Fairy. So what in the blazes should I do? I thought about it for a long time, and finally I picked up my phone again and put a call in to Claudine. If anybody was capable of sorting out this mess, it was my fairy godmother. Unfortunately, my call went straight to voicemail. Jeez, wasn't anybody going to answer today? At the beep, I left a message that said, "Hi, Claudine. It's Sookie. Will you give me a call? I need to talk to you about something." I thought for a moment, and then added, "Ah… you had better make it during the daylight hours, okay? Thanks. Talk to you soon."

I was just about to toss the phone back on the blanket when it began to ring. Thinking that it was Claudine already returning my call, I hit the button without looking at the display first. "Hey, Claudine. Thanks for calling me back so quickly."

I strained to hear her response. It sounded like maybe she was outside, because the sound of a passing car made the response practically inaudible. It sounded like, "Sookie… where are you?"

Thinking we had a bad connection, I said loudly, "I'm at Valhalla. Where are _you_? I can hardly hear you. Can you speak up?"

There was silence for a long moment. Then, as softly as a lover's caress came, "You have been a very _bad_ girl. You need a spanking …" Even though the words had been whispered, I was able to hear every syllable of _that_ perfectly well.

A chill ran through me. Those words had been spoken by a man. Whoever this was, it was _not _my cousin. I rolled back over and sat up on my blanket. "Who is this?" I demanded.

The only response I got was a creepy chuckle, several deep breaths, and then a low moan. Ah… nuts. This wasn't anything to be afraid of. It was just your garden-variety sicko. This wasn't the first time in my life I had this kind of call. Luckily, my telepathy wouldn't work through a phone line, so at least I couldn't hear or see all the twisted things going on in his head.

Completely revolted, I snapped, "Mister, you are one sick puppy. Get some therapy, would you? Don't call me again!" and then immediately disconnected. Staring down at the phone in my hand, I shook my head in disgust. Clearly, some people had _way_ too much time on their hands… not to mention what _else_ the nasty little scumbag probably had on his hands by now. Ugh.

I had to wonder how the guy had gotten my cell phone number in the first place. Was it a randomly-dialed call or someone I knew? I had _thought_ he called me by name, but those first few words had been really hard to hear. I wished I hadn't been stupid enough to tell him where I was… not that it mattered. Valhalla was well guarded, and besides, I was becoming a little more confident in my own abilities to protect myself.

After thinking a minute, I looked in my call log to see if his number had registered. All that was displayed was "wireless caller" but no number. Too bad. If I could have figured out who he was, I would have been tempted to send Atticus or maybe even Bill over to have a chat with the creep. One thing was for sure… given the time of day, it couldn't possibly have been a vampire.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar chime came from the phone in my hand. I still wasn't used to my new phone, so it took me a minute to figure out that the sound signaled an incoming text. Uh oh. Sure enough, it was from "Wireless Caller." I started to delete it without reading it, but curiosity got the better of me. I hit "accept" and a little screen appeared. Across the white space ran a string of text hearts. How weird! Eric had once sent me a text exactly like that the night of the casino party in Las Vegas. Sighing heavily, I deleted the message and made a pact with myself to remember to check the incoming caller ID before answering any more calls.

I forced myself to lie back down. No way was I going to let some idiot with more sex-drive than brains ruin my perfect day_. _After a while the warmth of the sun's rays bathing my skin helped me to relax again. For a long time, I lay contentedly baking myself in the late afternoon sun, all the while daydreaming about my favorite subject: Eric.

When the sun finally dipped behind the trees, I was ready to call it a day. There were still a couple of hours left until sunset, but I had a few things that I wanted to do before then. After slipping on my skirt and blouse, I shook the sand off my quilt and hauled it and the pillows back inside. There were a few things I wanted to retrieve from Valhalla. The old me probably would have made it a point to walk, just to prove how human I was. The new me had no problem at all with taking the short cut. It wasn't like there was anyone around to see me. Juanita wouldn't be back to work until tomorrow. After leaving my stuff on the sofa, I decided where I wanted to end up, gathered my energy, and POP! I was standing in the kitchen of the big house.

The cake I had eaten earlier hadn't lasted me for long, and so I rummaged around in the fridge for a snack. After eating, I ran down to our bedroom for a quick shower. I washed my hair and shaved my legs, noting with satisfaction the nice golden glow to my skin… not in the Fairy manner, but a plain old-fashioned suntan kind of way. I dried off, dutifully applied Aderyn's creams and a few dabs of perfume, fixed my hair, and then slipped into the shimmering fairy-cloth nightgown that Eric liked so much.

Going into the closet, I searched through my clothes to pick out an outfit to wear later. Hmm. I was on a mission to make Eric happy… so I chose his favorite black leather miniskirt. The low-cut blouse that went with it was perfect for showing off my new necklace. I got out some very sexy black lace underwear I had been saving for a special occasion, and as an extra treat I added a lace garter and the kind of sheer hose with old-fashioned seams up the back. To complete the outfit, I pulled out a pair of heels high enough to cause a nosebleed. All in all, it was the perfect ensemble for a sexy vampire Queen.

I rummaged in the closet until I found the over-sized straw bag that Gran had always used to tote blankets and stuff when we went on our picnics. I carefully folded up my things and put them in the bag. Figuring that it was bound to get smudged in the post-sunset activities, I had not applied any makeup yet, so I added a small cosmetic bag for later.

Now for the King's wardrobe. From our discussion the night before, I knew Eric was planning on interrogating his "guest" from Magnolia tonight, so maybe I needed to pick something that would make him look intimidating. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind, I knew how unnecessary it was. As I had seen last night, the Viking could look scary as hell without so much as a stitch on. Still, there was no telling how messy it might get, so whatever I picked should be all black. That didn't exactly narrow down my choices, though, since the majority of Eric's wardrobe was black. I had always thought it was because he liked it, but maybe he was just being practical. Eventually, I pulled out some buttery-soft leather pants, a silky black shirt, and his favorite pair of black boots. I always teased him that he only liked them because they made him look tall. In those babies, the Viking stood nearly 6'7" tall, which was pretty impressive by anybody's standards. I laid his clothes in the bag on top of mine, leaving the boots for last. I tried several ways to fit them in, but they were simply not going to fit. It was no wonder. Those suckers were simply enormous! A small child could sleep in one!

As I searched in the closet for a second bag, I smiled to myself thinking about what Amelia would say about those boots. Before Eric and I were definitely a couple, she used to tease me by pointing out the size of the Viking's feet. According to her, if a man had big feet, the rest of his equipment was sure to match. Even though by then I had already known the truth of the matter, I was too much of a lady to either confirm or deny. During our trip to New York, my friend had inadvertently discovered that as far as Eric was concerned, that particular "old wives-tale" was absolutely true. Ha! Now that I thought about it, I seemed to recall that her boyfriend Tray's feet were pretty big, too. I needed to remember to give her some grief about it… as soon as she got to feeling better.

After locating a smaller bag, I shoved in the boots. I even remembered to find some socks, and started to throw in a pair of underwear… but then I changed my mind and deliberately put them back in the drawer. At the last minute, I grabbed one of the Viking's over-the-top belts and threw that in, too. I looked around and made sure I had everything I needed before heading back to the cabin. Picking up both bags, I pictured my destination in my mind, gathered my energy, and…

Nothing. I hadn't budged so much as an inch.

Huh. Maybe I hadn't done it quite right. I tried again, this time with a bit more umph.

Still nothing.

What the _hell_? Had I used so much energy in the last twenty-four hours that I had fried my battery? Oh crap! Could it be _permanent_? Up until that minute, I hadn't realized how much I had come to enjoy my magic. The idea that I might be losing it literally made me queasy. Dropping the bags to the ground, I buried my face in my hands and tried not to panic. I had an overwhelming urge to call Niall, and let him tell me what to do… but before I acted like Chicken Little and announced that the sky was falling, I forced myself to be calm. Maybe I should give it one more time before bothering the Prince.

I closed my eyes, very carefully pictured Eric sleeping in the bed at the cabin, and desperately wished that I was with him… and woosh! There I was, standing next to the bed looking down at my resting vampire's still form.

I couldn't help it. I let out a whoop of sheer joy! Okay, then… it must have been a temporary glitch. Just to be sure, I popped back to the big house. To my relief, I arrived with absolutely no problem. I picked up my bags, prepared to go back, and…

Nothing.

The stream of curses that came out of my mouth would have made a sailor blush. What in the blue blazes was I doing wrong? GRRRR! Maybe those danged boots of Eric's were just too big and heavy to get through the ether! In frustration, I threw the bags to the ground… and then it hit me. The problem really _was_ Eric's boots, along with everything else! I just couldn't carry anything with me but what was on my body. To try out my theory, I popped to the kitchen and back with no problem. Well… hell. Claudine and them could cart all kinds of crap around the universe, but apparently there was a trick to it. I needed to remember to ask Faeryn about it if she _ever _got around to calling me back.

So much for taking the shortcut. Sighing, I picked my two bags up again and schlepped them upstairs the old-fashioned, human way. I made it all the way to the back door before remembering I was wearing nothing but a very sheer nightgown. It was Sunday, so there were no gardeners hanging around, and during the daylight hours the guards mostly patrolled the perimeter. The chances of me running into anybody between here and the cabin were slim. Besides, all of the Weres that worked for us had already seen me wearing a lot less than a nightgown. Still… I thought for a moment, and then pulled Eric's silk shirt from the straw bag and slipped it on. It was so big, it hung nearly to my knees and covered up all the necessary bits just fine.

Now that I was decent, I stepped outside and headed towards the lake. Since I hadn't counted on having to take the slow way back to the cabin, I knew I had better pick up the pace. There were still several things I wanted to do before the vampire rose for the evening. Walking briskly, I made a bee-line for the path through the forest. As I came to the wrought-iron gate, I had to put down one of my bags to open it.

I reached out to pull back the latch. When my fingers touched the metal, I found it curiously hot. Out of curiosity, I ran my hand over the top arch of the gate itself. It was hot, too. Huh. It really shouldn't be, because this entire line of fence was in the deep shade for most of the day. How strange. Just as I began to trace my finger around the ornate design of the gate, trying to figure out where the source of the heat was coming from, my ringtone sounded from deep inside the straw bag. Hurriedly setting it on the ground, I fumbled inside it until I located the phone. Rather breathlessly, I answered, "Hello?"

A deep, French-accented voice purred, "_Bonsoir, ma belle. _How are you this fine evening?"

Really, a voice that sexy should be illegal. Trying not to sigh like an infatuated schoolgirl, I replied, "Hi, Robert! I'm fine. Hey! What are you doing calling me now? The sun won't set for another hour!" As I talked to him, I absentmindedly continued to feel along the metal. The fence itself was hot, too. In fact, the thing seemed to be getting hotter.

He said teasingly "Phhht! The sun, she means nothing to me! Your old Knight is one amazing vampire, no?" He laughed and then reminded me, "To be perfectly honest, my Queen, the sun sets in New York approximately seventy minutes earlier than it does in Shreveport."

Duh! I had known that from the time I spent at his house. My head must not be on straight. As a matter of fact, suddenly I realized that I _was_ feeling a bit light-headed. Maybe I should have added some protein to that snack I had earlier. Grabbing onto the fence to steady myself, I replied sincerely, "Robert, as far as I'm concerned, you _are_ one amazing vampire. Now, I bet you are busy so I'll get straight to the point. I came up with an idea for a gift for Eric's Coronation, but it's pretty expensive. I feel a little strange about spending so much of his money without asking him first. I thought I'd better talk it over with you."

"Let me guess!" the Knight exclaimed enthusiastically, "You want to buy him a jet. I cannot believe I did not think of it myself! It may be hard to get our hands on one at this late date, but perhaps I…"

Really, what was the deal with men and jets? Why was the first thing they thought of so highly impractical, not to mention expensive? I interrupted him in mid-sentence. "Actually, I wasn't thinking about an airplane at all. Why would we need one? We hardly ever go anywhere. I was thinking about a car. A Ferrari, to be specific. What do you think?"

My comment hardly even slowed him down. "Trust me, _ma petite_. In our world, such luxury items are less about necessity and more about prestige. Eric is now a powerful King. You don't want him to look poor, do you?"

"Sophie-Anne didn't have one," I argued, "I don't want Eric to look..." I struggled to remember one of my words-of-the-day. I was so woozy, it was hard to think of anything right now. "…to look… ostentatious." Oh… crap. As soon as the words came out, I wished desperately I could take them back. Talk about putting your foot in your mouth!

"Sophie-Anne was an exception to the rule… and besides, she loathed flying," the Knight said a little stiffly.

Immediately, I apologized for my thoughtlessness. "Oh, Robert, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it like that! You're probably the classiest vampire on the planet! It's just that… well, you saw how I was raised. There is no way I could _ever_ spend that kind of money." Just to smooth any ruffled feathers, I added softly, "Besides, isn't one jet per nest enough?"

Obviously pleased at that comment, he responded gallantly, "I am the one who should apologize, my dear. I should have known that you might feel uncomfortable to make such a purchase. _Très bien_, a jet is out. How about a nice limousine instead? I can get you a very nice one, properly customized for a vampire of course, for around $800,000."

Now my head was really spinning. I slid to the ground and leaned against the gate for support. I could feel the heat radiating off of it all the way through Eric's shirt and my nightgown. "$800,000!" I repeated faintly, "Robert, I called you because I was having trouble spending $200,000! I am getting the impression that you don't like the idea of a Ferrari. Don't you think Eric would like it?"

"On the contrary, I imagine he would _love_ it," the vampire replied earnestly, "That is exactly the problem. In such a car, he would be… how do the humans say it?... oh, yes… hell on wheels. That is exactly why I must object. You see, in the old days, if the Viking wrecked a car… so what? Re-growing body parts is painful and annoying, but not fatal. Things are drastically different now. _You_ are with him all the time. _You_ might not survive a high-speed crash in such a tiny vehicle. In my opinion, it is an unacceptable risk. Please… will you not reconsider?"

Frankly, I was having trouble thinking at all. My ears were starting to ring, and I felt pretty weak. I said, "Uh… Robert… something isn't right. Suddenly, I'm not feeling very well."

Knowing from experience that I wasn't one to complain about illness, he said abruptly, "Tell me what is wrong. Leave nothing out."

"I feel strange. Weak… and a little dizzy. My ears are ringing a bit, too. And I feel so hot! But I guess that's just because of the gate."

"Gate? What gate? Sookie, where are you?"

"At Valhalla. I was on my way to the lake when the phone rang," I said slowly, "I… uh… the gate is hot, Robert. Why is the gate so hot?" Had that made any sense at all? I wasn't sure, but I was too tired to care much.

There was a moment of silence, and then the Knight asked carefully, "Sookie, are you talking about the ornamental gate that is on the path to the lake?"

"Uh huh."

"Sookie, please answer me carefully. Have you been using a lot of magic recently? Did you touch any part of that gate with your bare skin? Are you touching it now?"

That was too many questions for me to process. All I could get out was, "Uh huh."

"Sookie. Do exactly as I say. Get away from the gate. Do it now." Underneath his calm, steady tone was a hint of alarm.

I wanted to please him and do what he asked, but it was just too much trouble. Somehow he knew I was not moving. In a no-bullshit voice, he commanded, "Sookie Northman, you _must_ get away from the iron as quickly as possible. _Do you understand_?"

Why were all the males in my life so darned bossy? Sighing heavily, I did as I was told. Mustering my last bit of energy, I managed to crawl several yards away from the fence. I rolled onto my back, arms and legs stuck out from my body like I was making a snow angel. My phone was still clutched in my outstretched palm. I could hear a tiny little voice shouting, "Sookie! Sookie! Talk to me!" followed by a string of French words that I could not understand.

Slowly, I dragged the phone up to my ear. "I'm away from the fence now. Robert, what the heck is going on?"

The first thing I heard was something that sounded suspiciously like a prayer of thanks, even if it was in French. Switching back to English, the vampire said, "Put simply, iron is to fairies as silver is to vampires. By touching the iron with your bare skin, you set off an allergic reaction, for lack of a better term."

"But I've been touching iron all my life!"

"Yes, but you have only recently come into your gifts. According to Eric, even the Fairy component in your blood is becoming stronger as you age. You have been using a great deal of magic lately, which has drawn your Fairy essence to the surface. Clearly, this makes you somewhat vulnerable to the same weaknesses as the rest of your race. Still, this is not the time to get into a lengthy discussion. Tell me how you feel."

"Like I have the world's worst hangover," I croaked.

"As I recall, that gate was original to the estate and had not been painted for some time. It is old and somewhat rusty. Do you have rust on your hands?"

Glancing at my hands, I saw that I did. "Yes."

"Wipe as much of it off as you can. Do not try to get up. I am going to summon one of your guards for you. He will be instructed to take you straight to Eric. I want you to take a good quantity of the Viking's blood, perhaps more than you usually do. Hopefully, it will reverse the effects of the iron in your system."

"…but Robert, Eric's still resting! I can't just go in there and take his blood when he's not awake! He's not a vending machine, for Pete's sake! Can't I just wait for awhile?"

"Absolutely not. Time is of the essence when it comes to silver poisoning, and I suspect this is similar. Do you think for one moment that your Bonded would deny you something you so desperately need? We are wasting time. Be a good girl, and do what I tell you."

Before I could say another word, he had disconnected. In an attempt to get up, I rolled over and dragged myself up onto my knees. Whoa. Everything around me seemed to be spinning. Maybe I _had_ better wait for a guard. I lay back down and rubbed my palms across the soft grass, scraping off as much of the rust as I could.

It wasn't too much longer until I could hear the sounds of someone approaching. I rolled my head in that direction, only to see Cooper coming towards me at a dead run. He was wearing the same worn-out jeans from earlier, but that was all. No shirt, no shoes. His hair was sticking out in various directions, and it was obvious that Robert had rousted him out of a dead sleep… so to speak. Before even approaching me, he first ran over to the gate and swung it open. Next, he ran back over and hunkered down on his haunches next to me. Taking one good look at me, he blurted out, "Oh, man… Sookie, you look like shit! I better get you to Eric!" Without waiting for a reply, he scooped me up and rose to his feet in one fluid motion. Once I was securely in his arms, he turned and began to trot towards the flagstone path. I protested, "Hey! What about my stuff?"

He practically growled, "Are you kidding? I'll get it later."

When we passed through the arch of the gate, he turned and sort of sidled through it sideways, in order to keep me as far from the iron as possible. Once we were through it safely, he picked up the pace a little.

Clearly, the big Were was in fantastic shape. There he was, practically running with a full-grown woman in his arms, and yet he was barely even breathing hard. He held me cradled against the bare skin of his tanned, muscular chest, and I could feel his strong heart pounding away. Weres' body temperatures always run a little hotter than a human's, which meant that he felt _very_ hot to me. Under different circumstances, I might have enjoyed the experience of being toted around by a very attractive, half-naked, warm-blooded man… but right then, all I could think about was crawling up next to the cool, marble-like skin of my Viking. I felt as if I was burning up, and Cooper's body heat was only making things worse.

Poor Cooper. He really wasn't getting much of a day off… and his poor feet! He should have at least stopped long enough to put on some shoes…

I didn't even realize I had been speaking my thoughts out loud until my guard panted out, "I can't believe you're in this kind of shape, and you're worried about my feet! My feet are fine! I go barefoot all the time. Now you need to be quiet and concentrate on yourself."

Carrying on a conversation while jogging is never easy, so I decided to give him a break and not say anything else. I tucked my head into his chest and closed my eyes. Before long, I felt him bounding up the steps to the cabin. We had made the trip in record time.

Out of habit, I had locked the door behind me earlier. My eyes wouldn't focus on the lock, so I had to tell Cooper the code so he could punch it in for me. In no time, we were inside. Spying the kitchen, he took me straight over to the sink. He explained, "Sir Robert told me to make sure you washed your hands first thing. Do you think you can stand up?"

"If you hold on to me, I think can."

He set me down gently, but kept a firm grip on my waist. I bent over the sink and tried to wash my hands, but I was so dizzy it was all I could do to hold my head up. Cooper ended up doing most of the work. Using his hips to pin my body between him and the cabinets, he slid his arms around my body and went to work. Even though I told him that I had only touched the metal with my hands, he still made sure I was clean all the way up to my elbows. After patting me dry with some paper towels, he picked me up again and started for the stairs. In alarm, I said, "You can't go up there. Eric doesn't like anyone around him when he's resting."

The big Were flashed me a small grin. "Don't worry. This won't be the first time. I escorted him and Bill back from Vegas. Besides, Robert said I _had_ to stay, to make sure you followed through with what he told you to do. If you think I want _that_ guy on my tail, you're crazy."

Obviously, I was being ganged up on, long distance. To tell the truth, I probably couldn't have made it up those stairs by myself, anyhow. After punching in the proper code for the lock to the light-tight, double-door system, we made it into the bedroom with no problem. Fortunately, I had left the low-wattage lamp burning so we could see where we were going. Cooper took a quick glance around the room, taking in the lay of the land. His eyes lit on the still form lying in the middle of the enormous bed. The Viking must have had one of his brief periods of wakefulness, because he was now on his stomach with his head buried face-down in the pillow. As usual, the comforter had been tossed on the floor, leaving every square inch of that spectacular vampire backside in full view.

Without batting an eye, Cooper carried me straight over and set me on the edge of the mattress. I could hardly wait to get up next to that big cool body so that it could help sooth my burning skin. I pulled off Eric's silk shirt and handed it to Cooper. He held out his hand for the garment but then immediately turned away from me. He walked over to a chair, tossed the shirt over one arm, and then stood there with his back to me. I knew those keen golden-brown eyes had taken in my highly unusual nightgown of Fairy-cloth, not to mention gotten an eyeful of the naked body through the extremely sheer cloth… but he was at least attempting to be a gentlemen. Hoarsely, I said, "Come on, Coop. You saw more than this last night. Frankly, I'm too sick to care."

I stretched out next to Eric's body and wriggled in as close to him as I could. God, he felt so good! I sighed in relief. After a moment, the Were came back and stood near the bed. Obviously, if I didn't care about the awkwardness of the situation, he wasn't inclined to let it bother him, either. "Okay then," he said in his normal, calm way, "Robert said he told you what to do. You had better get to it."

"It's nearly sunset. I think I'll just wait until he's awake."

"Robert said you might try to wiggle your way out of it. Do you want me to get him back on the phone?"

I was in no shape to argue with the Knight. He was just as stubborn as the Viking! Anyway, Robert was almost certainly right. Eric would _want _me to take what I needed. It was only me who felt uncomfortable with the idea. Briefly, I thought about trying to "talk" to Eric, and get his permission first, but that kind of magic took lots more energy than I had at the moment. With a heavy sigh, I replied, "No, don't call Robert. I'll do it… but you're going to have to help me."

The Were's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?... uh, why?"

As crappy as I felt, I still managed to give him a withering look. "What do you expect me to do, bite him on the butt? You need to roll him over for me, okay? He weighs a ton, and I'm too weak to do it myself."

Shaking his head, Cooper did as I asked. First, he gave it a try from a standing position, but the Viking was lying too far into the middle of the mattress for him to get a good grip. Finally. the Were had to climb up on the bed with us to get some leverage, and even then it wasn't easy. "Now I know what they mean by dead weight!" Cooper grunted, "You weren't kidding! He _does _weigh a ton."

He finally got the vampire rolled onto his back. Immediately, I snuggled myself against Eric's side again. I was much too hot to want anything over me, but I felt like I should at least give the Gracious Plenty a little cover… not that Eric would give a rip about that, either. I was attempting to tug part of the sheet over the vampire's privates, when Cooper's phone began to ring. He jumped off the bed and jerked it out of his pocket. "Cooper here."

My bodyguard listened for a moment before answering, "Yes, we did… uh huh… yes, she's just about to… ah, okay. Hang on." He looked at me and said, "Robert says you need to drink from Eric's jugular. Apparently that's where you get the best blood flow when he's… you know… ah, dead for the day." In spite of himself, my tough-as-nails Were looked a little squeamish.

Well… shit. I had been planning on asking Cooper for his penknife, and making a discreet little slice on Eric's wrist. If I just _had_ to have an audience, it wouldn't seem so intimate that way. By this time, though, I knew what Robert had said was true… I really _couldn't_ wait any longer. My insides were burning so badly, I thought I might burst into flames at any minute. With a supreme effort, I slid my body up on top of Eric's. Hiking my gown out of the way, I straddled his hips to give myself a little balance. There was only one problem. I had used up the very last of my strength just getting into position. I was too weak to bite hard enough to draw blood. Resting my head on the vampire's still chest, I felt tears of helplessness come into my eyes.

Cooper must have realized something was wrong. Anxiously, he said, "Sook… what's the matter? What can I do?"

I whispered, "Use your knife. You'll have to cut him for me."

Without hesitation, Cooper said, "Okay. Uh, Robert, we're experiencing some technical difficulties here. I'm going to put the phone down for a minute."

Quick as a flash, the Were whipped out the super-sharp little penknife that he always carried. Leaning over the sleeping vampire, he made a short incision over the jugular. Instead of coming out in a spurt, Eric's blood welled up rather sluggishly and then started to trickle down his neck. Knowing how quickly the wound could close itself, I immediately put my mouth over it and began to suck. Clearly fascinated, Cooper watched for a minute before remembering he had left Robert on hold. He picked the phone up from the edge of the bed and calmly reported to the vampire on the other end, "Okay, it's a go."

A few seconds later, he reminded me, "Robert says to take as much as you can, even if it means making another hole."

That message was a complete waste of breath. After the very first mouthful of that wonderful, soothing liquid, Cooper was preaching to the choir. Tight as a tick, I latched on to the thick column of Eric's neck and sucked for all I was worth. The rest of the world faded away. There was only me and my vampire, and the magical, healing elixir of his blood. Every swallow of the cool, rich liquid seemed to douse the flames burning inside me. As it began to circulate throughout my system, I could literally feel my smoldering insides begin to heal from the inside out. The ringing in my ears stopped and the awful dizziness began to subside. Letting out a low moan of relief, I wriggled my way into a better position for feeding.

Of course, the vampire chose that very moment to rise for the day… in more ways than one.


	42. Chapter 42

_Author's notes: Charlaine Harris is the creator and sole owner of these characters. I am just borrowing them._

_**** I had a small technical glitch in the last chapter. There was a minor change that didn't make it into the final edit for some reason. Before Sookie leaves Valhalla, she realizes her fairy-cloth nightgown is too revealing. Instead of it becoming opaque, which was the first draft, she puts on Eric's silk shirt over her gown. That explains why she takes it off and hands it to Cooper when she gets into bed with Eric. Sorry about the confusion._

**Chapter 42**

**Eric's POV: The Garçonnière, Valhalla, just prior to first dark**

After the miraculous vision of our lake that my Bonded shared with me during my daily rest, I am so anxious to be with her that I manage to wake even earlier than usual. From the first moment of consciousness, my senses are completely overwhelmed by Fairy. For a moment, I lay quite still with my eyes closed, just to savor the amazing and totally unexpected sensations that surround me. Not only is the delicious scent of Fairy thick in the air, the luscious body of my Bonded is already lying atop mine. She must have gotten a little too much sun this afternoon, because she seems much hotter than usual. The heat from her body radiates through the sheer fabric of her fairy-cloth nightgown and seeps into my skin, warming me. Better yet, her hot little mouth is moving hungrily, almost frantically against my throat as she feeds. I can feel both her intense satisfaction and her yearning for more coming through our Bond. A moan of sheer pleasure comes from deep in her throat as her body writhes sensually over mine. Obviously, my lusty little Fairy was so overcome by her passion, she could not wait another second for me to wake.

This is my all-time favorite fantasy, come to life.

I am the luckiest vampire on Earth.

In response to Sookie's eagerness, I am instantly, almost painfully aroused, and completely consumed with the urgent need to give my woman what she so desperately desires. After the miracle she performed for me this afternoon, I have every intention of fulfilling her slightest whim tonight… and if that means making love to her from dusk 'til dawn, I am more than up to the task. I try my best to lie still for another moment, so as not to disturb her feeding; but the minute my unruly erection brushes against her smooth round bottom, it alerts her that I am awake. I expect to feel a burst of lust and anticipation from my randy little Fairy in response; however, what I actually do feel is a combination of guilt and embarrassment flashing through our Bond. Ah! My sweet Southern Belle must be slightly uncomfortable with her own strong appetites. This guess is partially confirmed when she abruptly stops feeding. Instead of raising her head and looking me in the eye, she buries her head in the crook of my neck and mutters apologetically, "Honey, I'm sorry I couldn't wait, but I…"

Before she can utter another word of her totally unnecessary apology, I press my mouth to hers in a passionate kiss. The taste of my blood on her lips nearly drives me past the edge of reason. In one fluid movement, I encircle her slender form with my arms, flip us over so that she is beneath me, and then bury myself to the hilt into my lover's fiery sheath. However, instead of the feeling of pure ecstasy I was expecting, shame and embarrassment blasts through our Bond. Sookie drags her mouth from under mine and whispers urgently in my ear, "Eric! Honey, not now! You've got to stop!"

What? My entire being is so focused on the intense pleasure created by our joining that her words fail to fully penetrate my lust-filled brain. As if on autopilot, my body continues to carry out the urgent task at hand. Suddenly, a strange force... one that is actually stronger than full-out lust... begins to tug at me. It is compelling me to be still. This is the first time I have experienced anything quite like it, and it takes me a moment to figure out just what it is. I am stunned to realize that it is Sookie. She so desperately wants me to stop, it is being passed through our Bond. For Sookie to be rejecting my attentions like this, something must be very, very wrong.

In a flash, my survival instincts rise to the surface. My body freezes into place as I belatedly use my senses to scan the room. Until this very night, I have never once awakened without thoroughly testing my environment before opening my eyes. It is such a deeply ingrained habit, I do it without conscious thought. I am ashamed to admit that tonight I was so engrossed in my Fairy that I was careless with our safety. I can only pray this is not a fatal error. The minute my body stops moving, Sookie makes a half-hearted attempt to wriggle out from under me; but instinctively I force her to be still, too. Until I can ascertain where the danger lies, I cannot allow her to move.

Now that I am on high alert, the first thing I notice is the unmistakable odor of over-heated Were. Without even turning my head, I know that he is quite near, because I can hear his breathing as well as his heart thumping along at an accelerated rate. Perhaps his scent did not trigger the proper responses because it is one that is quite familiar... and up until last night, trusted. It is the guard, Cooper. Whipping my head in his direction, I open my eyes and take a look. Sure enough, he is standing only a few feet from our bed, but seems to be clad in nothing but a pair of disreputable jeans! Sweat is glistening on his broad chest, and his face is red as a beet. From his startled expression, he was obviously not expecting me to rise quite so soon. What in the world is he doing in my resting chamber? No one knows the codes to the door but Sookie, so he must be here at her invitation… but for what purpose? A revolting thought comes skittering across my brain. Perhaps they were having sex right here next to me as I slept, and I awakened sooner than they expected. The minute the awful thought crosses my mind, I have to laugh at my own vivid imagination. _My_ Sookie, betray me in such a fashion… and with a lowly Werewolf? How absurd!

Besides, the Were seems to be in the middle of a phone conversation. Even from this distance, I can hear a voice coming from the cell phone in his hand. It is unmistakably Robert's voice, urgently asking, "_What_ did she say? Is something wrong? _Tell me what is happening_!"

What in the living HELL is going on here?

Immediately I raise myself up on my arms and stare down at Sookie. I am just about to demand that she explain this bizarre situation … but what I see shocks me into stunned silence. Now that I actually get a good look at her, I see that her skin looks strange, almost translucent, with a weird bluish-purple tint to it. Sookie returns my gaze with eyes that are dull and listless, with bruise-like shadows under them. Even though my erection is rapidly disappearing, we are still joined; and now I realize how abnormally hot her body temperature is. Immediately, I begin to curse myself soundly in three different languages. The sanitized version goes something like this: _Eric, you are an idiot and not worthy to be Sookie's Bonded! Her body is not overheated from a sunburn, but because she is ill! She was not feeding because you are so irresistible, but because she was trying to heal herself with your blood… and here you are, forcing yourself on her like an__ animal!_

As hastily as possible, I withdraw from my Bonded's body. Rolling over with my back to the guard, I shield Sookie's body with mine until I can pull a sheet over her. That nightgown leaves nothing to the imagination, and I know she is naturally modest… not to mention that I cannot bear for a warm-blooded man to lay eyes on what is mine… again. At least last night he and the rest of his pack were in wolf form. Grrr. I hope he realizes there _will_ be repercussions for last night's events… but I will deal with that issue later. Right now, I need to concentrate on my Bonded. Tenderly, I brush her hair back away from her forehead and lay my hand across her feverish brow. "Sookie, I am sorry. I had no idea that you were ill. What is wrong?"

She replies hoarsely "I had a close encounter with a fence." With that, she promptly closes her eyes and seems to fall into a light sleep.

A fence? What does she mean by that? Is she delirious? I am just about to question her Were, when I hear him murmuring into his phone, "The Boss is awake now… uh huh, she was. Yep, that's exactly what happened… Right. I don't think he is exactly thrilled to find me here…. Ah, okay."

I turn my head and watch Cooper as he approaches the bed. Somewhat warily, he offers me the phone. "Sir Robert wants to speak to you. He says it's urgent."

Giving the guard a chilly glare, I take the phone, hold it to my ear, and growl, "Yes?"

The first thing out of the Knight's mouth is, "If the situation were not so dire, my amorous friend, I would find it highly amusing."

Keeping my voice low so as not to wake my sleeping mate, I say to my brother, "Dire? What in the hell is going on? Do you know what is wrong with Sookie?"

"I think so," he replies calmly, "I believe she is suffering from iron poisoning."

"Iron poisoning!" I cry in alarm. Iron poisoning is fatal to Fairies! A sharp spike of fear pierces my chest. My strong reaction disturbs Sookie, who mutters and shifts uneasily in her sleep. Even though I am now beside myself with worry, I know that I must force myself to remain calm. Sitting up, I use my free hand to stroke her still feverish skin. This contact seems to sooth her, and she settles down. I am burning to know how this happened, but I am not about to waste precious time by asking unnecessary questions now. I trust my brother implicitly, and if he says Sookie has iron poisoning, I believe him. Right now, I _must_ focus on healing her. "All right, I understand. Do you have any idea of what to do?"

"Honestly, I am strictly going on instinct. Tell me how she is doing." He is not being polite, but asking for a precise assessment of her condition.

I give her a visual inspection and report back, "Her skin looks very strange. It is almost transparent and has an odd blue tint to it. The palms of her hands are dark purple, as if they have been deeply bruised. Also, her body temperature is considerably higher than normal. At the moment she is sleeping."

Cooper clears his throat to get my attention. "Excuse me, sir, but she actually looks better than she did before she… ah, drank your blood. I think it did her some good."

"That is a good sign, but I doubt she is out of the woods yet," Robert says thoughtfully, "I think the best course of action is to continue to dilute the iron as much as possible. Feed her again, and then we will talk."

Quickly tossing the phone on the bed, I pull Sookie across my lap and cradle her to my chest, waking her in the process. Instead of protesting, she burrows against my bare skin and sighs. In a small voice, she says, "Baby, your body feels _so _good," and then falls asleep again.

For once, I am grateful for my cooler body temperature, since it seems to bring my poor little Fairy some relief. I hate to disturb her, but if Robert is right, I need to get as much of my blood down her as I can. "Sookie. You have to wake up and feed," I urge her gently. Her eyes remain closed, but I know she has heard me because she responds with a little groan of protest. I can tell all she wants to do is to sleep, so I entice her by saying, "You want to please me, do you not? Now be a good girl and take just a little more."

Biting into my wrist, I put the resulting wound to Sookie's mouth. Obediently, she parts her lips and allows the healing fluid to flow into her mouth. The minute the taste hits her tongue, she latches on and begins to suck in earnest. The sensual tugging automatically triggers another erection, which I do my best to ignore. Now is definitely _not _the time. As she feeds, I rock my angel gently back and forth and croon to her in my native tongue. This seems to sooth her, and she manages to get down a fair amount of blood before the wound closes. Immediately, I open another spot on my wrist and give her more. Glancing over at the Were who is still hovering somewhat nervously nearby, I say, "There should be several bottles of TrueBlood in the refrigerator downstairs. Warm a few and bring them to me."

He gives a sharp nod of his head and immediately goes to do my bidding. Turning my attention back to Sookie, I watch her carefully as she nurses at my wrist. As the second wound closes, she sighs and instantly falls back asleep. Not willing to put her down even for a second, I reach out with my free hand and picked up the phone. As I expected, Robert is still on the line. "I got a fair amount down her this time," I report, "She seems to be doing better. Her temperature has gone down another notch or two, and her skin is beginning to look a bit more normal. I thought I would let her sleep a bit before giving her more."

"_Merci le Bon Dieu!_ I confess, I have not been so frightened in several centuries. To be here, thousands of miles away, unable to do a thing to help her… _Il a été agonie pure_!"

"Trust me, I was every bit as frantic," I assure him, "Robert, can you tell me what happened?"

"She came in prolonged contact with the wrought iron fence on the path to the lake," he explains, "Fortunately for all of us, I happened to be speaking to her on the phone when this occurred. I was able to summon her guard and order him to bring her directly to you. I hoped your blood would counteract the poison. That is one stubborn woman, my friend! She did not want to take from you while you were resting. I am afraid I had to get quite firm with her. The guard remained to make certain she actually did as she was instructed."

I try to make sense of this news. "But Robert… how can this be? Up until now, the only sensitivity Sookie has shown has been a slight allergy to lemons."

The Knight responds seriously, "I can only make an educated guess as to the reason. Clearly, the time she spent in the Portal awakened more of her Fairy characteristics. She seems to have accepted that part of herself, and is now practicing her magic without reservation. According to her, she has used a great deal of it quite recently. I believe this is precisely what is making her more vulnerable to the weaknesses inherent to the Fae."

"She has touched many items containing iron since she has been home," I say slowly, trying to reason this through, "What was it about this fence that caused such a reaction?"

"As you know, very few items contain pure iron any more, and most of them have a coating of some sort… paint, lacquer, and so forth. The gate she was touching with her bare hands is old, with a high iron content. Much of the paint has peeled off, exposing the metal and allowing it to rust. When Sookie ran her hands over the surface, she not only touched the bare metal directly, she also brought away tiny flecks of metal and rust which were easily absorbed through her skin… and that is what caused such a strong reaction."

Everything he says makes perfect sense. What on Earth is wrong with my thinking? The very minute I discovered she was developing an allergy to lemons, I should have predicted this very possibility. Mentally kicking myself, I say fervently, "Thank the gods you were speaking to her when this happened. Otherwise…" I trail off, unable to even say the words. I cannot repress a shudder, just thinking of the awful possibilities. Finding my voice again, I continue, "Once again, my brother, I find myself in your debt."

"Nonsense!" he says firmly, "How many times over the centuries have you come to my rescue? More than I can count. Besides, it is my duty to care for my Queen… even long distance. Our beloved little Fairy is a handful, no? That one needs more supervision than ten vampires could provide! It makes me long to hurry back to our nest, so I can lend a hand in keeping up with her."

Not long ago, if anyone but my brother had implied that I am incapable of caring for my Bonded without help, I might be quite angry… but given the recent chain of events, I have to admit he has a point. Perhaps that is why the Queen of Oklahoma insisted that we "keep our nest close." Clearly, it is going to take all of us to keep Sookie out of trouble! With great sincerity, I reply, "Frankly, I wish that you had never left. I know you love New York, but do not forget that you do have a home in Louisiana now, and a Queen that clearly needs you."

Robert sighs heavily. "I am devastated that I am not there now, but there are several outstanding contracts that I cannot put off any longer. I am on my way to the airport even as we speak, acting as currier between Ireland and Illinois. Still, I am only a phone call away. Please keep me informed of my Queen's progress."

After thanking him again and promising to keep him updated, I disconnect. By this time, Cooper has finally returned with a tray of TrueBloods. Over his arm are the clothes I left in the glade last night. He sets the tray on the bedside table and then lays the jeans and shirt on the foot of the bed. "I thought you might be wanting these," he says, "How's Sookie?"

Taking one of the bottles, I drain it before replying, "I think she is better. I am going to let her sleep a few more minutes before giving her more blood."

"Is there anything else I can do?" he offers, "Get her something to drink… call a doctor… anything?"

"No. Wait downstairs for further instructions."

As soon as he is gone, I reluctantly lay Sookie's sleeping form on the bed so that I can examine her more closely. Her color has improved slightly, but she still seems much too hot. In spite of what I just told the guard, I am concerned. The last time she had a fever and I gave her blood, her temperature went back to normal almost immediately. Even though she appears to be getting better, I have no intention of repeating past mistakes. I am going to call in the doctor for a consultation right away. Digging my phone out of the pocket of my jeans, I immediately place the call. After several rings, I hear a couple of clicks and then a young female voice dripping with boredom answers, "Hel-lo. This is Dr. Ludwig's answering service."

"This is Eric Northman. I wish to speak with the doctor. It is urgent."

The voice never changes inflection. "This is just the answering service."

"Yes, you said that. I need to speak to the doctor about one of her patients. This is an emergency."

Obviously reading from a script, she says, "Dr. Ludwig is unavailable at this time, sir. Would you care to leave a message?"

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I try to speak in words of one syllable so the young idiot can understand me, "No. I want to speak to the _doctor_. If she is not there, then give me her cell phone number so that I can reach her. This is an _emergency_."

"I'm sorry, sir, I can't give out that information. I can only give her your name when she checks in and have her return your call later."

Grrrr! Too bad glamour does not work through a telephone. I try the next best thing. Using my most persuasive voice, I ask politely, "May I ask your name?"

In a warmer tone, she replies, "Um… I guess so. This is Tammi... with an 'i'."

Does she actually think I care how she spells it? Holding back a growl, I say smoothly, "Tammi. What a lovely name. Tammi, have you been working for Dr. Ludwig long?"

"Not really. I just moved here from Ohio."

No wonder she did not recognize my name. After tonight, she will never forget it. "Ah, I see. Tell me, Tammi, are you warm-blooded?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course I'm warm-blooded!"

"Well, not everyone is, you know." Lowering my voice another notch, I say intimately, "You _have_ heard of vampires, have you not?"

"Well, duh! I work for a doctor that runs a clinic for Supes!" she says coquettishly, "Why? Are _you_ a vampire?"

"Yes, I am," I admit, "In fact, I suppose you could say I'm not just _any_ vampire, but _the_ vampire in this territory."

Giving a little giggle, she asks, "What, are you like the King or something?"

"You are a very perceptive young lady. That is precisely what I am, the vampire King of Louisiana and Arkansas." Suddenly, my voice has an unmistakable edge to it. "Now that we are clear on who I am, I want you to get in touch with Dr. Ludwig right away. Tell her to call Eric Northman immediately. This is regarding my wife, Sookie."

Stubbornly, she says, "But I'm not supposed to…"

Without giving her time to finish, I continue, "If Dr. Ludwig does _not_ return my call in a timely manner, I am going to find out where you live and pay you a visit, young Tammi with an 'i'; and believe me, you will NOT find it pleasant. Are we clear?"

Apparently, there are at least one or two brain cells operational inside that thick skull of hers, because she squeaks, "Ah… yes, sir, Mr. Northman… I mean, Your Highness! I'll do it right away."

In her haste, she forgets to say goodbye before disconnecting. While waiting for the call back, I pull on my jeans and gulp down another TrueBlood. Even though the liquid no longer tastes spoiled as it did during the Bonding Sickness, it is barely palatable compared to my Bonded's fantastic blood. However, since I intend to give Sookie more of my own fluids soon, I must replenish myself. I am just reaching for the last bottle when the phone rings. It is Dr. Ludwig.

"Well, well, Your Majesty," drawls the raspy voice of the diminutive healer. "It seems that you _can_ teach an old dog new tricks. Obviously, you took my advice about calling me to heart… even if you _did_ manage to scare my answering service half to death doing it. So, Viking, what seems to be wrong with your little telepath now?"

Managing to quell my irritation at her usual disrespectful manner, I explain the situation. For a moment, there is silence on the line and then she says, "Hmm. It is a good thing the Knight kept his wits about him, otherwise she might not have survived this long. I had better come and take a look. Where are you?"

I tell her the location of Valhalla, and Ludwig responds, "Fortunately, I have been delivering a Werewolf cub not too far from you. A full moon frequently brings on labor in the two-natured, you know. I will finish up here and then come straight to the Residence."

Knowing that it will be faster if she does not have to traipse through the woods to get here, I ask, "Is it safe to move Sookie? We are not at the main house."

"I doubt moving her will make any difference one way or the other. When you get her home, give her some more blood. Hopefully, that will keep her stable until I arrive. I will see you soon."

That statement sounded somewhat… ominous. Instantly, my anxiety level ratchets up another notch. Before I can say another word, however, I find that the irritating healer has already disconnected. Anxious now to get my Bonded home, I go to the large armoire across the room and swing open the long doors. Inside are several new outfits for both myself and Sookie. Selecting a clean shirt, I slip it on and then pull out one of the matching robes I ordered especially for our cottage. Going to the bed, I stare down at my sleeping wife. She looks so tiny against all the pillows… so fragile. I hate to wake her, but I must. Stroking her face, I say softly, "Beloved, I am going to take you back to Valhalla now. Dr. Ludwig is going to come by and take a look at you."

Ever so slowly, Sookie's eyes come open. Reaching up, she touches the side of my face with her fingertips, as if to reassure herself that I am real. "Eric?"

"Yes, my angel."

"Robert said I had iron poisoning. Am I going to die?" I can feel her intense fear as strongly as if it is my own. Perhaps it _is_ my own. Before I know it, I have swept her in my arms and find myself practically crushing her to my chest. "No! Of course you are not going to die! My blood is going to heal you. Dr. Ludwig is merely coming by for my peace of mind."

She sighs heavily, as if she does not really believe me. Resting her head against my chest, she says, "I'm sorry I touched the fence. It was really dumb. I just wasn't thinking."

"Shhh. That isn't important now."

Sookie looks up and gives me a crooked little smile, "I had lots of great plans for tonight. I can't believe I screwed them up."

"We can do them another time. Right now we have to concentrate on making you better."

To keep her from getting chilled in the night air, I slip her robe over her thin gown. Noticing the new robe, she asks, "Where did this come from?"

"I had some matching ones made to keep here, along with some other new clothes for both of us. Juanita stored them in the armoire."

"Huh. It never occurred to me to look in there. I should have known you would have thought of everything."

In no time, I have her ready to travel. Carrying her downstairs, I find her Were pacing back and forth like a caged animal. The minute he sees us, he comes to a halt. "Is she all right?"

I slow down long enough to reply, "I am taking her home so Dr. Ludwig can check her out. She is going to be fine."

Sookie rolls her head in his direction and says weakly, "Hey, Coop. Thanks for all the help. Uh… would you mind going back to the gate and getting our stuff? I hate for it to stay out there all night."

"Of course. I'll bring it right up."

As we are going out the door, I toss him one last set of instructions, "Call the guards at the front gate. Tell them to escort Dr. Ludwig to the house as soon as she arrives."

After stepping off the porch, I glance down at Sookie and ask, "Are you up for a little flying? It is the quickest way home."

"Okay. Just don't drop me. I doubt even vampire blood could fix that."

I find it a good sign that she has enough strength to tease me. Lightly, I respond, "Not a chance."

It takes very little time to get Sookie back to Valhalla. I start to carry her down to our chamber, but to my surprise she protests. "I know you hate people knowing where you rest, and so do I. Let's go upstairs, okay? We can try out the yellow room. Maybe after the doctor leaves, we can get around to christening it." She gives me a wink and a tired smile.

Seeing the wisdom in her words, I carry my wife up to the bedroom at the far end of the east wing. I have hardly given this particular room more than a cursory glance, but now I see that it suits Sookie perfectly. Our underground chamber was furnished before our engagement in much the same manner as the rest of my homes; consequently, it has a streamlined, distinctly masculine air about it. This room is the exact opposite: charming, elegant, and warm, just like the mistress of the house.

Pulling back the comforter, I slip Sookie out of her robe and settle her on the large, comfortable new bed. Even this short trip has clearly exhausted her, and her temperature seems to have risen again. She does not even try to argue when I offer her more blood; but she literally falls asleep before the wound closes. After carefully tucking her in, I go back downstairs to greet the doctor I open the front door and step out on the porch, only to find Sookie's Were sitting on the front steps. He springs to his feet and asks, "Did she make the trip all right? I brought your things."

He indicates a couple of bags near the door. I give him a chilly stare. This is the first opportunity I have had to confront him about his pack's actions last night in the glade. Before I can even open my mouth, however, he looks me directly in the eye and says, "I imagine you are not too thrilled about what happened last night. I guess to you it seemed like we were all biting the very hand that feeds us… so to speak. You would be well within your rights to fire every one of us… but before you do, I want to point out that when you hired us, you made it clear that our first priority was to guard Sookie from any and all threats. As I see it, that is exactly what we were doing."

Crossing my arms across my chest, I stand in frosty silence while turning this issue over in my mind. Most vampire Kings would destroy every last one of them for their show of aggression. At the very least, I really should terminate their employment… but Cooper's words have made me reconsider. He lowers his voice another notch and says softly, "After last night, the entire pack holds your wife in higher regard than ever, and we will do our best to keep her safe whether we are on your payroll or not. You can't buy that kind of loyalty."

As much as I hate to admit it, everything he said is valid. Besides that, I have a feeling that Sookie would be extremely upset if I replaced all her Weres, and particularly this one. Truth be told, I have come to rely on him myself. Still, it is not in my nature to forgive and forget so easily. "I will think it over," I tell him, "Until then, I expect everyone to report for duty tomorrow as usual. You are free to go for now."

"Uh… if it's all the same to you, sir, I would just as soon hang around just in case you need me."

Before I can reply, the sound of a vehicle coming up the road catches my attention. It is about time the doctor made an appearance! Soon one of the Royal Guards comes jogging up the driveway closely followed by a long black limousine. It comes to a stop in front of the house and a liveried driver gets out, runs around the car and opens the rear door. The diminutive form of the healer pops out, and in one hand is a satchel nearly as large as she is. Dr. Ludwig takes a slow look around the house and the grounds, and her gaze finally comes to rest on me. I am amused to see that she looks somewhat surprised. Never one for small talk, she gets straight to the point, "Where's our patient?"

"Come with me."

I escort her into the house. Her sharp eyes take in the beauty of the foyer, with its enormous, glowing chandelier, and the elegant twin staircases sweeping up either side of the room. Shaking her head in wonder, the healer says, "I must say, this is not at all what I was expecting."

I am probably going to be sorry I asked, but I cannot seem to help myself. "Oh? What were you expecting?"

"Ha! After visiting that atrocity you call a bar, I imagined it would be a cross between a Disneyland version of Dracula's castle and the Playboy Mansion. This is really lovely."

"I am so glad you approve," I respond dryly. "Right this way."

I lead her up the right-hand staircase and down the long hallway to Sookie's bedroom. Dr. Ludwig goes straight to the bed where Sookie lies sleeping. It may only be a trick of the light, but it seems as if the strange blue tint to Sookie's skin has become more pronounced even in the short amount of time I have been absent. The tiny healer tosses her satchel up on the mattress, clambers up after it, and then perches on the edge with her feet dangling off the side. First, she takes a good long look at my Bonded. Her sharp gaze misses nothing, including the new Sunrise Necklace and Sookie's highly unusual fairy-cloth nightgown. Taking Sookie's hands, the healer carefully examines her oddly colored palms. At her touch, Sookie awakens with a start. Giving the doctor a small smile, she says politely, "Hi, Dr. Ludwig. Thanks for coming to see me."

"You have your vampire to thank for that. He finally showed some sense and called me in before he had a chance to screw things up too badly," the healer responds with the barest hint of a twinkle in her eye. "Now, obviously you have been through some changes since last I saw you. The Second Bond with the Viking hurried things up a bit, eh? I hear you now have a little magic."

Sookie nods. Ludwig says, "I'm not surprised, not surprised at all. Now, Missy, what on Earth possessed you to lay your bare hands directly on iron? Did you imagine your new gifts didn't come with a price tag? Well, never mind. Let me take a look at you."

For the next few minutes, she examines Sookie carefully while asking her detailed questions. First, she removes a small flashlight out of her bag and looks in Sookie's eyes, ears, and mouth. Laying the light to one side, she takes Sookie's arm and gives it one long swipe with her tongue. Shaking her head and muttering to herself, she pulls back the covers, scoots down to Sookie's feet and gives each sole one good lick. As much as I dislike seeing anyone touch my Bonded so intimately, I know this is necessary. As for Sookie, her feet are very sensitive and normally she would be giggling and pulling away, but now she does not even so much as twitch. Again, Ludwig reaches into her bag and this time she pulls out a glass vial, a small bottle of liquid, and a lancet. She pierces one of Sookie's toes and allows a few drops of her precious blood to drip into the vial. After adding a few drops of the clear liquid, she swirls it around and watches it closely. Almost immediately, the mixture turns a vivid shade of blue.

Pursing her mouth, Ludwig gives another shake of her head. Her eyes go to Sookie's face and for a brief moment, I think I see pity in them. Thankfully, Sookie has closed her eyes so she does not see this. One of us being frightened is enough... but I am quick to get my emotions back under control. My Bonded has enough to deal with without worrying about my emotional state. Too late, though… Sookie's eyes pop open and she gives me a worried look. Addressing the doctor, she asks hoarsely, "So… am I going to be okay?"

In her usual blunt way, Dr. Ludwig replies, "That depends. You are a very sick Fairy. After that sort of prolonged exposure, a full-blooded Fae would have succumbed almost immediately. If you hadn't had a vampire on tap, you probably wouldn't have survived this long. Unfortunately, diluting the poison only goes so far. As long as the iron remains in your system, the poisoning will get progressively worse. "

Now fear and confusion is coming from Sookie in waves. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I put my arms around my frightened wife and pull her close. I try my best to send her strength through our Bond, which seems to help calm her.

"It may interest you to know that even humans can suffer from a form of iron poisoning known as haemochromatosis," Ludwig continues, "A good percentage of them are of Celtic origin... and not coincidentally, also tend to have a Fae relative somewhere in the remote branches of the family tree. Usually, this condition can be treated by chelation. A chemical agent is administered which bonds with the iron and then both are expelled through normal bodily functions. Unfortunately, Sookie's organs are too already too damaged for this to work."

"Surely there is another treatment!" I exclaim.

"Yes, there is... but it is not without risk. The only way to get rid of that iron is to remove most of the contaminated blood and replace it with fresh, iron-free blood. At that point, the magic in your blood can begin to heal her organs. Once they are working properly again, I can give her a solution that will cause her to expel what remains of the iron."

Sookie gasps, "Replace most of my blood? Isn't that a little… extreme?"

"Not if you want to live."

Sookie lays her head back against my chest and says indignantly. "Of course I want to live. We just got married! Whatever you have to do, just do it."

I am relieved beyond words to find that there _is_ a treatment. "I presume this will require specialized equipment. Will you bring it here, or will it be necessary to take Sookie to your clinic?"

Dr. Ludwig chuckles as if I have said something highly amusing. "Are you seriously asking me if we need special equipment to drain a body? Unless you've lost your touch, vampire, I'd say those rather impressive fangs are all the equipment we need… except for the replacement blood. I'm afraid _that_ is going to be somewhat problematic."

Sitting straight up, Sookie gasps, "Drain me! Now just wait a minute! I thought you were talking about dialysis or something!"

"What's the matter, little girl, don't you trust your vampire? According to lore, your Bond will not allow him to drain you completely."

"Of course I trust him!" Sookie retorts indignantly, "But the idea of being drained is not very appealing, no matter how we go about it."

Stroking Sookie's back to sooth her, I tell the doctor, "I fail to see why the replacement blood should be an issue. I realize that I cannot supply her with all that she needs, but surely you keep a decent supply of human blood on hand for emergencies. Sookie's is a common blood type."

"Not anymore." Ludwig holds up the small vial and taps it with a fingertip. "The Fairy component in your Bonded's blood is now much too strong to risk using ordinary human fluid as a replacement. Her body will most surely reject it. Now, I once told you that I thought I knew who her people were, but you never confirmed it. This is not the time to be coy. Is she a Brigant?"

I realize this must be critical information, or she would not be pushing the issue. I have no choice but to tell her, and besides... Ludwig is disrespectful and irritating but known to be completely discreet. Before I can answer her, though, Sookie does it for me. "Yes, I am a daughter of the Royal House. Why?"

"It makes things even more difficult. All Fae blood is finicky, but the Brigant line is the worst of the lot. Because it is the Royal bloodline, not just any Fairy donor will do. Your best chance at total recovery is if at least a quarter of what you require comes from blood relatives. Vampires are universal donors and can make up the balance."

Sookie is silent for a moment. I think she is merely taking the time to think the situation over, but then she says weakly, "Eric, honey, could you give Claudine a call? I seem to be having a little sinking spell…" There is no doubt that her temperature is rising again. I can feel it radiating from her skin in waves.

Dr. Ludwig gives her a piercing look and then orders me, "Give her a little more blood. It will help keep her comfortable while you make the arrangements."

Immediately I do as instructed. Once again, Sookie falls asleep even before the wound closes. Ludwig watches this with absolutely no expression on her face. As soon as Sookie is out, the doctor says softly, "She should sleep for a little while."

Steeling myself for the answer, I ask the physician in a low voice, "How long do we have?"

"It is hard to say. Even with your blood, she will get progressively worse unless the iron is removed. I suppose that if we did nothing at all, she might last an hour or two past dawn... so why are you wasting time? You have some phoning to do, and in the meantime, I could use a drink. I don't suppose this Residence has such a thing as a bar?"

After giving my wrist a lick to seal it, I slip out from behind my sleeping wife and then pull the sheet back over her. I assist the doctor off the bed and escort her down the stairs, fully expecting to hand her off to Juanita... until I remember that it is Sunday and the housekeeper has the weekend off. Damn the woman! I have come to rely on her, and when I need her most she is nowhere to be found! Robert has been lecturing me incessantly about the need for on-premises staff, and I am beginning to see the wisdom of his advice. Making a slight detour, I poke my head out the front door. Just as he promised, Sookie's Were is waiting faithfully on the front porch. I call him inside. "Cooper, take Dr. Ludwig and get her a drink, and then keep her company while I make a few calls."

Although he has combed his thick hair back into its normally neat condition, he is still barefoot and shirtless. He glances down at himself and replies, "Ah... I'm not exactly dressed for company. Maybe I should run back to the trailer and get some clothes. It will only take a few minutes."

Before I can respond, Dr. Ludwig looks him over like a cattleman sizing up a prize bull. With a gleam in her eye, she says dryly, "Totally unnecessary as far as I am concerned. Now, young man, I could never manage to keep up with you and those long legs of yours. How about a lift?" She holds her arms up to him expectantly.

Cooper blinks a couple of times but then does as he is told. Easily swinging the diminutive healer into his arms, he heads off in the direction of the bar. As they disappear down the hall I hear her telling him, "I have a great interest in historic homes. After you pour me a nice stiff scotch, maybe you could give me a tour..."

If the situation were not so dire, I would find this quite amusing; and in fact, I no longer feel the need to devise a suitable punishment for Cooper's misdeeds. Having to deal with that highly unattractive and seriously irritating female is penance enough to cover a multitude of sins. Shaking my head, I step into my library to make my calls.

Although I was careful to conceal it, Dr. Ludwig's estimate of how long we have until Sookie succumbs to the poisoning has raised my anxiety level tremendously. Fortunately, any of the Fae relatives can be here in an instant, so treatment can begin right away. The first Fairy on my list is Sookie's cousin, Claudine. I know that she will do whatever it takes to help Sookie, and in fact I am somewhat surprised that she has not turned up already. She usually comes running when Sookie's life is threatened in any way. Seating myself at my desk, I dial her number; but my call goes directly to voice mail. After leaving a message explaining the issue, I reluctantly dial the number for the Prince. The voice that answers is familiar, and I realize it is the same Fairy who showed me a bit of compassion while Sookie and I were separated. "This is Eric Northman. I wish to speak to the Prince."

"Your Majesty, I regret to inform you that the Prince is unavailable."

Perhaps Niall is avoiding my calls because he thinks I am going to demand reparations for the earlier unpleasantness. I hasten to make myself clear. "I really _must_ speak to him. Sookie is quite ill. She has iron poisoning and needs a blood transfusion immediately. Apparently her chances of recovery are better if the donor is a relative. I have been unable to reach her cousin Claudine."

"Iron poisoning!" the man gasps, "What dreadful news! I am so sorry to tell you this, sir, but the Prince and the Lady Claudine are in the Realm. Unfortunately, there is no way to communicate with them there."

This really _is _bad news. I jump to my feet and begin pacing. The distress in his voice clear, the Prince's secretary continues, "If I could, I would go there myself and fetch him, but there have been some... issues here, and His Highness has cut off access between the Realm and the Portal for the time being. There is no way of knowing how long they will be there."

Trying to remain calm, I ask, "You only mentioned Niall and Claudine... what about Claude? Is he with them?"

He hesitated slightly before answering, "No, sir. Claude is definitely in your world. I suspect he is either at home or at his club." I detect the slightest hint of disapproval in his voice. Apparently, vampires are not the only beings who find Claude less than charming.

Hopefully, I inquire, "There aren't perhaps any _other_ relatives that we might call upon to help Sookie?"

Once again, there is a brief hesitation. "No... I am afraid not. I will let Niall know the very instant he becomes available. Please keep me informed of Her Grace's progress."

After a few more words, we disconnect. I have to suppress a serious urge to hurl my cell phone across the room. Once again, I find myself in the infuriating position of having to beg a favor from the odious Claude. However, this time I am not asking for myself, but for Sookie. Surely once he understands the seriousness of the situation, he will come to her aid without hesitation. Before placing the call, I count to three... and then to ten. It does not do a bit of good. Swallowing back my animosity, I hit "send". After only three rings, the Fairy answers. I begin, "Claude, this is Eric Northman. I..."

Without even giving me an opportunity to explain the purpose of my call, he says forcefully, "You! Why in the hell are _you_ calling me? Haven't you caused me enough trouble? I never want to hear your voice again!"

"Claude, please! Sookie needs you. She is ve..."

Interrupting me in mid-sentence, he shouts, "Fuck you, vampire! It's because of you and Sookie that I'm in trouble. I don't care _what_ you want! NEVER CALL ME AGAIN!" His statement is punctuated with a loud click.

It takes every ounce of will-power I possess to not panic.

I suppose I could try to find Claude and reason with him in person, but locating a Fairy who does not wish to be found is a fool's game. There _has_ to be another way out of this disaster. There _must_ be a way to get through to Niall... but his secretary sounded very sure about that point. Surely there must be another relative, perhaps not even a full-Fae but a hybrid like Sookie... Oh! What on Earth am I thinking? I have been so intent on finding Sookie's Fae relatives, I have forgotten all about her own brother Jason! He may not have inherited the family magic, but otherwise he _is_ genetically very similar to Sookie... perhaps there is enough Fairy in his blood to work!

Immediately, I go in search of Ludwig. I find her in the family room, getting Cooper to hold her up so that she can examine Faeryn's painting more closely. In as little detail as possible, I explain that none of Sookie's Fae relatives are currently available, and then ask the physician about the possibility of using Jason as a donor. She thinks for a minute, tapping one stubby finger on her bottom lip. "Actually, I am acquainted with her brother... his woman is about to give birth any day now. Hmm. Even though he is now were-panther and obviously has very little Fairy in him, he might do. I suppose he is the best option we have at this point."

"Best option?" I say bitterly, "Isn't he our _only_ option?"

"I never said that. I said that having a relative as a donor was her _best_ chance, not her _only_ one. If we have no other choice, it is possible to use nothing but vampire blood."

"What? If we can do that, why are we waiting?" As much as I dislike the thought of _any_ vampire giving her blood again, I will do what is necessary to ensure Sookie's survival. I was going to have to call on Bill and Pam anyway, to make up the balance of what we need. Most vampires are very reluctant to share their blood, but there is no doubt that Bill will give his to Sookie willingly; and more importantly, I believe she will take it without argument. As for Pam, even if she is less than thrilled, I can compel her to do it. If it turns out that Jason cannot donate, I can have both of my Lieutenants here in a half-hour, and then this nightmare will be over.

Giving me an exasperated look, Ludwig snaps, "Because there are much greater risks associated with using pure vampire blood, of course. Even though you will not be draining her completely, if you replace what is lost with nothing but your blood, it is entirely possible that you might accidentally turn her. I presume if that was an acceptable option, you would have done it already."

"Turn her! I thought the Second Bond would not allow that to happen without her express consent."

The healer shrugs. "With a normal Twice-Bonded vampire and human, that is supposedly the case... but who knows what could happen with a Fairy? In any event, _you_ will not be the only vampire involved in this exchange. It is possible that another vampire's blood could trigger the change; therefore, I would choose the other donors very carefully. Any one of them could turn out to be your wife's Maker."

Completely stunned by this news, all I can do is stare at her. I must look as dazed as I feel, because Ludwig chuckles and says, "Cheer up, vampire! Not many have the luxury of choosing their own in-laws... and besides, we may still be able to get some blood from that half-wit brother of hers."

Clearly our opinions of Sookie's brother are the same. The very idea that he may turn out to be the savior in this situation is too ironic for words. For the first time since meeting him, I am quite anxious to see him again. During the recent unpleasantness, Bill had loaded all the numbers from Sookie's cell phone into mine, so without further ado I locate Jason's number and place the call. Within two rings he answers cockily, "Hello. Stackhouse here."

I never thought I could feel such relief at hearing this particular redneck voice. Not about to make the same mistake I did with Claude, I forgo the formalities and get straight to the point. "Jason, Sookie is very ill. She needs you."

There is a slight pause and then a cautious, "Ah... Eric?"

"Yes. You need to come to our home right away."

Clearly he senses the urgency of the situation by the tone of my voice. To his credit and my utter amazement, he never even hesitates. "Uh... okay, sure. If Sook needs me, I'll come as soon as I can... but ah... I'm out on a job. Which house are you at?"

"Valhalla... the one closest to Bon Temps. Are you familiar with its location?"

He replies, "Yes, I think so. I'm pretty far away, but tell her I'll be there as soon as I can. By the way, what's the matter with her?"

Knowing that it is best to have that conversation in person, I reply, "There is no time to discuss it now. Please hurry."

Before he has a chance to question me further, I disconnect and then immediately call the guards at the front gate to tell them to admit Stackhouse. Now that he is on his way, I have done all that I can in that direction... but I have other very important decisions to make in the event his blood is not viable. As much as I want to rush upstairs and be with Sookie, it is essential that I take a few minutes to get my thoughts in order. Suddenly, it occurs to me that while making my calls, I have been pacing in circles. Coming to an abrupt halt, I turn to face the other occupants of the room.

Dr. Ludwig is watching me with curiosity, as if she is studying a new species of animal at the local zoo. Being very well trained, Cooper has not uttered a single word, but for once his expression gives away his emotions. He is clearly horrified that his Mistress may soon join the ranks of the undead... and that her best hope of avoiding that outcome depends on her worthless brother Jason. The Were looks me in the eye and asks pointedly, "Do you want me to go get him?"

"He claims to be out working, so there is no way of determining where he is. However, I think he cares enough about his sister to come to her aid without persuasion."

Cooper nods reluctantly. Clearly, he does not trust Jason; but beyond that, the burly Were is still patiently holding Dr. Ludwig in his arms and would no doubt be glad to be assigned another task. Too bad. He is doing what I need him to do... keeping the doctor occupied while I get my thoughts in order. Addressing her, I say, "Dr. Ludwig, I have one or two more calls to make, and I am uneasy leaving Sookie by herself any longer. Cooper will take you upstairs so that you can check on her. I should not be long."

I think the Were realizes that I need some time alone. Without waiting for the doctor to agree, he starts for the stairs. I follow them as far as my library. Stepping inside, I slide the doors shut then go straight to my chair and sink into it. Leaning my head back against the cool leather, I close my eyes and let out a huge sigh. I wonder if I have in some way offended the gods. Why is this awful thing happening to us, just as Sookie and I have finally put the past behind us? I know full well that in situations like this, asking such questions is a waste of time and energy, but I cannot seem to help myself. I also know that for the next few hours, I must remain rigidly in control of both my emotions and the situation. One thing I have learned over the centuries is that cold logic is far superior to fear in the decision-making process. I cannot let my heart make decisions that my head should be making, so I forcefully shove all sentiment aside and begin to apply my intellect.

First and foremost, I must decide how I truly feel about the issue of Sookie being turned. I used to dream of the day I could make her vampire; but as our love blossomed, I realized that I _enjoyed_ her being alive. At that point, the issue became one of practicality. She is mortal and I am not. How could I bear to give her up to death after only a few short years? Then came the revelation that due to the combination of her Fairy heritage and my ancient blood, she would live many centuries. At that point, I relaxed a bit. I felt it would give me time to search for a way to make her immortal _without_ turning her. In the event my search was unsuccessful, I was going to wait as long as possible before bringing her over. Now I have to ask myself: If I was planning on turning her eventually anyway, why do I find myself so distressed?

The answer is obvious. I have come to cherish my little Fairy-human hybrid exactly as she is. In spite of our differences, I think ours is the perfect relationship. To my surprise, I find the idea of all her beautiful light being extinguished by the darkness of a vampire's soul to be quite revolting. There is something within her very being that soothes me, that makes me want to be a better husband... a better vampire... a better king; and of course there is no way of knowing what effect being turned might have on her personality. She is so much a part of me that if she turns dark, I may well follow the same path... which will definitely not be good for our kingdom.

On the other hand, if she were to become vampire, I could quit constantly worrying about her dying _before_ I could turn her... which would be a huge relief. I was once concerned that her love for me might not survive her transition, but now I think that even death could not sever our Bond. When and if the time comes, we will be one of those very rare vampire couples who _do_ stay together for all eternity. Another plus: at that point, she truly will be a vampire Queen and no vampire anywhere will dare question her authority.

So... although I vastly prefer my wife alive and will do everything in my power to keep her that way, I am mentally prepared to accept the alternative. Ludwig was right about one thing: if there is even the slightest chance that another vampire could turn out to be Sookie's Maker, I must choose the donor carefully. The very notion that someone else could share that sacred relationship with my Bonded is unpleasant to put it mildly; but as the disrespectful physician so gleefully pointed out, at least I can decide who it might be. In spite of the added complications it represents, I intend to allow only one other donor.

Of course, the field of candidates is quite small. Sookie herself would no doubt prefer it to be Bill. In a way, he is the obvious choice, since he already shares a blood tie with her... but the Maker-child relationship is much closer. Even though I have come to trust him, I am not sure that I could tolerate him having that level of control over my Bonded. Ironically, another strike against him is that he might not have _enough_ control over her. As a newly made vampire, my willful little spitfire would no doubt be quite the handful and would need an iron hand to keep her in line. She would walk all over Bill in an instant.

This brings me to Pam. Since she is my progeny, I can control her... so by extension, I could also maintain control of Sookie. Unfortunately, my child is quite self-centered and does not have a nurturing bone in her body. By her own admission, she has never wanted any children and thinks she would be a terrible Maker, and I definitely have to agree.

If only my brother Robert were here! He has stood by me for over nine hundred years and I trust him implicitly. He is ancient, smart, ruthless, and well-respected among our kind. Beyond that, he is an experienced Maker, and his children have turned out to be very successful vampires. He knows Sookie and is devoted to her. He has already offered on more than one occasion to turn her for me, so I know he is willing. Clearly, then, the Knight would be the perfect choice... but getting him here in time might prove to be impossible.

In addition to choosing the proper donor, I have yet another serious dilemma. In the past, Sookie has adamantly refused to even consider the idea of being made vampire. What if the mere possibility is enough to make her refuse treatment? If it turns out that her brother's blood is unacceptable, do I risk telling her of what might happen... or not?

I have vowed to keep no more secrets, but can I trust her to make the right choice? She is young and impetuous and inexperienced. I am none of those things. At my age, I can see the bigger picture in a way she cannot. As her Bonded, should not such an important decision be made by me? As much as my father adored my mother, he would have made the choice for the both of them and never looked back.

… but I am not my father. I gave Sookie my word. I _must _honor it.

Of course, that does not mean that I cannot arrange things to ensure the proper outcome. I spend a few more minutes deep in thought. Eventually, I pick up the phone and make three more calls, the first being to Wanda, the Queen of Oklahoma.

Afterwards, I head straight upstairs to check on Sookie. The Bond tells me that she is still asleep, but I need to be with her anyway. I am on my way towards her bedroom when I see Cooper slipping through the doorway. In his hand is an empty crystal glass. Holding it aloft, he explains, "I've been sent for a refill. For such a small person, Dr. Ludwig sure can put away the whiskey. I thought doctors weren't supposed to drink on duty."

"Her kind has an amazing capacity for hard liquor. The last time Pam called her in to care for one of her pe... ah, human companions, Ludwig drank an entire bottle of scotch in a couple of hours. The only discernible effect was that she was fractionally less surly than usual. Give her all she wants. Now tell me, how is Sookie?"

"Frankly, her color seems to be getting worse," Cooper stares down at the floor. I can tell he is uneasy about something. Lowering his voice, he says, "Ah... I know you may not think it's my place to ask this, but... if it turns out that her brother can't be a donor, and you have to use nothing but vampire blood, are you going to tell Sookie about what could happen?"

Normally I would tell him to mind his own business, but instead I decide to reward his loyalty to his Mistress with the truth. "Yes, I am."

My answer seems to surprise him. The Were absorbs the information and then asks, "If she says no, are you going to do it anyway?"

Ah... there is the rub. How can I be truthful when I do not know the answer myself? As I hesitate, he says quietly, "I never thought I'd say this... but if she says no, I hope you make her do it anyway. It sounds like there's only a small chance of things going wrong, and besides... I'd much rather she be like you than to be really dead." Without another word, he stomps off in the direction of the stairs.

Well, well, well. Sometimes support comes from completely unexpected sources. Shaking my head, I continue towards the bedroom. Stepping inside, my gaze goes straight to Sookie. Cooper is right, her color _is_ a bit worse. The doctor is sitting in one of the comfortable chairs at the other end of the room. Without me having to ask, she reports, "Your Bonded is doing as well as can be expected. How long will it be until her brother arrives?"

"I am not certain. He was unsure how long it might take him to get here."

At the sound of my voice, Sookie begins to move restlessly. I go to the bed and sit beside her, laying my palm across her feverish forehead. Her eyes flutter open and she gives me a weak smile. "Hi, honey. Did you get a hold of Claudine? Is she coming?"

I refuse to upset her by informing her of Claude's reaction, so I merely report, "No. The Fairies are inaccessible at the moment... but your brother Jason was available and will be here soon."

"Oh. How funny. I never thought of Jason... but he doesn't know anything about the whole Fairy thing. What are we going to tell him?"

This is rather a thorny problem. After thinking it over, I reply, "Perhaps it would be best to tell him that you have discovered you have a little Fairy blood but that you do not know any other details."

"He's my brother, Eric! I don't want to lie to him... but I know Jason. It's going to hurt his feelings something awful if he finds out that our new family doesn't want to have anything to do with him."

How like my tender-hearted wife. Even as sick as she is, she still worries about everyone around her. "Sookie... Jason was raised by your grandmother Adele, just as you were. He is probably stronger than you think. My main concern is that _you_ are not distressed by this. Tell him as much or as little as you wish, or better yet... allow me to handle it. I do not mind lying to him in the slightest."

"Eric! I can't believe you just said that! Um... couldn't we just avoid telling him about the Fairy thing altogether? Dr. Ludwig could just say that I need a blood transfusion from a family member, but not say why."

Dr. Ludwig, who has been avidly following this conversation, says dryly, "My dear Fairy, do you _really_ think you can conceal what you are? Even _your_ brother is bound to notice that your skin is turning blue... and you had better pick another nightgown. It's a _dead_ giveaway." She gives a snort of amusement at her own pun.

Sookie mutters something quite unladylike under her breath. Ignoring her, the healer changes the subject by saying, "Your Were must have gotten lost with my drink. All brawn and no brains, I suppose... of course, with that body, who cares about brains? But really... where on Earth are your other servants? Most monarchs have droves of them."

Somewhat defensively, Sookie replies, "We wanted some privacy, so we gave most of the staff the weekend off. We weren't expecting company."

"Is that so? Well, in that case I suppose I'll just have to help myself," Dr. Ludwig hops out of her chair and walks towards the door. "There is nothing I can do until the cavalry arrives, anyway. A word of advice: Viking, you need to keep up your strength for later. When your Bonded's temperature begins to rise again, take a mouthful or two from her before feeding her. It won't hurt her and it might even help slow things down a bit... but don't be greedy. You don't want to ruin your appetite for later." Cackling at her own humor, she strolls out the door and down the hallway.

Staring after her, Sookie says, "She never has gotten the bedside manner thing down, has she?"

"Clearly not," I answer with distaste, "That woman has the personality of a wounded snake."

As bad as she feels, Sookie still manages to smile. "Poor Cooper. She seems to have taken an interest in him."

"He'll survive. Now, my love, can I get you anything? Something cool to drink, perhaps?"

"No thanks." She is silent for a minute, then asks a bit timidly, "Honey... would you mind laying here with me for a few minutes?"

Knowing that she is longing for both the comfort of my arms and the relief of my cool body against her feverish skin, I hastily pull off my shirt, stretch out next to her, and gather her to me. She tucks her head into the crook of my neck and sighs. For a long time, we lie cuddled together. Our emotions flow freely through our Bond, making speech completely unnecessary. As much as I try to hide my anxiety from her, I know I am not entirely successful, just as she cannot hide her pain and fear from me... but underneath those negative emotions runs a deeper, stronger current of pure love. It is that which gives us both a bit of comfort.

Eventually, Sookie murmurs against my skin, "I love you so much, Eric. Thank you for taking such good care of me."

"You are my Bonded, Sookie. Of course I will care for you. If the situation were reversed, I know you would do the same for me."

"But that's the point," she says softly, "You never _will_ be sick. It's _always_ going to be me. I'm sorry."

"Maybe it should be me that is sorry," I say lightly, "You once told me that you had never been sick a day in your life until you met your first vampire. Besides, it is possible I may have a flaw or two myself. For example, Pam claims I can get quite cranky on occasion... although I am certain she is exaggerating."

"_I _think you are perfect," Sookie declares stoutly. "Do you know what I wish? I wish I could get back every one of those days I spent away from you."

I tilt her face up to mine and kiss her lips tenderly. "Never look back, Beloved. We have centuries ahead of us to be together. You will see."

Sookie falls silent again. When she finally speaks, it seems to be on an entirely different topic. "Eric? I'm glad you got to see the lake today."

Why is there such a wistful tone to her voice when discussing such a happy event? Oh! Suddenly, it dawns on me that my little Fairy believes it might be the _last_ time she will be able to give me one of those amazing visions. This will never do! If she convinces herself that she is dying… No! I cannot allow that to happen.

"Sharing your day with you was one of the high points of my existence, my angel. To be able to see things in the sunlight is an absolute miracle! Can I tell you a secret? There is something that I have longed to see in the daylight for over a thousand years... my homeland. If I take you there, will you show it to me?"

"I… I would love to do that, baby."

"Promise me, Sookie."

She stares at me for a long time, clearly unwilling to promise me something she does not believe she can do. Finally, she says quietly, "All right. I _do_ promise."

"Wonderful. You are going to love my country. It is very beautiful."

"In the dream we shared, it _was_ beautiful. _You_ were beautiful."

Teasing her a little, I say sadly, "I suppose you liked the warm-blooded version of me better. I'd like to remind you that _he_ was quite spent after only one round of love-making."

That rates a small smile. "You don't know that. We didn't have time to get to round two before the dream was over. I had no idea a man could be jealous of himself!"

"I admit it. I _am_ insanely jealous, even of myself. You are going to have your hands full keeping me in line, Mrs. Northman."

She rests her forehead wearily on my chest. "Eric... what happens if Jason's blood won't work?"

I had hoped she would not think to ask. In spite of all my good intentions, can I _really_ take a chance on telling her the truth? After a short inner struggle, I finally take the plunge. "In that event, Dr. Ludwig says it is possible to use only vampire blood."

Sookie thinks this over before asking quietly, "If you nearly drain me and then fill me up with nothing but vampire blood, isn't that... dangerous?"

Sighing, I admit, "Truthfully... there is a very small chance you could be turned."

Immediately, alarm pours through the Bond. "Oh, Eric! I couldn't stand that! You know I couldn't! Please, baby! Don't let that happen!"

"Shhh! Sookie, you must calm down. You have to conserve your strength."

"No! I can't!"

"Yes, you can. Your brother's blood will probably be a suitable match, and all of this worry will be for nothing."

"But what if it isn't? I _know_ what it's like to be vampire. I _felt_ it last night, remember? I just can't do it! I can't run the risk, even if it's a small one."

Coldly, I ask her, "Is death _really_ preferable to an eternity with me?"

As intended, that brings her up short.

"Look at me, Sookie," I demand, "You say you love me. How can you love me, and yet talk of leaving me? Do you have any concept of what effect your death would have on me? How long do you think I will last without my Bonded?"

"But Eric, I do love you! I do! I just can't..." She bursts into tears, which makes me feel absolutely horrible... but my words are necessary. Everything I have said is true. I simply cannot imagine an existence without her.

Relentlessly, I cut in, "What you cannot bring yourself to do is take a chance on a treatment that will cure you, just to avoid the remote possibility that you will end up like me. I can see now that you really _do_ think me a monster, in spite of all your words to the contrary."

I know exactly what effect these cruel words will have on her tender heart... but I will _do_ anything... I will _say_ anything, to keep her here with me. If I have to manipulate her into making the right choice, so be it.

She scrubs her tears away with the palm of her hand. "Oh, Eric. I don't think of you as a monster. I love you, and I can't stand to think of you being alone. I just... I need some time to get my head wrapped around this thing, and my brain isn't working too well right now."

Her last words are a bit slurred, and I can feel her utter exhaustion. Within these last few minutes, her temperature has begun to rise again. Her small body burns in my arms, hotter than the demon lover I once had many centuries ago. Now I feel absolutely horrible at having distressed her, even though it was necessary. "My angel, I have upset you. I am sorry. Please let me feed you again, and then you can rest until your brother arrives."

"Dr. Ludwig said you should feed first." She struggles to get the words out.

"Are you sure it will not make you worse? I could not bear it if I hurt you."

She whispers, "Please... I want you to."

Gently rolling her on her back, I nuzzle her neck and inhale her sweet scent. Because of her fever, it is stronger than ever. I run my tongue over the vein in her neck just before plunging my fangs into her flesh. The resulting spurt of blood is hot, so much hotter than it should be... my poor little Fairy's insides must feel as if they are on fire. I take a few deep pulls, _willing_ the iron in her system to flow into me. I recognize the taste of the iron right away. It is really not unpleasant at all, but I despise it just on principle. Remembering the doctor's instructions about not taking too much, I seal the wounds and then bite my wrist and offer it to Sookie. This time she manages to stay awake long enough to take a decent amount before the wound closes. She whispers, "Thank you, baby. Your blood makes the burning stop for a while. Will you stay with me while I sleep?"

"Yes, little one. Rest now. Your Viking will not let you go."

For a long time after Sookie falls asleep, I hold her close. My healing blood does its work, and gradually her temperature recedes to a less alarming level. I am more than happy to stay exactly where I am, holding my woman's fragile little body in my arms. I know quite well Sookie is still hovering on the edge of a life-altering decision, and my mind frantically searches for ways to push her in the right direction. Unless she freely accepts what lies ahead of her, supposedly the Bond will not allow me to compel her to do it. Ironically, this is a safeguard for the "human" half... but what of the vampire that this will leave behind? Where is _his _safeguard? If she dies, there will be nothing left of me but an empty shell. I doubt I could last a year before I would be ready to greet the dawn.

For just a moment, I allow the rigid control I have imposed on myself to slip. All the anger, fear, and pain I have attempted to hide rushes through me with such force that it causes me to shudder from head to toe. Eventually this passes, and in the wake of the firestorm, I find a calm place to rest my weary mind. Even though Sookie is asleep, I reach out through the Bond to touch her, to meld my soul to hers as tightly as my arms hold her physical body.

In that moment, all boundaries disappear. Our Bond opens fully... and instantly, into my very being flows the certainty that in this life or the next, my Bonded and I are one. Even in death, our souls will never be parted. If it ever comes to pass that she does die, she will be waiting for me on the other side. When I make the journey into the true death, we will be reunited and then we will truly be one for all eternity. With this knowledge comes a measure of peace. My path is now crystal clear. If Sookie dies tonight, there will be no period of mourning. I will follow her at dawn.

However, I am not ready to give up on this life just yet. If I can persuade my beloved wife to stay with me here, we can still enjoy the pleasures this life has to offer before we go together into the next. Our Bond has given us many ways of communicating, and now I intend to use one of them. Sookie and I can share dreams. As vampire, I have the ability to direct those dreams in a particular direction. Summoning all of my power, I focus my thoughts and then slip into downtime...

_Author's Notes: Sorry about the length of time between updates. This chapter originally contained the dream sequence, too, but I am still not quite done with it. Instead of making y'all wait any longer, I decided to separate them. The good news is that if all goes well, Chapter 43 will be posted on October 29._


	43. Chapter 43

Author's notes: The esteemed Charlaine Harris created these wonderful characters. I am just using them for fun.

**** I am posting this chapter October 29th in honor of my 50th Birthday. Woo Hoo! My husband asked me what I wanted for a gift, and I couldn't very well tell him, "a Viking Vampire King with all the fixings"; so instead, I said, "To be the first writer in the SVM fandom to hit 4,000 reviews in a single story." So ya'll help me out by leaving me lots of reviews!

***** As always on this date, I want to acknowledge my wonderful mother, Carol, who was always there for me every step of the way. I miss you, mom.

**** This chapter is as long as the Gracious Plenty (very!), so plan accordingly. I want to warn you all now about content. This chapter is basically one big lemon from start to finish. The last scene in particular is fairly graphic. If erotica offends you or bores you... then what the heck are you doing reading this story in the first place? For those readers who are not into the group sex thing, I promise... it is safe to read. It's just Eric and his Bonded, with a slight twist...

**** As with all Eric and Sookie's dream sequences, this one serves two functions. It does actually further the plot in a couple of ways, but also it allows an opportunity for things to occur in this "alternate reality" that might or might not happen in the "real" storyline. In a way, all the dreams are stories-within-a-story.

**** I want to thank everyone for the lovely reviews from the last chapter. I didn't get to answer many of them, since I needed every available minute to get this chapter finished by the promised date. Just know that your reviews are really inspiring, so thank you all for taking the time to leave them. While I am thanking people, a loud cheer for my proofreader Melissa. I've been swilling Nyquil all week for a nasty cold, so she truly had her hands full fixing all my drug-induced mistakes! You rock, girl!

**Chapter 43: Don't Fear the Reaper**

**Sookie's POV: the dream**

_My little bout of iron poisoning must have really worn me out, because I slept like the dead. In fact, it seems to take me forever to fight my way out of it. I can hardly drag my eyelids open, so for a time I lay perfectly still while giving my mind a few more minutes to get in gear. Oddly enough, all of my other senses seem to be up and running just fine. The first thing I notice is how much noisier this bedroom is compared to our downstairs chamber. It is filled with all sorts of tiny sounds... creaks, pops, and a strange, low-level hum. Also, I never noticed before how good everything smells in here... the fresh scent of clean sheets... lemon oil from the furniture... and the soothing scent of candle wax. For some reason, all of my senses seem to be ramped up tonight. Even my naked skin seems hyper-sensitive. The satin sheets almost feel rough to me..._

_Hey! Wait just a minute! Naked skin? Satin sheets? I distinctly remember wearing a nightgown when I went to sleep, and that was in a bed made up with freshly pressed cotton sheets! The reason this room smells and sounds so strange is that I am in a completely different bedroom, and maybe in a different house altogether! Stranger still, a certain Viking vampire seems to be missing in action. It is extremely unusual for him to rise before me. I would find this alarming except for one thing... his comforting scent is all around me, so I figure he must be nearby. _

_I am more than anxious to find out where my Bonded has taken me and why, so I force my curiously reluctant eyelids to open. Oh, ow! What the heck kind of light is in this bedroom, a security light from a prison yard? It is so bright, it hurts my eyes enough to make them water. Reflexively, I snap them shut to protect them... but eventually curiosity gets the better of me. I open them again very slowly, giving them a chance to gradually adapt to the glare. _

_Rolling my head towards the source of this blinding light, I am shocked to discover that it seems to be coming from a single candle! How can one little bitty candle possibly be producing such an intense light? Quickly, I shift my gaze away from the annoying glare. My eyes sweep around the room, taking in the clearly expensive artwork and antique furnishings. A feeling of d__é__j__à__ vu runs through me. I could swear I have never been in this room before, and yet... I __**have**__ been here before. To my relief, my eyes eventually light on something that is undeniably familiar... the rather imposing figure of my vampire. _

_Still as a statue, Eric is sitting in a leather wing-back chair in the far corner of the room. The light from the candle does not reach quite that far, and his handsome face is cast in shadow... but somehow I can see every detail of his strong, masculine features perfectly well anyway. He seems to be dressed in the outfit that I intended for him to wear to Fangtasia last night: a black silk shirt, tight-fitting black leathers, and his favorite pair of black boots. His long blond hair is down and flowing freely over those broad Viking shoulders, just the way I like it. _

_Sitting comfortably in the chair, his long legs are stretched out before him and casually crossed at the ankles. His elegant hands are tented in front of his face as if in prayer, the index fingers resting against the center of his perfectly formed lips. In this pose, he is the very picture of a man deep in thought... except that instead of the far-away stare of a thinker, his glowing sapphire eyes are totally focused on me. His expression is completely unreadable, so there is no way of knowing what is going on in that beautiful golden head of his._

_Eric has always been drop-dead gorgeous, but tonight he looks even more spectacular than ever. Holy cow! My husband really __**is**__ the sexiest male on the face of the Earth, bar none... and the best thing about it is... he's all MINE! A burst of pure lust runs through me, resulting in a rush of moist heat and a pleasant throbbing between my legs. Suddenly, I could care less about where we are or how we got here... All I know is that I want my lover inside me, NOW! I sit up abruptly and throw back the midnight blue satin sheets; and instantly a delicious, unusual scent wafts up to my nose. It is so enticing that I have to stop to identify it. It takes me a moment to realize it is coming from me! Oh, wow! If this is what it smells like when a woman becomes aroused, no wonder all the vampires go crazy! It smells __**wonderful.**_

_Before I can stop to wonder why I am suddenly able to smell this very delicate scent, an absolutely excruciating pain in my mouth makes me forget all about it. OW! OW! OW! It feels like my upper gums are being ripped open and... OW! Something sharp punches into my lower lip and the coppery taste of blood rushes onto my tongue. WHAT THE HELL!_

_From his corner, the vampire watches me intently, never moving and never saying a word._

_Slowly, I raise my trembling hands to my mouth and gingerly touch a fingertip to one painfully throbbing incisor. To my horror, I discover it to be about three-eighths of an inch longer than it was two seconds ago... and about a hundred times sharper. The other one is in exactly the same shape. OH. MY. GOD. These aren't teeth. These are fucking FANGS!_

_The room begins to spin in crazy circles as the truth slams into my brain. Sometime between the time I fell asleep and now, my worst nightmare has come true. I have become vampire._

_Instantly, I clap both hands over my mouth, close my eyes, and begin to pray over and over 'Let this be a dream! Please, God, let this be a dream!'..._

…_but if it __**is**__ a dream, I can't seem to escape from it. Finally, by sheer force of will I manage to get a grip on myself. Once the room stops spinning, my eyes pop open and my gaze goes straight to the __**other**__ vampire in the room. Nonsensically, all I can think to ask him is, "Am I still me?" To my horror, it comes out with a slight lisp__._

_Eric gives me one of those special Viking smiles, the sultry, mysterious kind that promises all sort of exciting and erotic things ahead. In his deep voice, he answers, "Of course you are. You just have a few... adjustments to make."_

_My very first impulse is to start screaming and not stop... but instead I just burst into a flood of tears. At the speed of light, Eric leaves his chair and moves to the bed. The next thing I know, I have been scooped on to his lap and cradled in a pair of powerful arms. Rocking me gently back and forth, he holds me tightly as I sob my heart out. "Shhh, my angel... do not cry," he croons to me softly, "Just think... now we really __**will **__be together always. I will teach you everything you need to know. I promise you, your new life will be very exciting."_

"_My life?" I manage to wail between sobs, "But Eric! I'm dead!"_

_In a gentle voice, he says, "'Dead' is just a word, Sookie. Tell me... do you feel dead?"_

_Trying my best to stem the waterworks, I take a deep breath... even though technically I guess I don't need to anymore. I place my hand over my heart, and sure enough, I can't detect even the faintest hint of a beat. Beyond that, though... honestly, I feel more alive than I ever have. It is like all of my senses are in overdrive. I can hear better, smell better, see better. I wonder what else I can do better... am I stronger? Can I move faster now? Wow! Can I... fly? Unexpectedly, a tiny flame of excitement comes bubbling up in my chest. What else is different? Besides the new dental work, do I look the same? Crap! No more tanning for me. I guess I'll be pale forever now. Crazily, I wonder if those spray-on tans work on vampire skin._

_My mind is going a thousand miles a minute, trying to get my mind around all of the ways my existence is suddenly and irrevocable different... and then, something __**else **__hits me like a ton of bricks. Oh... no. I haven't been able to feel Eric's emotions! A sharp, bitter fear springs into my chest, and I raise my tear-drenched face to look at Eric. Totally terrified of the answer, I whisper, "Our Bond...is it... ?" I can't even bring myself to say it._

"_Our Bond is as strong as it ever was," he answers seriously, "I admit, I was quite relieved to discover that was the case. I suspect that you are experiencing such an emotional overload that you cannot feel me just yet; but I assure you, __**I **__can feel __**you**__ perfectly well."_

_Something even more frightening occurs to me. I blurt out, "Oh God, Eric! Do you... do you still love me?"_

_In answer, he practically crushes me to his chest. Laughing delightedly, he exclaims, "Love you? I am as enthralled with you as ever. You are the most enchanting creature in the universe." Then he lowers his head to my ear and whispers sexily "... and besides, those are the most adorable pair of fangs I have ever seen."_

_An incredible sense of relief sweeps through me... and then one of intense pain. "Uh, honey... you're squashing me."_

"_Oh... sorry," he says rather sheepishly, immediately loosening his grip._

"_Hey!" I ask suspiciously, "How come you can hurt me?"_

"_Well, vampires get stronger with age and I am quite old..."_

_Interrupting him, I say, "I know that! I mean, why did it hurt? I thought vampires didn't feel much pain."_

"_Actually, a newly made vampire is very sensitive to pain. Your body has been through a huge transition, and it will take some time to adjust. You will be very sensitive to touch, to sound, to light... but soon you will become accustomed to your heightened senses. As you age you will gain strength and develop a higher tolerance for pain. As for your emotions, do not be surprised if they seem much more intense than usual. It is to be expected. Also, it may be difficult to control your impulses at first, but do not worry. I will not allow you to get into too much mischief."_

_Quick as a flash, my temper rises. "__**Allow**__ me? Now wait just a minute, Eric Northman! You are my husband, not my boss!"_

_That bad vampire has the nerve to chuckle! "Technically speaking, as your Maker, I __**am**__ your boss... but I swear to you, I will only use this power when absolutely necessary."_

_Under my breath, I mutter, "Huh. I just __**bet **__you will."_

"_So disrespectful!" Eric says playfully, "You know, it is my duty as your Maker to teach you to respect your elders and to discipline you if you are unruly. Perhaps you would like a spanking?" He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, letting me know that he is just teasing. _

_Too bad... it actually sounds kind of exciting. The throbbing between my legs comes back with a vengeance, and that lovely smell makes another appearance. Along with everything else, it seems my libido has been kicked into high, high gear. Suddenly, all I can think about is throwing this incredibly gorgeous male down on the bed and having my way with him. Throwing my arms around his neck, I lasso him in and press my lips to his in a passionate kiss. Oh... OW! I jerk my head back in surprise._

_Knowing exactly what the trouble is, Eric murmurs soothingly, "Easy, little one. Certain parts of your body are more sensitive than others. You will need to take things slowly at first."_

_Leaning in, he lightly brushes his velvety lips against mine. I gradually become accustomed to his touch, and eventually he manages to nudge my mouth open and begins to explore my sensitive new fangs with the tip of his tongue. Oh, man! That feels __**good**__! And I never noticed how delicious he tastes! Mmmm! My lust zooms up about ten more notches. Eric must be telling the truth about our Bond, because immediately a little flame ignites in his eyes in response. Even though I can't feel his emotions yet, it is pretty obvious that I am not the only aroused vampire in the room._

_Light as a feather, the Viking runs his fingertips over my tender skin, causing me to shiver with pleasure at his touch. Starting at my face and working his way down, he gently strokes every inch of me that he can reach. Cupping my left breast in one big palm, he delicately rubs his thumb back and forth over the highly sensitive nipple. A jolt of electricity shoots from the hardened little peak straight to my core, and I can't hold back a moan of pure pleasure. Taking his time, Eric's hand slides over my belly and then down my legs, nudging them apart just enough to trail a finger up and down my inner thighs._

_Under the practiced hand of my thousand-year-old lover, I become lost in a sea of sensation. There is no thinking, only feeling. I am absolutely aching for him to touch me where it counts, and of course he knows this perfectly well. Deliberately teasing me, he dusts his fingertips across the delta of golden curls, being careful not to touch the underlying skin... in response, I let out a low growl of frustration. Giving me his most wicked smile, Eric barely grazes my folds with one long finger. I let out a delighted gasp of astonishment. Just one tiny stroke, and the pleasure is so intense I can barely stand it! Clearly, this is one of those places that are more sensitive than others. If this is an indicator of what sex is going to feel like, maybe being undead isn't all bad!_

_At my reaction, the Viking gives a little chuckle of satisfaction and then continues to torture me with a few more well-placed strokes. Each one brings me closer to the golden edge... but then his hand stills. Dropping his head to my neck, he lightly nuzzles my skin and murmurs, "Not yet, my lover. This is an occasion to be savored. I want to __**taste**__ your first orgasm as vampire."_

_Hoo, boy. Does he really expect an argument? That sounds like an __**excellent**__ plan! First laying me gently on the sheets, Eric sheds his clothes at vampire speed. Whatever modesty I once had seems to have completely disappeared during the transition, and so I eagerly spread my legs for him without a single blush. Climbing between them, my Bonded settles his massive shoulders into a comfortable position, as if he intends to be there a while. With an erotic purr, he parts my folds with his hands and gazes hungrily at what lies before him. Leaning forward, he begins by delicately running the tip of his tongue over my swollen nub, and then sweeps it from one end of my folds to the other. Just that one touch is all it takes. _

_Ahh..ahhh...ahhhhhhhhh! I hear myself crying out as my body shatters into a million pieces. When the world finally comes back into focus, I stare down at my partner to see if he has survived all my thrashing around. One look at those blazing blue eyes tells me everything I need to know. He isn't even close to being done with me yet. Lowering his head, he begins his work in earnest, and in practically no time, the marvelous tension begins to build again... and then again._

_After my third intense climax, Eric finally seems willing to move on to the next step. Kissing his way up my body, he stops long enough to suckle a little at each breast. After a whole string of orgasms like that, normally I would be totally spent; but instead of quenching the flame, it was more like throwing a whole can of lighter fluid on a fire. I am __**burning**__ for him to be inside me, and I wantonly grab his rock-hard erection to urge him along. To my surprise, he holds himself back just at my entrance. "This may hurt a little at first," he warns, "... but I promise you, by the time we are done, you will feel nothing but pleasure."_

_I am so desperate to feel him inside me that his cautionary words go in one ear and straight out the other. Recklessly, I grab his butt with both hands and jerk him towards me; at the very same moment, I thrust my hips upwards, capturing his hard length. As he slips inside my slick sheath, there are two hoarse shouts... one of sheer pleasure, the other of pain._

_Obviously trying to give my body time to adjust, the Viking stops moving. His body is deeply buried in mine, a massive invasion into unbelievably tender tissue. All of my nerve endings are firing at once, and my brain can't seem to decide if the message they are sending is that of incredible pleasure or excruciating pain. In response, every muscle in my body tenses and my eyes squeeze tightly shut._

_From above me, a deep voice commands, "Sookie. Open your eyes and look at me."_

_The voice is so compelling, I have no choice but to obey. My eyes fly open, and all I can see is a pair of piercing sapphire eyes. "Look into my eyes, my love," Eric demands, "Focus on me."_

_With eyes like that, how could I possibly look away? Now that my vision is so much sharper, I can see exactly how astonishing those amazing blue orbs really are. Their color is so vivid and clear that they hardly seem real. How could I have ever thought them to be cold? They are as warm and inviting as the ocean water surrounding the magical islands where we spent our honeymoon. They are so deep, I feel I could fall into them and never find my way to the surface. _

_In fact, I am so mesmerized by them, I hardly notice as the pain begins to subside. Before I know it, the worst of the discomfort is gone. Only then does it begin to filter into my consciousness what level of self-control it must be taking my partner to suppress his own natural impulses. On his handsome face is a fierce look of total concentration, and every muscle in his big body is bunched with the effort of keeping still. He looks so strong, so totally in control... and yet, I know better than ever that his own vampire instincts are screaming at him to take me NOW. The fact that this magnificent creature cares for me enough to see to my needs before his own is humbling... besides being a huge turn-on. As if they have a mind of their own, my hips begin to move again. Braced up on bulging arms, Eric holds himself rigidly above me, allowing me to explore my new limits at my own pace._

_I rock my hips slowly at first, sliding up and down that marvelous, thick column of hard flesh. Now that my brain has had time to sort out the sensations, every small movement provides nothing but pure pleasure. Reaching up, I put my hands on the Viking's shoulders and pull him down on top of me. His body feels so good! Something is different, though, and it takes me a minute to realize that now that my skin is cooler, he actually feels warm to me! Mmm! My hands slide down his long, muscular frame until they reach his gloriously tight butt. Using my palms, I urge him into motion again and with a grateful groan, he complies. _

_My husband makes love to me as carefully and tenderly as if I was made of spun glass. Slowly, he glides in and out, each smooth stroke producing a delicious friction. All the while, his smoldering eyes never leave my face. The way he is looking at me makes me feel like the most cherished female on the face of the Earth. Our lovemaking has always been pretty spectacular, but because of my heightened senses, it has now reached an entirely new level. The physical sensations are unbelievably intense. No wonder vampires are so obsessed with having sex at every opportunity!_

_In no time at all, a familiar, delicious tension begins to build... but right along with the yearning for release comes another, even more urgent need. Unexpectedly, a sharp hunger rises within me, and immediately the tips of my fangs begin to throb. Burying my face in Eric's strong neck, I nuzzle against him and inhale deeply. One whiff of the ancient vampire blood under that satiny skin and all conscious thought disappears. My body becomes driven entirely by instinct. I __**need**__ my Bonded inside of me... his body, his soul, his blood... all of him. Knowing that both of us are right at the point of no return, I quickly lift my head to give myself some room to strike... but to my everlasting surprise, Eric shifts me just enough so that I can't quite sink my teeth in. I growl a little in frustration, quickly repositioning myself so I can take another stab at it._

_Too late! With one mighty surge of his hips, the Viking thrusts as deeply as he can go, causing me to orgasm with an intensity that makes me forget all about feeding. One more deep thrust, and my Bonded joins me in ecstasy. His whole body contorts as he releases his essence inside me. For a long time afterward, we cling together, unwilling for this very special time to be over. Eventually, he rolls us over so that we are lying on our sides, face to face. He thumbs back a strand of my hair, and then traces his fingers tenderly down the side of my face. He is looking at me as if I am the most precious thing he has ever seen._

_As for me, I am not quite as content. In spite of the fact that he has just given me one of the best orgasms ever, I find myself frustrated and a little pissed. Of course, my Bonded knows exactly what is bugging me. Before I can even open my mouth, he says seriously, "I am sorry, my lover. I could not allow it."_

"_But I'm __**hungry**__!" _

"_I know, little one," Eric says soothingly, "You need to feed, and the sooner the better. Let me help you dress, and we will go out for dinner."_

_What? Why are we going out, tonight of all nights? I protest, "But Eric! I'm not ready to go out!"_

"_Yes, you are. Trust me, Sookie. This is necessary. Now, let me help you dress."_

_The next thing I know, we are both dressed and ready to leave. Strangely, I don't remember bathing or putting on my clothes or fixing my hair; and yet here I am, wearing a short black leather skirt, a long-sleeved silk blouse, and a pair of stilettos high enough to make Pam proud. Eric escorts me up a long flight of stairs and then into a hallway that also seems strangely familiar. Finally, I get around to asking him, "Honey? Where are we?"_

"_This is one of my homes in the French Quarter. You may not recall it, but you have been here before... in a manner of speaking."_

_He doesn't seem inclined to say any more on the subject, and I am too distracted by my growing hunger to care. I could eat a horse... er, drain a horse. I hope the restaurant is nearby. Even though it sounds repulsive, I suppose I'll have to get used to drinking blood out of a bottle. I have been told that vampires hardly ever feed from each other, and clearly Eric is not inclined to give me any of his. Somehow, this upsets me even more than knowing I will never see the sun again. Before I know it, tears spring into my eyes again. Eric warned me that my emotions might be a bit out of control, and it looks like he was one hundred percent right._

_I know quite well that vampires loathe any show of weakness in one of their own kind, so I try to rub them away with my hand before the Viking sees them… but I should have known nothing would escape him. Eric chides me gently, "What is this? Vampire Queens do __**not**__ cry." ... but then he pulls me into his arms and tenderly begins to lick the tiny drops of pinkish fluid from my face. Knowing that they only taste like ordinary vampire tears now makes me sadder than ever... but to my surprise, this change doesn't seem to disappoint my mate even slightly. In fact, he has nearly the same reaction that he always has. After the first swipe of his tongue, a noticeable lump forms in those tight-fitting leather pants of his. A far-away look comes into his eyes, the one he gets when that computer-like brain of his kicks into overdrive. For a long moment, he stands perfectly still, holding me tightly in his arms. I am just about to ask him what is on his mind, when he shakes his head and laughs. "Sookie, you really __**are**__ the most amazing creature," he says, "Now come. You need to feed."_

_Eric guides me to the front door and we step outside. The warm, velvety New Orleans air slides across my cool skin like a caress, making me shiver in pleasure. Unexpectedly, a feeling of total exhilaration comes over me. The night is almost like a living, breathing thing welcoming me and offering me access to exciting, secret things that I never knew existed. The instant I try to look around, though, I end up clapping my hands over my eyes. Ow! The only illumination on the whole block is coming from a few old-fashioned gas lamps, but even these are too bright for my sensitive eyes. _

_Fortunately, my considerate Maker is prepared for such emergencies. He produces a pair of RayBans and I feel him slip them on my face. "You can open your eyes now, Sookie. They will adapt to the light very soon, but until then these will help."_

_Slowly, I open my eyes again and take a look at my new world. I gasp in shock and disbelief. Everything is so different... so beautiful! I had no idea the nighttime world looked so different to vampires. Dumbfounded, I glance up at Eric. His lovely eyes are twinkling in amusement. "Not quite what you expected, is it?" _

"_Why didn't you tell me? This is amazing!"_

"_How could I possibly have described it so that you would understand? It would be like attempting to explain the color red to a blind person."_

"_I guess so." I am so fascinated by my surroundings, I am practically speechless. It makes me think about all the things that I have yet to learn. After all my years of being around vampires, I used to consider myself an authority. Now it is clear that I quite literally never saw more than the tip of the iceberg. Chuckling, Eric takes my elbow and guides me down the front steps. Once on the street, he steers us to the left. As we walk, I tell him, "Thank you for the glasses. My eyes hardly hurt at all now. How on earth did you stand it when you were made? Sunglasses hadn't even been invented yet."_

"_To tell you the truth, it was quite painful. Of course, in those days the sources of artificial illumination were not nearly as bright as they are now... but even so, it was not easy at first. __**Nothing**__ was easy."_

_Even though our Bond is still on the fritz and I can't feel his emotions, I know that Eric is remembering all the horrors his own Maker put him through. Involuntarily, I shudder. I simply can't imagine how awful it would be to have such a cruel Maker. In a rush, it occurs to me just how lucky I am to have this particular vampire for my Maker. The Viking adores me and will do everything in his considerable power to make my transition as easy as possible. Slipping myself under one massive arm, I hug my body tightly against his. "Thank you for taking such good care of me, Eric."_

"_You are part of me, Beloved. How could I possibly do otherwise?"_

_We continue to stroll through the mostly empty streets, and I realize that it must be later than I originally thought. This part of the Quarter is mainly residential, with only a few businesses tucked in here and there. Even though it is still several blocks away, I hear the usual sounds coming from Bourbon Street... music, laughter, shouting... the familiar hum of humans out for an evening of fun. The closer we get to the action, the more people we run across. Most are traveling in clumps of two or more. Some are obviously tourists leisurely making their way back to their hotels. A few lone souls are moving at a faster pace, probably locals just getting off work and anxious to get home. _

_Up ahead in the next block, three men are clustered under a lamppost, drinking beer and chatting. Just past them, a young woman turns the corner and walks in their direction. Even from this distance, I can see how attractive she is. Slightly shorter than me, she has a slender build and pretty legs. Her coal-black hair is cut short in a cute, snappy style that emphasizes her pretty face. She is wearing a short but classy black skirt, a low-cut white blouse that reveals the rounded tops of very generous breasts, and a pair of high heels that look like they probably hurt her feet. In fact, she is not moving very rapidly and looks tired. All of these visual clues lead me to think she is a waitress from one of the better restaurants on her way home after a long shift. The three men eye her speculatively as she approaches. One of them calls out, "Hey, sweet thang! What's your hurry? Why don't you stop and be friendly?"_

_Clearly she is used to dealing with this sort of thing, because she doesn't so much as hesitate. As she saunters past them, all she does is toss her head in a friendly manner. "Sorry, boys. I'm too tired to party tonight. Y'all have fun, though." The men laughed and resume their conversation._

_Now there is no one between her and us. To my surprise, Eric grabs my arm and quickly pulls me into the shelter of a recessed doorway. He breathes into my ear, "This one will do nicely. She is just the right size for you."_

_It takes me a minute to process the meaning of his words. "What!" I hiss back, "You don't mean... I'm not going to... Holy crap, Eric! I thought when you said we were going to dinner, you meant to a restaurant! I can't __**do**__ this!"_

"_Oh, yes, you can," the Viking replies calmly, "You must face the realities of our existence, Sookie. You must feed to live, just as you did when you were human. I can feel your hunger. You can and will do this."_

_Stubbornly, I retort, "No, I won't! Why can't I just drink the bottled stuff?"_

_Giving me a rueful smile, he shakes his golden head. "No, my love. In spite of all the AVL propaganda to the contrary, it is simply not possible for a newly-made vampire to thrive on synthetic blood. As your Maker, it is my duty to teach you to hunt, and the sooner the better."_

_By this time, I can tell the girl is getting closer by the sound of her footsteps. Her smell arrives before she does, a mild blend of hand soap, deodorant, hairspray, food odors, and the faint remnants of the perfume she applied hours ago. In addition to all of that, she just smells… human. Eric whispers, "The first thing you do is make eye contact. Watch me." _

_Before I can stop him, he tugs me along with him as he steps out into the young woman's path. Our unexpected arrival startles her enough to make her jump. Immediately dropping her eyes to the ground, she starts to make a wide berth around us. In that deep, musical voice of his, Eric says smoothly, "Oh! I am terribly sorry. We did not intend to frighten you."_

_Unable to resist the lure of that wonderful voice, the girl glances up. The instant her eyes make contact with the vampire's, I know she is lost. She comes to an abrupt stop only a few feet in front of us. Holding her gaze, Eric says smoothly, "Do you live nearby? Perhaps you can help us."_

_As if in a daze, the girl replies, "Um... sure. I'd be happy to help."_

"_What is your name?"_

"_Ah, it's Cellie... short for Cecilia."_

"_Cellie! What a lovely name. Why don't you step into this doorway with us, Cellie, so we can discuss this privately?"_

_Just another second staring into those mesmerizing blue eyes of his is all it takes. At this point, I bet if he told her to stand on her head and bark like a dog she'd do it. Quite willingly, she steps into the shadows with him. Somewhat reluctantly, I follow. Part of me wants to warn this poor girl to snap out of it, to get away while she can... but part of me can't resist watching a master vampire working his dark magic. Briefly, I wonder if I am as much under his spell as she is. Keeping his eyes on her, Eric says, "My wife and I got a late start, and she is quite hungry. Would you be willing to give us what she requires?"_

"_Uh... what do you mean?"_

_In answer, his fangs drop down and he gives her a knowing smile. To me, his fangs are absolutely beautiful and extremely sexy (I know all the naughty things he can do with those babies)... but the first time I saw them, they scared the beejeebers out of me. After one look at those huge, deadly fangs, I halfway expect the poor girl to run screaming into the night; but instead, I am the one who gets a rather rude shock. Clearly more fascinated by Eric than ever, a faint flush spreads across Cellie's cheeks. As if to herself, she whispers, "My God! You are a vampire!" Suddenly, a very enticing smell makes an appearance, and I know without being told it is the scent of the girl's arousal. Before I know what is happening, my own fangs explode into my mouth. Shocked beyond words at my reaction, I clap both hands over my mouth. Eric shoots me a quick look that clearly says, __**That is a normal response. Now be still and pay attention, Sookie. **_

_The girl is looking at the Viking like she just grabbed the brass ring and has no intention of letting it go. In a sultry voice, she says, "What about you? Aren't __**you **__hungry?"_

_My Bonded gives her one of those extra-sexy Viking smiles of his. This produces a dimpled smile and another gush of that erotic smell from her, and an unexpected burst of jealousy from me. It seems that even under these circumstances, it is hard for me to see him touching another woman. For just an instant, he takes his eyes off her and glances at me. When he speaks, although his words are directed towards her, I know they are chosen for my benefit. "I love my wife very much, and I will always see to her needs before my own... but look at her, Cellie. Isn't she beautiful? Would it not be pleasurable for her to touch you?"_

_The girl slowly turns her head in my direction. Almost as if she is noticing my presence for the first time, her eyes widen slightly and she turns her entire body to face me. Her cheeks are now as red as apples, and she is producing the most delicious smell... With a look of wonder on her pretty face, she says softly, "Wow! She __**is**__ beautiful, isn't she?" _

"_Yes, she is." Looking at me again, the vampire says, "You see, my love, Cellie is perfectly willing to provide what you need. It is a fair exchange. She will be giving you what you need, and in return, you can give her great pleasure." Using one finger, he strokes the vein at the side of her neck...and God help me, my fangs begin to throb at the tips. The last thing I want to do is feed from this stranger, but my hunger is raging now, twisting my insides with its intensity. Unable to help myself, I glide forward until I am standing toe-to-toe with the girl. Staring into her eyes, I can see that she really won't mind at all... in fact, she is eager for it. _

_As if it has a mind of its own, my right hand rises and I place the tip of one finger on the soft swell of her left breast. Through it, I can feel her heart pounding away with excitement. Leaning in a little closer, I close my eyes and take in her scent. Oh, wow! I can __**smell**__ her blood, pulsing along under her thin skin... and it calls to me. To my utter astonishment, I feel the girl shift closer to me. Her arms come around my waist and before I know what is happening, she presses her soft mouth to mine. I am so startled I am literally rooted in place. The only part of me that I can get to move is my eyes, which immediately spring open. Once again, I find myself staring straight into the eyes of the Viking. They are glowing with an inner fire, and it is obvious that he finds this whole situation very exciting._

_The only other woman I have ever kissed on the mouth is Pam, and that was just as a joke. Frankly, I am a little surprised at how pleasant it is. This girl is very soft, and her full round breasts feel very nice rubbing up against mine... and I have to resist a sudden urge hold them in my hands and feel their weight. What the hell? My reaction is so unexpected, it startles and confuses me, so I break off the kiss. Eric takes one big hand and tips Cellie's head to one side, exposing a smooth length of creamy skin. I am close enough that I can hear and smell the blood rushing through her veins. Instantly, my hunger ROARS. Reaching around her shoulder, the Viking gently caresses my face with his long fingers. Eyes glittering, he whispers seductively, "My lovely wife, we are __**all**__ going to enjoy this. You will see."_

_Leaning my head down, I instinctively lick her skin in preparation for my bite. At my touch, she gives out a moan and sensuously wriggles against me. The very last thought I have before sinking my fangs into her flesh is... What if I can't stop? What if I kill her? With that ugly thought, what is left of my conscience finally kicks in. Oh my God! How can I possibly do this? Most victims__** don't**__ survive a close encounter with a newly-made vampire. Completely terrified that I might lose control and kill this poor innocent girl, I jerk myself out of her arms and stumble backwards, wailing, "I can't! I just can't!"_

_For a long moment, Eric stares at me, clearly considering what to do next. I am expecting him to try to entice me to her again, but instead he finally shrugs and says, "Very well. I will not force you... but I am quite hungry myself. There is no point in letting such a delectable morsel go to waste." Without any further ado, he lowers his head to her throat. With clinical precision, he sinks those huge fangs into her delicate flesh and begins to feed. The girl leans back against his body and shudders all over, and somehow I know she is finding his attentions __**extremely**__ pleasurable._

_At that very instant, pure, unadulterated jealousy ripples through my body, followed closely by rage. These feelings are nothing like the pale, pitiful ones I had when I was human... these are the intense, nearly uncontrollable emotions of a full-blown vampiress. Suddenly, I know if that if I can get my hands on that little bitch, I am going to drain her and __**then**__ shred her! How dare she entice my vampire to feed? My fingers crank themselves into claws, and I let out a low hiss._

_Fortunately for her, the Viking only needs a sip or two, and is already finished. Even though he must be feeling my murderous rage through our Bond, he takes his time sealing the little wounds. Finally lifting his head, he wipes a tiny smear of blood from the corner of his mouth and then neatly licks it off his finger. With no expression on his handsome face, he says calmly, "There is no need for you to feel jealous, Sookie. She is a source of nutrition to me, nothing more. You know I selected her for you."_

_Yeah, right! And I am Queen Elizabeth! Does he think I am fucking stupid? Much too angry to even bother with a reply, I whirl around and take off down the street. I quickly discover that I can run much faster than before with practically no effort... even in high heels! My emotions are at such a fever pitch, I can hardly appreciate this new ability. I head straight to Bourbon Street with only one goal in mind. I am going to hunt down the biggest, best-looking man I can find! Maybe two! Food source? Ha! We'll just have to see, won't we?_

_It only takes a minute for me to reach my destination. Once there, I slow my pace to a stroll. Making my way down the still busy street, I check out every man I pass. It takes me a minute or two to realize that just about every male on the street has his eye on __**me**__. As I walk by, I am quite literally causing heads to turn. Huh. I find it totally ironic that when I was alive, human men thought I was just too weird to mess with. Now that I'm vampire, it looks like they are going to fall all over me. Who would have thought that being a vampire would be considered less threatening than being a telepath? _

_The minute that thought passes through my mind, I stop dead in my tracks. Oh...no! I just realized that the entire time I was around the girl Cellie, I hadn't heard one peep out of her head. Not a single thought, not an image... nothing. For most of my life, I wore out my knees praying for my telepathy to disappear so that I could be normal. Now that it seems that I finally got my wish, I feel... utterly devastated. I never realized that being a telepath was so much a part of my identity. Surely... __**surely**__ it can't all be gone. Grasping at straws, I tell myself that it is probably just like the problem with our Bond... maybe I am just too wigged out for it to work right. There is really nothing I can do about it except wait and see._

_Now more distraught than ever, I continue moving down the street. By now, I am absolutely __**ravenous, **__but__I am still determined to do exactly what I set out to do.__I am hunting for a very specific type of man.__** T**__here are still plenty of people on the street, so I am confident I can find one that will do. I prowl past a two-story bar absolutely overflowing with beautiful, buff men. From my time spent in the Quarter, I know every last one of them is gay and consequently, completely unsuitable for my purposes. Too bad._

_I continue to move through the crowds. Although I spot plenty of nice-looking men, none of them are exactly what I have in mind. Just when I am about to give up and pick a less-than-perfect specimen, Mr. Universe steps out of a bar and right into my path. He takes one look at me and immediately comes to a standstill. Amusingly, the mere sight of me seems to have struck him speechless. While he frantically tries to think of a great opening line, I slowly give him a Pam-like once-over. _

_Hmm. I suppose he is tall enough, I'd guess at least 6'3". He is wearing a tight-fitting pair of blue jeans and a muscle shirt, which shows off an absolutely __**perfect**__ physique. His blond hair is cut very short, practically shaved; but this just seems to emphasize his strong, manly features. One ear is pierced and displays a discreet diamond stud. Mmm. Better and better. He is sporting a few tattoos here and there, one of which I recognize. One of Jason's buddies was in the special forces of the Marines, and when he got home from overseas he had one just like it. Well, well, well... a bona fide bad-ass. Well, as far as humans go, anyhow. In addition to all of that, he smells good. Coconut shampoo, deodorant, Irish Spring soap, a light dash of aftershave... and underneath all that a very masculine scent. Testosterone, maybe? _

_Eric had just instructed me to make eye contact with my intended victim first thing. Hmpf. One lesson I do __**not**__ need is how to glamour someone. To me, it is as natural as breathing used to be... but in this case, it seems like a waste of energy. This guy is practically drooling already. Crooking my finger at him, I announce, "You'll do. Come with me."_

_With a deer-in-the-headlights look, he gives me a boyish grin. It transforms his face into something you'd see on the big screen, starring in an action-packed movie. I bet any female who ever got a load of that smile was on her back with her legs parted in about ten seconds flat. "Wherever you want to go, pretty lady," the hunk says agreeably and offers me his arm. I take it and steer him toward a side street so that we can have a little more privacy. As we walk along, he says easily, "I'm Joe. What's your name?"_

"_Sookie."_

"_Sookie." He rolls my name around on his tongue, as if savoring its flavor. "That's an unusual name. You sure have a pretty accent. Were you born here in New Orleans, Sookie?"_

"_Ah... in a manner of speaking, yes."_

"_I'm originally from California myself, but I was a military brat so we moved around a lot." _

_After telling me all about the places he's lived, he smoothly moves on to another inane topic. Sheesh. Even when I was human, I had very little tolerance for smalltalk. Maybe I'm going to have to glamour him after all, just to get him to shut up. We continue walking, and eventually we come to a dark, fairly private spot. Turning to me, he says softly, "You sure are beautiful, Sookie... but I guess you hear that a lot."_

_There is no point beating around the bush. "Actually, what I am is vampire." _

"_Yeah, I figured you were," Joe replies calmly, "On a hot night like this, you were the only girl on the street not sweating like a pig. Your skin is very cool... it feel nice." He runs his fingers lightly up my arm. "I've always wanted to meet a vampire. I hear you all are very... talented." My escort gives me a look that lets me know he wants to do a lot more than just "meet" a vampire. _

"_Vampires are like everybody else, Joe. Some are more talented than others."_

"_I just bet that you are __**extremely**__ talented," he says meaningfully. Giving me a sexy grin, he lowers his voice an octave and says huskily, "Sookie... I would absolutely love to see your fangs."_

_To be honest, I am not really sure how to make them to come down. Up until now, they have just popped out on their own. How embarrassing would it be to be unable to feed because my new vampire hardware didn't come with an owner's manual? Surely it can't be all that hard! I bet it's like magic... you just have to want them to be down... and then imagine they are down... and soon they'll be down. I might as well give it a shot. I concentrate really hard and sure enough, my fangs shoot out so quickly that it startles both of us._

_My "date" stares at them in open fascination. "Wow. Those are the sexiest things I've ever seen." _

_I swear I can practically see the steam coming off the top of his head. Almost immediately the air is filled with a mysterious, earthy scent… and I realize I can actually smell __**his**__ arousal. It is completely different from a woman's scent... a bit more subtle, but still really yummy. Oh, boy. Now I realize the wisdom in glamouring the human from the get-go, so the vampire can always stay in complete control of the situation. Capturing Joe's gaze with my own, I give him just enough glamour to slow his roll a little. Trying my best not to lisp, I say, "Now, Joe, of course you know that vampires drink blood. Would you be willing for me to take some of yours?" _

"_Mmm, absolutely. I've heard it's a serious rush."_

_Really, it __**can't **__be that easy... but the hunk looks pretty excited by the whole prospect. Okay then. Looking up at him, I realize that I should have picked someone shorter. Feeding from a man this tall while standing is not going to be easy. With Eric, I am almost always lying down, or sitting on his lap, or... Grrrr. The last thing I want to think about right now is feeding from Eric. Instead, I look around for a solution to my problem. If we could just find somewhere to sit down or something... Oh! _

_Taking the human's hand, I guide him to the next cottage which has a short set of exterior steps leading to the front door. I climb up a couple of steps and then turn to face him. Much better. Looking deeply into his eyes, I say, "All right, Joe. Here's the thing. I'm pretty new at this, and I may not know when to stop. One of the reasons I picked you was because you look really strong. If you start to feel extremely light-headed, I want you to tell me to stop. If I don't, I want you to __**make**__ me stop me... even if you have to get rough to do it, okay?"_

"_Uh... okay, Sookie. I can do that." _

_Even though I am almost crazy with hunger, I discover that I am a little nervous. Being this close to a male other than Eric feels strange... but part of the reason I picked this particular man is to see if it is possible to feed from someone of the opposite sex without becoming sexually aroused. If Beefcake here doesn't get my juices flowing, I don't know who could. Clearly eager to get started, Joe tries to pull me into his arms. I keep a little distance between us by placing both hands on his broad chest. "Easy, boy."_

_Through the thin fabric of his shirt, I feel the excited thumping of his heart under my palms. He is pleasantly warm, and I can't resist sliding my hands up over the well-defined pecs, across his broad shoulders, and then up the strong column of his neck. I have to smile at the irony. This is the first all-human man I have ever touched so intimately, and I had to become vampire to do it. He takes this as permission to get closer, so he slides his arms around me and pulls me into an embrace. There is absolutely no missing the heavy erection pressed against my middle. Leaning in, I put my head into the curve of his shoulder and take a good whiff. Oh, boy, his blood smells __**so**__ good! Without warning, my new vampire instincts kick in, demanding that I feed RIGHT NOW. _

_All my misgivings and fears are blown right out the door. I put my palm on Joe's square jaw and tilt his head to one side. Knowing that it will make penetration easier, I give his neck a good lick. Closing my eyes, I am just rearing back to strike, when a deep voice full of authority commands, "Sookie, stop! Do not do this."_

_My eyes pop open. Gazing over the hunk's shoulder, I see the imposing figure of the Viking. I'm not exactly surprised at his appearance... in fact, I would have been shocked to my core if he __**hadn't**__ shown up. He stands tall and proud, every bit the arrogant Vampire King. It absolutely infuriates me that I can't feel his emotions. Still seething from earlier, I give him a defiant stare. "Why should I stop? I need to feed and he's willing."_

"_Leave him. Come to me." _

_In rebellion at his imperious, I-will-be-obeyed tone, I consider ignoring him and doing it anyway. What's he going to do, kill me? Recklessly, I retort, "Why don't you just __**compel**__ me to stop, '__**Master'**__!"_

_My verbal dart finds its target. For a split second, Eric looks stunned. The cold mask slips, and I see pain flare in those vivid blue eyes. In a much less arrogant tone, the Viking says quietly, "I am asking you as your Bonded, Sookie, not as your Maker. Please... use me instead." _

_In that one instant, everything changes. By the look in his eyes, I can tell just how excruciating it is for my mate to see me in the arms of another man, food source or not. By offering me his own blood, my vampire is showing me how much he still loves and trusts me. As my Maker, there is no question that he __**could**__ force my obedience, but has not. Every bit of anger, jealousy, and rebellion flows right out of me. He is my Bonded, and I need to go to him. _

_There is only one slight problem. I need to ditch the human__. This would be easy if he was still glamoured... but he's not. The minute the Viking came on the scene, I immediately forgot all about maintaining even the small amount of influence I was using on the man; and without it, he clearly has no intention of letting go of his prize just yet. He has not even bothered to turn around to see who the interloper is. In an attempt to get me to refocus my attention on him, Joe reaches out and strokes the side of my face. In the confident voice of a man used to being the biggest bad-ass on the block, he says, "Why don't I get rid of this idiot? You're mine tonight."_

_Uh oh. _

_Before I can warn him, my would-be lover is seized by the scruff of the neck and yanked backwards. For all his size, the poor man still ends up dangling from the end of the Viking's long arm. He tries his best wriggle free... that is, until he gets a good look at his captor. This man is a soldier who clearly knows the face of death when he sees it. Knowing his struggles are completely futile, he settles right down and awaits his fate with dignity._

_In the coldest tone imaginable, Eric asks him, "How __**dare**__ you touch my wife? That is an offense punishable by death."_

_Joe actually looks surprised. "Your __**wife**__? I swear, I didn't know she was married! I was just going to let her have some blood, that's all! I never..."_

_Eric cuts him off in mid-sentence. He spits out, "Do not attempt to insult my intelligence by lying. I can __**smell **__how desperately you want to fuck her. Know this. Sookie is mine, and mine alone. No other man will ever touch my mate and live." _

_Giving the man a bone-rattling shake, the Viking bares his fangs and hisses. For a minute I think the poor man is going to pass right out. I guess he is much less eager to get acquainted with those huge, flashing weapons of mass destruction than he was my feminine little baby-fangs. Unexpectedly, the newly-made vampire in me finds this little show of power by my mate a huge turn-on. Instantly, I am dripping wet and letting out a serious cloud of "Eau de Sookie." Still, I don't care if it does make me the world's worst vampire, I really __**don't**__ want this man to die. Rapidly stepping forward, I place my hand on my enraged husband's free arm. "Please let him go. You know very well that I approached him, not the other way around. This man is a soldier, Eric. He doesn't deserve to be killed over this."_

_It takes the Viking a long moment to think over my request. Finally, he lowers the man to the ground and tells him, "You are a very fortunate man. This is my wife's birthday and I am inclined to humor her. Never, under any circumstances, approach her again. Are we clear?"_

_Knowing he just caught a huge break, Joe says enthusiastically, "Yes, sir! You'll never see __**me**__ again!" _

_The second the Viking releases him, the relieved human high-tails it down the street without so much as a backwards glance at me. Before I can say a word, the Viking gives a loud growl and then sweeps me into his powerful arms. At first I think he is going to fly us home, but apparently he has no intention of traveling that far. On the far side of the street is a darkened entrance to an interior courtyard. Two long strides and we are standing in front of the elaborate wrought-iron gate. One well-placed kick of an over-sized boot and the locked gate crashes inward. A few more strides down a dark passageway bring us into a small unlit brick courtyard, which is so crowded with vegetation as to be almost jungle-like. Frilly wrought iron patio furniture and a long wooden bench is artistically arranged around a lion head wall fountain that is merrily spewing water into a brick catch basin._

_Clearly, the Viking is after some privacy. Since I can't feel his emotions, I don't know if I'm in for a lecture, or a spanking, or if he's finally going to let me feed. He sets me on my feet but never lets me out of his embrace. Tangling the fingers of one hand in my hair, he yanks my head back, jerks the sunglasses off my face, and throws them aside. Then, with an erotic growl, he crushes his lips to mine. He devours me with his mouth, punishing me with hungry, brutal kisses. My lips are still sensitive, but the vampire in me finds the pleasure/pain to be really exciting. Eric's big hands feverishly roam over my body, creating a whirlwind of need within me. Under this sensual onslaught, I find myself edging backwards, until finally my back slams against a vine-covered brick wall. _

_Ah, god! After a few more of those passionate kisses, I am absolutely __**burning**__ to feel the Viking's silky skin next to mine! Sliding my hands between us, I try to unbutton his shirt, but I just don't have the patience to do it. Knowing what I am after, he allows me to shove him away just enough so that I have room to yank it open. Buttons go flying in every direction, revealing his perfectly muscled chest and stomach. I am even less patient with my blouse, and this time it is me that ends up ripping it to get it open. Eager to help, my vampire leans forward and slices my bra open with his fangs, then jerks__ the remnants of both garments off and throws them to the ground._

_Now that my breasts are fully exposed, Eric takes one into his mouth and this time, he is not gentle in his suckling. The strong, frantic pulls are almost enough to send me over the edge. As he nurses, one big hand makes its way under my skirt, and in another second what is left of my panties goes flying. His long fingers seek out my folds, going straight to the spots that he knows give me maximum pleasure. While one hand is busy at one end, his other hand and his mouth continue their work at the other. Kneading one breast with his hand, his soft, wet mouth is still firmly attached to the other. Finally releasing my nipple, he uses his teeth to nibble and bite at the round globe. One expert scrape of a fang leaves a scratch deep enough to draw blood. Tiny beads of red liquid well to the surface. His tongue darts out to capture his small treat. At that one little taste, he lets out a low moan and his huge body shudders in pure ecstasy. _

_In turn, this sends a rush of delight through me. I was worried that my vampire would no longer find my blood so appealing, but from his strong reaction, it seems that is not the case. I don't have time to dwell on it, though. I have much more pressing issues to deal with. Up until now, I have been so aroused that my hunger has taken a back burner to my passion; but seeing and smelling that little bit of blood, along with the highly erotic sight of Eric licking it off my skin, causes it to coming roaring back. Suddenly, the need to feed is every bit as consuming as the need for my lover to be inside of me. _

_Clearly, Eric can sense this. Standing upright, he hoists me upwards, and out of habit my legs automatically find their way around his trim waist. Leaning me back against the wall, he fumbles for a moment with his zipper and releases his enormous erection from its leather confinement. The firm, velvety head presses enticingly against my entrance as the vampire whispers sexily into my ear, "My beautiful lover, now your mate is going to see to __**all **__of your needs. I am going to fill you up in __**every**__ way." _

_A second later, I am blissfully overfilled with fully engorged vampire. That isn't all that is in store for me, though. With an impatient hand, the Viking sweeps his long hair away from his neck. Tilting his head slightly to one side, he murmurs, "Take me, Sookie, while I am taking you."_

_Before he can change his mind, I give his skin a quick sweep of my tongue and then sink my teeth into his flesh. I have bitten him many times when I was human, but the experience was never even remotely like this. The tips of my sharp little fangs are throbbing and sensitive, and the feeling produced as they sink into his firm skin is erotic beyond belief. The familiar taste of his fantastic blood courses into my eager mouth, and I begin to suck it down in greedy gulps. Until now, I could never really appreciate how special this ancient vampire's blood really is. With every swallow, a portion of the Viking's awesome strength and power is transferred to me... and as a newly-made vampire, I absolutely revel in it._

_As for the Viking, the minute my fangs penetrate his skin, he shouts and begins to climax. His body jerks violently as his essence shoots deeply into my core. This just adds a new level to my overall enjoyment of my first feeding. It seems totally perfect that he is filling me with both his blood and his seed. All too soon, the strong spurts begin to dwindle... but to my delight, it seems that the release has not completely damped the vampire's ardor. Oh, no! If anything, it seems to have stirred him up!_

_After only a slight pause, my Viking lover begins to surge into me with abandon, each thrust hard and deep. Clearly no longer afraid of damaging me, this time he holds nothing back. This is as far from the tender lovemaking of earlier this evening as it is possible to get. This is totally out-of-control, high-octane sex... and just about the most exhilarating sexual experience of my existence. This is exactly how I imagined sex between two vampires would be... Raw. Savage. Amazing._

_It turns out that it takes a great deal to satisfy a newly-made vampire's hunger, both sexual and physical. While Eric is doing his best to take care of one, I continue to work on the other. The first wound closes before I am anywhere near full, so I move my head to another spot and start over. Once again, this causes a release for the Viking; and like before, he pauses only briefly before continuing. All too soon, the second set of punctures seal themselves. I am justpicking out the perfect spot for a third when to my dismay, Eric says raggedly, "That is enough, little one. Even I cannot give you all that you require at once."_

_But I am still hungry! I can't stop myself from trying for another bite; but before I know what is happening, the Viking drops me on my feet and whirls me around to face the ivy-covered wall. Shoving me forward, he places my palms on the rough surface. Firmly taking my hips into his hands, he pops them up and back and then positions himself at just the right angle for penetration. His own hips swing forward, driving his still rock-hard length back inside me. This position makes it impossible for me to bite him, which is both good and bad. Bad because I am still a little hungry... good because now I can focus on nothing but getting good and fucked by my very talented lover. Within only a minute or two, I start to build up to my own completion. _

_Quick as a wink, Eric leans forward and bites into my shoulder. As he begins to feed, my body is racked with delicious contractions. My interior muscles begin to undulate, stroking my lover's hard length. Within seconds, my extremely aroused mate explodes inside me. Not including the night of our Second Bonding, this is the strongest orgasm of my life... and to add icing to the cake, this seems to trigger another, even more important release. As if some interior dam has crumbled, Eric's emotions come flooding into me along right along with his essence. Nothing on this Earth has __**ever**__ felt so good! I can hear myself crying out in my pleasure, not caring who might hear me. _

_As my body rides out the strong aftershocks, all my brain can think about is that Eric was right! Our Bond is intact and as strong as it ever was! Tears of relief and thankfulness flood my eyes and trickle down my cheeks. My vampire can sense this, of course. He slips himself out of me and turns me to face him again. He tenderly lifts me into his arms and carries me over to the wooden bench__. Sitting down, he cuddles me to his chest and begins to lick away my tears. Unbelievably, even through the leather skirt I am still wearing, I can feel the Gracious Plenty stirring under my bottom. That vampire! Talk about insatiable! Somehow, this strikes me as funny, and through my tears I begin to giggle._

"_Sookie? What is it? I cannot tell if you are laughing or crying."_

"_A little of both, but they are happy tears. I was so afraid that being turned would change everything. It just makes me really happy to find out that some things haven't changed... like the fact that my tears still get you excited. You never told me that vampire tears are an aphrodisiac."_

_Eyes glowing with an inner excitement, he gives me a happy grin. "That is because they are not."_

"_But you..."_

"_Are as hard as a rock, even though I should be completely sated? Yes, I am, and yes, it is because of your tears."_

_I just stare at him, completely confused. Laughing now, he says, "Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that your tears tasted exactly the same as they always have!"_

_Somehow, this news seems to shock me even more than waking up with fangs. Dazed, I ask, "So is that why you said I was an amazing creature? Why didn't you tell me then?"_

_His smile fades a little, and he answers seriously, "We had an ordeal in front of us, and I did not want to distract you."_

"_An ordeal? What do you mean?"_

_Absentmindedly running one hand over my legs, he replies, "The most important duty I have as your Maker is to teach you to hunt. For obvious reasons, this must be done as quickly as possible. In your case, I had a premonition that you would be reluctant. Nothing would have Tpleased me more than to provide you with your first taste of blood... to be the first to have your sweet little fangs embedded in my flesh... but I knew that was selfish on my part. The only way to get you past your reluctance was to make sure you were ravenously hungry."_

"_I was hungry, all right. In fact, I still am."_

"_You see, that is exactly the problem. A newly-made vampire needs a great deal of blood at first, and as much as I wish I could, I simply cannot supply you with all that you need. You __**must**__ learn to hunt."_

_We sit silently for a moment, thinking that sad truth over. Eventually, Eric sighs heavily and continues, "As I said, I knew you were going to be reluctant, but I truly believed that once you caught the blood scent of a human, you would not be able to resist. I seriously underestimated your stubbornness. I have never seen a newly-turned vampire exhibit that level of control before."_

"_Huh. Maybe it's because the most stubborn vampire in existence is my Maker __**and**__ my Bonded."_

_This "disrespectful" comment makes him laugh. "That may be. In any event, once you refused to drink and pulled away, it was clear I had to do something drastic... so I drank from that girl deliberately."_

"_Why? Why would you hurt me like that?"_

_Tenderly stroking my face, he replies, "I did it because it was the only thing I could think of to make you forget about your conscience. I knew it would make you angry. A new vampire has very little control over his or her emotions, and once stirred, they tend to bring __**all**__ the vampire instincts to the surface. Frankly, I was expecting you to take her away from me and drain her on the spot."_

"_You may know a lot about vampires, Eric, but you still don't know a damned thing about women. All I wanted to do was make you just as jealous as I was."_

_Giving me a cocky grin, he retorts, "Is that so? Well, darling mate, I may know more than you think. I was well aware that you might take it into your head to try to make me jealous. As far as I was concerned, that was an acceptable option. To do so, you would have to hunt and to feed all on your own... which you proceeded to do. That was the goal, was it not?"_

"_If it was so danged 'acceptable,' then why in the blue blazes did you stop me?"_

_Without warning, a strong emotion rolls through the Bond. It is one that I practically never feel from Eric, and it takes me a minute to realize what it is. My vampire is embarrassed__ by his un-vampire-like reaction! "What I told you was the truth," he says slowly, "Under normal circumstances, there really is no need to be jealous. To a vampire, there is almost never any emotional attachment to a human, even if you use it for sex as well as for blood... so to be jealous of one is simply ridiculous." _

_Eric pauses for a moment. Tenderly running a finger down the side of my face, he says seriously, "You are vampire now, Sookie. You __**must**__ feed. I was just unprepared for the way seeing you in the arms of another male, human or not, would make me feel. I am old enough to know better."_

_Chuckling at his dismay, I pepper his rueful face with kisses. "Oh, honey! I think it's sweet that you're jealous! I know you think this is some sort of character flaw, but give yourself a break. We were already in love before I was turned... and Twice-Bonded... and married. You have never been able to stand another male touching me, so why should it be any different now? I'm going to tell you the same thing you are always saying to me. We're different, and so the normal rules just don't apply where we're concerned. I'll tell you right now, I may __**never**__ get used to you feeding from pretty girls."_

"_Just as I may feel the need to shred any male who comes near you... but there is no getting around facts. Our biology demands that we feed from humans... so, I have a proposal. I will only feed from ugly women, and you refrain from feeding from men entirely."_

"_Huh! That __**would**__ be your solution! How about this:__** I**__ get to feed from ugly men, and __**you**__ give up females entirely."_

"_Totally unacceptable," the Viking states firmly, "No men for you. If you had at least __**tried **__that girl Cellie, you would have seen that drinking from females is very pleasant. They are just your size, they are soft, they smell much better than men..."_

"_...not to mention that you wouldn't mind watching! I caught that, you know!"_

"_All right, I admit it. Seeing you enjoying another woman in that way is... exciting." He shrugs carelessly as if to say, "Eh! What do you expect? I'm vampire! So stake me!"_

_Giving him a sour look in return, I fire back, "Okay, here's an idea. I only drink from women and gay guys, and you can drink from men and lesbians. Neither one of us should get too heated up by that, especially since the donors wouldn't be sexually worked up."_

"_You, Beloved, are enticing enough to make a gay man reconsider. As for the humans not being sexually excited... well, all I can say is that you will have to find out for yourself. How about this... neither one of us can pick a target without the other's approval."_

_That sounds reasonable to me, so I give the Viking a kiss to seal the bargain. Pushing myself off his lap, I get to my feet. "Honey... all this talk of donors is making me really hungry. If you promise to keep me from draining anybody, I'd guess I'd like to go out hunting again."_

"_Very well," he says willingly, "Let me help tidy you a bit. I __**did**__ make a mess of you."_

_Jumping up, he retrieves what is left of my clothes. My bra is beyond repair and there is not enough left of my blouse to cover much of anything. Realizing that it is a lost cause, the vampire merely takes the remnants of my shirt, dips it into the fountain, and proceeds to clean my face before moving down and carefully removing the evidence of his passion from my thighs. Once that chore is done to his satisfaction, he shrugs off his own shirt, which is only missing a few buttons. He holds it out so that I can slip into it, and he rolls up the sleeves and then ties the tails in such a way to make it neat and attractive. From the pocket of his leathers, he produces a tiny comb and tames first my hair and then his own. After a quick search, he locates my sunglasses and slides them back on my face._

_All this is done as swiftly and efficiently as he does everything else. The last thing he does is rearrange the Gracious Plenty and zip up his leathers. Wow! He looks good enough to eat! Fortunately, the French Quarter is one of the few places in the country where a man can stroll shirtless down a city street and hardly raise an eyebrow. Just as we head for the passageway to the street, I hear a voice at the other end say in disgust, "Well, shit! Look at my gate! What the hell happened?"_

_Instead of attempting to right it, there are some clanging sounds as the man picks his way across the gate lying in his path. I glance at Eric, fully expecting him to grab me and take to the air. Instead, he seems to be waiting patiently for our "host." Soon enough, a man comes stumbling though the doorway. He fumbles along one wall, flips a couple of switches, activating some romantic, low-level outdoor lighting. As soon as I lay eyes on the man, my gay-dar goes off. Not only is he much too pretty and too flamboyantly dressed to be straight, he is staring at Eric like he has found the Holy Grail. From the look of him, I can tell he is pretty well lit. He is so drunk, in fact, that he doesn't seem too surprised to find two half-dressed vampires in his courtyard... or maybe he thinks we are hallucinations. He stops, blinks his eyes a few times, and then rubs them with balled fists. Once he determines we are not going to disappear (too bad I can't poof anymore, that would be a real hoot), he looks at Eric and slurs, "Thank you, baby Jesus! This is my lucky day!"_

_Not really, since he is looking Eric right in the eye __as he says it. A minute later and he has been glamoured within an inch of his life. My vampire digs in his pocket and extracts his money clip. Peeling a few bills from the huge wad he always seems to carry, he tucks the money for repairs into the man's front shirt pocket. Turning to me, he says, "All right, my angel, let us go hunting."_

_Giving the man a thoughtful look, I reply, "Uh... why? What about this guy? If he's not gay, I don't know who is. I'm really hungry, and he's already glamoured and everything."_

_The Viking considers this for a moment before giving his consent. "Very well... but I don't want him holding you."_

"_Er... okay. How 'bout I just stand behind him? He's not too tall."_

"_That is acceptable." Looking down at the already dazed man, Eric asks, "What is your name?"_

"_Theo."_

"_Theo, pay attention. This beautiful lady is very hungry. Are you willing to give her what she requires?"_

"_Uh... I guess so."_

"_Good. You are a very lucky man. It is an honor to be her first human. Now turn around."_

_The man obeys, and I step up behind him. I am less reluctant this time, partly because I know that I don't have to worry about killing the poor guy... but still, I hesitate. Feeling this, Eric slips up behind me and lays his hands on my shoulders. Putting his mouth close to my ear, he says softly, "I will be here with you every minute, my love. You can do this." _

_There is really no sense putting this off any longer. Leaning in, I give Theo a quick lick and then plunge my fangs into his skin. Hot blood spurts into my mouth, and I begin to suck it down. I have never had human blood before, and frankly, I am shocked at how good it tastes. It isn't nearly as wonderful as Eric's or even Bill's for that matter. It is considerably thinner than vampire blood and is really tame by comparison. It doesn't have any magical properties, so it doesn't make me stronger or feel better; however, it does have some interesting qualities. Besides containing some very intriguing flavors, it tells me all sorts of things about the donor. For example, I can identify what Theo has consumed lately, down to and including a pretty fair amount of steak and Jack Daniels. _

_While I am feeding, Eric strokes my head and murmurs encouragement. He is snugged __up behind me, with one big arm wrapped comfortingly around my middle. Our Bond tells me that watching another man, gay or not, supply his Bonded with blood is __**not**__ easy for him. Even so, he is trying his best to make this as painless for me as he can, and I adore him for it._

_I have to be honest with myself. The entire experience is not nearly as repulsive as I thought it would be. It turns out that feeding from a living, breathing, and willing donor is much more sensual and satisfying than eating with a knife and fork...plus there are no dishes to wash. It turns out that hunting is a lot more fun than going to the grocery store. Of course, there is a darker aspect to all of this. At this very moment, while my fangs are buried deep in his flesh, I know that I can kill this man... or not. I can make him feel great pleasure... or the opposite. I know all kinds of things about him now, and I know I will be able to find him again if it pleases me. To be absolutely truthful, having that sort of ultimate power over another creature is a real rush. _

_Fortunately for him, I have absolutely no desire to kill this human. Truthfully, I have no feelings for him one way or another. Why would I? Even if I was still human, I probably wouldn't. Furthermore, it turns out that I really don't feel a lick of passion for him. Feeding from him is satisfying and sensual, but not sexual in the least._

_Theo, on the other hand, might have something different to say on the subject. The minute my fangs penetrate his flesh, he gives a long, low moan that has nothing to do with pain. I am not consciously doing anything to give him pleasure... it seems to be enough that I don't want to hurt him. As my mouth works against his throat, he begins to breathe harder... and then harder. Suddenly, he gasps and shudders all over, and the sharp, yummy smell of semen floats into the air. Oh... wow. _

_Confused, I raise my head and blurt out, "What the hell?"_

_Sharply, Eric orders, "Seal the wound, Sookie, or he will continue to bleed."_

_Dipping my head, I do as I'm told. Sure enough, my saliva is now loaded with anticoagulant, and within seconds the wound has completely stopped bleeding. As soon as I step away from Theo, he announces, "Man! That was so good I'm a little weak in the knees! I think I'll sit down now." Instead of finding his way to a chair, he merely sinks to the ground and sprawls out. Eric steps up next to me and we both stare down at my "first."_

"_I swear I did __**not**__ do that on purpose!" I say somewhat defensively, "Was I wrong about him being gay?"_

_Eric shakes his head and laughs. "Of course you did not do it on purpose, and the man is __**definitely**__ homosexual... but the human's sexual orientation is irrelevant. This is a normal reaction in any human unless you consciously decide to make it otherwise. If you had wanted it to hurt, it would have. The intent of the vampire is everything."_

"_So next time I can keep this from happening?"_

"_It is possible, but there is a very fine line between pleasure and pain. You are young and inexperienced and it would be very easy for you to cause the next human intense pain. Are you sure you want to risk it?"_

"_Well... no. But this just seems... "_

"_Too intimate?"_

"_No. The word I had in mind was 'gross."_

_Chuckling, Eric says, "Look at it this way. It was pleasurable for you to drink from this man, yes? He supplied you with the nutrition you required. In turn, you are repaying him with a little physical pleasure. Is that not a fair exchange?"_

"_Couldn't I just slip him a twenty?"_

"_It is not an either/or situation, my love. Give the human money if you wish... but it will not stop the physical reaction. Before long, you will be able to control the reaction if you wish, but by then I doubt it will bother you any longer. It will seem much less intimate... more like giving a dog a pat on the head."_

_Hmpf. Now we are back to the old "humans as pets" thing. I always thought vampires kept humans at arms' length to keep from going crazy and now I see that I was right. Thinking of them as lesser beings makes it mentally easier on the vampire._

_Sighing heavily, I say, "Okay. I guess I have no choice. I suppose I'll have to get used to it. How long until I can drink TrueBlood?"_

"_Oh... only a couple of months, maybe less," Eric replies thoughtfully, "We will just have to see. However, I will warn you... it does not taste as good as the real thing, and it is not nearly as interesting.."_

"_But it is a lot more convenient and less personal. Crap. I feel like we are in the middle of a Bud Lite commercial."_

_Eric looks blank. I take another stab at it. "You know... tastes great versus less filling? Oh... never mind."_

_Idly, I wonder if in a thousand years I will be completely clueless about human popular culture__. Probably. I make a note to myself to start watching more television just to keep up. I guess I'll have to read Dear Abby with Pam. Maybe Bill and I can go on people-watching expeditions. Sighing, I tell Eric, "Just be patient with me, okay? This is going to take some getting used to."_

_He gives me a radiant smile. "Of course. I love you, Sookie, and I am going to take very good care of you. We will be very happy, you will see."_

_Funny, just before all this happened, I had taken a vow to take better care of __**him**__. In fact, looking at my mate a little more closely, I realize that he seems even paler than usual. Well, duh! I probably took way too much blood from him just now, and all he took back from me was just a swallow or two. "Baby, you look like you could use a snack. How about a little pick-me-up from old Theo, here?" Curiously, now that I've tasted him myself, I don't mind the idea of Eric feeding from this guy at all. It sort of seems like a normal couple sharing a bottle of wine, or something. _

_The Viking shakes his head. "You took a great deal from him already. Any more and we might damage him. We can find someone else on our way home."_

"_What about Theo? We can't just leave him here on the cold ground."_

_The Viking gives me a look like I have lost my mind. I give him a wifely look in return. "Come on. Indulge me. At least carry him over and lay him on that bench."_

_Grumbling a little in his old language, my henpecked (vampire-pecked?) husband crouches down, gathers the man in his arms, and then effortlessly rises to his feet. It turns out that Theo is not as out of it as I thought, because he throws his arms around the Viking's neck, slurs, "Take me away, big boy!" and then starts laughing like a loon._

_Eric looks down at his unwanted passenger in disgust, clearly torn between tossing him back on the ground or indulging his wife's un-vampire-like notions. Snickering at one's Maker is probably cause for a good spanking, but I can't seem to help myself. In response, the Viking just rolls his eyes and sighs heavily. Before he can make his way across the patio to the bench, I hear some familiar clanging and scraping sounds from the other end of the passageway, and sure enough, a few seconds later a man carrying a suitcase steps into the courtyard. _

_This guy is tall, muscular, and even more attractive than Theo. He has stylishly cut dark hair and lovely gray-blue eyes fringed with thick dark lashes. He is much less flamboyantly dressed, clad in an ordinary pair of blue jeans and a muscle shirt... but somehow I know he, too, is gay. I don't even think he registers my presence, because his eyes go straight to the two other men. Dropping his bag to the ground, he says rather shrilly, "Goddamn it, Theo, you little whore! __I rush home a day early just to be with you, and what do I find? You just can't keep it in your pants while I'm gone, can you?"_

_By this time, the Viking has arrived at the long wooden bench and is attempting to dump his cargo, who doesn't want to be dumped. Theo is clinging to the vampire like a limpet. Clearly, he is too far gone to care just how much trouble he's in, from both males present. Cackling, he says, "That's not true! I never took my pants off!" _

_Eric finally manages to disentangle himself and takes two big steps backward. He turns to face the angry man storming across the patio, who obviously hasn't realized that Eric is vampire. Ignoring Eric entirely, the irate human comes to a stop in front of the bench and glares down at his significant other. Clearly noticing the damp stain on Theo's silk pants, he cries, "You nasty bitch! You really __**didn't**__ take them off! Just look at that mess! "_

_Blearily, Theo looks up at his mate and then down at his own crotch. He says gaily, "Yep! It's a mess, all right, but it was sure worth it!"_

_Turning towards Eric, the man looks him up and down. In a voice dripping with disdain, he spits out, "Blonds! Why is it always blonds? Listen, buddy, you need to am-scray, capice?"_

_To my utter amazement, Eric has watched this entire scene unfold with nothing but mild amusement. Now he swivels his head towards me and raises an eyebrow, clearly wanting a translation. Before I can say a word, Theo tells his fuming mate, "Ha! A lot you know, Larry! I wasn't with __**him**__. I was with __**her**__!" He throws a careless hand in my direction, adding proudly, "I was her first!"_

_Larry twirls around to face me, his jaw dropping in astonishment. Clearly, he really hadn't realized I was even here. "Oh. My. God. A __**woman**__, Theo? You were with a __**woman**__?" He makes it sound about on a level with having sex with domesticated livestock._

_Why, that little...! Without warning, my temper comes blazing to the surface. My fangs explode into my mouth. Baring them at the human, I hiss, "That's right, Larry! Theo __**was**__ my first. You'll be my second, but believe me, you aren't going to enjoy it __**nearly**__ as much."_

_To my intense satisfaction, the human lets out a frightened gasp and all the color drains right out of his face. He starts to back up, holding his hands out in front of him in a supplicating gesture. After a couple of steps, he runs smack into an immovable object... namely, a shirtless Viking vampire. In a flash Eric's big arms come around the man, one big hand cutting off a shout for help, and the other pinning the man's violently squirming body against his bare chest. Ha! The human might as well save his energy. He would have better luck escaping a Russian gulag than getting loose from that steel grasp. Eric suggests casually, "Settle down, Larry. Otherwise, I might harm you."_

_Instead of going to his mate's aid, Theo snorts and says loudly, "Ha! That's like offering to throw Brer Rabbit into the briar patch. Larry likes it rough, don't you, sweetheart?"_

_This just causes his partner to try even harder to escape. Both the Viking and I give Theo a serious glare, simultaneously exclaiming, "SHUT UP, THEO!"_

_Eric still has him under enough control that immediately he snaps his mouth shut. Pinning him with a piercing stare, the vampire commands, "You will go to sleep now. When you wake up, you will remember none of this."_

_Theo obediently yawns, curls up on the bench, and within seconds is snoring loud enough to wake the neighbors three houses down. My Bonded looks back in my direction. Amusement is pouring through the Bond. "It seems that we are going to have to work on controlling that temper of yours, my love. It is going to get you into trouble."_

_Still seething, I snap, "There is nothing wrong with my temper. This guy is a total a-hole!"_

"_True... but if I let you have him now, you might kill him. I also know that once you calm down, you will deeply regret doing it... therefore, as your Maker, I am not going to allow it. Put your fangs away."_

_Surely he's not serious! That stupid human insulted me! My fangs are throbbing with the need to sink them into his flesh... and not just once, either. Narrowing my eyes, a low growl erupts from deep inside my throat and I launch myself in the man's direction. Before I have made it a quarter of the way there, Eric says sharply, "Sookie! Stop."_

_Instantly, the strangest feeling comes over me. As if invisible strings are tied to all of my limbs and someone behind me has given them a good yank backwards, my body jerks to a halt. As hard as I try, I can't move as much as an inch. My body shakes with the effort, but eventually I realize that it is useless. Even from across the room, the Viking is holding me captive, just as surely as he is holding the still wriggling human in his arms. Thank goodness I can still speak! "Eric! This is __**so**__ not fair!"_

"_Nevertheless, you must learn to obey a direct order from your Maker," he replies coolly, "Besides, __**I**__ am only following __**your**__ orders. Did you not instruct me to prevent you from killing anyone?"_

"_Darn it, Eric! You don't have to be so smug about it!" I fume for a minute or two before realizing I had best change tactics. Slyly, I ask, "If I promise to be good, will you let me go?"_

"_Your lips say one thing, my darling, but our Bond tells me something quite different. Until you are more in control of your temper, you will stay right where you are."_

_Dad-gummed Bond! I guess I'll never be able to lie to him. Knowing that I'm fighting a losing battle, I make an attempt to get my dark emotions in check. Meanwhile, Eric decides to use this time to get the human under control and begins murmuring to him in a low, seductive tone. The vampire's voice is so soothing that I find myself calming down, too. As my anger melts away, I begin to pay more attention to the sight in front of me. Even though Larry's struggles have significantly diminished, he is still half-heartedly twisting and writhing against the bare torso of the Viking. Hmmm. I don't care if one of them is gay; there is something very... exciting about watching those two very muscular, masculine bodies rubbing together like that. It makes me a little sorry that both of them are wearing any clothes at all. Now __**that**__ would be a vision... _

_All too soon, the human succumbs to the vampire's influence and quits wiggling. Now that the man is no longer liable to raise a ruckus, Eric slowly removes his hand from over Larry's mouth. The Viking glances in my direction, catching me with my fangs down and practically drooling. One corner of his mouth twitches up knowingly. I guess he can tell I am no longer intent on harming the human, because he finally releases his control of my body. With a slight twinkle in his eye, the vampire says, "I presume this man is acceptable?"_

_By asking for my approval, it seems as if he intends to keep his end of the bargain. I readily reply, "Ah... I guess so." As long as I get to watch, that is, but I leave that part out._

_Eric extends his hand in my direction. In a voice as smooth and soft as black velvet, he says, "Come to me, my love."_

_Really, a voice that sexy should be illegal. Without conscious thought, I find myself practically floating across the patio. One of Eric's arms is still loosely wrapped around the human's waist. Once I am within reach, my Bonded uses his free hand to pull me in closer… so close that I find myself brushing against both male bodies. Looking deeply into my eyes, he says softly, "I want you to be a part of this, my love, so there will be no questions in your mind."_

_Completely entranced, all I can do is nod. The long, elegant fingers of the Viking's hand encircle my throat. Leaning down, he gives me a sensual kiss and then turns his head toward the human. He runs his tongue along the base of Larry's neck and then strikes. As he feeds, Eric lovingly rubs the pad of his thumb back and forth across my jugular. I know this is my Bonded's way of reassuring me that this man is merely a poor substitute for drinking from me. This is very soothing and considerate, but not strictly necessary. So much is flowing back and forth across our Bond that it is almost as if we are physically sharing the experience. _

_There is no doubt that Eric is sexually aroused, but I also know that it has nothing whatsoever to do with the human. He has about the same level of interest in this guy that I used to have in a nice t-bone steak. My vampire is merely responding to my own unexpected reaction. _

_Much to my astonishment, I am not the least bit intimidated or jealous. In fact, I realize that right along with my human limitations, a lot of my former inhibitions and insecurities have now fallen by the wayside. I am viewing this event with the eyes and sensibilities of a vampire._

_Being pressed so intimately between two buff male bodies is very pleasant, particularly since it gives me such a front row seat to view the action. Eric's long golden hair has fallen forward, partially blocking my view, so I sweep it back and hold it in place with my hand. There is something very erotic about seeing my vampire's mouth moving against the man's skin, and his enjoyment of the human's blood is passing right into me. Beyond that, I am filled with a strange sense of satisfaction because my mate is getting the nutrition he needs to stay strong and powerful. The whole experience is both sensual and exciting and it makes me yearn to drag my Viking straight back to our chamber and have wild, uninhibited vampire-sex until dawn._

_As for the human, I can tell by the little tremors running through his body that he is enjoying this too. Hmmm. A dark, vampire-like thought skitters across my brain. Knowing that the Viking has complete control over the physical sensations he can cause in the human, I lean closer and whisper wickedly in his ear, "Make it hurt just a little." As an added incentive, I give my vampire's earlobe a little nip with one sharp fang. A blast of excitement and lust flashes back through the Bond in response._

_The arm Eric has looped around the waist of the human tightens. A second later, Larry jerks as if a shock has passed through him. A low groan of pain escapes his throat, but then his body begins to shudder in a prolonged and intense orgasm. Hmpf. I guess Theo wasn't kidding. Good old Larry does enjoy a little pain. Oh, well. Just like Eric said, I find that I really don't much care one way or the other. The human's reaction doesn't affect our feelings for each other in the slightest, and therefore are completely unimportant. He gave my vampire nourishment and so, as far as I am concerned, he is welcome to his little bit of pleasure._

_Since the Viking allowed me to take so much of his blood earlier, it takes him longer than usual to drink his fill. As soon as he is done, he seals the twin punctures on the man's neck and then steps away from him. Drawing me into his arms, my Bonded drops his head to mine for a deep, passionate kiss. The taste of the man's blood lingers on his tongue, which adds a little spice to our kiss. I lean into him, running my hands across the smooth skin of his chest. Mmmm. _

_Eric smiles down at me, his eyes glowing with love and passion."Do you understand now, little one?"_

_Returning his smile, I answer truthfully, "Yes, I do." This was a very important hurdle for both of us, but I learned my lesson well. Now I know that no matter how beautiful, or sexy, or tasty they are, no human could ever be as fascinating or as exciting to Eric as I am, or vice versa. It is simply not possible. _

_Now Eric's smile is positively radiant. "I am glad. Now, my lover, let me take care of a few minor details and then we can go."_

_Larry has not moved an inch from where Eric left him. Grasping him by the elbow, the vampire issues a few quiet commands. Larry obediently goes over to the bench, picks up his sleeping partner, and heads to the backdoor. Eric helps by fishing the keys out of his pocket and unlocking the door for him, and as soon as the pair passes inside, he tosses the keys after them. Curiously, I ask, "Why didn't you heal their wounds before they went inside? They are going to know they were bitten."_

_Shaking his head, the Viking replies, "It would have been a waste of blood. Those two are not innocents by any stretch of the imagination, and definitely not the type to raise a fuss over a couple of bite marks. Instead, they will be mystified and intrigued. Their conscious minds will not remember us, but subconsciously they will remember the pleasure they received from our bites. Within the week, they will be hanging out in vampire bars, hoping for a repeat experience, and one that they __**will**__ remember."_

_Clearly, my vampire knows more about human nature than I think. "Do you __**ever**__ bother to heal the human?"_

"_Hardly ever. One of the best things about the Great Revelation is that concealing the evidence of our feeding is no longer a matter of necessity. I have always disliked sharing my blood for any reason, even the tiny amount it takes to heal bite marks. Nowadays, I specifically choose targets that do not require it."_

"_That's funny. As I recall, you could hardly wait to get your blood in me. Remember Dallas?"_

"_My angel, I am unlikely to ever forget it," he answers with a grin. "It was there that I had my__ very first taste of you... but I digress. You asked on which occasions I find it worthwhile to leave no trace of myself. Let me see. Oh, yes. The last time I did it, it was to keep a certain young lady of my acquaintance from knowing I had visited her in the night. She was quite angry with me at the time and would not have welcomed my visit. I really just wanted to see her and had no intention of feeding from her... but she looked so beautiful in her sleep, I just had to hold her. Once she was in my arms, I simply could not resist tasting her. I was so gentle, she never awakened from her slumber. I was more than happy to heal her wounds."_

_Eric's beautiful eyes are gleaming with amusement. At first, I wonder if he is telling me this story to make me jealous... and then it hits me. I think the girl he is talking about is me! _

"_Eric Northman!" I say indignantly, "Do you mean to tell me you drank from me without me even knowing?"_

_In answer, he merely raises one elegant blond eyebrow and gives me a mysterious smile. Oooo! That vampire! "When? When was it?" I demand. It is going to drive me crazy until I know._

"_I never said it was you." he replies with a distinct smirk, "A vampire has to have some secrets, you know. Now come on, you can attempt to wheedle the truth out of me on the way home." He makes a sweeping "ladies' first" gesture towards the passageway to the street. _

_Ha! Two can play at this game. What he wants is for me to beg and plead for information. Not gonna happen! I breeze past him with my head held high, saying carelessly, "I guess it doesn't really matter. If you __**did**__ do it, at least you were enough of a gentlemen to heal __**your**__ marks. I only wish all midnight callers were so considerate."_

_By the time the meaning of my well-chosen words sink in, I am nearly to the end of the passage. Behind me, Eric stops dead in his tracks. I hear a furious, "What! What other midnight callers?"_

_Ha! Hole-in-one! Grinning to myself, I reach the end of the passage. When Larry came through earlier, he had set the damaged wrought iron gate in its place to make it look functional._

_One thing I haven't tried out yet is my new vampire strength, so I reach for the gate to see if I can move it. Just before my fingers come in contact with the metal, two powerful arms wrap around my middle and haul me backwards. "Eric! What the hell?"_

_Setting me back on my feet, he says, "I am sorry, Beloved, but you were about to touch the iron."_

"_So? I'm vampire now. I thought all I needed to avoid was silver and wooden stakes."_

"_There is no point in taking any chances. Please... allow me." With that, he slides past me and moves the gate out of my path. Stepping out on to the street, I wait while he fits the gate back into the hole, and then joins me. Taking my arm, he points us in the general direction of our house. We walk for nearly a block before he finally answers, "There is one small detail that I was saving for later, but I suppose it really cannot wait."_

_Suddenly fearful, I ask, "Why? Is it bad news?"_

"_Not at all. As far as I am concerned, it is truly wonderful news. Remember that I told you that your tears still taste the same?"_

"_Um... yes."_

_Eric stops and swings me around to face him. "That is not the only thing about you that tastes the same," he says gleefully, "So does your blood. Sookie... it tastes exactly the same as it did before you were turned. It is possible that you may have retained other aspects of your Fae heritage as well, including the vulnerability to lemon and iron."_

_Holy cow! This is__** fantastic**__ news! Secretly, I have always thought that my unique blood composition was one of the reasons my vampire was so enthralled with me, whether he would admit it or not. I just assumed that my blood would taste completely different now that I am vampire. Smiling happily, I say, "Ah ha! So that's why you got so worked up back there in the courtyard! Why didn't you tell me?"_

_The broad Viking grin fades a little. "I was hoping to give you more time to adjust before facing this issue," he replies quietly._

_Oh. What he really means is he didn't want to upset me more than I already am by bringing up all the things I've lost. Suddenly, my feeling of happiness disappears, only to be replaced by a searing sense of loss. I try to keep the quiver out of my voice as I reply, "What is there to talk about, really? I know I've lost my magic. Apparently, I've lost my telepathy, too. It hurts like hell, but there isn't a damned thing I can do about it."_

_I am half-way expecting him to pull me into his arms and comfort me. Instead, he merely stares down at me with those blazing blue eyes of his and asks bluntly, "How can you be certain that you have lost your gifts? Have you actually tried to use them?"_

_Trust my ever-practical Viking to get straight to the heart of the matter. Blinking a couple of times, I stutter, "Uh... not exactly... but... I don't have to 'try' with my telepathy. It just happens. I walked through that crowd on Bourbon Street and never heard a single thought from anybody."_

"_... but did you make a conscious effort to hear them?"_

"_Well... no. "_

"_I thought not. Beloved, I am not trying to get your hopes up. It may very well be that your gifts are gone entirely... but once I tasted your blood and found that the composition was exactly the same, I realized that it is entirely possible that your magic is also intact."_

"_But I just assumed death would destroy all that. Eric, has there ever been another Fairy turned vampire before?"_

"_As far as I know, there has never been a full-Fairy converted. I suppose this is because by the time the Fairy is drained, the vampire is incapable of enough rational thought to complete the process. There have long been rumors of part-Fairy conversions, but if there are such creatures, they guard their identities well__. Beyond that, there are myths about Fairy-vampire hybrids that are as old as time itself... but if you will pardon the pun, they are nothing but fairy tales. Since vampires cannot reproduce, such a creature would be impossible. As for your telepathy, psychic gifts clearly do survive the transition... the Ancient Prophetess is a good example. Rumor has it that her gifts were actually enhanced by the process." _

_If what Eric says is true, there is at least a small chance that my magic is still intact, and my telepathy, too. It is just as well that I don't have to breathe anymore, because I would probably be hyper-ventilating right now. I am absolutely terrified to attempt to use either one, because if I fail I don't know if I can stand it. Up until now, I have been able to maintain my composure... well, more or less, anyhow... but this might turn out to be the straw that broke the camel's back. How would it look for the Vampire Queen of Louisiana to be having hysterics right in the middle of the French Quarter?_

_Obviously, my fears are broadcasting load and clear. Eric says gently, "Remember that our Bond was not working properly at first, either. That is why I wanted to give you more time before bringing this up... so that your mind and body could be settled before you had to face this. However, now that the subject has arisen, I think you should at least give it a try."_

"_I... I don't think I'm ready yet."_

"_Nonsense," the Viking says firmly, "You are the bravest woman I have ever known, Sookie. You __**can**__ do this." _

_Along with his words of encouragement, waves of self-confidence flow into me through our Bond. I guess it really is better to face it squarely than worrying about it anymore. Mustering up a tiny smile, I say, "When I was little, Gran always used to say, '__If you have to swallow a frog, don't look at it too long before you put it in your mouth; and if you have to swallow two frogs, swallow the big one first__.' I guess that applies here."_

_Looking slightly queasy, Eric asks faintly, "You had to eat live frogs as a child?"_

_My huge, battle-hardened Viking vampire looks so horrified at that idea that just I have to laugh... and suddenly the tension of the situation is broken. "No, silly. It's just a saying. It means that sometimes the more you think about doing something unpleasant the harder it will be, so it's best to do it quickly... and if there are two unpleasant things, tackle the biggest one first and the other one won't seem so bad."_

"_Ah, I see. As always, your grandmother gave you good advice."_

"_Yep, she sure did." Suddenly determined to get on with it, I grab Eric by the hand and start towing him down the street, saying, "Okay, then, I better swallow the biggest frog first... that would definitely be my telepathy. Let's go find some humans."_

_By now it is very late, even by New Orleans standards. Everything is pretty much closed except for a few bars, but I know that there are always people wandering the streets of the Quarter no matter what the hour. Just before we get back to Bourbon Street, a man and a woman come around the corner and head straight towards us. Eric steps up beside me and murmurs, "What about those two?"_

_In response, I squeeze his hand and give a sharp nod. The couple is close enough now that normally their thoughts would be coming in loud and clear... but so far, nothing. Okay. Eric said I had to actually __**try**__... and so I focus on the girl. It isn't like doing magic at all. I don't send out energy or anything. I simply open my mind to her... and suddenly, as if someone had flipped a switch on a radio, her thoughts come sliding right into my head. She's thinking that she hopes this guy isn't too drunk to do it once they get back to her place, because she is really, really horny. She's wondering how well-hung he is, and if she's still got some of those fancy ribbed rubbers left over from the last guy. Now she is really glad she took the time to shave her legs and put on some decent-looking underwear before she went bar-hopping... A huge feeling of relief washes through me. Having heard enough from her, I tune in to him to make sure she wasn't just a fluke. He is even easier to read than she was. He is worried that he's had too much to drink to get it up, too. He hopes she's good at giving blow-jobs, because that usually does the trick..._

_I never thought I would be so thrilled to hear the details of a total stranger's sex life. Letting out a loud whoop, I start to do a little happy dance right on the middle of the sidewalk. My unexpected outburst startles my intoxicated but amorous couple and they scurry past us. Instead of being embarrassed by my undignified and un-vampire-like behavior, Eric just stands back and watches me making a fool out of myself with a huge grin on his handsome face. Bubbling with laughter, I run to him and throw myself in his arms. "Baby! I did it! I could hear them both!"_

_Spinning me around in a circle, he says delightedly, "You see? You __**are**__ still you!"_

_Still holding me in his arms, he comes to a stop. We are grinning at each other like a pair of lunatics. "Guess what?" I say excitedly, "It's just like you said! I think the conversion has actually made things easier! It's like my mental shields are permanently in place with no effort on my part. I have to actually __**want**__ to listen! No more random thoughts! Do you have any idea how __**wonderful**__ that is?"_

"_I can only imagine," he responds. I cover his face with a hundred tiny kisses, babbling crazy little things in between each kiss. It goes something like this: "I love you!" Smooch, smooch, smooch."You are the best husband in the world!" Smooch, smooch, smooch. "Hey! You made the only vampire-telepath in existence!" Smooch, smooch, smooch. "You are the very best Maker in the world!"And so on..._

_Eventually, I wind down a little. The Viking is still holding me tightly in his arms, my feet dangling several inches from the ground. "Uh... honey? You can put me down now."_

"_No," he replies with a wicked grin, "You never once mentioned what an excellent lover I am. You are not getting down until the list of my virtues is complete."_

_Without missing a beat, I say innocently, "Oh. You must think I left that off the list by accident."_

"_Grrr! It had __**better**__ be by accident!"_

"_Well... I suppose the list __**is**__ incomplete," I muse, "I should have added, 'You are the most arrogant vampire in the world!"_

_With mock severity, Eric says, "Arrogant! You little minx! I warned you about being disrespectful. I think this calls for some discipline. Let us go home and I will..." Before I can find out just what he intends to do to me, he breaks off and stares at something over my right shoulder. As quick as a wink, the playful lover is replaced by the cool, somewhat remote Vampire King. Without another word, he sets me on my feet and turns me around so that I am standing by his side. I can see that yet another couple has rounded the corner and is headed straight toward us. I can tell by their faint glow that they are both vampire. I don't know either of them, but clearly they recognize Eric. _

_As they approach, I take in their appearance. They are both very attractive and well-dressed. The woman is wearing a very elegant cocktail dress, the man an impeccably tailored suit. Once they are within a few feet of us, the man bows deeply to Eric and the woman gives him a perfect curtsy. Addressing their monarch, they say in unison, "Good evening, Your Majesty." Neither one of them says anything to me directly, but I can tell they are wondering who I am._

_Eric inclines his head in acknowledgment. Turning to me, he says, "Sookie, my love, allow me to present two of our newest vampires. They have recently relocated to New Orleans from Nevada. This is Bertrand and his child, Sonya. Bertrand, Sonya... this is your Queen, Sookie Northman."_

_It seems rude of me to greet Eric's new subjects without removing my sunglasses, so I slip them off. Ow! Without the protective dark lenses, my sensitive eyes immediately begin to burn from the harsh glare of the streetlights. To make matters worse, the unexpected pain makes my fangs pop out. Blinking rapidly, I quickly stuff the glasses back on my face and force my fangs to retract. So much for being polite. I can see the look of surprise in both their eyes. Before she can stop herself, Sonya blurts out, "... but I thought your Queen was human!"_

_Bertrand grabs her firmly by the arm. By her sharp gasp I can tell he is squeezing hard enough to get her attention. He says quickly, "A thousand pardons, Your Majesties. My child means no disrespect. She never knows when to hold her tongue." By the hard edge to his voice, I have a feeling that Sonya is going to get a spanking tonight, and not necessarily the fun kind. _

_Eric says graciously, "Think nothing of it. Actually, this is Sookie's __**nox crescis**__**. **__You two have the distinct honor of being the first vampires to witness your new Queen's transformation."_

_Whatever __**nox cresis**__ means, it earns me another bow and curtsy. Once they rise, Eric goes on__ to ask Betrand a few mundane questions, like how they are liking New Orleans so far, etc, etc. While they talk, a crazy idea occurs to me. Since I'm vampire now, and my telepathic powers seem to be enhanced... maybe I can read vampire minds, too. And by that I mean really read them, not just catch a stray thought now and then. Settling my gaze on Sonya__.__, I focus in and then open my mind to hers... and before I know it, her thoughts are pouring into my head. Since she is obviously not very old, her thoughts are not as snarly as that of an older vampire and quite easy to read. While fairly__ interesting__, they are not really too important. I am anxious to try my luck with Bertrand while he is still focused on Eric, so I shift my focus to him. Oh, wow! He is older and more devious than he looks! There are several layers of things going on in his head at once, but somehow my own brain is able to keep up and also decipher it so that it makes sense. I guess all those years of being forced to listen in to multiple humans at once is coming in handy._

_After a few more words, Eric tells them goodbye and we stroll away. My mind is whirling. I am not altogether sure how the Viking is going to take this news. To give myself some time to figure out the best way to go about telling him, I say absently, "Eric... what's a __**nox crescis**__?"_

"_It is the vampire equivalent of a birthday. Literally translated, it means 'night of the first rising.' To a vampire, this date is generally more significant than one's human birthdate."_

"_So this is my __**nox crescis**__?" My Maker nods happily. Somewhat irreverantly, I say, "I guess I should have stuck a candle on top of Theo's head. So... is it polite for me to ask you what your __**nox crescis**__ is?"_

"_Of course. On the Roman calendar, it is October 29__th__." _

"_Do vampires have parties and things to celebrate?"_

"_That depends on the vampire. In the early years, sometimes it is merely a painful reminder. Once one comes to embrace being vampire, it then becomes a date of celebration."_

_Hmm. I better remember to write October 29__th__ down on my calendar. Vampires dearly love parties, and it sounds like an excellent time to throw the King a big bash. Suddenly, I get a vivid mental picture of me giving the Viking a thousand-plus birthday swats on that amazing bottom of his! Oh, yum!_

"_Beloved, what is causing that mysterious little smile?"_

_'Oh... nothing. Just planning ahead," I say lightly. Lacing my fingers through his, I walk beside him for awhile before broaching the more serious topic at hand. "Now, honey, I have something pretty important to tell you," I begin, "It turns out my telepathy really has been enhanced, even more than I first thought. You see... er... I can hear vampires now, even if they aren't threatening me, and even when I'm not touching them. Now it is just as easy as listening to a human."_

_Once more, the Viking comes to a dead stop. It is very, very hard to shock a vampire as old as he is, but I have just managed to do it. For a long time he just stares at me while that massive brain of his runs through all the ramifications. Eventually, a slow smile crosses his handsome features. "Is that so?" he says, "Really, my love, you __**are**__ the most astonishing creature. Would you care to tell me what our two new subjects were thinking?" _

"_Sure. Sonya was thinking how handsome you are, and wondering if you are still planning on being monogamous now that I'm vampire, too. She wouldn't mind applying for the position of Royal Concubine, but she's heard that I'm pretty handy with a stake. Surprisingly enough, she also thinks I'm beautiful. She's heard I'm smart and brave and she thinks I'll make a better Queen than Sandy, who she considers to be a Royal bitch."_

_Chuckling, the King says, "Very perceptive young lady. Now, what about him?"_

"_Let's see. He was thinking about twenty things all at once. For one, he was worried you would be offended by Sonya's comments, and might decide to send them back to Nevada. This is something he doesn't want to happen, because it would get him __into __big trouble. Eric, I think he was sent here as some sort of spy; but strangely enough, it wasn't by Sandy but by somebody named Melich. Who the heck is Melich?"_

_Eric narrows his eyes and practically growls, "He was at the Coronation in Nevada, but you were never formally introduced. He was one of Felipe's old cartel, and I believe he is after Sandy's throne... and maybe mine as well. Was there anything else?"_

"_Yep. Here's the good part: Bertrand was thinking that this Melich has no idea how powerful and dangerous you really are. He likes it here, and thinks you're a better King than Sandy or Melich could ever be. He's trying to figure out a way to get in good with you without a) you finding out he was a spy, or b) Melich tracking him down and staking him for his disloyalty. Sorry... that's all I had time to get. You two didn't talk for too long."_

_Shaking his head, the Viking says in wonder, "I am amazed that you got that much. Sookie, you truly __**are**__ a treasure. Now that you can read vampire minds at will, do you have any idea of how powerful we can become?"_

_Hm. Now that I think about it, the answer is: pretty darned powerful. Cool. It's nice to know I'm not just a pretty face and a sexy pair of fangs. Smiling, I say, "I guess you aren't upset, then? Honey, just so you know. I never read anyone's mind that is close to me... like yours. It just isn't right."_

_He gives me a big Viking grin. "Too bad. If you were reading my mind right now, you'd know exactly what I'd like to be doing to you."_

"_Oh? Am I still in for a spanking? That is where we left off, isn't it?"_

_He just laughs. "Yes, it was. However, this all reminds me that you have one frog left to swallow. You still have not tried to use your magic."_

"_Oh! I guess I haven't." Now that my telepathy is in working order, I am more hopeful that all my gifts are intact. I look around to see if anyone is coming. For the time being, we are alone on the street. Looking up at Eric, I say, "Okay. I'm going to try and pop back to your house. If it works, I'll wait for you there."_

"_Very well. Sookie... good luck."_

_I give him a smile and give it my very best shot... but from the very first, I know it isn't going to work. It is like there is a short-circuit in my energy flow. I try harder, with __exactly __the same result... nothing. I am still standing on a darkened street in the middle of the French Quarter. Immediately, tears well up in my eyes. Eric says quietly, "Do not despair, my angel. Perhaps it is just too soon. Give yourself some time to adjust. Perhaps then..."_

_Trembling, all I can say is, "No. It's gone. This is the price I have to pay to be with you forever... but you know what? It's worth it. I love you, Eric, and being with you for eternity is more important than a few magic tricks."_

_Reaching out, the Viking pulls me against his big body and wraps his arms around me. __Hoarsely__, he says, "I know this is not what you wanted, and the price you have paid is terrible... but if you had truly died, Sookie, I could not have survived it. I would have followed you this dawn."_

_I know what he says is true. We are too much a part of each other to exist without our mate. He really __**would**__ have followed me at dawn. What I said was equally true. No matter how much I will mourn the loss of the sun, and the loss of my magic, I got something even better in exchange. I get to spend eternity with my Bonded. I manage to choke out, "I love you, baby. We are going to have a great life together."_

"_Yes, we are. You and I are the rarest of creatures, Sookie... a pair of Twice-Bonded vampires. Our love and passion will only grow stronger over the centuries. You will see."_

_Somehow, I believe him. The pain in my chest loosens slightly and I give him a small smile. "Look... I've leaked all over your chest," I tease, "At least this time, I didn't ruin one of your shirts." _

_Looking down at the glistening tracks running down his chest, he grins back. "That is so. Perhaps I should go bare-chested for the next few months, at least until you get your emotions under control."_

_Impulsively, I reach out with the tip of my tongue and lap up one of my pink-tinted tears. I am anxious to find out what all the fuss is about... but absolutely nothing happens. They smell good, but to me they just taste like regular tears with a tinge of blood in them. Dang.__Doubtfully, I ask, "Uh... are you __**sure**__ these things are an aphrodesiac? They don't do a thing for me."_

_Reaching out, Eric swipes one fat droplet onto his finger, plops it into his mouth, and Voila! Instantly, his eyes dilate and I can actually watch the huge __bulge__ forming in his leathers. Glancing down, he says, "Does that answer your question, my lover?"_

_Giggling through my tears, I say, "I guess so. At least I still have that much magic left."_

"_You may have more magic than you know, Beloved, although it will be in a much different form. You forget... all vampires have talents. We have yet to see what yours is. Although, as my child, you have about a fifty-fifty chance of inheriting mine... Shall we see?"_

_It never even crossed my mind that I might have a talent, much less that I could have inherited any from my Maker. I'm not even sure what all his talents are... except flying. Oh my. Can I really fly? It wasn't all that long ago that I was nervous flying in an airplane._

_Eyes glittering in excitement, Eric offers me his hand. In his most seductive voice, the vampire says, "Trust me, Sookie."_

_After a brief hesitation, I take it. Smiling now, the vampire slowly begins to levitate into the air. To my astonishment, my body rises right along with his. We are hovering only about a foot above the ground. In his lovely sorcerer's voice, Eric murmurs, "Feel the space around you. You no longer feel the tug of gravity weighing your body down, do you? You feel light as a feather... and if I let go, you are so light you might very well float away..."_

"_No! Don't let go!"_

"_You must believe in yourself, my love. Now, concentrate!" Abruptly, he lets go of my hand... and I find myself still hovering right where he left me! I let out an excited gasp, and immediately plunge straight to the ground. Laughing, the Viking says, "I __**told**__ you to concentrate! Now, do as I tell you this time. Imagine yourself floating."_

_Okay. I squeeze my eyes shut, and try to picture myself floating. The problem is, I learned all about gravity way back in the third grade. I know very well that my body is too heavy to float, and sure enough, it doesn't. Crap._

_Patiently, Eric says, "You are allowing your human mindset to limit you. You must let go and allow yourself to think like a vampire."_

_I open both eyes and give him a glare, "That's easy for you to say! You've been a vampire for a thousand years! I've been one for a few hours!"_

"_Sookie! Stop giving me excuses!" he says in his best no-bullshit tone, "Now, concentrate!"_

_Sighing heavily, I do as I'm told. I focus as hard as I can and little by little, I begin to rise into the air. Wow! I'm floating all by myself! Woo hoo! What a total rush! _

_Moving up and farther away from me, Eric says firmly, "Good girl. Now, come to me."_

_Eying how high he is, I __respond __flatly, "Nuh uh. If I fall this time, it's going to hurt like hell. Isn't this good enough for now?"_

"_Sookie. Come. To. Me."_

_He extends his hand and gives me "the look"; and after only a slight pause, I shrug and say, "What the heck? If I break something, it will just grow back, right?"_

_I feel myself floating up and then over towards my Bonded. I'm a little jerky at first, like when I was first learning to drive a car. Eventually, I'm able to touch Eric's outstretched fingers. He laces them around mine and says, "You are doing quite well. I am very pleased. Now, close your eyes and come with me._

_Now that he's touching me, I relax a little. His confidence flows through me, making it easier to stay afloat... and besides that, I know very well that he would never let me fall from this height. Obediently, I close my eyes and soon I can feel that we are rising through the air, faster and faster. As we get higher, I notice the wind getting stronger. It whips my hair into my face, and almost without thought I angle my body into a more horizontal position... now my hair is blowing back away from my face. We seem to be moving forward now instead of just up, and although we are still holding hands, Eric is no longer tugging me along. I seem to be staying at his side with very little effort. He says, "Open your eyes, now, little one."_

_I do, only to discover we are far above the city. We are much higher than I could have guessed, and flying along at a good clip. It is such an amazing sight that I totally forget to be afraid. I can see so much from here! To the north, I can see the waters of Lake Ponchatrain. Below us, I can see __the __way the Mississppii bends and weaves its way around the city. We are moving in a south-easterly direction, and before long are flying over the vast, mostly uninhabited marshlands that protect the city from flooding. Eric points out the distant waters of the Mississippi Sound. He takes me down lower so I can see the landscape below us in greater detail. Everything is so fascinating and beautiful seen this way. The warm, moist night air rushes across my sensitive skin, and it feels awesome. Flying along in the darkness, it seems as if the night is a part of us and we are a part of the night. I realize that I would not have missed having this experience with my vampire for anything... even being alive again._

_All too soon, Eric turns us back towards the city. Once over the French Quarter, he gives my hand a sharp tug to get me started downwards. The trip to the ground is faster than I would have liked, and I settle onto the ground with a bit of a thump, but all-in-all__,__ I feel like I handled my first landing fairly well. The Viking is positively beaming with pride. I glance around to see where we are. Once again, we seem to be in the residential part of the Quarter. To our right is a long brick wall. Hanging on the wall is an old gas lantern, which is illuminating the entrance to a courtyard. The iron gate that guards the passageway looks curiously familiar. "Honey, where are we?" I ask the Viking._

"_We are home," he answers with a mysterious smile. Pulling a small set of keys from his pocket, he goes over to a gate and unlocks it. Hmm. This must be a back entrance to the courtyard of his house. Something about watching him unlock that gate gives me a nearly overwhelming feeling of déjà vu. Once the gate is open, Eric ushers me through and then carefully locks the gate behind him. I follow him through a short passageway that leads to an interior courtyard. The minute we step into the open space, my memories of this place finally come flooding back. I gasp, "This is the house from our dream! The one where you were my first lover! How is that possible?"_

_The Viking chuckles. "So you finally remember! I wondered if you would. As to the why of it, you know that each partner supplies various components of our shared dreams. Clearly, t__he location of that particular dream came from me."_

"_That is just too weird. Honey, do you think that everything in those dreams was just... wishful thinking?" _

"_Not everything, no. I think our subconscious mind has a way of seeing around the mental roadblocks that our conscious mind puts up. Dreams allow us to explore alternative paths and present solutions to problems that our waking mind would reject... so sometimes "wishful thinking" is really the first step in making what seems impossible... possible."_

_When Eric says stuff like that, it makes me appreciate just how smart he really is. Pulling me into his arms, he says quietly, "I love you, Sookie. I am going to do my best to make all of your dreams come true."_

_Aw! Running my arms around his neck, I pull his head down to mine for a passionate kiss. "Honey, what I said before is true. You really are a wonderful husband, and even though I really didn't want to be a vampire, you have made it as easy on me as anyone possibly could. I couldn't ask for a better Maker."_

_The Viking blinks a couple of times, as if he is taken by surprise. "I am happy you feel that way. I suppose I learned from all the mistakes I made the first time around."_

"_Hey! Is Pam my sister now, or am I more like her step-mom, or what? Come to think of it, you're kind of like my... father. Ew! Talk about incestuous! Boy, this could be an entire episode on the Jerry Springer Show. I guess I had better not make any more rude comments about Caroline and her son Beuford, huh?"_

"_Sookie, you think too much. You belong to me in every way there is, just as I belong to you. Is that not fitting? Now come inside. I have a desire for a long, hot bath._

_It turns out that the reason I never saw the bath to the underground chamber in my dream is because there isn't one. Both the house and the resting chamber were built long before running water, and there simply wasn't room downstairs to add a bath in later years. Since I no longer have "human needs" I suppose it doesn't matter. One of the upstairs bedrooms has been converted to a bath, though, and this is where Eric takes me. As expected, the bathroom itself is a masterpiece. Sitting directly underneath a beautiful old stained-glass window is an enormous bathtub. It has a fancy wooden surround and elaborate brass fixtures. On the far wall are two pedestal sinks and a toilet hidden in its own little closet. On the opposite side of the room is a lovely old Victorian dresser with a padded bench in front. Next to that is a wonderful little sofa with a high curved back on one end. Eric sees me eying it with curiosity, and so he explains, "That is called a fainting couch. In Victorian days, women wore corsets and had a habit of lacing them too tightly. They had these little couches put on stair landings so that when they got light-headed, they would have a place to sit down."_

_Moving across the room, he retrieves a votive candle in a beautiful multi-colored glass container. He lights it and sets it on a ledge by the tub before turning on the taps for our bath. I remove my sunglasses and am happy to discover that my eyes are no longer quite as sensitive. The jewel-like prisms of light dancing around the room are both lovely and soothing. While the tub is filling, Eric slips out of the room and soon returns with several heated bottles of TrueBlood. He sets the tray on a small mahogany table near the tub. "Honey, how did you know I was hungry? But wait... I thought you said I couldn't drink TrueBlood."_

"_My sweet love, I can feel your hunger beating at me as if it is my own," he answers, "As for your second question, I never said you could __**not**__ drink synthetic blood. I said you could not thrive on it. It won't hurt you, it just will not fulfill your requirements as a newly-made vampire. You could drink all of these and still not be satisfied. No one understands why, really, since chemically it is the same."_

"_Can I try some?"_

"_Certainly, if you wish." _

_He picks up a bottle and brings it to me. I take a small sip. Bleh. It isn't horrible, exactly, it just tastes thin and bit flat, with a barely noticeable chemical undertone. It reminds me of drinking the grocery store brand substitute for Dr. Pepper __back when I was human. Close, but no cigar._

_Eric laughs. "You should see your face," he teases, "You look like you just bit into a clove of garlic."_

"_Well, all that flying made me really hungry. Do we have time to go out hunting again before sunrise?" I sound a little worried._

_Taking the bottle from my hand, my vampire takes a couple of sips before setting it aside. He begins to unbutton my shirt, kissing his way down my chest as he goes. He murmurs against my skin, "No more hunting tonight. I want you all to myself."_

"_But honey, I'm really hungry!"_

_He removes my shirt and tosses it aside. Falling to his knees, he unzips my tight leather skirt and slides it down my legs. Of course, my bra and panties are lying in shreds somewhere on Theo's patio, so once I step out of the skirt I am completely bare. Since he is already on his knees, he is in the perfect position to sample the merchandise, so to speak. He looks up at me with glowing eyes, and announces, "I am hungry, too, but not for blood. A few licks from your creamy little honey pot will satisfy my hunger... and then I promise you, I will see to yours."_

_Well, since he puts it like that...! How can a girl refuse? Lifting one of my legs, he props my foot on the edge of the tub. His target now is totally exposed and easily accessed, so he leans in and proceeds to lick me right into oblivion. All I can do is wrap my fingers in his hair and hold on for the ride. It turns out that it is really hard to have an orgasm that intense while basically standing on one foot, but somehow I manage it. As I come back to my senses, I look down, only to find Eric is reaching into the tub and turning off the taps, and not a second too soon. The water is just about to spill over the edge. That's not all that is spilling over, either. Apparently those tight leather pants were cramping the GP's style, because Eric has already released it from its leather prison... and maybe even given it a few strokes for good measure. Oh, wow. I find the thought of my Viking giving himself pleasure while going down on me to be wildly erotic. That will teach me to have my eyes closed!_

_Getting to his feet, Eric gives me a significant look. Sometimes he likes for me to undress him, and I guess this is one of those times. I am more than willing to oblige. Falling to __**my**__ knees, I pull off his boots and socks, and then slide off his pants. His hard length is standing at attention, practically begging to be petted. Looking down at me, my fully-aroused mate says, "Have I ever mentioned that vampires find __**all**__ body fluids quite satisfying?"_

_Oh... man. I never thought of it that way! Now I have more incentive than ever! Practically shoving him down on the fainting couch, I am on him quicker than a duck on a June-bug. I have to force myself to go slowly at first, until I get the hang of giving him oral pleasure without skewering him with my fangs... but apparently the Viking finds a little pinprick or scrape every now and then to be a serious turn-on. In no time at all, I am getting my little snack. As usual, my vampire has told me the truth... I do find it seriously yummy! Too bad it comes in such small doses, but it was so much fun getting it, I am anxious to try for seconds. Knowing that my vampire has a recovery time of about ten seconds, I start by slowly stroking his barely-softened erection with my hand while kissing and licking the surrounding area. Sure enough, in nine seconds flat it is as rock-hard as ever. Eric watches me with heat in those sapphire eyes. He says softly, "I do not care for you feeding from other men, homosexual or not. I want to be the one to provide what you need. Bite me, Sookie. Let me feel those beautiful fangs in my flesh."_

_Oh, rrrwwrrr! A wicked little thought trickles through my mind. Back when I was human, Eric used to tell me all the time that I should just ask for what I want, and I guess that probably goes double now that I'm vampire. One nice thing... I don't feel the least bit embarrassed to do it. Giving him the sexiest smile I can muster, I reply, "All right, but I want something, too. I want to watch you do this." Grabbing his hand, I place it on his erection. Instead of refusing, I can tell my lover finds this request extremely erotic. Glancing around, I spy a bottle of oil, and I quickly dribble a few drops along his shaft to make things easier for him. I place my own hands over his big one, and help him along until he gets the rhythm going... and then I sit back and enjoy the show, all the while stroking lightly around his balls with the tips of my fingers. _

_This is without a doubt the most erotic thing I have ever seen, and a thousand years from now I bet I will still be able to __play it back in my head perfectly. My Viking is the perfect picture of a male in the throes of ecstasy. He is propped up by the back of the sofa at just the right angle so that he can watch me watching him... his beautiful golden hair is floating freely over those broad shoulders. The well-defined muscles of his stomach ripple and flex with each stroke of his hand. I can feel his pleasure through our Bond, just as he can feel my total arousal. As he nears his completion, his hand slows a bit to hold off the inevitable just a moment longer. He groans raggedly, "Do it, Sookie! Bite me NOW!" And so I lean in, lick the inside of his thigh, and plunge my fangs into his marvelously firm flesh. His rich, ancient blood rolls on to my tongue and I manage to get several delicious mouthfuls before the wound closes. This time I mind my manners and don't try for a second bite... but mainly because I know I have another treat cuming. _

_As for my Viking lover, the very instant my sharp new teeth penetrate his skin, he lets out a sharp cry. His head pitches back and his back arches upward as he begins to orgasm. Jet after jet of thick creamy liquid pumps out across his stomach and chest. Mmmm! I am done with my feeding at nearly the same time as the last strong spasm passes, and immediately I crawl up his body and lap up every last delectable drop. I can feel the tiny tremors still running through his body as my tongue brushes across his silken skin. Those vivid blue eyes never leave me for an instant. As soon as the last smidgen has finally been consumed, Eric begins to move; and the next thing I know, I am pinned on the floor beneath two hundred and seventy ponds of naked vampire. Nuzzling into my neck, he exclaims, "I cannot seem to get enough of you." _

_And I am every bit as insatiable as he is. For the next hour, we have the kind of untamed sex I could have never imagined even in my very wildest dreams. When we are both finally sated in every possible way, we are lying in a heap in the middle of the foyer. I am not even really sure how we got here... but I know it was fun. We are both covered in multiple bite marks and scratches and even a bruise or two; but it is sort of fascinating to lay here and watch them as they fade away. Eventually, the Viking sighs and rolls to his feet. He picks me up and carries me back to the bath. The water has long since gone cold, so he lays me on the fainting couch and draws a new tubful of steaming hot water. While waiting for the tub to fill, he downs a couple of bottles of the now room-temperature blood. He needs all he can choke down to replenish himself, because during our love-making, he let me take all I wanted of his... he took some of mine, too, but just a sip here and there. _

_Soon we are settled in the tub. The Viking sips on another bottle as we lay luxuriating in the water. I just lay there quietly, thinking about everything that has happened in this one incredibly eventful evening. Suddenly, I start to feel... tired. No, that isn't really the right word... it is more like something is tugging at my body and my mind, making me long to lie down and stay still. Even though I know it is probably just a habit, I let out a big yawn. Eric chuckles softly and says, "It is time for me to get you to bed."_

"_Why? It's not dawn yet, is it?"_

"_It will be soon enough, little one. Young vampires feel the pull of the sun long before we older ones do. It is nature's way of giving you plenty of time to seek shelter. Now, let me finish bathing you."_

_In no time, we are both squeaky clean and dried. Completely unwilling to let me set one foot on the ground, Eric totes me downstairs to our resting chamber. After first laying me gently on the smooth satin sheets of our huge bed, he lights the same pillar candle that was burning at the beginning of the evening. Now I find the glow nice and comforting instead of harsh. He climbs into bed and nestles me into his arms. This is exactly how we have fallen asleep nearly every dawn for months now. It feels so natural and so normal... and yet, my life is nothing at all like it was for all those other nights leading up to this one, and never will be again. So much has changed in such a short time, I can hardly get my mind around it all._

_Just like he always does, Eric runs his fingers through my hair. He says quietly, "Did you have a good nox crescis, Beloved? Do you think this will be a day we celebrate next year, or one that you try your best to forget?"_

"_I think I'll be celebrating. I can't say that everything is going to be easy. I know there will be times when I wish things were different... but I've got to tell you, I had no idea that being a vampire could be so much fun."_

_Under my cheek, I feel the rumble of laughter from deep within his chest. "Yes... yes, it is fun. I have many exciting things to show you... but right now, you need your rest. It will be sunrise very soon, and the sun may take you at any time between now and then. Just know that when you wake tomorrow night, I will be right here beside you, just like I will be every night for eternity. I love you more than you will ever know, Sookie."_

"_I love you, too, Eric."_

_As I snuggle into my vampire's arms and wait for the sun to take me, I realize that the pillar candle on the dresser is still burning. Dang! I am much too relaxed and comfortable to move. Staring intently at the stupid thing, I wish like crazy I didn't have to get up to put it out... and the next thing I know, poof! The room is pitch dark. For a moment, there is complete silence, and then Eric asks cautiously, "Sookie? Did you... did you do that?"_

_Total elation rushes through me. In a voice thick with emotion, I reply, "Yes, baby. I sure did."_

_A long pause and then, "You really __**are**__ the most amazing creature, Sookie Northman."_

_Shaking with relieved laughter, I think to myself, Yep, that's me, the world's only Fairy with Fangs. Maybe tomorrow night I can try to..._

_Before I can finish that thought, the sun pulls me under._


	44. Chapter 44

_Author's Notes: I do not own these characters. They were created by Charlaine Harris. I am only borrowing them for our amusement._

_****I am sorry that this update has been so long in coming. I own a small retail store, and from the 1__st__ of November through New Year's, I am totally swamped with Real Life. I hardly have time to brush my teeth, let alone have enough time and/or energy left to be creative. I want to thank those folks that left reviews and private messages checking on me. It helps to know that you all are thinking of me! Once again, I promise that I will finish this story, no matter what._

_****I also want to thank you all for the amazing number of reviews I got for the last chapter. I especially want to thank those that normally don't review, but did so to help me achieve my goal of 4000 reviews. As of now, I am very, very close! You guys are awesome._

_****I want to remind everyone that like TB's version of Bill, mine also has blue eyes._

**Chapter 44**

**Eric's POV: Valhalla**

As I come back to consciousness, I find myself in exactly the same position I was in when I fell asleep in our resting chamber in New Orleans: Sookie is wrapped tightly in my arms with her head resting on my chest. It takes me a minute to decide if I am awake or still in the midst of our extremely vivid dream. It was so realistic, in fact, that I have a nearly overwhelming urge to check my mate's mouth for fangs... but then I realize that the comforting thump-thump-thump of her heart tells me everything I need to know. A strong sense of relief sweeps through me. As wonderful as our dream was, it only served to reinforce something that I already knew. Even though she really would make an admirable vampire, I love my wife exactly as she is: alive.

I sent Sookie the dream to teach her that she should not so desperately fear becoming vampire, and I suspect that goal was accomplished. However, I did _not_ expect that the same dream might have the opposite effect on me. Now more than ever, I find that _I_ am quite desperate for her to live, for many reasons. First and foremost, I do not want her to have to give up the sunshine she cherishes so much. Beyond that, I do not want her to have to face the pain of transition, which in reality is worse than what she experienced. In our dream, she retained all of her magical gifts, but that could have been wishful thinking on both our parts... and now I know exactly how devastated she would be if she actually lost them. Last but not least, I got a taste of what it would be like to watch her feed from others, and as insane and embarrassing as it is, I truly do not know if I could stand it.

I will miss seeing those spectacularly sexy little fangs, though.

For a few minutes I lay very still, savoring each breath my Bonded takes. Eventually her breathing pattern changes and I know she is about to wake. A moment later, two enormous blue eyes stare up at me. Her beautiful angel lips curve upward in a devastatingly sweet smile. "Hi, sugar," she says softly, "Am I awake, or am I dreaming?"

"You are awake."

A hand flies to her mouth for a quick probe of one clearly unaltered canine. "So I'm still alive?"

"Yes, indeed you are."

For a split second, disappointment flashes in her eyes but that is quickly replaced by relief. Finally she says, "You sent me that dream, didn't you?"

I see no point in denying it. "Yes, I did."

"You wanted me to see that being a vampire wasn't all bad, right?"

"That was my goal, yes."

Narrowing her eyes, she asks shrewdly, "So how much did you sugar-coat it?"

"You are well-aware that it is not my way to "sugar-coat" things," I remind her, "Besides, I have limited control over the content once the dream gets started. I will tell you that for the most part, your experience as vampire was accurate."

"Really." We stare into each other's eyes, each remembering of some of the more exciting details of our amazing shared dream. "I have to admit, it really _was_ pretty fun," Sookie says with a little grin, "It was kind of nice not to have any inhibitions. And I loved the flying part."

"Inhibitions can be overcome. I will take you flying any time you like."

"That's funny. It sounds like you don't _want_ me to be turned. I always thought that in your heart-of-hearts, you really wanted me to be like you."

I tell her nothing but the unvarnished truth. "I once wanted that very much... but no longer. I love you just as you are, Sookie, and I will do everything in my power to keep you alive. I only sent you the dream so that you would not fear becoming vampire so much."

"I believe you, honey." Abruptly she rolls away from me and lies flat on her back. She stares up at the ceiling for a time, obviously thinking things through. Pulling myself into an upright position, I lean back against the headboard so that I can see her face. Eventually, she asks in a low voice, "Eric, if we end up having to use nothing but vampire blood, what are my chances of being turned?"

"According to Dr. Ludwig, there is only a slight risk." Although our mutual dream obviously had a positive effect, I can sense that Sookie is still indecisive. I can feel the tide turning in my favor, though; and as much as I would love to press my case, I also know that strategically it would be a huge mistake. My little angel is very stubborn and loathes being pushed. Now more than ever, I need to proceed with caution, lest I undo all the progress I have made thus far.

For a time, Sookie lays silently inspecting the ceiling. Eventually she sighs deeply and turns her head in my direction. In a small voice, she asks, "Baby... would you mind just holding me for a while?"

Practically before the request leaves her lips, I scoop her on to my lap and cradle her against my bare chest. She feels so hot... and more fragile than ever. With every minute that passes, her anxiety level rises. Waiting for her brother to arrive is excruciating for both of us. My Bonded and I are very much the same... we would much rather fight ten battles than to sit around waiting for one to begin.

I need to do something to distract her until her brother gets here. I have an idea, but I hate to leave her alone even for a second. Fortunately, Dr. Ludwig chooses this time to come check on her patient. Clearly she has managed to track down both Were and scotch, because she is riding in the arms of one and clutching a brimming glass full of liquor in the other. "So I see you two are finally awake. I came to check on you a few minutes ago, and you were both sleeping like the dead..." Pause. "What's the matter, don't either one of you have a sense of humor? Well, never mind. Northman, I need to check my patient and I can't do it with her in your lap."

Sighing again, Sookie scoots away. To give the doctor more room to work, I get to my feet and hover near the bed. Cooper carries his passenger over and deposits her gently on the mattress. Ludwig thrusts her glass at him, and he obediently takes it and sets it on the bedside table. Raising an eyebrow, she asks him quizzically, "What are you waiting for, hot stuff? Fetch my bag."

Sookie tries her best to repress a smile. Both women watch Cooper as he moves across the room in that sleek, fluid stride of his. He bends over to retrieve the satchel and Ludwig gives a grunt of frank admiration. Hmpf. As he walks back to the bed, I take the opportunity to re-assess my wife's favorite bodyguard. I suppose there is no denying that he is extremely well-built and not altogether unattractive. In Las Vegas, Stan and Hamilton both took great delight in teasing me about the wisdom of allowing him within a mile of my mate... but as Cooper himself pointed out earlier, he is extremely loyal to his mistress. Still, it is a good thing for him that I have no doubt that my wife adores me... or he would soon be seeking employment elsewhere.

Once he reaches the bedside, the Were reaches past me to hand the doctor her bag. He is close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his body, and there is no mistaking the raw odor of male Werewolf in his sexual prime. The doctor takes the bag and begins to rummage inside it without so much as a glance at him. As if to make up for her rudeness, Sookie touches him lightly on the arm and smiles up at him... but instead of thanking him in English, she opens her mouth and out pours a stream of words in that lyrical language of hers. Obviously startled, Dr. Ludwig gives Sookie a keen look. Cooper merely smiles back at his mistress and responds in English, "You are welcome, Your Grace. Can I get you anything else?"

Sookie rattles off something else, and since he does not trot off at once to do her bidding, I take her answer to be a rather long-winded "no."

This entire exchange brings to mind last night's confrontation in the azalea grove. Sookie addressed the Were pack in Sylvan and they seemed to understand her... and that ability seems to extend to their human forms as well. I wonder how that came to be. This is a mystery I will have to investigate later. For now, I don't care how loyal and polite the Were is, I heartily dislike seeing a handsome, half-dressed, warm-blooded man so close to my mate... and especially one that clearly understands Sylvan! I do not care for her saying things to him that I do not understand... furthermore, I cannot bear to see her touching him. Grrr! In her current state, I do not wish to upset Sookie even slightly, so I manage to keep my growl to myself... but she catches my discomfort anyway. Rolling her head in my direction, she gives me a look that tells me she is proud that I was able to contain myself for once.

Gruffly, I say, "Doctor, I am going downstairs while you examine my wife. Sookie, is there anything you want?"

"No, thank you." Sookie says weakly, "Just don't be gone too long, okay?"

"I will return before you know it. Cooper, come with me."

As instructed, the Were follows in my wake. Once we reach the foyer, I issue his orders. "Wait here. Hopefully Sookie's brother will be here at any moment. I want you to take him to Ludwig for testing straight away. I am also expecting my Lieutenants to arrive soon. They will be bringing a few visitors with them. I do not want their guests wandering around the estate with no supervision, so it will be up to you to keep an eye on them."

"Yes, sir. I understand." He takes a post near the front door, where he can see any new arrivals but still be within earshot if the doctor calls for him.

Without another word, I hurry down to our resting chamber where I gather up several items. I pause for a moment, to see if I have forgotten anything... oh. I make a last trip into my closet before heading back upstairs. As I pass through the foyer, I toss the Were one of my shirts. Giving me a surprised but grateful look, he immediately slips it on. "Thank you," he says politely, "I'll get it back to you later."

If he thinks that I did this for his benefit, so much the better. "Keep it. Now remember... bring Stackhouse up as soon as he arrives. Under no circumstances allow him to roam around the house alone."

"Don't worry. No offense, but I don't trust that guy as far as I can throw him."

"We are in agreement, then." Remembering my promise to Sookie to return as soon as possible, I hurry back up the stairs. As I soon as I reach the top step, I hear the low murmur of voices from the bedroom at the other end of the hallway. Sookie has just asked the doctor something that I did not quite catch. For once, Ludwig's reply is softly spoken, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I can't name names, of course, but I can assure you it _is_ possible for a part-Fairy to survive the transition. Not common, but possible."

Hmmm. Perhaps I should slow down long enough to allow them time to finish this very interesting conversation. Quietly, Sookie asks, "How about afterward? Do they adapt all right? Are they... happy? I knew a Werewolf that was turned once, and he was miserable."

"Oh... as happy as the undead ever are, I suppose," comes the doctor's reply, "Most of the ones I have known had so little Fairy in them that it wasn't an issue. I do know one male, though, that reminds me a bit of you. Although not royalty, he was from one of the blue-blooded families. From all the indications, he had the Essential Spark, which was enough to get him accepted by even his high-born family... until he was turned, that is. After that, they wouldn't have anything to do with him. I believe the loss of family was very difficult for him to face." For the first time since I have known her, the diminutive healer sounds... sympathetic.

A blast of sadness and fear comes through our Bond. Shocked, Sookie exclaims, "That's awful! His own family! How could they do that?" Up until now, I do not think she had even considered that aspect of things. Grrr! If I did not need Dr. Ludwig to see us through this disaster, I would cheerfully strangle her for bringing it up. I start to hurry back and put an end to this conversation before it gets any worse, but then the healer finishes by saying, "Well, to be fair, I believe there was also some unpleasantness over the death of a Fairy female. Sookie, just because his family rejected him, it does not follow that yours will do the same. Did Prince Niall give you his blessing for your marriage and Second Bonding to the vampire?"

I can hear the pride in my Bonded's voice as she replies, "Yes, he did."

"Well then, clearly he is prepared to be open-minded. I am a bit surprised, though, given that you have all the earmarks of possessing the Essential Spark. It is not like him to squander such an opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Sookie asks, "Dr. Ludwig... what is this Essential Spark?"

I would love to know the answer to this myself. The Fae are a very secretive race, and although I have heard this term in passing, I have never determined exactly what it means. Dr. Ludwig herself mentioned it before, in Las Vegas, but I was too distracted to delve into it at the time. If it in some way involves my Bonded, I need to know what it is.

"The Essential Spark, eh? Well... it is a difficult thing to describe. The Fae believe it to be the very essence of their magic. You might say it is what makes a Fairy a Fairy. In extremely rare cases, an individual with very little Fae blood is born with it. Think of it as inheriting an extremely recessive gene, if you will. On their maturity, these lucky few will begin to manifest some or all of the full-blooded traits... varying degrees of magic, the ability to speak the language of the Fae, and so forth. They can also become vulnerable to the effects of iron and lemon. Sound familiar?"

"I thought I had all those things because of the Brigant bloodline being so strong."

"You inherited your type of magic through that bloodline, yes... but having this spark means something much more significant than just having a little magic. Supposedly, a part-Fairy who has the Essential Spark is capable of producing a full-Fae child. So you see, by allowing you to Bond to a vampire, Niall gave up an opportunity to add another member to his dwindling race, not to mention that any child of yours would carry the royal bloodline in its veins. The Prince must love you a great deal to allow you to follow your heart."

What the good doctor does not know is that he had very little choice in the matter. Our first Bond was completed in haste, and by the time Niall found out about it the damage was done. Given the way most Fairies view vampires, the Prince must have felt it was unlikely any worthy Fairy male would have anything to do with Sookie... although obviously he was wrong on that score.

Sookie is silent for a minute, absorbing the doctor's words. Her next question fills me with sadness, because it makes me realize just how much she secretly yearns for a child... and not just any child, but one fathered by me. "Doctor, have you ever heard of a vampire-fairy hybrid? Eric told me that there are myths about them... but I have seen for myself that some myths have a basis in reality."

I am expecting Ludwig to dismiss such a ridiculous notion out-of-hand. Instead, to my utter amazement, she replies seriously, "I have never known one personally, no. As far as anyone knows, such a mix is impossible. Scientifically speaking, vampires cannot reproduce. Although they produce copious amounts of semen, all their little swimmers are as dead as their maker... if you'll pardon the pun. However, one thing I have learned in all these years is... never say never. When one is dealing with magical creatures, I'd say just about anything is possible."

"I really don't even know why I asked," Sookie says bleakly, "I know it's impossible, and besides... I may not be alive much longer, no matter what I decide."

Dr. Ludwig snorts. "Obviously I am no fan of the fang, so I can completely understand your reluctance. However, I am a betting woman, and if your brother's blood is not viable, I believe you should go through with the treatment. Your chance of being turned is only around twenty percent. One in five... those are fairly decent odds. Besides, whatever would Northman do without you? A grieving vampire is truly a horrible sight, not to mention exceedingly dangerous to those around him. You don't want to be responsible for such devastation, do you?"

Twenty percent! Somehow I had the idea it would be much less than that. Now I am more worried than ever. Putting on a burst of speed, I hurry into the bedroom. The doctor is sitting on the side of the bed, holding Sookie's hand. My poor little Fairy is lying back against the pillows looking utterly exhausted. Her skin is bluer and more transparent than ever. The minute I enter the room, she gives me a weak but welcoming smile. Clearly not willing for me to see her with her guard down, Ludwig scowls, drops Sookie's hand, and snaps, "I have examined your Bonded thoroughly. The poisoning is progressing exactly as I predicted. Where is that brother of hers? Can't you light a fire under him?"

Would that I could. Shaking my head, I answer, "He said he would be here as quickly as he was able, and I believe he will do as he says. In any case, we will be ready to proceed without him if he does not arrive in time. My Lieutenants will be here shortly."

"Very wise. The sooner we get that iron out of your Bonded, the better. Now, I have not shut my eyes for more than thirty-six hours. This is shaping up to be a long night. I believe I will get in a few winks while I can." Without waiting for me to help her, the little healer turns on her stomach and shimmies off the bed. Grabbing her glass of scotch, she strolls over to one of the chairs at the far end of the room, scrambles into it, and leans her head back against the cushions. Within seconds, she is asleep and making very unattractive buzzing sounds.

Sookie stares at her for a moment and then says softly, "She's really not as gruff as she seems, you know."

"My love, you could charm the birds from the trees."

"Funny you should say that... actually, I can. It's a Fae thing... but I appreciate the sentiment. Honey, what's all that stuff you brought?"

"Just a few things to make you feel better." I set down the items I brought from our bedroom: a small plastic basin, Sookie's special creams and perfume, and her golden hairbrush. Going to the bathroom, I draw some cool water into the basin and grab a washcloth and a soft towel from a basket. Bringing this back to the bed, I set it on the nightstand and then proceed to bathe my Bonded's hot, tender skin. As I hoped, this seems to sooth her and even helps to cool her down slightly. I gently pat her with the towel and then carefully rub in her lotions and creams. One of my favorite things to do is watch her as she goes through this ritual after every bath, so I know precisely what goes where, down to and including all the secret spots where she dots her perfume.

Of course, the smell is so wonderful my fangs make an untimely appearance. Sookie smiles faintly. Reaching out, she very delicately strokes one with a fingertip. This is such an intimate, loving gesture between mates that it warms me to my bones. "I had no idea these are so sensitive," she says in wonder, "It really does feel good to you when you bite me, doesn't it?"

Leaning forward, I brush my lips softly against hers. "There is nothing I would rather do than sink my fangs into that luscious skin of yours. I _love_ to bite you."

Sookie gives a soft laugh. "You know, most girls might not find that statement nearly as romantic as I do... but now I know exactly what you mean. Our dream made me see lots of things in a whole new light."

"Hm. Perhaps I should have sent it to you sooner." Repositioning myself so that I am now behind her, I pick up her brush and begin to run it through her hair. In this light, the long silken tresses appear as golden as the brush in my hand. The rhythmic stroking does its work, smoothing both her hair and our nerves. Once I have finished the required one hundred strokes, I kiss my Bonded's shoulder and murmur, "There, my love, you are tidy for our visitors."

"Thank you, sugar. Maybe I had better slip my robe back on. I'd feel a little strange letting Jason see me in such a revealing gown." Grabbing her wrapper from the foot of the bed, I help her slip it on. After smoothing the covers a bit, I am finally satisfied that I have made her as comfortable as I can, but clearly even this small amount of activity has tired her. "Sookie, I want you to take some more blood, and then you can sleep until your brother arrives."

"Are you sure I'm not taking too much?"

"Do not worry about me. I will replenish myself soon." Sliding in behind her, I pull her back so that she is resting against my chest. I bite into my wrist and then put it to her lips. I cannot help but think about the first time I ever gave her my blood this way. That was a life-or-death situation, too. I remember being thoroughly confused at my compulsion to save her at all costs, especially since she was still in love with Compton at the time. Such strong feelings for anyone, much less a human, were so alien to me then. Now I literally cannot imagine living without her.

Thank the gods Sookie has finally gotten over her strange aversion to taking my blood! Unfortunately, we must have waited too long between feedings, because she seems to have only enough energy left to take a sip or two. I try to encourage her to take more, but she closes her eyes and shakes her head in refusal. Within seconds she falls asleep. Wrapping her more tightly in my arms, I lean my head back and allow my thoughts to drift back over some of the details of our mutual dream. I smile to myself, thinking that even in our sleep, my little vixen still manages to keep me dancing to her merry tune. Imagine her having the audacity to tease me about her having other midnight callers!

Come to think about it, though, my Bonded did look awfully smug when she said it. Frowning now, I think back over the long span of time between her breaking up with Bill to just before our engagement. _Could_ there really have been another vampire suitor of whom I was unaware? Surely I would have known it... unless this amorous vampire knew I was also interested in her. In that case, of course he would have been careful to conceal the affair. Even before I was King, not many vampires would be foolish enough to openly irritate me... but no. On second thought, I am positive Sookie was just teasing. She had _better_ have been teasing. Grrr. As soon as she is recovered from this illness, I intend to get to the bottom of this. Bill always kept an extremely close eye on her in those days, so perhaps he knows something...

No sooner has the thought of my former rival run through my head than I get the oddest feeling that he is near. This is very strange. Since we have never exchanged blood, by all rights I should not be aware of his presence. As a test, I reach out with my vampire senses... Yes, I swear I can feel Bill approaching. It must be some odd echo coming through Sookie, even though she is asleep. Hm.

Sure enough, within seconds I hear the sound of two vehicles pulling up outside. Slipping out from behind my sleeping wife, I make sure she is comfortable before heading downstairs to greet my Lieutenants. Cooper has already opened the door to allow them entrance. Several human women dressed in Fangtasia garb are being herded into the foyer by Bill, who has a case of single-malt scotch tucked under one arm. One of them I recognize right away. It is the ugly little waitress named Julie. The others are fangbangers who frequent the club, none of whom I have ever tasted. They all gaze around the magnificent interior with identical looks of stunned amazement. Hmpf. Really, does everyone in the world think me incapable of having a little taste?

A moment later, Pam steps though the doorway, closely followed by another female that I also recognize. It is the girl that I ordered Pam to bring back from Magnolia for interrogation. Why my child has seen fit to bring this person to my home is beyond my comprehension. Barely managing to hold back my irritation, I tell Cooper, "I need to have a word with my vampires. Please escort these ladies into the formal living room and see that they are comfortable while they wait."

Cooper nods and leads his charges towards the living room. Once they are out of earshot, I growl, "What is _she_ doing here?"

Knowing exactly to whom I am referring, Pam blithely replies, "You said you wanted donors. Her blood is excellent."

Narrowing my eyes, I give my progeny a look that would melt glass. Clearly sensing that I am in no mood to be trifled with, Pam shrugs. "What did you expect me to do with her? Lock her in the basement?"

"Yes. That is _exactly_ what I had in mind. Given what she was doing when we found her, she might even enjoy it."

Pam gives me a withering look. "You know better than anyone the difference between a playroom and our basement. I saw no reason to be so harsh. Amy has been more than co-operative. Bill and I have interrogated her thoroughly, and she's told us everything she knows about the group in Magnolia. She's harmless."

"Humans lie, Pam. It is not like you to trust one."

"I never said I trusted her... but she has certain qualities that I find very attractive," she replies rather defensively, "I haven't had a pet in a long time, and I'm thinking about keeping her."

It has been a number of years since Pam's last attempt at keeping a human, and it did not turn out particularly well. If it was anyone but this girl, I might find it amusing. Still, this is not the time to stand around debating the issue. "We will discuss this later, Pamela. It goes without saying that you will make sure the girl learns nothing about us. While she is here, you are responsible for keeping her out of trouble."

"Of course. I'm not stupid. Why are you spending so much time going on about Amy? I thought we were here for some sort of emergency. What sort of trouble is Sookie in this time?"

When I phoned Pam earlier, I had not taken the time to explain the situation fully. I had merely informed her that Sookie was ill and would need more blood than I could provide to heal her. I ordered her to find a number of human donors and bring them here. Before I can open my mouth to answer, Bill asks quietly, "She's dying, isn't she?"

Of course. The minute he got close to Valhalla, no doubt he could feel it. I glance at my male Lieutenant. Although on the exterior he is as cool as ever, there is no mistaking the panic in his eyes. Clearly, it is taking every ounce of his will-power not to dash to Sookie's side. "Yes. She has iron poisoning. Dr. Ludwig says the only way to save her is to replace most of her blood, but that is easier said than done."

I go on to explain the difficulties we are facing. Bill asks, "What about her friend Faeryn? Isn't she related to Sookie?"

"As I understand it, Faeryn's mother is only a very distant relation of Niall's on his mother's side. Faeryn herself is only half-Fae. The connection is not close enough for her blood to be of any use."

Pam exclaims, "So let me get this straight... if Jason's blood won't work, Sookie may not accept the treatment because she's worried about being turned?"

"Yes, that is the problem."

Angrily, she spits out, "What on earth is wrong with her? She'd rather die than be one of us? I thought she loved you!"

Hearing it put so bluntly causes a searing pain in the region of my chest. There really is no good answer since I do not really understand it myself.

Shaking his head, Bill says, "I can tell you that Sookie _does_ love him quite passionately. It isn't a lack of love at all. Have you forgotten what it is to be raised a Christian, Pam?"

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"As you might recall, Christians put great emphasis on the concept of heaven and hell. Sookie may not say much about it but she actually believes very strongly in God. Up until we came in to her life, she was in church almost every Sunday. I imagine that deep down, she is convinced that if she willingly becomes one of the undead, she will be damning her immortal soul... and who knows? Perhaps she is right."

Stunned, I realize that Bill is undoubtedly correct. Human-type religions ceased to have any meaning for me so long ago that this possibility never crossed my mind. No wonder Sookie is so reluctant! Immediately, my mind goes into overdrive, trying to think of what I can possibly do or say in a couple of hours that can change such deeply ingrained beliefs. Meanwhile, my Lieutenants continue their argument. In response to Bill's statement, Pam rolls her eyes and says sarcastically, "Has anyone bothered to remind Sookie that vampires are immortal? She has nothing to worry about."

"Sookie has been around vampires long enough to know that we are only immortal in theory. In practice, we are all only one stake away from the true death... and then what?"

Pam fires back, "Come on, Bill! You know the stuff we had crammed down our throats as Christians was total crap! Aren't we vampires proof that the Bible left out a few critical details?" Pausing, she eyes him carefully. "Wait... don't tell me that you believe it, too!"

"I admit that there is more to the story than we were taught," Bill replies calmly, "Nevertheless, I _do_ believe there is a divine order to the universe... and so do you, or you would not believe in prophesies. Still, my personal beliefs are immaterial. We are discussing Sookie."

"It doesn't really matter _what_ she believes. My Master is not going to let his Bonded make such a ridiculous decision. Like it or not, she _will_ be treated."

Shaking his head, Bill says, "I would not be too certain of that, Pam. When it comes down to it, I doubt Eric will force her to accept this treatment against her will. He is too honorable for that."

If the situation were not so serious, I would be tempted to smile. It has been a long time since I have been accused of being honorable. I believe that cold, devious and ruthless are generally the most common adjectives used to describe me. My Lieutenants both turn towards me, obviously waiting for me to settle this debate. Instead of giving them a definitive answer, I merely say, "Perhaps it will not come to that. Her brother's blood might work. Now, I want to get back to Sookie before she wakes."

Bill says, "With your permission, Eric, I would very much like to see her."

"Very well. Visiting with the two of you might serve to distract her until her brother gets here. She is in our upstairs bedroom." Gesturing for them to follow me, I turn and start up the stairs. Once we reach the bedroom, I see that both Sookie and Ludwig are still sleeping... that is, until Pam steps up beside me. I had forgotten to mention Sookie's peculiar-looking appearance. The instant my child gets a good look at her Mistress's transparent blue skin, she turns even whiter than she already is. With a look of horror on her face, she gasps loudly and exclaims, "Oh! This is awful! I... I had better go check on the humans."

Without another word, she whirls around and vanishes down the long hallway. In all the years since I made her, I have never once seen Pam have such an emotional reaction to anything. Astonished, I shift my gaze to Bill, only to find that although he is better at concealing it, he is every bit as horrified. Before I can say anything, I hear Sookie stirring. Pam's outburst has awakened both her and the healer. Ludwig opens one eye and blearily looks around. Spying Bill, she grunts, "Oh! Just another vampire. Wake me when the brother gets here," and promptly falls back to sleep.

Rapidly crossing the room, I perch on the side of the bed. Sookie gradually opens her eyes, and I am alarmed to see how dull and listless they are. Clearly, my blood is gradually becoming less effective at keeping the poisoning at bay. What is keeping that idiot brother of hers? Forcing myself not to panic, I give her my best smile and say, "Beloved, Bill is here. Do you wish to see him?"

"Yes, I would," she answers in a raspy voice.

I am desperate now to give Sookie's brother another call and "light a fire under him" as the doctor suggested. I tell her, "Good. Bill will keep you company while I make a few calls. I won't be long."

Not wanting Sookie to hear the choice words I have for her brother, I head to the hallway for some privacy. A wave of my hand gives Bill the permission he has been craving. Dashing across the room, he falls to his knees at the bedside and cries passionately, "Oh, Sookie. I _knew_ something was wrong, but I had no idea how bad it was. Will you forgive me for not being here sooner?"

Stepping into the hallway, I pull the door to within a couple of inches of being closed. This way, Sookie cannot hear my conversations, but I can still monitor what is going on in the bedroom. While recalling Jason's number from my cell phone's call log, I listen to Sookie's soft response. "I'm just glad you're here now. I hate for Eric to go through this alone."

How like her to be worried about me, even if it is unnecessary... although, to be perfectly honest, I do feel a bit better now that my Lieutenants are here. Keeping half an ear on their conversation, I push "send." Maddeningly, it goes straight to voicemail. Grrr. I leave Sookie's wayward brother a rather terse message before disconnecting. I try the Portal again. Strangely, this time no one answers. I leave a message there, too. After that, I make a quick call to check in with Robert. Finally someone answers! Once that call is done, I tune back in to the conversation in the other room.

As I hoped he would, Bill is doing his best to convince Sookie to accept the treatment. In his slow Southern accent, he is saying, "Sweetheart, I _do_ understand your fear, maybe better than anyone... but I truly believe that even if it comes to that, you will _not_ become vampire. Remember your prophecy. You have a very important destiny to fulfill, and I am utterly convinced that you will still be alive when you do it."

If I had written the script myself, I could not have hoped for more perfect lines. In response, Sookie murmurs something so softly that even I cannot hear it. Bill answers, "He may seem strong enough to withstand anything, Sookie... but your souls are so tightly bound that he might not be _able_ to survive without you." There is a pause and then in a voice cracking with emotion, "Quite honestly, I am not altogether sure I would, either."

With a tiny quiver in her voice, Sookie says, "Oh, Bill... don't say that."

Peering into the bedroom, I see Bill still kneeling by the bed, his dark head bowed as if in prayer. With a haunted expression on her lovely (if blue) face, Sookie is stroking his hair. Not so very long ago, this sight would have driven me into a jealous rage... but I am no longer the least bit threatened as far as Bill is concerned. He has proven his loyalty to me and mine time and time again; and even if the proper ritual has not been performed, I suppose I now consider him a part of my Royal nest. I had actually been anticipating this tender scene between the former lovers, and had intended to use it to further my agenda... but at the last minute, I reconsider. There is no point in upsetting Sookie unless it becomes absolutely necessary.

Opening the door, I step inside. Bill raises his head and I am startled to see that his eyes are red-rimmed with unshed tears. Unhurriedly, he catches Sookie's hand and pulls it to his lips for a kiss. Gracefully rising to his feet, he looks down at his Mistress. "I can see that I have tired you," he says huskily, "I should go. May I bring you anything?"

"Not for me, but would you please bring up some warmed blood for Eric? He needs to replace what he's given me."

Bill bows and hurries off to do her bidding. Sookie stares after him for a minute before closing her eyes in obvious exhaustion. She lies so still that at first I think that she has fallen asleep again... but then her eyes flutter open. With an obvious effort, she sits up and faces me. Taking both of my hands in hers, she stares searchingly in my eyes. "Eric... in our dream, you told me you couldn't survive without me. You said you would follow me if I died. I want you to tell me the truth... is that what you have planned?"

I had no intention of burdening her with this knowledge, but in our shared dream it managed to slip out anyway. There is really no point in denying it, so I tell her the unvarnished truth. "I barely survived a few weeks away from you. What do you think an eternity without you would be like? I cannot live without my Bonded, Sookie. I _will_ not."

"Oh, Eric." Her eyes are so sad, they make me want to weep. "The truth is, if something ever happened to you, I really don't think I would want to live either." Tears begin to well up in her eyes. Pressing my upturned palms to her lips, she whispers, "I love you too much to leave you. If Jason's blood won't work, then we'll just have to give the other way a try. I'll happily follow you through the gates of hell, as long as we can be together. I bet you could give the devil a pretty good run for his money, anyway."

"Ah, Sookie." Now I am afraid I _am_ going to cry. Dragging her on my lap, I bury my face in her hair. I know exactly how hard this decision was for her... and I am both grateful and relieved beyond measure. I tell her so, but after a moment I realize the words are flowing out of me in my native tongue. I start over in English, but Sookie lays a finger across my lips and says, "It's okay. I think I know what you said, even if I couldn't understand a word of it. "

This declaration has taken the very last of my Bonded's energy. She closes her eyes and rests her hot cheek against my bare chest. Her body is burning with fever, and even though she has not so much as whimpered, I know she is in a great deal of pain. If only I could bear it for her... all I can do is offer her more blood to ease her. Biting into my wrist, I press it to her mouth and urge her to take as much as she can. As her lips move against my skin and draw forth the healing fluid, I close my eyes and pray that it keeps her going for just a while longer. I really do not want to use Bill as the other donor, but if she continues to deteriorate at this rate I may have no choice. We are obviously running out of time.

A few moments later, Bill glides silently back into the room bearing several bottles on a small tray. Bill is the type of vampire who rarely displays any emotion at all, and I was fully expecting him to return with his normal chilly, remote exterior intact; but as he comes through the door, his distress is still plainly written across his handsome features. The look he gives me is one of sympathy and concern. Pam is following behind him, but she goes no further than the doorway. She stands there fidgeting, looking as if she might bolt away at any moment. To keep from looking directly at Sookie, she keeps her eyes glued to her counterpart's back as he crosses the room. I have rarely seen my child so agitated.

Setting his tray on the nearby dresser, Bill is just in time to watch Sookie take one last swallow of my blood and then drift into an uneasy sleep. In that moment, I _feel_ his inner devastation as clearly as if it was coming directly from him instead of being filtered through Sookie. Prior to the Second Bonding, I could occasionally feel faint echoes of his emotions, but nothing like this. Since the ceremony, I have not been able to feel him at all... until tonight. The only explanation I can think of is that consciously or unconsciously, Sookie has prevented this from occurring. Her illness has sapped so much of her energy that this block cannot be maintained, thus allowing Bill's emotions to flow freely from her into me. To be privy to the intense feelings of another male vampire is startling to say the least. If this is only a fraction of what my emotions feel like to Sookie, no wonder she has such difficulty dealing with them on occasion!

Suddenly, Bill's gaze shifts up to mine. His eyes widen slightly as he realizes exactly what is occurring. I feel a sudden jolt of anxiety just before he slams the connection shut. I do not blame him in the least. It would be totally unacceptable for anyone but Sookie to be able to feel _my_ emotions. But wait! How do I know that this tie does _not_ work both ways? Eying Compton suspiciously, I wonder if I am about to have to put an end to him... but then I decide that even Bill would have shown a more extreme reaction to such an unprecedented experience. I am relieved, partly because it would make Sookie very angry if I killed him, but also because I have come to rely on him myself. Furthermore, it is considered extremely bad luck to kill a member of one's own nest.

Hastily, Bill drops his eyes back to Sookie. A few seconds tick by. I wonder if he is going to say anything, but he seems determined to act as if nothing happened. Since we already have quite enough to deal with, I decide to do the same. I, too, look down at the woman in my arms. She looks absolutely dreadful. Not willing to put her down even for a second, I shift us both into a slightly more comfortable position. Bill politely brings me one of the heated bottles of blood. I am not hungry in the slightest, but I know I need to maintain my strength for the coming ordeal. I force myself to gulp it down. After handing me a second bottle, Bill finally breaks his silence. "She is getting worse," he observes worriedly, "How long can we afford to wait for her brother?"

"Not much longer. However, she has finally agreed to accept pure vampire blood, so now we can go forward without him if necessary."

Hearing this happy news, Pam pipes up. "Well, what are we waiting for? I can't stand to see her looking like that another minute. Let me round up the donors and let's get to it!"

Glancing at my watch, I reply quietly, "Not yet. I told Sookie we would wait for her brother, and we will... at least for another few minutes."

"I can't believe you are waiting!" she cries passionately, "Don't you know what this means? Sookie has all but given you permission to turn her. Just a few extra sips than you agreed to, and Sookie can be one of us. Just think... no more worrying about her getting killed in some outrageously stupid fashion. Once she's immortal, we can all relax and have some fun."

Before I can say a word, Bill says sharply, "No! Eric would never betray her trust that way!"

"Shut up, Bill!" Pam snaps, "Just because you hate being vampire doesn't mean everyone feels that way. She's Eric's Bonded! She'll make a spectacular vampire."

"I do _not_ hate being vampire! I just know it's not right for Sookie. _You_ want her turned because you know she'd hate it! You're still mad at her for going to the Portal and leaving Eric here to suffer."

Never one to stand still for an insult, Pam's fangs flash down and she hisses, "That's not true! Unlike yours, my motives are not selfish. _I_ only want what is best for Eric, and it will be much easier for him if Sookie is vampire. Admit it, Bill... y_ou_ are just afraid she won't have any reason to keep you around once she's turned!"

Now Bill's larger, more masculine fangs shoot out. He replies heatedly, "You are wrong. Even death will not sever the tie I have to her. You have _always_ been jealous of my relationship with Sookie. I..."

It is high time I stop this nonsense before it degenerates into an out-and-out brawl. Now _my_ fangs make an appearance. Baring them, I growl, "Quiet! If either one of you wakes Sookie, I will have _both_ your fangs."

This is not an idle threat. Apparently, this comes across loud and clear, because instantly the room falls silent. "Much better. Pam, come here."

Reluctantly, she crosses the room and joins Bill at the side of the bed. "Now listen. In spite of your difference of opinion on this issue, I know that both of you care a great deal about your Mistress and are concerned for her welfare. As strange as it may seem, I do _not_ want Sookie to become as we are. I pray that Jason's blood will keep us from having to run such a risk."

Staring down at the beloved female in my arms, I say softly, "My little Fairy is too much a creature of the light. I cannot bear to have that taken away from her. Think of all the joy she has already given us, Pamela. Do you really think that wonderful magic of hers could survive the transition?"

The anger drains slowly from my child's delicate features. Instead of giving me an answer, she comes forward and sits on the edge of the bed. Tentatively, she reaches out and strokes the top of Sookie's exposed foot. Shocked, she gasps, "Oh, Eric! I understand how you feel, but isn't it better that we run the risk of her becoming vampire than to wait too long and let her die? Bill, have you felt her? She's burning up!"

Once more, Bill kneels at the bedside and takes one of Sookie's limp hands in his. Hesitantly, he says, "As much as I hate to say it, Eric, maybe Pam is right. Maybe we _shouldn't_ wait any longer."

It is at that very moment that I hear the sound of a diesel engine roaring up the drive. It must be Sookie's brother! Relief washes though me and a quick glance tells me the others feel the same. Without having to be told, Bill rises to his feet. A second later, he is out the door and half-way to the stairs. By the time our visitor makes it to the front door, both Bill and Cooper are there waiting for him.

A few hurried words are exchanged. A couple of minutes later, Bill ushers a thoroughly disheveled Jason Stackhouse into the room. Dirt and grease are smeared on his clothes and hands, his blond hair is sticking out in several directions, and he positively reeks of a mixture of oil and gasoline. Obviously wary, his eyes dart around the room. Given the circumstances of our last meeting, I do not blame him. He has gone out of his way to irritate me; and if I were he, I would be nervous, too. However, the sight of the sleeping doctor seems to reassure him. Careful to avoid meeting my eyes, he announces to the room in general, "Sorry it took me so long. I had car trouble on the way, and my cell phone ran out of juice so I couldn't call. Is Sookie okay?"

Pam rises to her feet and steps back from the bed. Now that his view is not blocked, Jason's eyes shift over to the still form cradled in my arms. Sookie's strange appearance is enough to render him speechless. His mouth falls open and for a long moment he does nothing but stare. Finally, he blurts out, "Jesus Christ! What have y'all done to my sister? Is she dead?"

Shaking my head, I reply, "Not yet. Fortunately for all of us, you are here in time to help her. Pam, wake Dr. Ludwig." Nodding once, she jumps to her feet and goes over to prod the physician awake.

Brushing a lock of hair away from Sookie's face, I kiss her forehead and say gently, "Beloved, you must wake now. Your brother is here."

Giving a tiny moan, Sookie forces her eyes open. "Hey, Jason," she croaks, "Thanks for coming."

Taking a couple of steps closer to the bed, he stares down at his sister in horror. Swallowing convulsively, he says, "Sookie, you look awful. What have they done to you? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?"

By this time, Pam has managed to wake Dr. Ludwig. The short amount of time she has been asleep seems to have done wonders for the diminutive healer. She looks positively perky as she steps up to the bedside. Addressing Jason, she says sarcastically, "You young idiot, does this look like something a human hospital could treat? And for the record, the vampires had nothing to do with this. This was entirely due to your sister's own carelessness."

Stunned, Jason stammers, "What... what's wrong with her? Can you treat it?"

"She has iron poisoning," the doctor explains, "She needs a blood transfusion, and we are hoping you will be able to donate some of yours."

"Sure. Of course. Anything you want. I'll even give her a kidney or something... but iron poisoning? I've never even heard of that."

Ludwig gives him a brief description of the symptoms, ending with, "It is a common ailment in those with Fae heritage.

Jason looks more confused than ever. "Fae? It that the same as being French? 'Cause if it is, Gran always told me our family was English and Irish. Maybe you are treating Sookie for the wrong thing."

Rolling her eyes, Ludwig says, "For a Supernatural creature, you don't know much, do you? The Fae are known by a variety of other names, but the one you are probably familiar with is Fairy."

"Fairies? Like Tinkerbell?" Sookie's brother laughs. "You're kidding, right?" Ludwig gives him a look that would peel paint off a sidewalk. "No... I can see you aren't, "he says hastily, "Okay, so there are Fairies. I guess that's no stranger than were-animals or vampires or whatever the heck _you_ are... but now I know you've got this all wrong. Sookie is as human as I am."

During this conversation, my Lieutenants have quietly taken up positions on each side of the bed. At Jason's last comment, Pam snorts. "The last I heard, most humans don't grow fur and chew up live bunnies once a month, Panther-boy."

Instantly on the defensive, Jason retorts, "Well, I was _born_ human... and for the record, I didn't ask to be bitten."

"Guess what? I could say exactly the same thing. I just had the good sense to embrace my new life instead of whining about it."

By the startled look on Stackhouse's face, I can tell that it had never occurred to him that most vampires had not actively pursued their conversion. For once, that cocky exterior slips slightly. "I'm not whining," he responds honestly, "Once I got over the shock of it, I realized that being a were-panther can be pretty fun. This isn't about us, though. Sookie is one hundred percent human."

"Are you sure about that? As far as I can tell, what you _really_ know about your sister could fit on the head of a straight pin. For your information, she's..."

Quickly, Sookie cuts in. "Don't, Pam. I should be the one to tell him."

For once, Pam obeys her Mistress without arguing. She clamps her lips shut and gives Stackhouse a glare.

Jason's eyes seek out his sister's. "Tell me what?" he asks suspiciously.

Before answering him, Sookie glances up at me and softly requests, "Put me down, baby."

Reluctantly, I do as she asks. After arranging some pillows and tucking the sheet around her, I stand next to the bedside with my arms crossed across my chest. Patting the mattress next to her, Sookie says, "Jason, come over here and sit with me."

Her brother hesitates, clearly unwilling to get too close to the three vampires hovering protectively around her. Sookie seems to realize what the trouble is. "Pam... Bill... I need to talk to my brother. I'd appreciate it if y'all would wait outside."

Pam nods and leaves the room without another word. Oddly enough, it is Bill that looks to me for permission. My male Lieutenant clearly has a deep distrust of Sookie's brother, and I can sense his reluctance to leave us unprotected. I incline my head, letting him know it is acceptable. Before leaving, he looks down at Sookie and says pointedly, "I'll be right outside if you need me."

"Thanks, Bill. I'll be fine."

He bows slightly to his Queen and then takes his leave, giving Jason a frosty look as he passes. He pulls the bedroom door shut behind him, but I would be astonished if both he and Pam do not have one ear glued to the door. Once they are gone, Sookie says hoarsely, "Come on, Jason. Sit by me."

Frowning, he jerks his chin in my direction. "What about _him_?"

Brother or not, if he thinks I am leaving my Bonded's side just now, he _is_ delusional. I am just about to tell him so, when Sookie says gently, "Jason, Eric is not going to hurt you. Why would he? He knows you're here to help me. Now come sit down."

"I'm not afraid of him. It just sounded like we are going to talk about family stuff and might need some privacy."

Sookie says tiredly, "Jason. Eric is my husband. He_ is_ family. Now will you please come closer? It sure would be easier on me."

As if being frightened of the huge scary vampire never crossed his mind, her brother strolls across the room and sits on the edge of the bed. He studiously avoids catching my eye, preferring to pretend that I am not standing mere inches away. Of course, I know his bravado is all a front... I can _smell_ his fear. I have to fight down an immature urge to flash my fangs and growl just to see his reaction. As soon as he sits down, Sookie offers him her hand. Grasping it, he exclaims, "Holy Moses, Sook! You are burning up! You really _do_ look terrible. Does it hurt?"

"Only a little." She is lying. I can feel her pain, and I wonder that she is able to lay still without moaning and writhing in agony. She is also extremely nervous, clearly unsure of how much to tell him. She begins by saying, "Listen, Jason, Dr. Ludwig is right. It turns out we _do_ have some Fairy blood in our family."

Jason shakes his head in disbelief. "Are you sure? Neither one of us have any wings, and I sure as shit ain't gonna flit around in no wispy fairy outfit."

"Real Fairies aren't like that, Jason... well, the big ones aren't anyway. Most of the time they look pretty much like humans."

"No wings, huh? So I guess they can't fly. Do they carry wands or is all that stuff about them being magical bullshit, too?"

Sookie chuckles weakly, "They are so magical, they don't _need_ wands. In fact, I think they are generally considered the most magical of all the Supes. "

"Huh. If we do have any Fairy blood, it must not be much at all. Neither one of us has any magic."

Ha! Being extremely proud of Sookie's new abilities, I am just about to tell him how wrong he is, when Sookie says hurriedly, "That's not entirely true. All Fairy males are really, really handsome. If they set their sights on a particular female, it is almost impossible for her to resist. This charm is part of a Fairy male's magic. Sound familiar?"

"You mean I'm so irresistible 'cause I've got Fairy in me?" He takes a moment to think this over. A moment later, a broad grin steals across his face. "Well, that explains a lot. I always knew there was something special about me! Come to think of it, I guess that's where your telepathy must come from. Wow! All this time I thought it was a birth defect. Go figure."

Birth defect! Did that good-for-nothing, brainless, half-assed were-panther _really_ just imply that my Bonded is defective in some way? Feeling my anger flare, Sookie shoots me a warning look. Clearly she does not want my interference at this point. Determined to follow her lead, I manage to keep my mouth shut... but I absolutely _cannot_ keep my fangs from descending, resulting in two good-sized gashes on the inside of my bottom lip. Cursing inwardly, I run the tip of my tongue over the wounds while they are healing. As for my wife, she appears to be completely unaffected by this insult. "I've been told by an authority that telepathy is not a Fairy trait," she answers mildly.

"So all _you_ inherited was a susceptibility to their illnesses, huh? That sucks, sis."

"Actually, I did get a little magic, too," she admits cautiously.

"Really? Like what?"

"Ah... the main thing is being able to make people feel a little better if they are feeling down." This is probably the biggest understatement I have _ever_ heard. Why she feels it necessary to downplay her amazing gifts is beyond me, but I have to assume that Sookie knows what she is doing. She hastily adds, "It's nothing compared to what the real Fairies can do, though."

He stares at her for a moment, as if he senses that she is not being entirely forthcoming. However, instead of questioning her further about the extent of her magic, he asks, "Sookie, how is it that you know so much about Fairies? Have you ever actually seen one?"

This is coming perilously close to the heart of the matter. Slowly, she replies, "There aren't very many of them anymore, and the ones that are left are extremely secretive... but yes. I have met a few. They don't get along with vampires too well, though, so it's pretty infrequent that I see them."

"Obviously you have known about this for a while. Why haven't you told me before now?"

She hesitates briefly before replying, "I haven't known all that long myself, and we haven't exactly been on speaking terms lately. Besides that, it was really safer for you if you _didn't_ know. Now that you do, you have to swear to me that you won't tell a soul. Having Fairy blood can be really dangerous for a number of reasons. If anybody finds out, it could be very bad for both of us."

"Dangerous, huh? Well... okay. It sounds like you know what you're talking about." Suddenly, Jason's brows come together in a frown. "Hey. Where exactly did this Fairy-blood come from? If both of us have any magic at all, then it couldn't have been very far back in the family tree. Have you been able to find out anything about it?"

This is the moment Sookie has been dreading. She pauses, still not sure how much to tell him. I am about to step in and handle the situation for her, when Ludwig says curtly, "I am sure your sister will be more than happy to tell you all she knows... _when __she is not dying! _If you want her to live, any further questions just will have to wait."

Jason takes another good look at Sookie. Even in the short time he has been in the room, she has clearly deteriorated. Apparently recognizing the urgency of the situation, he stands up and begins to roll up his sleeves. "Okay, let's get rolling... but I better go wash up first."

"All right, but hurry. The bathroom is that way." The doctor points to the proper door. Once he is out of view, Sookie breathes a sigh of relief. She glances up at me. "Come hold me?" she asks quietly.

Once again, I sit on the bed and pull her into my arms. Snuggling against my cool skin, she closes her eyes and sighs again. Clearly this interview has taken a serious toll on her dwindling energy, and I realize that Dr. Ludwig was not merely deflecting the conversation. We really do not have much time left. By the time Jason returns, the doctor has rounded up the needed supplies and laid them neatly on a side table. With an effort, Sookie forces her eyes open so she can watch. "We must test you for compatibility first," Ludwig explains to Jason, "Sit down in that chair and take off your shoes and socks."

With a puzzled look, he complies. "Now give me your foot." He willingly raises one bare foot, which she grabs and holds firmly in one hand. Without warning, she pricks a toe with the lancet. Jason yelps in pain, which earns him a withering look of contempt. Quickly, the healer catches a few drops in the vial and then releases his foot. While she adds the drops of the reagent to the vial, I can feel Sookie's anxiety surging. For her sake, I force myself to be calm. I murmur in her ear, "No matter what happens, we will always be together. I love you, Sookie."

Every eye in the room is glued to the little glass vial in Ludwig's hand. Holding it up to the light, she swirls it around. Slowly, it starts to turn a pale, watery blue... but then, instead of progressing to the vivid blue that Sookie's blood produced, it gradually changes to a rather unattractive shade of greenish-brown. Ludwig clucks her tongue in disappointment. Completely ignoring me, she turns to Sookie. "I am very sorry, Your Grace, but your brother's blood is not compatible. Too much were-panther and not nearly enough Fairy."

"So what are you saying?" Jason asks, "I can't give her any blood? Why is this such a big deal? Surely Eric here has connections at the local blood bank. Let's just go get what she needs."

"Not possible," replies Ludwig tersely, "She has a very special blood type. The only possible living donors are certain blood relatives."

Turning to Sookie, Jason says, "So what do we do now? We don't _have_ any other relatives... hey! Didn't you tell me that our cousin Hadley had a son? What was his name? Harry? Harley? Something like that."

What is this? Sookie's cousin had a child? Why has Sookie never told me this?

It seems my little lover _still_ has a few secrets. I do not have the heart to chide her about it, though. By now, Sookie is getting so weak that her voice is reduced to a gravelly whisper. "His name is Hunter. But he's just a little boy. There is no way I would let him give me blood, even if I knew how to find him... which I don't. The last time I tried to call him, his dad's phone had been disconnected. They've moved, and I couldn't find out where."

It is just as well that I do not have the vaguest idea how to find this child. If he has the right type of blood... My musings are interrupted by Dr, Ludwig, who says, "It probably wouldn't matter if you did. The chance of him being a suitable donor is practically nil... and if he is a small child, he would not have enough blood volume to be of much help anyway."

The seriousness of the situation is finally sinking in to Jason's thick skull. He pops out of the chair and begins to pace. "So without this transfusion, what will happen to my sister?" he asks in alarm, "There _has_ to be something we can do!"

"Without the transfusion, she will die," the healer replies bluntly, "Our only recourse now is to give her pure vampire blood. It should heal her, but your sister is reluctant to do this because of the risk of being turned."

"Turned!" Jason cries in horror, "That's... that's horrible!" For a long moment, he is too overcome to speak. I can practically see the wheels spinning in his head, frantically trying to come up with another solution. Suddenly, a low moan comes from Sookie. Finally unable to stop herself, she cries out, "Oh, Eric! It hurts!"

From across the room, Ludwig orders, "Northman, give her some more blood. It will buy us a little more time... but the final decision has to be made right away." The doctor was still asleep when Sookie made that decision, so she does not yet realize the choice has already been made. I decide that getting blood down Sookie is more pressing than giving the healer the information, so I quickly lower my fangs and open a new wound on my wrist.

As I press it to my Bonded's burning lips, a gasp comes from the other side of the room. Glancing up, I see that Jason has stopped his pacing and is now practically rooted in place as he watches his sister take my blood. His face is ashen and for a moment I am certain he is about to faint, or vomit, or both. Ludwig sees it, too, and rapidly moves to his side. Reaching up, she pinches him on his arm, hard. "Ow!" he yelps, rubbing the spot, "What was that for?"

"It kept you from passing out, didn't it?" she replies smugly. "Funny, I never pegged you for the squeamish type. This is nothing. Wait until your baby comes. Now _that_ is a lot of blood. I hope I don't have to ban you from the delivery room."

"That's different. That's normal. This is... this is just gross!"

"This, from a man who disembowels deer once a month?" the doctor responds sarcastically, "For vampires and their mates, this _is_ perfectly normal... and not nearly as messy, I might add."

"Ah... okay. I guess I get your point," Jason says in a shaky voice.

By now, Sookie has finished. With a sigh, she kisses the inside of my now-healed wrist and then drifts off to sleep. Gathering her sweet little body closer, I tenderly press my lips to the top of her golden head. Leaning down, Jason murmurs to Ludwig, "Will Sook really die without this transfusion?"

The little healer nods. "Oh, yes, and quite soon. Ordinarily I would not have waited this long to treat her, but Northman insisted we wait to see if your blood was compatible."

"He did? I would have thought he would be chomping at the bit to make her into a vampire."

Finally, I decide it is time to speak. "Jason, you really know nothing about me. If you did, you would realize that I love your sister just as she is. Despite what you think, I have no wish for her to become as I am... but I _am_ willing to take that risk to keep her alive. How much do _you_ love her? Is your hatred for my kind so great that you would wish your own sister to truly die rather than become one of us?"

For the first time since his arrival, Jason looks directly at me. To my surprise, his eyes begin to fill with tears. "I thought I did," he says in a low voice, "...but now... I really _don't_ want her to die. Sook's pretty stubborn, though. Eric, I want you to do whatever you have to do to save her, even if she don't necessarily want to be saved. Okay?"

"Fortunately for us all, just before you arrived your sister decided that she was willing to accept pure vampire blood if it was the only alternative."

Dr. Ludwig lets out a huge sigh of relief. "It's about time! I was not looking forward to having to explain her death to the Pr..." She bites off the word before it escapes her lips. Changing tacks in mid-stream, she clears her throat and says briskly, "Well. We need to make our preparations." Giving Jason a glare, she says firmly, "This is liable to be messy. Clearly you are not up to watching. Go find somewhere else to wait."

"Ah... okay. I'll just wait outside, if that's okay."

Knowing that Cooper will keep an eye on him, I agree. "Perhaps that would be best."

He turns to go. It seems there is something else I should say. "Jason..."

He glances back over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"I would like to thank you for coming to your sister's aid."

Looking surprised, he replies, "Well, sure. She's my sister."

With that, Jason walks out of the room. As soon as the door is firmly closed, Dr. Ludwig shakes her head and observes, "Are you _sure_ he and your Bonded share the same parents? If so, that boy certainly came from the shallow end of the gene pool."

"Indeed. However, he does seem loyal to his sister, and that goes a long way with me."

"Yes, I can see you are filled with brotherly love. When he suggested that your Bonded's telepathy was some sort of defect, I felt sure I was about to witness a good old-fashioned shredding."

"It would have disturbed Sookie. She feels bad enough already."

"For a vampire, you have remarkable restraint. I was ready to shred the arrogant little twit myself. Now, we really should get moving. I presume your Lieutenants are here to donate. Why don't you call them in so we can get moving?"

I glance at my watch. "Sookie has agreed to the treatment, but we have yet to discuss who the other donor will be. We will make our decision when she wakes."

Gently laying Sookie down, I tuck the covers around her, but the minute she is out of my arms she begins to shift restlessly. Her small hands pluck at the blanket I just pulled over her. Ludwig says, "Her fever is rising again. The last thing she needs is to be covered."

Obligingly, I pull back the sheets and blankets. Now that her brother is gone, there is no longer any need for the robe, so I slip that off her as well. The gown underneath is so lightweight that it probably does not retain much heat, so I leave that on her. Ludwig grabs the washcloth from the bowl on the nightstand and wrings it out. Without waiting to be asked, I lift the doctor onto the mattress, and she begins to bathe Sookie's limbs to keep them cool. Instead of waking her, this seems to give her some relief, and almost instantly she slips into a more restful sleep. Never taking her eyes off her patient, Ludwig says, "I want her to sleep as long as she can. She will need all the energy she can muster. I will watch her while you get the others."

"They are coming up the stairs now." A moment later, my Lieutenants come through the door. Bill is carrying a small cardboard box, and in Pam's hands is a small wicker basket. Looking at Ludwig, Bill announces, "Your driver delivered the supplies you requested."

The healer replies, "Good. Put the box on the floor near that table over there. Northman, help me down. I need to make up the solution for later."

While I lift her off the bed, Pam is making her way across the room. She nods coolly to the doctor, who gives her a chilly glare in return. Ludwig thrusts the washcloth into Pam's free hand. "Make yourself useful. Keep her cool while she sleeps."

These two have never cared for each other, and normally Pam would be ready with some scathingly rude comeback; but now she merely nods and takes the washcloth without argument. The doctor toddles over to the box and begins to rummage through it. Pam turns to Sookie, and of course the first thing she notices is my Bonded's highly unusual gown. Instantly, her eyes light up. "How exquisite!" she breathes, "I have never seen anything remotely like it."

"Sookie brought it back from the Portal. It is made from something they call fairy-cloth."

"Bill! Come look!"

My male Lieutenant has been busy helping the doctor arrange her supplies, but now he joins us at the bedside. His eyes travel from one end of Sookie's body to the other. In a low voice, he says, "I have never seen anything so beautiful."

Pam shoves the wet washcloth into his hand and then sits on the bed next to her Mistress. Setting the tiny basket to one side, she runs her hand over the fine cloth. Tracing her fingers over the shimmering patterns sewn around the hem, she says reverently, "This is the most intricate embroidery I have ever seen. This really _is_ a gown fit for a Queen."

Picking up the diamond-encrusted hairbrush from the nightstand, I show it to them. "This was a gift from Niall. Lovely, is it not?"

"Incredible. He must be very fond of her. I wonder what he will say if she becomes one of us?"

Bill shakes his head in dismay. "I pray for Sookie's sake she never has to find out."

A small frown crosses my child's delicate features. Somehow, I think that the sight of these amazing items from the Fairy world has caused her to realize how much Sookie stands to lose. "If I thought it would do any good, I just might say a prayer myself," she says softly, "Whatever happens, though, she'll still have us." Looking over at Bill, she says, "You keep her cool. I've got something else to do."

Bill nods. He rinses out the washcloth and then leans over to gently bathe Sookie's burning brow. Reaching in to the little basket, Pam pulls out a tiny pair of clippers and a nail file. Taking one of Sookie's hands, she examines it closely, wincing at the sight of the dark-purple palms. Turning the hand over, she scrutinizes the nails. Muttering to herself, she deftly begins to take tiny snips here and there and then files each nail into a smooth oval. Once she is done with the first hand, she moves around to the other side of the bed and crawls across the expanse of mattress. Sitting cross-legged, she pulls Sookie's other hand into her lap and repeats the procedure. I take the spot she just vacated. Watching my child work, I absently run my hand over my slumbering Queen's delicate little feet.

In my pocket, my phone vibrates with an incoming text. I pull it out and read the message, which is from Robert. I send a brief reply, and then toss the phone on the nightstand. Just as Pam starts to work on the next-to-last finger, Sookie begins to stir. After a moment, her eyelids drift open. Most women would find waking up knee-deep in vampires a bit startling, but not my Bonded. She just smiles faintly. "I guess y'all heard about Jason's blood not working?"

"Yes, we did," Bill replies, "We also heard that you have consented to being treated with our blood. We are both very happy you changed your mind."

"I figured I had better stick around. Somebody has to keep you three out of trouble."

Pam snorts. "Sookie, you had better concentrate on keeping yourself out of trouble." She gives the last fingernail a final swipe with the file and then inspects her handiwork. "Perfect!" she proclaims.

"Uh... Pam? Isn't this a strange time for a manicure? Not that I don't appreciate it."

"It is part of my duties to care for my Queen. I am just taking suitable precautions. Do you have any idea how annoying it would be to go through eternity with a hangnail?" Picking up the basket, she fishes out a razor and holds it up. Looking hopeful, she inquires, "Would you like me to shave your legs? I have known several young vampiresses with unsightly stubble, and they absolutely _hate_ it."

"Ah... no thanks. I took care of that this afternoon."

From across the room, Ludwig says, "Tick-tock, Northman. We are running out of time."

Completely ignoring the doctor, Pam continues, "I would offer to trim your hair, but I can see that it has been done recently. It would be unacceptable for any child of mine to be running around with split ends."

Sookie struggles to sit up in bed. "What? What do you mean, _your_ child?"

Looking a bit startled, Pam says, "Oh! I thought you knew. Any vampire who gives you blood once you have been drained could potentially turn out to be your Maker."

I glance at my watch. Although I was planning a slightly more diplomatic approach, it is definitely time to address this delicate subject. Wide blue eyes rotate in my direction. "Is this true? It might not be you?"

"Unfortunately, my love, since we must by necessity use more than one donor, there is no guarantee that I will be your Maker. This is a very tricky situation. Under normal circumstances, it is the will of the vampire that starts the process, but that is _not_ our goal here. If you are turned, it will be entirely accidental. For obvious reasons, you must choose the other vampire most carefully."

"Only one other vampire? Isn't giving up so much of your blood at once harmful for you?"

"Not if the proper precautions are taken. It will increase the odds that if the worst happens, I _will_ be your Maker."

Stunned, Sookie's eyes dart back and forth between her choices. In his chilly voice, Bill says confidently, "Of course I will be the other donor. Pam is not Maker material."

"What do you mean, not Maker material?" Pam exclaims with heat, "I would be a _far_better Maker than you!"

"Don't be ridiculous. You are not the nurturing type."

"That is not true... and besides, what a newly-made vampire really needs is not coddling but to be taught survival skills. Admit it... you would _never_ teach Sookie to fight."

Calmly, Bill retorts, "She doesn't need to know how to fight. Eric and I are perfectly capable of protecting her."

"She'll be a vampire, Bill, not some sort of Dresden doll!" Pam says indignantly, "And speaking of Eric, how do you think he'll like having his wife's former lover having so much power over her? It sounds like a true-death sentence to me. The first time you make her do something he doesn't like, he'll put an end to you without batting an eye. I am his child. He would never do that to me."

"It sounds to me like you are already anticipating making her do things Eric won't like."

"I did not say that. I only..."

Sookie manages to gather enough strength to say forcefully, "Stop it, both of you! You're making my head hurt worse than it does already!"

From the doorway, a French-accented voice growls, "Forget about Eric. The next vampire who causes my Queen the slightest distress is going to have to answer to _me_."

My brother has always had impeccable timing, not to mention a flair for the dramatic.

Instantly, silence descends over the room. Four pairs of startled eyes swivel towards the doorway, which is now filled with the impressive figure of the Knight. Not a single dark hair out of place, he is as impeccably dressed as ever. His powerfully built warrior's frame radiates strength and confidence, and the steely look in his eyes leaves no doubt whatsoever that he is ready to follow through with his threat... just in case anyone missed the huge pair of deadly fangs on display. As always, Robert is the epitome of the perfect vampire, and I am proud to call him brother.

"Robert!" Sookie exclaims in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

In a flash, the Knight is standing at the bedside. He gives Bill a stern look, causing the younger vampire to move out of his way without a word spoken. Dropping to one knee, Robert offers Sookie his hand. "How could I stay away, _ma petite_?" he says simply, "You needed me."

Pam contemplates the two of us. Having gotten to know my methods rather well, I imagine my child suspects that Robert's appearance isn't exactly as unexpected as it might seem... and of course, she is absolutely correct. However, she knows better than to mention it. Instead, she says dryly, "Nice timing, Robert. Did you leave the white horse outside?"

Completely ignoring her, he focuses those piercing sea-green eyes of his on Sookie. "Tell me what I can do to ease you, my Lady."

"Dr. Ludwig says my blood has to be replaced to get rid of the iron or I'm going to die."

"Then I beg you to accept mine. It is nearly as old as the Viking's and very healing."

Smiling faintly, she replies, "You might get more than you bargained for, Robert. There is a risk I might get turned accidentally. "

Kissing the back of her hand, the Knight says quietly, "I sincerely hope it does not come to that. You are perfect just as you are... nevertheless, I would be honored to be your Maker. "

Bill says stubbornly, "Nonsense. She hardly knows you. Why would she pick you instead of someone she trusts? Besides, you live in New York. She cannot be away from Eric because of their Bond, and unless he wants to abdicate, he cannot leave Louisiana for any length of time."

"I am willing to live here as long as it takes for Sookie to become comfortable with her new state... and of course, her circumstances are much different from most fledgling's. Eric is more than capable of protecting her and teaching her what she needs to know. As for how well she knows me, I think you have underestimated your Queen's ability to see past the surface and straight into the heart of a vampire. Even in our short acquaintance, I think she knows very well who and what I am. She is also smart enough to realize that I am the _only_ vampire that her Bonded is likely to accept willingly. I think that will weigh in my favor."

From across the room, Dr. Ludwig comments, "Personalities aside, there is no question that the Knight's ancient blood would provide Sookie the best chance at total recovery."

Sookie raises her eyes to mine. "Is using Robert's blood okay with you?"

"Absolutely."

Laying her head back against the pillow, Sookie closes her eyes. She has to force out her next words. "Pam... Bill... I love you both. How could I ever choose between you? So... I'm going to pick Robert."

She looks so fragile and close to death that neither of the younger vampires has the heart to argue any further. Ludwig says briskly, "Finally! Now that the decision has been made, let us get started."

"If you all will excuse us, I would like a moment alone with my Bonded before we begin. Pam, please fetch our guests... but make certain they do not catch so much as a glimpse of Sookie."

Slowly opening her eyes, Sookie whispers, "Guests?"

I wait for the others to file out of the room before answering. Dr. Ludwig is the last one out, closing the door firmly behind her. Leaning over, I kiss Sookie's overheated brow. "I have one last thing to discuss with you, my love. In order for Robert and me to give you the quantity of blood you require without danger to ourselves, we must replenish ourselves frequently. Unfortunately, in this situation synthetic blood will simply not suffice."

"You are trying to tell me that you are going to have to feed from someone besides me," Sookie says sadly, "That's who the "guests" are... they're donors."

Holding her gaze, I reply evenly, "Sookie, I know how much this disturbs you, but we really have no choice."

I was hoping that my usually practical mate would see the necessity for this and agree with very little fuss. Instead, a searing pain shoots through the Bond and tears immediately start to roll down her blue cheeks. I try to keep my own emotions in check. What if we have come this far and she balks over this relatively minor detail? Desperately I try to reassure her. "I specifically asked Pam to bring the ugliest humans she could find. You do not have to watch."

Instead of soothing her, this information produces deep, gut-wrenching sobs. I have no idea what to do or say to make this any better. All I can do is send her love and calm back through our Bond. Grasping her hands firmly in mine, I tell her, "You must know that I would not risk damaging our Bond if there was any other way. In fact, I was so concerned about this issue, I phoned the Queen of Oklahoma to see what she could tell me about it. According to her, since this is being done specifically to save your life, it is should do no lasting harm... as long as you freely agree to it."

My poor distraught Fairy simply does not have enough strength left to cry for long. As the sobs die down to whimpers, she finally manages to speak. "Sorry. Somehow, that was just the last straw."

"I am sorry, my love."

"And I'm sorry for being such a big baby. I swear I don't know why I feel so strongly about this, but I just do." After a pause she asks, "Honey... does the blood really have to come from humans? I mean... Dr. Ludwig said vampires are universal donors."

"That is true, but as you know, vampires generally dislike sharing blood."

"What about the ones that live in nests? Don't they share blood sometimes?"

Completely surprised by her question, I answer, "Almost always, sharing blood is part of the ritual that binds the nest together. After that, it varies from nest to nest."

"Well, okay then. Can't you just ask Bill and Pam to give you some? I wouldn't mind as much if the blood came from members of our own nest."

Sookie says this as calmly as if we were discussing the weather. Stunned, I stammer, "Ah... our nest?"

"Yes. Our nest. Even if we haven't really gone through all the formalities, that's what it is, isn't it?"

"But how...?"

Putting her hand to her forehead, she mutters, "Maybe we had... better... ah... discuss this later. My head is spinning. I think... I'll just shut my eyes... for a minute." Her head lolls back against the pillows. Hurriedly, I rise and go to the door. Slipping through it, I am careful to close it behind me, thus keeping my ailing blue Fairy from curious human eyes. Milling around in the long hallway is a mass of people: Dr. Ludwig, Jason Stackhouse, the vampires of my nest, the human donors, and Cooper bringing up the rear. Pulling my Lieutenants aside, I hurriedly explain, "To keep the Bond from being damaged, Sookie had to give me permission to feed from others. She chose you two. Is this acceptable?"

In Pam's case, I am only asking as a sign of respect. As my progeny, she really has no choice, but Bill would be well within his rights to refuse. Much to his credit, he never hesitates. "I would be honored," he says with a slight bow.

"Good." Looking over the heads of everyone else, I meet Cooper's worried stare. "Take these women into the next bedroom. When they are needed, the vampire will come to them. Everyone else, come with me."

Without waiting for an answer, I turn and head back inside. Following closely behind me, Dr. Ludwig scurries to her table to gather her instruments. Robert slips out of his suit coat and begins to roll up his shirt sleeves. From some well-concealed pocket of her Fangtasia-style flowing dress, Pam produces several hair pins. Deftly swirling her long blond hair into a knot on top of her head, she secures it in place. Bill unbuttons his collar and loosens it. Crawling on to the bed, I reposition Sookie's body to make access easier for everyone, and then stretch out next to her. Waiting for the doctor to finish her last-minute preparations, Robert comes over and sits on the edge of the mattress. Flashing me a smile, he tries to dispel the tension by teasing me. "How long has it been since you drained someone? Do you think you still remember how?"

It goes without saying he means "drained someone that has not made you angry in some way."Actually, I remember the last time very well, since it turned out to be such an important event in my own existence. "I confess that it has been nearly two hundred years... since the night I made Pam in fact. However, I am confident that I have not lost my touch. Of course, I have never attempted to stop before completing the task."

Suddenly serious, Robert says, "My brother, you sound worried."

"I suppose I am. Even though I am somewhat immune to the Fairy component in Sookie's blood, I have never taken so much at one time. What if I become so intoxicated that I lose control and drain her completely?"

"I thought your Bond would prevent it."

"Sookie was well aware of the risks involved when she agreed to let us give her nothing but vampire blood, so in effect, she gave me permission to turn her. I could not turn her without draining her first, so..."

"Wait!" Robert cuts in, "What do you mean, 'in effect'? I think she actually has to say the words."

"Are you sure? Wanda did not say anything about it."

"Fairly certain... although, perhaps it is better if she does not. For one, it would eliminate the chance of you draining her completely... and two, I would make a much more suitable Maker than you, anyway." He says this very seriously, but his eyes are twinkling.

"It is a good thing for you that Sookie never has had occasion to see this over-inflated ego of yours, or she might have picked someone else. There is no point in taking any chances. I will get her to say the words when I wake her. Dr. Ludwig, are you ready?"

Ludwig nods and says, "Compton, since the Were is busy, you can act as my assistant. Give me a lift, will you?"

Bill complies, carrying her over to the bed and placing her next to Robert. After attaching a strange-looking instrument to Sookie's ankle, Ludwig explains, "I will monitor her and make certain you know when to stop. Because of your Bonded's blood content, I realize that this may be easier said than done. In the event it becomes necessary, will you give these other vampires permission to restrain you?"

Now more than ever I am grateful that Robert was able to make it in time. He alone possesses enough strength to even attempt it... and even then he might need help. Once I give the requested consent, Ludwig gives a sharp nod. It is finally time to begin. I wake my beloved wife by giving her a gentle kiss. "Sookie, we are ready, but before we can begin, you must formally give me permission to be your Maker."

Without hesitation, she says the words I once thought I would _never_ hear. "Eric Northman, I give you permission to be my Maker."

"Thank you, my love. Even though I hope it does come to that, I treasure your faith in me. Now, are you ready?"

Fear is pouring through her, but she swallows hard and nods. Robert senses her anxiety. Taking her hand, he kisses it and reassures her, "Have no fear, _ma belle_. Whatever happens, your Viking and I will be here to care for you."

She gives him a hauntingly sweet smile. "I know you will." Turning her gaze towards me, she whispers, "I love you, Eric. Whatever happens, we'll always be together, right?"

"Yes, my love. Always. Now close your eyes and relax."

I begin by giving my woman the most tender kiss imaginable, well aware of the fact that this may be the last time I feel the wonderful warmth of her mouth against mine... the last time I feel her heart beating against my chest... the very last time I hear her breath. With those gut-wrenching thoughts, my rigid self-control almost comes completely unraveled... but knowing she is counting on me to be strong, I manage to pull myself together. Trailing my lips across her cheek and down the side of her throat, I nuzzle into it and breathe in her delicious Fairy scent. I take my time licking her in preparation for my bite, savoring the marvelous taste of her hot, slightly salty skin.

As always, her unique taste on my tongue sets off a nearly uncontrollable urge to bite. A second later my fangs are firmly embedded in her firm young flesh. As her steamy-hot blood pours into my mouth, I cannot help but give a moan of pleasure. As much as I despise the reasons that make it possible, this is my one opportunity to drink my fill of Sookie's delectable blood without restraint... and the vampire in me revels in it. As I feared, the more deeply I drink, the more the unaccustomed quantity of Fairy blood goes to my head. A wonderful sense of euphoria begins to steal over me.

As for Sookie, I once explained to her that draining can actually be intensely pleasurable to the victim, and I was not exaggerating. As I feed, every bit of fear and pain in her body flows out of her, leaving nothing but physical pleasure in its wake. As it sometimes does, our good feelings are reverberating faster and faster through the Bond. As her life-blood continues to flow into my greedy mouth, we reach a state of mutual ecstasy. Strangely enough, I have no need to be physically joined with my Fairy... the intense pleasure that results from our souls becoming perfectly entwined is enough. It is almost as if we are one single organism with four arms, four legs, two heads, and one heart that is now pumping slower... and slower... and slower.

With every swallow, the intoxication increases. Eventually the only thought in my vampire brain is that I _must_ consume my Fairy... then we will be one forever. Inside my foggy brain, there is a lovely warm light that I know to be my Sookie. I hear/feel the light telling me, "Yes! Keep going! It feels so wonderful, baby."

Unfortunately, from _outside_ of my head I hear a nasty buzzing sound. It is quite annoying, and whatever it is, I wish it would go away. Instead, it only becomes louder and more insistent. The tiny part of my brain that is not fully overtaken by Fairy-intoxication tries to organize those sounds into words... someone with a horribly grating voice is saying, "Northman! You must stop now! STOP!"

I ignore the unpleasant voice, hoping it will go away. Seconds later, another voice speaks directly into my ear. Luckily, this voice is much more melodious than the last one. It says sharply, "Eric! _M__on frère_, you must stop now, or we will have no choice but to turn her."

It is really too bad that in my highly intoxicated state, none of the words make the slightest sense to me. As Sookie's heartbeat slows to mere flutters, a steel band clamps around my waist and begins to tug. Whatever it is, I manage to resist. However, at nearly the same instant something deep inside me tells me that IT IS TIME TO STOP! On some instinctual level, I know it is the Bond at work, so I force my fangs to retract. The warm light inside my mind protests, "No, baby! Don't stop!" Regretfully, I think/feel back, "Our Bond is telling me that I must, my love."

Once I let go, I raise my head enough to examine my bite marks. My poor little Fairy-wife has so little blood left that it is barely trickling out; but out of long habit, I lick the little punctures to seal them anyway. Sighing, I bury my head back in the crook of Sookie's neck and wait for the room to stop spinning.

The annoying, gravelly-sounding voice says, "Thank God, he's finally stopped. Let's see if we can get some blood down her. Sir Robert, can you get him out of the way?"

That strange steel band around my middle tugs more sharply this time. I finally give in and roll on to my back, still keeping one arm hooked securely around my Fairy. Carefully turning my head towards her, I watch a very ugly dwarf pressing a long thin object into her arm. The needle is attached to a length of thin clear tubing. The dwarf slides the needle at the opposite end of the tubing into the arm of a very handsome vampire. In French, he asks the dwarf, "Is this really necessary? Isn't the ordinary way faster?"

In the same language, she replies, "Because of their Bond, _you_ probably cannot compel her to swallow... and _he_ is clearly not in any shape to do it for you. You don't want to drown her, do you?"

Once the needle is in place, a ruby-red fluid fills the tube and begins to flow into my mate. I cannot for the moment recall his name, but I instinctively know this vampire is one of my nestmates; but still, I feel a sharp spike of jealousy. No one but me should be giving my Bonded blood! I growl in warning, but then I feel a small, cool hand stroking my cheek. In my native tongue, a lovely, familiar voice says soothingly, "No, my Master. Your brother must give Sookie blood until you recover your senses. You yourself asked him to do this. Be a good vampire and lie still."

I glance up, only to see two familiar blue eyes staring down into mine. I know these eyes nearly as well as I know my Bonded's. Oh! This vampire belongs to me... she is... my child. Her name is... "Pamela!" I exclaim triumphantly, "You are very beautiful, my child. Have I ever told you how proud I am of you?"

Ignoring my heartfelt words, she looks at someone over my left shoulder and says in English, "Oh, dear. Bill, he's really smashed. How long will this intoxication last?"

"How should I know?" asks a cool, masculine voice. "Clearly, the Fairy component in Sookie's blood is much stronger now than when she was mine... plus, I never had the nerve to feed deeply. I was afraid I would not have the strength to stop." There is no mistaking the regret in his tone, but then it quickly changes to one of hopefulness. "Maybe Eric is too out of it to proceed. I will still be glad to give her blood if necessary."

Ha! Now I know that the chilly voice belongs to another of my vampires... Bill Compton. If he thinks I am going to let him get one more drop of his blood down my Bonded, he is crazy! "I am fine!" I state emphatically. "I am full as a tick! I feel _marvelous_."

In a dry tone, Pam responds in my language, "Really. I never would have guessed it."

The other voice asks, "What did he say?"

"Really, Bill. It wouldn't kill you to learn your King's language. He said he is fine."

It is only then that I realize that I have been speaking in my native tongue all along. Chuckling to myself, I turn back to see what is happening to my mate. The dwarf is monitoring an instrument attached to my woman's ankle. Occasionally she glances at her watch, and then at the handsome vampire (Robert! His name is Robert!) who is getting paler by the second. Finally, she says to him, "Don't be a hero and over-do it. Go feed and let Northman take over."

Sea-green eyes shift to mine. "Eric, I am growing weak. Are you recovered enough to give Sookie some blood?"

Ah! There is nothing I want more than to fill this lovely creature with _my_ blood. I nod and struggle to sit up, but the room begins to tilt and I let out a groan. Pam and Bill help me into a sitting position while the doctor slides the needle out of Robert's arm. He licks the puncture to stop the flow of blood, and then gets to his feet and heads straight for the door. I vaguely recall that there are humans waiting nearby, and so I cheerfully call out after him, "_B__on appétit, mon frère._"

For some reason, this comment appears to irritate Dr. Ludwig, whose name I finally remember. She lets out a growl, and when I look over at her, I realize that she is wrestling with my right arm, trying to get it into position it so that she can insert the needle. "Would you co-operate?" she snaps. "I might as well try to move Mt. Everest!"

Does she really think I would resort to such clumsy methods to get blood back into my Bonded? Carelessly swatting the annoying female out of the way, I gently pry Sookie's lips open, use one fang to open a small hole in my fingertip, and then allow the healing red elixir to drip slowly into her mouth. Without hesitation, I use my power as her Bonded to compel her to swallow. The mental order takes a moment to filter into her subconscious, but eventually she obeys and begins to swallow reflexively. Once the first drops of blood are safely down her, I open another, larger wound in my wrist. When I press it to her lips, she swallows readily. I give the healer a triumphant grin. The old-fashioned way is really much faster and more efficient than pumping it into her through that ridiculously small tube! In response, she merely rolls her eyes and sighs.

After removing the needle from Sookie's arm, Dr. Ludwig returns to her spot near her patient's feet, muttering darkly to herself the entire time. I have no idea why she seems to be in such a foul mood. I myself am _very_ happy! My blood is going to heal my woman, and soon all will be well. I feel like singing! In fact, I think I will! I caught a fever once when I was small, and I found it very comforting when my mother would sit by my bed and sing to me. It takes a moment for the long-forgotten words to pop into my addled brain... but once they do, I lovingly sing them to my wife while my blood is flowing into her.

For the first time in my long life, I wish that my skin was not quite so efficient at repairing itself. Each time the punctures seal themselves, I quickly make a new set, but even the small amount of time this takes annoys me. Nevertheless, I seem to be getting a good quantity into my female. All too soon, though, I begin to feel the lethargy that signals a critical blood loss. Fortunately, a very rosy-looking Robert is just coming through the door. As he joins me at Sookie's side, he lays his palm across her now cool brow. "Her skin tone is slightly better, but her body temperature has plummeted," he worriedly observes.

"With such a severe blood loss, that is to be expected," Ludwig responds, "Once her organs are healed, her body will gradually warm itself to the proper degree. If that happens, it means we were successful in removing the iron. Because you are both so old, she stands an excellent chance of a perfect recovery... unless she is turned, of course."

Catching my eye, Robert asks, "Are you ready for me to do this? Shall Dr. Ludwig use the tubing?"

Because of my first little bout of jealousy, he is being polite... and cautious. However, by now my intoxication has begun to fade just a bit and I am rational enough to reply, "That will not be necessary. I am grateful for your gift. I will compel Sookie to drink."

Quickly biting into his wrist, he gently places it against her lips. The minute the taste of his blood crosses her lips, she stops swallowing. Although she is very deeply unconscious, our connection is still open, and through it I feel her confusion. With some concentration, I am able to reach down into her subconscious. I feel/think to her, "Accept my brother's gift, my love. He is one of our nest, and his old blood is good for you."

Once again, I force her body to obey my command. Obediently, she begins to swallow. Since it is me that is causing her to do it, I feel no jealousy... but still, I am reluctant to leave her side. Robert says softly, "Go. You must replenish yourself. She is counting on you."

His words spur me into moving. Between the intoxicating effects of Fairy blood and my own blood loss, I am slightly wobbly as I get to my feet. Bill wraps a strong arm around my waist to steady me. He leads me to a chair which he has moved closer to the bed, and once I am seated Pam climbs into my lap. She used to love to do this when she was first made. Grinning, she says, "Just like old times, isn't it? You'd better hurry, though."

With that, she cocks her head to one side and offers me her slender white neck. Even if she did not realize it, Sookie chose _my_ donors wisely. If I were using humans to replace my blood loss, I would require at least two, perhaps three. Vampire's blood will be much more efficient at restoring my strength, but because I am so depleted, I will have to take a great deal more than just a sip or two. When I am finished, Pam will need to go straight to the donors and feed deeply. Before I begin, I give her skin a good lick to prepare her for my bite. She shivers a little and then gives a deep sigh of pleasure as I strike and begin to feed. The thick, slightly sweet taste of her blood is very nice, but the real joy is in the small rush of her power that is passed to me. Each year that passes it gets a little stronger, and I am quite proud of how my child is progressing.

As I take in the rich, healing fluid, I stroke Pam's soft arm, fondly remembering the times we have done this in the past. As her blood flows into my system, it seems to be neutralizing the heady effects of Sookie's. By the time I am done feeding, I am a great deal more lucid than when I started. Even though I was careful to take as little as possible from Pam, she is still quite weak. Gently lifting her into his arms, Bill quickly carries her to the next bedroom so that she can replenish her own blood volume.

By the time I have downed a bottle of synthetic blood to supplement what I took from Pam; Robert is ready for me to take over once more. Before I get started, Ludwig rapidly performs a couple of tests. "Seems to be doing fine so far," she grunts in satisfaction.

I nod and immediately get to work. This time when I put my wrist to my Bonded's lips, I am hopeful that she will swallow without persuasion... but that is not the case. I still have to use my powers to make her drink. Worriedly, I ask the doctor, "Should we not be seeing some signs of recovery by now?"

"Her internal organs were severely damaged by the iron. Even with your blood, it will take some time for them to mend. Don't be so impatient."

Good advice, but impossible to follow. I want my mate fully-healed and giving me one of her achingly beautiful smiles... NOW. Having little choice in the matter, though, I rein in my anxiety once more. While my blood floods into Sookie's ravished little body, I caress her cheek with my free hand. It may be wishful thinking on my part, but her skin seems to be slightly less transparent now than it was just a few minutes ago. I take this as an encouraging sign.

Robert glides silently back into the room and stands at the bedside awaiting his turn. As my last set of punctures seal closed, he takes my place. After using my influence to get Sookie started, I crawl from the bed and attempt to stand... but in my eagerness to get this ordeal behind us, I have given her more of my blood than was prudent. I find myself stumbling as I get up from the bed. There is nothing I loathe more than appearing weak. I must feed right away. Obviously ready to do his duty, Bill steps forward. Intending to keep this encounter as neutral as possible, I had planned to feed from his wrist. Unfortunately, I am so ravenous I am incapable of finessing the situation. Grabbing him, I pull him close. Without even preparing his skin to ease the bite, I roughly sink my fangs into his muscular neck and begin to feed voraciously.

The minute my Lieutenant's blood hits my tongue, I receive somewhat of a shock. Over the centuries, I have tasted the blood of many a male vampire, but none have been as surprising as this. Bill's relatively young blood has the richness and depth of a much older vampire's, and a very unique, subtle taste all his own. Now that I have tasted him, I know many, many things about him... and the first thing I realize is that I have completely underestimated this vampire. Not only is his true physical strength a surprise, his will power is far stronger than I could have guessed. I know this because even with his blood flowing through my veins, there are still things tucked away that I cannot access. There is no longer the smallest doubt of his complete loyalty to me... but there _is_ something he does not want me to know. Given my superior age and abilities, keeping _anything_ from me is practically impossible... which, of course, is the primary reason why blood exchanges are so rare among our kind. How devious of him to have hidden these strengths all this time! My respect for this vampire increases exponentially, right along with a burning desire to discover what it is that he is so desperate to conceal. Once we get past the current crisis, I will make it my business to find out.

Right now, though, I am thoroughly enjoying the rush of power that is passing into my depleted system. When the original punctures begin to close, I make new ones. He speaks not a word of protest, willingly providing what I need. I have come close to exceeding his limits; but Bill's blood is ten times more effective than Pam's, so I do not stop until he slumps in my arms. As long as he feeds immediately, there will be no lasting damage, so I hurriedly lift him and carry him to the donors.

Cooper is standing guard in the hallway. He takes in the situation at a glance, and quickly opens the door to the nearest bedroom. I flash past him, lay Bill on the bed, and then poke my head into the hallway. Motioning two of the waiting females into the room, I hurriedly explain, "He is going to need both of you. This might get... intense. Are you willing?"

Eyes shining in anticipation, they both nod eagerly. "Good. You will be rewarded." My words are probably unnecessary. If I am any judge of humans, they will be happy to do it for free. I was not lying to Sookie. I instructed Pam to bring the most unattractive donors she could find on short notice. In his current condition, Bill will not care what they look like; and under normal circumstances, these women would never stand a chance of attracting the attentions of a vampire like Bill. They will cheerfully give him as much blood (not to mention sex) as he wants... so this is a win-win situation if ever there was one. The only danger is that Bill might get carried away and drain one or both of them. Sookie will definitely be irritated with me if I allow someone to get killed in her newly decorated bedroom, so I must take suitable precautions.

Fortunately, Pam has followed me into the room. With the strangest expression on her face, she looks down at the vampire on the bed and says softly, "Don't worry. I will watch over him."

Confident that she will do as she says, I turn and rush back to see about my mate. I am just in time to relieve Robert once more, but Ludwig holds up a hand to stop me. "Her blood pressure has risen to an acceptable level," she announces, "You vampires have done your part. Now it is my turn. Hand me that large syringe, would you? I need to administer the binding solution. Once her organs begin working properly, she will expel any remaining iron on her own."

In a flash, the requested item is in her hand. Just as the doctor is plunging the enormous syringe into Sookie's arm, a shimmering prism of light appears in the middle of the room. A split second later, the room is positively over-flowing with Fairies: Niall, Claudine, and a stunningly beautiful female that I presume to be Faeryn's mother Rhiannon. Instantly, the room is filled with their luscious scent. Even though I have regained my immunity to the smell, and I know full well that this is no sneak attack but a response to my own urgent summons, out of long habit my fangs descend before I can stop them.

However, the real threat to my in-laws' well-being is not me, but Robert. He is very old and very fast... and since he was the last to feed Sookie, he is also very, very hungry. Unsure if he can exercise sufficient self-restraint in such a condition, I hiss, "ROBERT! DO NOT BREATHE!" and immediately clasp a restraining hand around one of his wrists. Glancing over, I see that I am not a moment too soon. Fangs down and eyes glazed over, he is all but drooling as he views the veritable smorgasbord in front of him. Unceremoniously dragging him across the room, I open the door, shove him into the hall, and then slam the door shut. Leaning against it, I take a more leisurely look at my unexpected visitors. They are all clad in glowing Fairy-garments, which are absolutely pristine... which is in vivid contrast to condition of the Fairies wearing them. To my practiced eye, it appears that they have recently been engaged in a serious battle. Burns, slashes, vivid bruises... not one of them has escaped a wound of some sort.

Not making the slightest reference to their tattered appearance, Niall says calmly, "Please forgive our unannounced entrance into your home, but your message indicated there was no time to waste. I felt this was no time for protocol."

It is a measure of their concern for Sookie that they risked popping into _any_ vampire's house, much less what Sookie amusingly refers to as "Vampire Central." "Think nothing of it," I reply coolly, "I wish you could have been here sooner, but clearly you were busy."

"Indeed. My enemies finally launched their attack."

"Since you are here, I take it that you prevailed?"

With a small grin of triumph, he replies, "Of course. However, now is not the time to go into details. We must deal with Sookie's illness as soon as possible."

"It has already been dealt with. She is healing as we speak." I relay this happy news with no small sense of satisfaction.

"What? She has already been treated?" The next thing I know, he is seated on the edge of the bed holding Sookie's limp form in his arms. Pinning Dr. Ludwig with a steely glare, he demands, "Tell me what you have done to my great-granddaughter, healer, and be quick about it."

The normally unflappable Dr. Ludwig scrambles off the bed and drops into an awkward curtsy. Clearly nervous, she says, "We performed a transfusion, Your Grace."

Looking down his regal nose at the dwarf, he says, "Seeing that Claude was the only one of my blood available, I presume you had to make up the balance with vampire blood?"

A sweat breaks out on the little female's brow. "Ah... no, Your Grace. We had to use pure vampire blood."

"You... WHAT!" he says forcefully, "You allowed a daughter of my house to be filled with nothing but vampire blood! Are you so ignorant that you do not understand what this means? I SHOULD BOIL YOU IN HOT OIL RIGHT NOW!"

The doctor falls to the ground groveling. "I had no choice!" she quivers, "There were no Fairies of your bloodline available!"

There has never been any love lost between us, but the little physician has done all she could for Sookie this night. I am unwilling for her to be harmed over a misunderstanding. Before the Prince can make good on his threat, I speak up. "She is telling the truth. I phoned Claude, but he would not even listen to what I had to say. We tested Sookie's brother Jason, but his blood was not suitable. Sookie was dying. We did what we had to do to save her."

Claudine gasps and turns even paler than she is already. "Claude... refused to listen," Niall repeats slowly, "I see. That is most unfortunate." By the way he says it, I think it is _going_ to be unfortunate... for Claude. The Prince gives Ludwig a frosty glare. "Tell me the details of how this poisoning occurred and exactly what you have done to cure it. Leave nothing out."

While she tells him all that she knows about the incident, he listens intently with unblinking eyes. Once she is done, Niall gives her a stern look and says, "Given the circumstances, I suppose you have done an adequate job. I am aware that you have treated my great grand-daughter on another occasion as well. Being personal physician to a member of my family is both a great honor and a great responsibility. If anything should go wrong while she is under your care, you will have to answer to me. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Your Grace. Very clear."

"Good. You are dismissed."

Clearly relieved to have escaped his wrath, Ludwig gives another awkward bob. She then scuttles off to the edge of the room and does her best to fade into the woodwork. Staring down at the unconscious girl in his arms, the Prince brushes a lock of her hair back from her still-blue face. As if to himself, he says slowly, "I blame myself. I should have foreseen this possibility and taken steps to prevent it. I confess I have been exceedingly busy these last few days, but that is no excuse. Once I get Sookie back to the Portal, I will...

Before he can utter another word, I am across the room and glaring down at him. Now it is no accident that my fangs are down. "Sookie is not going anywhere!" I growl, at the same time mentally sending out a call to Pam. "She is my Bonded and the Queen of the Vampires of this territory. She has no business being in the Portal."

Still holding Sookie in his arms, Niall stands. Every bit the regal Prince of the Fae, he says imperiously, "Sookie is a true daughter of the Royal House, vampire. She should be cared for by her own people while she recovers. It is _exactly_ where she needs to be."

Now fear joins the rage running rampant through my body, but many centuries of practice allow me to hide my inner turmoil. The intense pain of our recent separation is still extremely fresh in my mind. No matter how good the Prince's intentions, I absolutely cannot allow him to take my Bonded away from me. My options run through my head with the speed of light. Being so close, I am confident I can catch him before he disappears with her. If I miss, though, they will be gone in the blink of an eye. If I _do_ catch him, it will spark a serious and no doubt deadly fight. In such close quarters, Sookie could be inadvertently injured, so that plan is unacceptable. My best option is negotiation. I need to remind him that angering me is _not_ in his best interests. Coldly, I tell him, "Due to the circumstances, I was willing to overlook the last time you kept my Bonded from me... but not this time. You have just finished one war. Are you so anxious to start another?"

Eyes exactly the same shade of blue as Sookie's bore into mine. "Are you threatening me, vampire?"

"Not at all. I am _promising_ you that if you take her away from me, this time there _will_ be consequences."

Wringing her hands, Claudine cries, "Please listen, both of you! The last thing that Sookie needs is for you two to be fighting! Eric, the Portal is very healing to our kind. The Prince is just trying to make sure Sookie recovers completely."

The door to the bedroom swings open and a clear, chilly voice says, "But what if you take her there and she rises vampire? Or is that really the point? Perhaps the Prince would rather see her burn than have a member of his family become one of us?"

All three members of my nest are clustered in the doorway, clearly awaiting a signal from me. Niall turns his ice-cold gaze on Bill. "Do you dare question my love for my great grand-daughter? I would never risk taking her to a place where she might come to harm. You may think you know all about the Portal, Bill Compton, but like most of your kind, you are woefully ignorant."

Robert steps forward, every inch the formidable vampire. His pink complexion tells me he has fed quickly and deeply, and so I know I can count on him to have full strength and speed. Fortunately for all of us, it seems he has also recovered his gift of diplomacy. "It is true that we are ignorant of that mysterious place," he admits, "... but is that not by design? You have gone out of your way to keep everything about it a secret. By the same token, you must not know very much about vampires, or you would realize that taking Sookie away from her Bonded while she is in such a weakened condition is a very poor idea. If you truly want her to live, you will leave her where she is."

Keeping a watchful eye on the vampires hovering in the doorway, Rhiannon glides across the room to Niall's side. Laying a slender hand on his shoulder, she says, "Niall, perhaps the vampire is right. It may very well be too stressful for her to be away from her Bonded. We should not risk doing any further harm."

The moment the beautiful Fairy opens her mouth, I find myself totally mesmerized. Her voice is as lovely as a chorus of angels, and with each melodious syllable she speaks I feel my anger leaking out of me. By the look in Niall's old eyes, it seems I am not the only one. After a few tense moments, he reluctantly answers, "I suppose you are right, Rhiannon. I have no desire to make this any worse."

"As always, my Lord, you are very wise. Just because we cannot take Sookie home does not mean we cannot help her. Do I have your permission to try?"

"Yes. Do what you can."

Turning her spectacular green eyes on me, Rhiannon asks, "Eric... will you allow me to see what I can do for your Bonded?"

How could I possibly refuse this amazing creature? Finding my voice, I reply, "Yes... but you cannot take her out of my sight."

"No, of course not. I will sit right here on the bed with her, and you can watch." She gestures to Niall, who lays Sookie back on the bed. Rhiannon sits down next to her. Leaning down, she tenderly kisses Sookie's forehead and then begins to murmur to her in Sylvan. As the lovely words tumble out of her mouth, she strokes Sookie's still-blue skin with both hands. A light begins to form around the two of them, and it grows until they are encased in a glowing golden halo. Tiny bursts of dazzling colored lights dance around this magical cocoon like so many fireflies. It is one of the most amazing sights I have ever witnessed.

This goes on for some time, but eventually the glow begins to fade. Once it is gone, I am astonished to see Sookie's skin is no longer blue. It is now the color of cream, and there is even a faint blush of pink to her cheeks. Rhiannon looks completely exhausted; and in that moment, I realize that although she appears very youthful, she is very old, probably even older than me. Looking at the Prince, she says, "The vampires' blood is very effective, but I did what I could to help things along. Her organs are healing nicely. All she needs now is sleep."

Hesitantly, I ask, "Can you tell... if she will become like me?"

Shaking her head, Rhiannon responds, "That I cannot say. The stain of darkness is there... but it is much smaller than I expected. I tried my best to guide her away from it... but in the end, Sookie herself must choose her path. We must all have faith that she will pick the right one."

The lovely Fairy rises from the bed. To my surprise, she comes close enough for me to pull her into a potentially lethal embrace... and yet she shows no fear. She holds out one delicate hand, and after a slight hesitation, I take it. The moment our skin makes contact, I feel a small jolt of the same energy that Sookie and I sometimes exchange. I feel as if those luminous green eyes of hers can look right into my very soul. After several long moments, she says softly, "I have never seen into a vampire before. You surprise me, Eric, and that is very hard to do. Great darkness dwells in you, it is true; and yet, there is also a capacity for good. You can still feel love, and the love you have for Sookie is very deep and very pure. This Bond you share is an amazing thing. There really is no separating the two of you, is there?"

Completely enthralled, all I can do is shake my head "no." Rhiannon laughs, a sound so joyful that it makes me want to laugh, too. "You are a worthy mate to our Sookie, vampire. I give you my blessing." With that, a burst of pure light flows into me. For that moment, I feel... warm and completely alive. It is a great gift, and one that I will treasure always. In response, I do something that until now was simply inconceivable... I bow to a Fairy and gently kiss the back of her hand. "I thank you for helping Sookie, and for your blessing," I tell her with great sincerity, "I will not soon forget it."

Her smile is as brilliant as the sunlight Sookie showed me earlier in the day. She releases my hand and returns to Niall's side. Reaching up, she brushes her fingertips lightly across his cheek. A look passes between the two of them, one which I recognize because it is exactly how Sookie and I look at one another. These two are very much in love and probably have been for centuries. She says, "There is nothing more we can do for now, my Lord. Sookie is in good hands."

"Very well. I dislike leaving her where I cannot oversee to her recovery myself, but I simply must return to the Portal and put things to rights."

Claudine says, "Grandfather, will you allow me to stay? After all, it is my duty to look out for her."

"No, my child. You are injured yourself. You need to go back so that you can heal properly."

"If it will ease your mind, Niall, I will stay," Rhiannon offers, "My own injuries are not very serious."

"I will not ask it of you. Your own daughter needs you just as much." Ah. So Faeryn must be injured as well. I wondered why she had not come with them to see about her friend. By the way the Prince is looking at his female, I suspect that although the reason he states is a valid one, he needs Rhiannon by his side just as much as Faeryn does.

Robert blurts out, "What is wrong with Faeryn? Was she injured in the fighting?"

The alarm in my brother's voice is obvious. Sookie told me that he had developed feelings for this half-Fairy, but it was so unlikely I thought she must be mistaken. In the wake of his outburst, three pairs of astonished Fae eyes stare at him in open astonishment. After a pause, Rhiannon overcomes her surprise and answers, "She was trapped by our enemies and tortured before we could rescue her."

At the word "torture," the Knight looks completely outraged. "How badly is she hurt?"

"Being half-human, she is more fragile than we are... and it will take her longer to heal," her mother answers rather vaguely, "However, she is very strong and her body should recover in a few days."

Being no stranger to torture himself, Robert knows first-hand that the mental wounds produced are not so easily healed. He seems at a loss for words... a first for him. Finally he says, "Madam, would you be so kind as to deliver a message to her? Tell her that Robert sends his regards and his fervent wish for her speedy recovery?"

Rhiannon gives him one of those piercing stares of hers, followed by an enchanting smile. "I see that my daughter's description of your charming ways is apt. I will be happy to pass on your message."

In response to this compliment, Robert gives her a small bow and then says, "One more thing. The villains that did this to her... I trust they have been dealt with?"

Rhiannon's perfect features harden. The look that flashes in her eyes reminds me that female Fairies are much fiercer than they appear. "Most of them. Unfortunately, two of their number escaped... but we will hunt them down eventually."

"If I may be of assistance in any way, please... do not hesitate to call upon me," Robert says with sincerity.

"I know something of your reputation, Sir Robert," she replies, "Your kind offer is appreciated." Turning back to me, she says, "Now, before we return to the Portal, I want to leave something for Sookie." She waves her hand, and on the bedside table appears a glass bottle filled with a glowing blue liquid. "Make sure she drinks that as soon as she wakes... assuming that she can still drink."

Producing a small tube in the palm of his hand, Niall says, "From now on, Sookie will need to apply this on her hands each day. It acts as an invisible glove and will keep her from inadvertently absorbing any more iron. As soon as she is better, one of us will return and instruct her on the particulars of avoiding this sort of thing in the future."

I take the proffered tube and place it next to the glowing bottle. Claudine walks over to the bed and bends down to kiss her cousin. Stroking Sookie's arm, she whispers something to her in Sylvan. Straightening up, she looks over at me. There are tears in her eyes. "Eric... I am sorry that my brother let her down. It was inexcusable. I will make it up to her somehow."

"All Sookie knows is that he was unavailable, just as the rest of you were. I deliberately did not go into details."

Surprised, she says, "After the way he treated you while she was away, I can hardly believe you are shielding him."

"I am not shielding Claude, I am protecting my wife. She has had enough rejection in the course of her life. She does not need to know her own cousin turned his back in her time of need."

Claudine stares at me for a moment as if struggling with her response. In the end, she merely says, "Thank you for taking such good care of her, Eric."

Giving Sookie one last kiss, she rejoins the other Fairies. Niall meets my eye and orders, "I will expect a report on her progress." Suddenly he winces. Rhiannon, who has her arm hooked through his, has given him a subtle pinch. In a much less offensive tone, he adds, "Er... please tell Sookie I love her and will come to see her soon."

I am careful to hide a smile. It seems that I am not the only monarch that has a woman bent on keeping me in line. Very seriously, I reply, "Of course. You are welcomed any time... but for your own safety, perhaps next time you might try using the front door."

Niall inclines his golden head. In a flash of blinding light, all three Fairies disappear, leaving nothing behind but their mouth-watering scent. Stepping into the center of the room, Pam draws in a deep lungful of the luscious fragrance before it dissipates. "I don't care how good he smells, the Fairy Prince is without a doubt the most arrogant, irritating male I have ever encountered," she observes indignantly, "How dare he try to take our Queen back to the Portal! Master, you should have grabbed him and given him a little nip just to take him down a peg or two."

The Knight chuckles. "Such an act would have been incredibly bad for long-term relations, but I must admit, I was thinking along those lines myself. You really showed remarkable restraint, my brother."

"It was tempting, but I cannot imagine the tongue-lashing I would have received from Sookie if I did," I reply lightly.

"You people can stand around joking about it all you want," Dr. Ludwig says as she heads for the door. "That is one scary Fairy. I need a drink."

Now that the Fairies are gone and it is clear that Sookie is on the mend, the atmosphere in the room _has_ lightened considerably... at least, for the vampires in the room. It seems that the good doctor does not feel the same way. Giving the frazzled physician a grin, I ask, "Shouldn't you check on your patient first?"

Now that the Fae contingent is gone, the healer has obviously reverted to her normal bad-tempered, sassy self. Scowling, she says, "What for? I have done all I can... with very little thanks for it, I might add. Like the pretty Fairy said, all the girl needs now is sleep. Either she'll wake up good as new or undead. I presume you don't need me to tell you which is which. I think I'll have some more of your excellent scotch and then be on my way."

Hastily gathering her instruments, she shoves them all back into the big black satchel. Not waiting for help, she drags it behind her and is out the door as fast as her stubby little legs will carry her. Pam shakes her head. "... and all this time, I thought the old battle-axe was not afraid of anyone or anything. It was worth nearly going to war with the Fae to get to see her groveling like that."

Robert smiles broadly. "This has been a very interesting evening in many ways."

"Oh, very. I especially liked the part where you almost broke down and cried when you learned that your little Fairy-friend had been tortured. Really, Robert, haven't you only laid eyes on this girl once? Isn't it a bit soon to be so smitten?" My child sounds quite aggravated. She used to sound the same way when I first met Sookie.

"I am not 'smitten," he firmly denies, "I have always had an appreciation for beautiful and intelligent women of any species. It is a pity such a woman was misused."

Pam just rolls her eyes and says sourly, "Unless it is _you_ who is doing the misusing, right? Well, if you _are_ interested in her, I wish you luck. Obviously Fae females are a lot of trouble. I think I'll stick to humans."

"Speaking of humans, it is getting close to dawn," I observe, "If anyone wants a last snack, you had better go get it now. I want them all out of the house before sunrise. Pam, see to it. Make sure the donors are well paid for their services before they leave."

"I might have a small nip before bed," says Bill, "Come on, Pam, I'll help you."

"Bill Compton, you couldn't possibly be hungry after having those two blondes!" she chides him. "You are going to get a stomach ache."

"Not likely. I only get stomach aches from brunettes," he responds jovially. They continue to bicker companionably as they walk to the door. Just before leaving, Pam asks me, "By the way, what do you want to do about Sookie's brother? I think he's still hanging around. Surely you do not trust him to stay in the house during the day?"

"Absolutely not. Tell him that Sookie's treatment went well and that she is expected to make a full recovery. If he wishes to stay on the premises, I suppose it would not hurt if he sleeps in the cabin by the lake. Cooper can show him the way."

"Very wellGood idea. I will see to it."

As soon as my two Lieutenants are safely out the door, Robert turns to me with a rueful expression. "I will confess, I _was_ taken aback by the news of Faeryn's misfortune. For some reason, I cannot seem to get this female out of my head."

Chuckling, I clap him on the back. "Be careful, my friend. That is exactly what I used to say about Sookie. As you can see, these Fairy women _are_ a lot of trouble... but in my opinion, completely worth it."

Sadly, he replies, "As fascinated by her as I am, there is little hope for a real relationship. There is no getting around our biology."

"Never say never, Robert. One thing being around Sookie has taught me is that nothing is impossible."

"You have always been an optimist, _m__on frère_. On the subject of Fairies... did you believe Niall when he said it was safe for him to take her back to the Portal even though she might well rise vampire?"

"He seemed sincere, but Fairies are very adept liars. If he was telling the truth, that implies that a vampire actually can survive being in the Portal. Sookie told me that it was always daylight there... so how could both things be true?"

"I for one thought the old rascal gave up too easily. Do you suppose he intends to wait until after dawn to come back and take Sookie?"

"The possibility did cross my mind. Just in case, let us take her downstairs to my underground chamber."

"Are you certain that Sookie has never revealed its location to any of her relatives?"

"Fairly certain. She is very protective of me."

"Since Sookie is their kin, do you think they can still find her even if she is in your chamber?"

"I sincerely hope not." It is a well-known fact that full-Fairies have an aversion to being underground. Also, they are unable to detect us when we are protected under layers of earth... which is one reason why most of my resting places are buried deep within the soil. Sookie seems to be able to teleport in and out with no problem, but she knows what she is aiming for. I really do not think that Niall will return, but I did not get to be as old as I am by trusting Fairies. Better to be safe than sorry.

We wait for a few minutes to give my Lieutenants time to get rid of the humans. Once the house is quiet again, I look into the hallway. Sure enough, it is now deserted. Scooping Sookie off the bed, I head for the door. Robert gathers up her things from the nightstand and follows behind me. Just as we are about to reach the landing, one of the bedroom doors is opened by the girl from Arkansas. She seems as startled to see us as we are to see her. Quickly, Robert moves forward to shield Sookie from the girl's frankly curious gaze. Before she can get a better look, I speed down the downstairs and straight to the library. Robert carefully slides the pocket doors shut. A moment or two later and the three of us are safely underground with the locks set for the day.

The Knight is the only other vampire besides Pam that I trust to share my resting place. After so many centuries together, my brother and I are very much in tune with each other. It goes without saying that he will stay with Sookie and me this day. He is sufficiently old that he might wake in the event that Niall comes for her. I lay my beloved wife in the center of our big bed. Robert arranges her things on the bedside table while I fish out some stationary. I leave Sookie a note where she cannot fail to see it if she should wake before we do.

Switching off the light, I crawl into bed next to my mate. Robert stretches out on her other side. Bracketing our sleeping Fairy, we lay in the comforting darkness and quietly talk over the day's events. It is good to finally relax a bit after the serious tensions of the day. All the while, I run my hand in familiar patterns over various parts of Sookie's body, reassuring myself that she is still very much alive and on the mend. Her temperature is now perfectly normal, her breathing and heartbeat soothingly regular. Watching me checking her pulse for the tenth time, Robert smiles. "Just think... come tomorrow night, your Bonded will still be with us. I count that as a victory, my friend."

"I could not have done it without you, Robert. Once again, you have come to my aid. You will never know how grateful I am."

"You would have done the same for me."

Reaching across Sookie, I grasp him firmly by the forearm, and he does the same to me... effectively forming a protective cocoon around her. In this way, we will guard our most precious treasure against marauding Fairies. I am now content to allow the sunrise to send me to my rest, safe in the knowledge that neither death nor the Prince of the Fae will take my woman from me.

**Sookie's POV:**

_This time, I know very well that I am in the midst of a dream. At first, I am in a void with no sights and no sounds at all... and then suddenly, I am standing at the gates to the cemetery, at the very spot where the paths that lie between my old farmhouse and the Compton place converge. From the sense of urgency I feel, I know I must be late for something. People are waiting on me, but I am not sure who or why._

_Suddenly, the wind shifts directions and the faint sounds of singing drift over from Gran's place. I stand very still and listen. Carried on the breeze are the familiar words of one of my very favorite church hymns. This makes me smile. When I was a little girl, my family used to sit out on the porch on hot summer nights and sing songs like that. I wonder who could be singing now? A moment later, I realize that I can clearly recognize the voices, and my heart leaps with joy! It is my Gran and my mother and father! I am just about to run up the path to join them, when I am distracted by another sound. From Bill's house come the raucous sounds of a party in progress. The vampires must be having quite a celebration, and it sounds like loads of fun. Eric must be there waiting for me! I'm very anxious to go to him, but I know if I do, I'll miss seeing my beloved family. I'm certain that if I go to them, my Bonded will follow me, but somehow it doesn't seem right to make him miss all the fun. _

_As I hover indecisively on the path between the two homesteads, a blinding white flash of light catches my eye. Startled, I look up. Off in the distance, I see a lovely golden glow lighting the night sky. I am burning with curiosity to find out what it is, but I also know quite well that there is no way for me to get there. This makes me so sad that I want to cry. Tears well up in my eyes, and one by one, fat teardrops roll down my cheeks and rain to the ground. Staring down, I notice the glistening drops have formed a little stream that is running __uphill.__ Knowing full well that this is impossible, I follow the glowing trail of tears to what appears to be the base of a path. It looks very new and barely traveled, and it seems to wind up between the two houses and directly toward the glowing light._

_As curious as I am about the origins of the golden glow, I am also a bit frightened. The little path is not very well-defined, and I might well get lost in the darkness... plus, there could be all sorts of scary things along the way. Just as I am about to give up on the idea of exploring this path, I see a glimmer moving through the woods. Far up ahead, a man steps out of the trees. Immediately it becomes clear that __he__ is the source of the mysterious light, since it surrounds him like a halo. This man is very tall and muscular with long blond hair and sapphire-blue eyes. _

_At first, I think it is Eric. A wave of pure love crashes over me, and I start to run to my Bonded and tell him how happy I am to see him... but then I realize my mistake. Although he looks very much like my husband, this man is even taller and broader than the Viking. His regal appearance leaves no doubt that he is royalty born and bred... but of what race? He possesses the blinding beauty of the full-Fairy male; and in fact, there is something about him that reminds me of Niall. The perfectly enormous sword he is carrying appears to be made of silver... and yet, his flawless skin has the faint glow of the vampire._

_I have no idea who or what this gorgeous stranger is, but I am drawn to him like a moth to a flame. I even take several steps in his direction before coming to a halt. What am I doing? Eric would be madder than a hornet to find me approaching an armed and potentially dangerous stranger without even asking a few questions. Clearing my throat, I ask, "Um... excuse me, but do I know you? What are you doing on my land?"_

_Instead of answering, he gives me a breathtakingly beautiful smile and holds out one large hand. On his palm lays a single drop of dark-red blood. The handsome stranger closes his hand briefly, and when he reopens it, the blood has been magically transformed into a lovely multicolored butterfly. My gasp of amazement seems to amuse him, and he laughs out loud... and the sound of that laughter is the most wonderful thing I have ever heard. _

_Blue eyes twinkling merrily, he gives me a broad wink, turns around, and disappears back into the trees._

_This time, there is no hesitation at all. Every fiber of my being tells me that this man's fate is inextricably linked to Eric's and mine. He needs us, and we need him! I can't let him get away! I send out a call to my Bonded so that he will know to follow me, and then I hurry up the path after the beautiful, mysterious man... whom I know will someday change all our lives forever. _

**Author's notes: I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! I want to wish each and every one of you a Happy Holiday Season and a wonderful, prosperous New Year. ~ BTB**


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45: **

**Sookie's POV: Valhalla**

I came back to consciousness gradually, as if I was fighting my way up through hundreds of layers of cotton batting. I had no idea how long I had been asleep. The last thing I remembered clearly was the sheer bliss of my near-draining and after that, nothing but bits and pieces of crazy dreams. My very first waking thought was, "Holy crap! Am I alive or undead?" Quickly, I went through a little systems check. It only took a moment to find that all of my senses were heightened to an inhuman degree. Even though the only illumination in the room was coming from my plug-in nightlight, I could see perfectly well. My skin was hyper-sensitive, and besides that, my canines were sore and throbbing. Oh... NO!

In my panic, I sucked in a ragged breath. Wait just a minute! Did I do that just out of habit or because I needed more air? I quickly discovered that not only did I still need to breathe, I also had to pee like crazy. WOO HOOOOOO! No matter what side-effects had been produced by a serious overdose of vampire blood, those biological necessities were clear proof that I was ALIVE! For the first time in my life, I was absolutely thrilled about having to take care of those pesky old human needs. There was only one problem... I seemed to be firmly sandwiched between two huge male vampires who were clearly intent on keeping me that way. Eric was snuggled to my left side and Robert to my right. Mmmm. Was this every red-blooded girl's fantasy or what? My very _next_ thought was, "Okay. Maybe I can pee later."

Unfortunately, my body was telling me that waiting around until sunset was _not_ an option. Sighing, I attempted to move first one muscular arm from across my body and then the other, but I should have saved my energy. I would have had just as much luck hoisting one corner of the Chrysler building. There was no breaking the death grip (ha!) my two vampires had on each other. I thought for a moment, and it finally dawned on me that I could just "pop" to the bathroom. Summoning my energy, I visualized my destination and... nothing. What the heck? I started to panic again, thinking that somehow my magic had been drained out of me last night right along with my blood. It took me a few seconds to remember that once a vampire has a Fairy in his grasp, the Fairy can no longer pop away. Apparently that law of supernatural physics held true even when the vampire was dead for the day. My only option at that point was to escape from their clutches the old-fashioned way... by wriggling.

My arms were pinned, so I used my legs, feet, and shoulders to inch my way out of my vampire cocoon. The headboard of the bed prevented me from moving upward, so I had no choice but to go the other way. Quite frankly, if I hadn't had pressing business to attend to, I would have been more than happy to take my time. Before getting into bed, both Eric and Robert had stripped down to nothing but their silk boxers I found this shocking, but only because they were wearing anything at all. Since vampires have absolutely no modesty whatsoever, I figured this was strictly for my benefit... darn it. This was the first time I had seen Robert's body even partially unclothed, and I was happy to discover that it was every bit as gorgeous as I had imagined it to be. Coming so close to dying had awakened a serious desire to enjoy each and every minute of my life to the fullest, and slowly squirming my way down those two spectacular male forms seemed like a pretty good start.

I was still wearing my fairy-cloth nightgown, which was so sheer I could feel every cool, well-defined masculine muscle as I slid past. Yum! By the time my body was far enough down to be completely free of their embrace, I was close enough to visually check my vampires' underwear for flaws. There weren't any. Just to make sure, I took my time and looked again. At that point, I freely admit that it wasn't visions of sugarplums that were dancing in my head. My hands were finally free, and the very first thing I did was give the Gracious Plenty a reassuring pat and a mental promise that come sundown, he would be getting _lots_ more attention.

After my horrible ordeal, I would have thought that having sex would be the very _last_ thing on my mind, but the fact was that if my spouse hadn't been out like a light, I would have been on him like white on rice. Considering I was chock full of the blood of these particular vampires, though, it should have come as no surprise that my libido had been ramped up right along with my other senses. Apparently, the only things that had _decreased_ were my inhibitions and my morals, too. I found myself fighting a powerful urge to confirm that what lay behind the Knight's black silk boxers was as impressive as the rest of him. I managed to control myself, but mainly because I really didn't have time to dilly-dally around. Things were now _very_ urgent.

I sat up and looked around. For some unknown reason, Eric had chosen to take me downstairs to our underground chamber for the day. The first thing I noticed was a glowing blue bottle sitting on the bedside table. Propped next to it was a note from Eric... but reading it would just have to wait. Crawling off the end of the bed, I headed straight for the bathroom. Soon it was clear that my kidneys were once again in working order, which was a big relief. After that was done, I thought about taking a shower but my body had other ideas. It was shouting: IT IS STILL DAYLIGHT, STUPID! WHY ARE YOU UP? I had an overpowering urge to crawl back in bed with my vampires and go back to sleep. I decided to listen to what my body was telling me, so I staggered straight back to bed. Before getting back in, I picked up the note next to the glowing bottle. Feeling a bit like Alice, I half-way expected it to say, "DRINK ME"... and as it turned out, it did.

In Eric's neat script was written:

_**Beloved,**_

_**If you are reading this, it means that my prayers have been answered and you are still alive. Please drink the contents of the bottle immediately. It will help you heal. I cannot wait to see you!**_

_**Your loving Bonded,**_

_**~E**_

I picked up the bottle and examined it. It was made of heavy cut crystal, and the contents inside glowed with an eerie blue light. Taking out the stopper, I gave it a good sniff. Although the liquid inside smelled good, my stomach lurched at the mere idea of putting anything in it. Eric had said to drink it, so I put it to my lips... but I just couldn't get it down. Maybe I could take it later, after I had more sleep. Carefully setting the bottle back in place, I laid my note next to it.

Suddenly, I shivered. The bedroom seemed so chilly! Eric was always very particular to keep it the perfect temperature for me, and I wondered if he had forgotten to set the thermostat before coming to bed. I thought about turning up the heat, but then realized I had been perfectly warm when I woke up. All I needed was my vampire blanket. Looking down at my two sleeping companions, I tried to figure out how best to re-insert myself between them. As enjoyable as it had been the first time around, I was just too tired to wiggle my way back into place. As far as I knew, there was nothing to stop me from popping _into_ a vampire's embrace, so without giving it much thought that is exactly what I did. A split-second later, I found myself comfortably snuggled between them... except that this time, I had the forethought to leave my arms free.

As soon as I was settled, I rolled my head first toward Eric and then Robert, carefully studying their perfect features. A wave of love and gratitude washed over me. Had there ever been two more handsome, fierce, loving or loyal men on the planet? If not for these wonderful vampires, I would be really, truly dead by now. Running one finger down the side of the Knight's face, I traced its unfamiliar contours, and then lightly dusted a fingertip across the fringe of his long dark lashes. Now that I had taken so much of his blood, I knew that we would always be connected, and somehow that seemed... right. Leaning in, I gently pressed my lips to his and wished like crazy that he would soon find the true love that he had sought for so many centuries. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was this very special man.

Then I turned to my Viking and gently brushed a lock of his hair away from his face. I stared at him for a long time, just admiring his golden perfection. The lines of worry that had been etched in his face just a few hours ago were gone, and I was absolutely determined to not do anything that would make them come back any time soon. It was time to put all the bad things behind us and get on with our lives. As the folks in New Orleans were so fond of saying, "_Laissez les bons temps rouler._" The kiss I gave my resting husband was a great deal less chaste than the one I had given his brother. It was full of love and lust and the promise of all the good times ahead of us.

Safe in the loving arms of my two vampires, I realized once again how much I had to be grateful for. Closing my eyes, I gave a prayer of thanks to the Good Lord who _had_ clearly blessed me beyond my wildest imagination. I barely made it to "amen" before I fell into a deep, restful sleep.

Sometime later, I was brought back to consciousness by the sound of a voice whispering urgently, "Robert! _Vakna_! Wake up!"

"_Mon dieu_, brother, what time is it?" a French-accent voice said groggily, "Surely it isn't sundown yet."

"You lazy dog, you haven't slept all the way until sunset in at least two centuries. Wake up! We did it! Her heart is still beating!"

Instantly all trace of sleepiness disappeared from Robert's voice. "She lives?"

"_Ja! Ja! Kom se!_

The heavy weight of the Knight's arm was lifted from my middle. A moment later Robert said reverently, "Look at her, Eric. She is more beautiful than ever, no? If I did not know better, I would swear she is one of us." A large hand was placed lightly on my chest. "Her body temperature is still below normal and her heart rate seems much too slow. Do you think that she awakened at all during the day? Did she drink what was in the bottle?"

"No, it is still full. Do you think I should try to wake her and make her drink it? "

Aw! Poor babies, they sounded so worried! I guessed that was my cue to stop playing possum. The first thing I saw was two pairs of eyes hovering over me; one set an intense sapphire blue and the other an unusual sea-green. "Sookie? Are you all right?" Robert inquired at the very same time the Viking asked, "My love, how do you feel?"

Giving them my best smile, I replied enthusiastically, "I feel just great!"

It was true. The last few hours of dreamless sleep had done the trick. I was still too full of vampire blood to feel "normal" but there was no doubt I was on the road to a full recovery. Reaching up, I placed a palm on the cheek of each vampire. Suddenly serious, I said, "I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you two. Thank you both for saving me."

I was rewarded with two brilliant smiles. "How could we have done otherwise?" the Knight replied, "What would this nest be without its Queen?"

"Hmm. _Vampires Gone Wild_ would be my guess," I teased, "Someone has to keep you all in line, and it might as well be me."

Surprised, Eric glanced at his brother and then back at me. "It seems the two of you have had some very interesting conversations in my absence."

"Well... it was Robert that convinced me that nests were just like families, and that they don't _have_ to be bad. Last night just proved he was right. Who else but family would have come running to help me like that? In fact, you all were here for me when most of my blood relatives were nowhere to be found."

"Actually, Niall and Claudine arrived not long after your treatment was completed," Eric explained, "Apparently there was some unpleasantness in the Fairy world which prevented them from coming any sooner. Faeryn's mother was with them. She offered to stay and look after you, but own her daughter was injured and needed her attention also. Rhiannon did leave a bottle of medicine for you to drink as soon as you awakened."

Alarmed, I sat straight up in bed. "Faeryn is injured! How badly?"

It was Robert that answered. "They were not very forthcoming about the extent of her injuries," he said grimly, "All we know is that she was tortured at the hands of their enemies before help could arrive."

"Tortured!" Someone had deliberately hurt my sweet and gentle friend Faeryn? How _dare_ they! The surge of anger that swept through my body was enough to make my ears ring, and almost immediately my teeth began to throb again. "Please tell me that whoever did it is already dead."

Robert's eyes glittered dangerously. "Some were dealt with immediately, but two of her assailants escaped."

The outrage and frustration in his voice was clear. I knew exactly how he felt. By the look on the Knight's face, however, I didn't need to worry. If the Prince didn't get the dirty rat bastards, there was no doubt in my mind that a seriously pissed-off vampire would. Pinning his eyes with mine, I said severely, "If _you_ are the one to catch them, Robert, I do _not_ want you to kill them."

My tone left no doubt at all that this was not a request but an order. Both vampires looked at me in surprise. The Knight was just about to protest, when I held up one hand to stop him. "Killing them outright would be too easy on them," I said coldly, "I want you to make them suffer just as much as Faeryn did. After _that_, you can kill them."

A slow smile crossed the Knight's face. "Yes, my Queen. I will see to it."

Eric was staring at me like he had never seen me before. Shock and pride came through the Bond in equal proportions. I had to laugh. "What's the matter, Viking? Did you think you married a wimp? I am the great-granddaughter of a Prince, and the wife of a King. It's about time I started to act like it. In fact, if I knew the first thing about hunting down fairies, I would go after them myself... and if I caught them, they'd wish I hadn't."

"Sookie, I have _never_ considered you a wimp. In fact, sometimes you are too brave for your own good. Going after rogue fairies is extremely dangerous. Leave their pursuit to Niall and Robert."

In a flash, my temper came boiling to the surface. "Oh, so the brave but delicate Southern flower is supposed to let the big, strong men handle everything? If you think I'm going to sit around eating bonbons while you all are out having fun, Eric Northman, you are sadly mistaken." Once again, my canines began to throb with a vengeance. Gingerly, I prodded them with my tongue... and told myself it must be my imagination that they felt sharper than normal. I glanced over at Eric, who seemed utterly unfazed by my outburst. Instead, he was grinning. Grrr! Men! "Stop smiling! It's not funny!"

To emphasize my point, I punched him on the shoulder, hard... which was exactly like punching a marble statue. Totally unrepentant, he just laughed. "I am merely happy to see proof that things are back to normal, my little spitfire. If you had asked for a box of bonbons, _then_ I would be worried."

Suddenly, my anger faded away as quickly as it had appeared. Shaking my head ruefully, I apologized. "Sorry, guys. I guess I'm a little cranky.

"Perhaps you need to eat," Eric suggested helpfully, "I will have Juanita prepare something for you right away."

"Er... no. The very thought of putting anything in my stomach makes me queasy."

At that bit of news, Robert gave me a piercing look. "Sookie... a moment ago, you said you were feeling fine, but the thought of food repulses you and you do seem to be a bit more... ah... aggressive than usual. Your body temperature is still much cooler than normal. Are you experiencing anything else out of the ordinary?"

"No, just the usual stuff after drinking a lot of vampire blood. I feel stronger and all of my senses are in overdrive. Also, my skin is lots more sensitive. Oh... and my upper teeth hurt, too. I know this sounds crazy, but these two seem sharper than normal."

I pointed to the teeth that would now be fangs if I had been turned. My two vampires looked at each other and then back at me. Carefully, Robert said, "I think perhaps you escaped conversion by a very narrow margin, _ma belle_. Eric, I think Sookie needs to drink the elixir that Rhiannon left for her right away."

My stomach rolled over at the mere suggestion. "Ah... maybe I could wait a bit longer?"

Shaking his head, the Viking said, "Rhiannon was quite specific. She said you needed to drink this immediately upon waking." Grabbing the bottle from the nightstand, he removed the stopper and took a tentative sniff. Immediately his eyes dilated a bit and his lips curved up in a slow smile. "Whatever it is, it smells _wonderful_. I am certain it will be good for you."

Reluctantly, I took the bottle. I trusted Rhiannon and if she said I needed to drink it, I would. Closing my eyes and praying that I could keep it down, I took a small mouthful and forced myself to swallow. However, the instant the liquid hit my stomach, my nausea subsided. A comforting warmth and sense of well-being began to slowly spread through my system. Soon my entire body was tingling with life and energy and magic. A lovely scent filled the air and it took me a moment to realize it was coming from me. Smiling, I opened my eyes and said, "Wow! This _is_ good for me. Remember I told you about the liquor made in the Portal? Well, I'm not sure what else is in it, but the base of this is definitely Perianth." Just to be sure, I took a slightly bigger sip. Mmmm. It was Perianth, all right.

In a flash, both vampires were brimming with curiosity. "May I smell it?" Robert asked.

I handed him the bottle and a second later his pupils looked just like Eric's. "Exquisite!" he exclaimed.

Suddenly filled with mischief, I took the bottle back and took another sip, this time deliberately leaving my lips wet. Giving Eric a come-hither look, I asked impishly, "Want a little taste? I promise there is nothing in it that will hurt you."

Clearly unprepared for such an offer, the Viking hesitated. He blinked once... twice... and then he leaned forward and tentatively licked a miniscule amount of the essence from my lips. The instant the magical fluid hit his taste buds, he gave a low moan and then crushed his lips to mine in a passionate kiss. When we finally came up for air (well, at least one of us did) he hoarsely demanded, "More!"

Giggling, I did as my Bonded asked. The combination of the fairy elixir and the Viking's fabulous kisses was enough to banish the last remnants of my ordeal from my body as well as from my soul. I felt whole and healthy and ready for fun. When we finally broke off our kiss, all Eric could say was, "Absolutely incredible." To Robert, he explained, "I have never tasted anything remotely like it. It is utterly delicious and makes me feel warm... and... and..." He struggled to find the right way to describe it. Finally, he just shook his head and said, "Words are inadequate. You just have to experience it for yourself."

Poor Robert. Despite his best efforts to hide it, he looked downright envious. The only way he could have any was to receive its essence from the lips of a warm-blooded being... namely, me; and since he was well aware of the Viking's overwhelming possessiveness where I was concerned, he was not about to ask for any. It hardly seemed fair. The Knight had dropped everything and dashed halfway across the country to save me. Nearly half of the blood flowing through my veins was his. I desperately wanted to share this experience with him, but...

To my surprise, the Viking ran his fingertips lovingly down the side of my face. With a smile, he said, "Go ahead, my love. Give my brother a taste." Taking the bottle from my hand, he poured a few drops on his fingertip and wet my lips with it. When he was done, I reached out for his hand and laced my fingers through his so that he would be part of this very intimate experience.

Robert was not about to turn down such an unexpected gift. Eyes glowing in anticipation, he said, "Thank you, brother," and immediately leaned forward before the Viking had a chance to change his mind. He softly touched his lips to mine in the gentlest of kisses, and then ran the tip of his tongue delicately around my lips. Like Eric, he could not hold back a little moan of pleasure; and for a brief moment, he let himself go. Cupping my head in both hands, he drew me closer and kissed me deeply and completely, his tongue expertly dancing around mine... but then, he seemed to come to his senses. With an obvious effort, he forced himself to pull away from me. He sat back with his eyes closed, still savoring the exotic sensations running rampant through his body. When he finally opened his eyes, he looked at Eric and said blissfully, "You were right. There _are_ no words to adequately describe it."

Although I enjoyed every second of _my_ unexpected treat (have I ever mentioned that really old vampires can kiss like nobody's business?) half of my brain was busy monitoring our Bond for the slightest bit of jealousy or distress from my husband. Instead, Eric was experiencing a very complex array of vampire emotions that could hardly even be described in human words... but thanks to the dream we had shared during my illness, I was much closer to understanding them. He was excited to be sharing such a unique experience with his brother, and bursting with pride that it was _his_ fairy that was providing it. He was pleased as punch that I was a willing participant and not a balky child that needed to be cajoled into it; and although there was a mild tinge of possessiveness present, there was no doubt that he was also extremely aroused.

Eyes lit up like two blue flames, the Viking pointed out, "There is still more left in the bottle, you know."

Laughing, I took another sip and let him have another turn. Afterward, he and Robert immediately got into a heated debate over what the flavor reminded them of most, which of course required another round of tasting. From there, I was passed back and forth between the two of them like a bottle of Jack Daniel's at a frat party. In between kisses, we laughed and made jokes and generally had a wonderful time. All too soon, the very last drop of the magical elixir was gone. Sadly, I held the now-empty bottle up to my eye, hopefully inspecting it for one last smidgeon... when it finally occurred to me that all three of us were completely smashed. I had forgotten how very intoxicating Perianth is to fairies, and apparently just a tiny bit of its essence was enough to give a vampire a serious buzz... and these two had tasted considerably more than that.

Unfortunately, some of the other ingredients that Rhiannon had put in the Perianth kicked in about that time. Disentangling myself from my vampires, I got up and weaved my way into the bathroom. Once there, I peed and peed and peed. The smell was awful and the color... Ugh. Normally urine that color would have me scrambling to the nearest emergency room. However, I instinctively knew that it was the result of the medicine purging the very last of the iron out of my system. My body had finally warmed up to a normal level, too. I grinned to myself, knowing that I was well and truly healed.

Still plenty lightheaded, I carefully made my way back to the bed, stopping only long enough to behold the yummy vision in front of me. Eric had stuffed some pillows behind him and was sitting propped up against the headboard, one long leg casually dangling over the other. Robert was stretched out on his side, head resting on one bent elbow. Nearly five hundred pounds of prime male vampire was waiting on that mattress for none other than little old me. These beautiful men would literally move heaven and earth to please me, and God help anyone foolish enough to try and harm me with them around. I thought for about the hundredth time that I was undeniably the luckiest female on the planet. I had such a serious case of the warm-fuzzies, I wasn't really paying any attention to their conversation until Robert said, "I suppose that old jackass Illinois is going to be miffed that I sent an underling instead of turning up myself. I suppose I should stop off in Chicago on my way home tonight and do some damage control."

What! Robert was going back to New York already? I absolutely _hated_ that idea. Things always seemed to go to hell in a hand basket when he wasn't around. He belonged here in Louisiana with the rest of his nest! The minute that thought crossed my mind, I realized how crazy it was. Robert had every right to go back to New York. After all, ours wasn't a _real_ nest. Apparently, to have a bona fide nest there had to be some sort of ceremony first... of course. Vampires couldn't do _anything_ without some sort of elaborate ceremony. The wheels started turning in my slightly addled brain. What if this _was_ a real nest? Surely Robert would have to spend _lots_ more time here. I had to stop and ask myself if I was ready for the inevitable gossip when it became public knowledge that I was living (at least part-time) with not one vampire but four... and I was stunned to realize that I no longer cared a lick _what_ people thought or said about it. To hell with 'em. What happened in our nest was our business and no one else's.

I decided right then and there that it would be up to me to get the ball rolling. As I crawled back on the bed, I was greeted with twin smiles full of welcome. Plopping myself down between them, I got straight to the point. "So, guys... about this nest thing. How do we make it official?"

I think they were expecting me to say just about anything but that. Robert was the first to recover from his surprise. He answered, "Some vampires prefer to make a huge public spectacle out of forming a nest, while others regard it as an intensely private affair. Either way, the ceremony itself is quite simple. There are a few ritual words that must be spoken to bind the nest together and then blood is exchanged. However, I am not certain that Pam and Bill are ready for this step. Eric, have you discussed it with either of them?"

"I broached the subject with Bill on the way back from Magnolia. He is still of the opinion that nests inevitably lead to trouble."

"Oh, I imagine our nest will manage to get into _plenty_ of trouble!" the Knight said with a broad grin, "What is the point of being vampire if you cannot find a bit of trouble now and then? Bill is _much_ too serious for his own good. Perhaps we should have left some of the fairy-elixir for him!"

Chuckling, Eric said, "Poor Bill. He is much too young to take any... but Sookie gave him a dose of fairy magic once. Do you know, he actually _can_ smile? I swear on the head of my fairy it is true!"

"Once the nest is formed, I shall take him in hand," Robert grandly proclaimed, "It will be my mission to cure him of his dour ways... but how are we going to convince him that his views on nests are outdated?"

"Leave Bill to me," I said with a careless wave of my hand, "I'll have a little chat with him. Once he realizes I'm all for it, he'll fold like a cheap lawn chair. It's Pam I'm worried about. Even after last night, she might still be mad at me."

"Ha! I daresay Pamela is too busy playing with her new pet to be mad at anyone."

Surprised, I asked, "Pam has a new pet? I had no idea she was fond of animals. I hope it isn't a cat. You know how Bubba is."

The Knight grinned. "Pam, fond of a cat? Er... no. Think of a rather crude synonym for that animal, and you would be much closer."

It took me a minute to get it. "Oh, you mean pus... ah, I think I get it. Pam has a new girlfriend."

"Yes, it is that girl that was living with the nest in Magnolia," Eric announced sourly, "Pam actually had the audacity to bring her here last night! If I had not been so distracted, I would never have allowed it."

Giving him a big smooch on his jaw, I said soothingly, "Aw, honey, lighten up. If Pam likes her that much, she's probably fine. I'll question her later, just to be sure."

"Pam seems completely enthralled with this girl, but I have no idea why. She is nothing but human trash."

Instantly, I felt sorry for this unknown female. Vampires could be _such_ snobs. I said, "Hey! You don't know this girl at all! Lots of people thought I was trash, remember? I guess maybe they still do."

"Ignorant humans!" Robert growled indignantly, "They had better never say it within _my_ hearing!"

Eric took my hand and said, "Robert is right. Humans _are_ ignorant. Any supernatural being can take one look at you and see that you are royalty. This girl is _nothing_ like you. There is something about her I do not like. Once Pam is an official member of the nest, we would have to allow her human to stay here. That is unacceptable."

"So does that mean we have to wait to form our nest until Pam gets tired of her?" I couldn't keep the disappointment out of my voice.

Eric said, "Well, technically it does take at least three to make a nest."

"Jeez! Give a vampire a little Perianth and he immediately forgets how to count!" I teased, "There _are_ three of us here. Let's do it."

"Three _vampires_, Sookie. Even though they may live with the nest, humans are not really considered members."

"Oh, so it's okay to invite the riffraff to play at the country club, but they just can't join, huh? Okay, then... how about two vampires and a Twice-Bonded royal fairy that's currently chock full of vampire blood? That ought to count for something. I want to be a _real_ member of this nest, not just some tag-along companion."

Robert piped up and said, "If I am not very much mistaken, brother, at this moment our Sookie is as close to being vampire as anyone could be and still have a heartbeat. I have always enjoyed being unique among our kind, and I find the idea of being the only nest in existence to have a fairy as a full-fledged member to be very appealing. Let us give it a try... unless, of course, you are unwilling for me to taste her. If that is the case, I fully understand."

Prior to my illness, there would have been no question that Eric would never willingly allow anyone else to taste so much as a _drop_ of my blood... but Robert had just helped save my life, and the ordeal had forged a deep connection between the three of us. The Viking was both grateful and happy... not to mention pretty well lit. He just chuckled and said, "Robert, have you ever tried to talk my wife out of something she really wants to do? She is clearly determined to be a real member of this nest, and I am not inclined to argue about it for the next several centuries. But are yousure that _you_ want to do this? I must warn you that her blood is so incredible, you will _never_ get the taste of it out of your head... and this _will_ be the only time you ever have any."

Robert's eyes twinkled merrily. "You speak the truth, brother. Sookie's blood _is_ truly unforgettable."

Arching one blond eyebrow, the Viking asked suspiciously, "And would you care to explain exactly how you know this?"

"Never!" the Knight swore, "It would be ungentlemanly to reveal such intimate details."

Sitting up, I reached over and playfully swatted Robert on the top of the head. "This is no time to be aggravating him, Robert! Honey, when I was staying with him in New York, I accidentally sliced my finger open and he was kind enough to seal it for me. I had forgotten all about it until now."

Robert sighed dramatically. Placing a hand over his non-beating heart, he proclaimed, "I am devastated to learn that our magical evening together meant so little to you. I, myself, will treasure that special time always." He wiped away an imaginary tear, but then ruined the illusion by bursting into laughter.

"Clearly the husband _is_ always the last to know," Eric said sadly, "Well, I suppose there is no use crying over spilled blood. I will, however, see that all sharp objects are removed from our home immediately. Otherwise, this old beggar will be constantly following you around with a hopeful look on his face."

"Very wise of you, brother," the Knight said with a grin. "To answer your original question, though, I am more than willing to go through with this ceremony tonight... but perhaps we should wait. It might not be wise to give Sookie any more of our blood so soon."

Eric looked thoughtful, and I could tell he was just about to agree with his brother. Although it was sweet of them to be so concerned about me, I was absolutely certain it was unnecessary. I was quick to reassure them. "If you are still worried about me being turned, don't. As it turns out, I think I actually had the choice whether to live or not. No offense, but I chose _not_ to become vampire."

Obviously, they had no clue what I was talking about, so I tried to explain by telling them about my dream. After thinking it over, Robert said slowly, "I see. Obviously the path to your deceased human family led to your own true death. Taking the path to Bill's house would result in your becoming vampire. The unknown, potentially dangerous path led you towards your future life... but I am intrigued by this mysterious man. What was it about him that caused you to chase after him instead of going to your Bonded as you had planned?"

If I didn't know better, I could have sworn there was just the tiniest hint of disapproval in his voice... and there was absolutely no mistaking the little tinge of disappointment and jealousy coming from Eric. Unbelievable! Even though my choice to follow this unknown man had resulted in the outcome they had both fervently hoped for, they _still_ could not stop themselves from being possessive. Vampire males! Sheesh! At least they had paid me the respect of taking my dream seriously, though, so I tried my best not to smile. "I don't know why," I replied honestly, "I just knew I needed to follow him, so I did."

"And you think this man was Fairy?" Robert asked.

"I think so. For one thing, he was carrying a silver sword I'm almost certain was elven-made."

"How could you tell?"

"Because there is one hanging in Niall's library that looks just like it. It was made for his father by a group of elves that he rescued from extinction. Apparently elves are not nearly as sensitive to iron as big Fairies, and these particular elves were renowned metal smiths here on Earth. Since there is no iron in the Portal, they had to learn to make everything from fairy-silver or gold. They figured out some ultra-secret way of making it just as hard as steel. Niall says their blades are legendary in the supernatural world."

Robert grimaced. "Yes, I am familiar with them. Several centuries ago I had the misfortune to be on the receiving end of one. If it had not been for your Bonded, I would have met the true death that night. As it was, I had silver poisoning for weeks afterward."

Horrified, I cried, "Oh, Robert! I'm so sorry. Metal poisoning of any kind is pretty horrible, isn't it? Well, if it makes you feel any better, nowadays the elves make lots of other stuff besides knives and swords... like my hairbrush, for example."

"There _is_ a shocking lack of demand for a good sword these days," the Knight said rather sadly, "To get back to the point, I agree with your assessment. No one but a Fairy would possess such a sword."

"Really, this man was just too beautiful to be anything _but_ Fairy." The minute those words left my mouth, the Viking positively bristled. I hurriedly added, "Honey, did I mention that when I first saw him, I thought he was you? Honestly, he looked enough like you to be your twin... well, except that he was taller and a bit broader."

Oh, dear. Now those expressive Viking eyebrows _really_ came together in a frown. Gran used tell me all the time, _If the hole you are in is getting too deep, Sookie, stop digging. _Unfortunately, I had never been good at taking that particular advice. I muddled on. "The strange thing was, he had that vampire glow y'all have. I could swear that he was both full-blooded fairy _and_ vampire... but that's impossible, right?"

"Quite impossible, unless one believes in legends," Robert replied.

Before he could elaborate, Eric finally spoke. In an instant, the frown had disappeared and was replaced by a knowing smile. "... or unless this mysterious man was not a _real_ man at all, but a composite dreamed up by my wife's subconscious," he said complacently, "Earlier in the evening, Dr. Ludwig filled her head with the nonsense of the vampire-fairy hybrid. Sookie's mind merely added the features it finds most pleasing to this mythical creature... mine.

"Eric Northman!" I cried indignantly, "You were eavesdropping! That was supposed to be a private conversation!"

Completely unrepentant, the vampire replied, "I did what was necessary to keep my Bonded alive. Social niceties did not enter into it. Back to the subject at hand: _I _think this dream was arranged by Rhiannon to lead Sookie away from death of any kind."

This was a night for celebration, not arguing over manners, so for once I let it slide. The idea that my dream had come from Rhiannon seemed to make Eric happy, so I immediately said, "That must be it. I know she is magical enough to do it." In my heart-of-hearts, though, I knew it wasn't the truth. As impossible as it was, the man in my dream was real; and sooner or later, he was going to make an appearance in our lives. Unwilling to get Eric stirred up any further, I kept my thoughts to myself.

However, it seemed Robert was not satisfied with Eric's theory, either. Now _he_ was the one wearing the frown. "Surely even a Fairy as powerful as Rhiannon cannot do more than steer a dream in a certain direction," he said slowly, "In Sookie's dream, the path she chose led into the future. What if this incredible man is someone she has yet to meet, and who will someday come and try to lure her away from us?"

This possibility didn't seem to sit well with either of them. "Don't be silly!" I exclaimed, "Nobody is luring me anywhere."

Looking at Eric, Robert said seriously, "Brother, it is my belief that we have been compelled to form this nest for a reason. Perhaps its purpose is to protect Sookie from this person. I find myself quite anxious to perform the binding ritual as soon as possible."

"I agree," Eric replied, "The sooner, the better."

"How do you wish to proceed? It is now after dark and the young ones should be up. Shall we go upstairs so they can witness the ceremony?"

His question was directed at Eric, but I was the one who spoke first. "We have already had one very public ceremony, Eric. Can't this one be just the three of us?"

"Of course. I prefer it to be private, also. We can tell the others later."

Always one to do things with the proper flair, Robert insisted that we at least light a few candles for atmosphere. Once that was accomplished, Eric explained, "Since I am the oldest vampire and also a King, I will of course be the Elder. We three will perform the proper ritual to bind the nest together. Once formed, any other vampire who wishes to join us will be expected to apply to me first, and if I accept, they will then be required to say the ritual words and exchange blood with all existing members. Sookie, since you are unfamiliar with this procedure, I will tell you what to do and say."

It turned out that the ritual really _was_ simple, except that most of it had to be conducted in Latin. However, the vampires took care to translate everything for me, and patiently helped me repeat the proper words without even snickering at my clumsy pronunciation. The ceremony went like this: The three of us stood in a circle. As Elder, Eric began the ceremony by stating that it was his intention to form a nest. He offered his protection and care to those who would join him. As the next oldest, Robert accepted this invitation, and in turn swore to care for and protect the Elder and other members of the nest. He also vowed to share his possessions with everyone until such time as the nest was dissolved. At that point, he stepped closer to the Viking and offered him his throat. In Latin and then in English, he said, "I freely offer you my blood. Take it so that you will always know me."

Formally, Eric replied, "I accept what is freely offered, so that I may always know you." Grasping Robert's broad shoulders, he pulled him even closer. Because he had such a commanding presence, I always thought of the Knight as a giant of a man; but in reality, Eric was a good four or five inches taller. Staring down into his brother's eyes, Eric smiled faintly. "It has been a very long time since I have tasted you, my friend."

Giving him a cocky grin, Robert assured him, "You are in for a treat. Like all great French vintages, I have only improved with age."

Given that these two warriors were undoubtedly the most manly men in existence, I was expecting the whole thing to be quick and rather impersonal. As usual, I was dead wrong. Vampires are very sensual creatures, and they very rarely get an opportunity to drink from each other (and they aren't all that particular when it comes to sexual orientation, either.) Apparently, this part of ritual was meant to be enjoyed by all parties and not rushed.

After carefully brushing the Knight's long dark hair away from his shoulder, Eric leaned in to inhale the younger male's scent and then let it out very slowly. In a flash, his fangs snicked down, and he gave Robert's neck a long, sensuous lick in preparation for his bite. Talk about erotic! The candlelight was flickering mysteriously over the two vampires' nearly nude bodies, emphasizing every delicious curve of masculine muscle. Seeing those two gorgeous male bodies rubbing together like that was something I was _never_ going to forget. I was so enthralled, I just about forgot to breathe.

Of course, Eric knew _exactly_ what effect this was having on me. A second after sinking his fangs into Robert's jugular, that bad vampire raised his eyes to mine and gave me a wicked wink as he fed. The old, pre-illness Sookie would have been horribly embarrassed to be caught drooling over such a thing. The glad-to-be-alive, full-of-Perianth-and-vampire-blood Sookie just laughed and blew him a kiss. I could feel his amusement coming through the Bond, right along with his thorough enjoyment of Robert's very powerful old blood.

After a few sips, Eric sealed the punctures and took a step back... and then it was Robert's turn. This time, it was Eric that offered his blood, and Robert that accepted it. Eric had to lean forward a bit so that Robert could reach the right spot. It seemed to me that it would have been much easier for him to pick another place to bite... but tradition dictated that the blood must be taken from the jugular. As soon as he was done, he lifted his head and gave the Viking an astonished look. In French, he said, "_Eric, votre sang ... il est différent maintenant!__"_

"Of course my blood is different," Eric replied complacently, "I am older and a King now. It should be _much_ stronger than you remember."

"That is not all, brother. It now has a very subtle undertone of Fae."

After absorbing that fairly amazing news, Eric just shook his head. "I suppose that is what comes from a steady diet of fairy blood. Now, speaking of fairy blood..." The pair of them turned to face me, eyes glowing and fangs down.

Oh. Wow.

The outward result of my two ancient, extremely powerful males exchanging blood was to make them look more vampire-like than ever: mysterious, powerful and extremely dangerous... or, to put it another way, both seriously scary and sexy as hell. In response, my fairy-genes fired up immediately, causing a little jolt of fear to shoot through me... but my veins were filled with their very potent blood, which was sending out a different message entirely. The resulting burst of aroused-fairy scent was so strong even_I_ could smell it. The vampires' eyes dilated immediately. Giving me a sultry smile, Eric offered me his hand. In a voice as smooth and sensual as black velvet, he said, "_Vt foemina quae vult nobiscum producant._"

I had no idea what he just said, but it was obviously my turn at bat. I wish I could say that logic played some part in my decision to ignore the fairy-instinct. After all, last night had proved that my Bonded was incapable of draining me; and being older, he should be able to restrain Robert if the need arose... but none of that even entered my head. My body was literally _aching_ to go to them, and that was exactly what I did. Stepping forward, I took Eric's hand and willingly repeated the foreign words that Robert murmured in my ear.

When it came time to offer Eric my blood, I stepped forward and slid my arms around his waist. Unconsciously mimicking his earlier behavior, I deeply inhaled my mate's familiar yet exciting scent. Mmmm! He smelled _so_ good to me! As I burrowed in closer, the prominent bulge now pressing against my middle gave a sharp twitch. In spite of having an audience, I absolutely couldn't stop myself from wriggling against him. Lowering his golden head, the vampire breathed in my ear, "Do not tempt me, my little vixen, or this ritual might _never_ be completed." He followed this up by giving my earlobe a little nip of warning.

Oh, wow! I shivered in sheer pleasure. As much as I wanted to throw my Bonded on the floor and have my way with him, I tried my best to behave. Closing my eyes, I cocked my head to one side and offered the vampire my throat. He nuzzled into the crook of my neck, snuffling up a little fairy aroma, and then he began to lick my skin in long, sensuous laps. By the time he finally sank his fangs into me, I was seriously prepared for penetration... in more ways than one. The Viking was so old and experienced that he had total control over the amount of pleasure or pain he could give his victim. He was careful to make this bite very pleasurable... but held back just enough to keep me from falling over the golden edge. He took only a tiny sip before sealing the wounds, very deliberately leaving us both wanting more.

Lifting his head, Eric stared down at me. Eyes smoldering with pent-up desire, he softly recited his lines. Because of the difference in our sizes, reaching his jugular was bound to be a little awkward... but I should have known my vampire would have already thought of a more elegant solution. Without speaking a word, he went to the bed and lay down and then gestured for me to join him. Pulling me into his arms, he gave me another hungry kiss and then rolled his head to the side.

Putting my lips next to his ear, I flicked the lobe with the tip of my tongue and murmured, "Turnabout is fair play." I gave the lobe a sharp nip, and in response he shivered a little and chuckled deep in his throat. I wasn't done with him yet, though. I ran a slow, practiced hand up and down his body, very deliberately brushing it over one taut masculine nipple. In the meantime, I was busy licking and nibbling my way down the side of his throat. I took my time, letting his anticipation have time to build. Just as I could tell his self-control was wearing thin, I bit.

As my teeth sank into Eric's skin, they tingled with new sensation. Not nearly as intensely as they would if they were real fangs, but it was still very, very pleasurable. So it _hadn't_ been my imagination... my teeth really were sharper, and my willing victim gave a little wriggle of surprise and enjoyment. The red silk boxers were now under _serious_ stress. In the back of my mind, I thought _Obviously Robert was right. I must have come really, really close to going through the transition._ Eric's arms tightened around me, and he gave a ragged moan as I fed. Even my taste buds were in overdrive, so his blood tasted absolutely _marvelous_. As it always did during an exchange of blood, our Bond opened wide and allowed our love and passion for one another to flow freely between us.

Much too soon to suit me, the wound began to heal itself. Even though my mind knew it was unnecessary, I felt compelled to lick the punctures anyway. Our Bond told me that Eric found this vampire-like behavior as satisfying as I did. Eventually I lifted my head and met my vampire's intense gaze. The look that passed between us said so many things, although not a word was spoken. It clearly said: _I adore you_ and _I can hardly wait to make love to you_. It also asked the question: _Are you really okay with this? _And the answer: We_ are one, my love. Nothing can change this fact. Let us give our brother this gift freely and without reservation._

After giving me one last kiss, Eric turned his head toward Robert. He said softly, "Come join us, my brother."

Although Robert's handsome face showed no emotion, his lovely eyes were aglow with excitement. He slowly walked to the bed and stretched out next to me, leaving a small space between us. I rolled on my side so that the Knight and I were face to face. Eric snugged his body up behind mine, the palm of one big hand resting possessively on my hip. He said to Robert, "Even though by all rights Sookie should offer you her blood first, for obvious reasons it is best for the order to be reversed."

The Knight nodded. Looking deeply into my eyes, he said, "I welcome you to our nest, my sister. I vow to care for you and protect you from those who might harm you. I will share what is mine with you for as long as we share this nest. I freely offer you my blood. Take it so that you will always know me." Tilting his head slightly, he brushed his long hair back and exposed his neck.

Now came the moment of truth. Even though nearly half of the blood currently in my body belonged to Robert, I had been completely out of it during the transfer. Consciously taking blood from _anyone_ other than my Bonded seemed strange, and I suddenly wondered if I could go through with it. Sensing my hesitation, Eric murmured in my ear, "Go ahead, my love. Enjoy what our brother offers you."

My Bonded's hand slid around to my back and he gave me a slight nudge to get me moving. Obediently I scooched forward, stopping when the tips of my breasts brushed against the Knight's bare chest. Robert did not move a muscle, obviously concerned that I might change my mind and bolt at any moment. Tentatively I dropped my head closer to his skin and breathed in, allowing his unfamiliar scent to imprint itself on my memory. Underneath the faint hint of very expensive cologne and french-milled soap was Robert's own unique smell. Like Eric's, it was faintly earthy, entirely masculine...and really yummy. All on its own, my tongue darted out and skimmed delicately over the strong muscles of his neck. Oh, double yum!

Suddenly, my reluctance was gone, leaving in its wake a strong desire to taste this amazing man. Not in the least afraid that I might hurt him, I quickly bit into his skin. Because of his age, I knew his blood would probably be pretty good... but in fact, it was absolutely _wonderful_... old, rich, powerful, and full of subtle undertones completely unique to Robert. Like a very expensive wine, the taste of it was like a symphony on my tongue. Sighing with pleasure, I relaxed into his body and sucked harder. Obviously not jealous in the slightest, my Bonded snuggled closer and lovingly stroked the side of my face as I fed. The Knight stayed very still, allowing me to drink my fill. He politely kept his hands to himself, and the only outward sign of his pleasure was the large, impossible-to-miss bulge pressing against my lower body. It was very nearly as large as the one firmly pressed against my backside.

For the second time that night, I found myself wedged between two incredibly sexy vampires... and in that one moment, I finally understood why humans allowed themselves to be shared. An experience like this was so sensual, so intensely erotic, so... overwhelming, that taking the next step wouldn't seem hard at all. Briefly, I allowed myself to wonder what would it be like to have these two fantastic men loving me at the same time... but before I wandered too far down that forbidden road, I abruptly reined myself back in. Sighing, I gave the newly-sealed spot on Robert's neck one last lick, followed by a gentle kiss. Before lifting my head, I whispered, "Thank you, Robert."

"You are most welcome, little sister."

Quietly, Eric said, "Now it is your turn, Sookie. Repeat after me..."

Soon I had repeated the words that would complete the binding ritual. I put my own little twist in at the end, though. "My Bonded and I freely offer you my blood. Take it so you will always know me."

Hoarsely, Robert replied, "I accept what is freely offered me, so that I will always know you," … but his eyes still shifted to Eric's for permission.

The Viking carefully brushed my hair out of the way and then kissed the proper spot. Lifting his head, he cautioned, "Take only a few sips. I promise you, it _will_ go straight to your head."

Robert nodded. He leaned his head into the crook of my neck, took a long, deep sniff, and let it out slowly. He sighed blissfully. The whiskers of his short beard brushed against my skin, tickling me, and I had to hold back a giggle. After giving my skin one long, sensuous lick, he plunged his fangs into my throat. At the very first taste, he gave a startled gasp... and then he really latched on. As my fairy-laden blood pulsed into his greedy mouth, he completely forgot himself. Moaning, he looped one arm around me and pulled me closer.

Almost instantly, a warm feeling began building in my already fired-up girl-parts. With each swallow the Knight took, the waves of pleasure intensified, sending me hurtling straight towards an orgasm... and as hard as I tried to stop it, I wasn't having much luck. Of course, there was no hiding it from the Viking. Our Bond was still fully open, and so the sensations of pleasure were passing through me and into him, right along with my guilt. I should have known the ancient vampire in him would react much differently than a human man would to such a situation. His big arm encircled both Robert and me. Through our Bond, I heard/felt _There is no stopping this. Relax, little one, and we will __all__ enjoy it._

Eric was right. There _was_ no stopping it. Within seconds, a burst of pleasure exploded in my body, leaving me gasping and seeing stars. Almost simultaneously, the vampire behind me gave a little moan and moisture began to spread against my back. After a beat, he recovered his senses enough to grasp Robert's upper arm and gave him a firm shake. "Enough, my brother, lest you become dangerous. I do not wish to have to restrain you."

Robert groaned, but he did as his Elder commanded him. Reluctantly retracting his fangs, he sealed the wounds and immediately rolled away from me. For a long moment, he lay flat on his back with a look of sheer ecstasy on his face. When his eyes finally popped open, the pupils were so dilated that only the faintest rim of green was showing. In his intoxication, his English had completely deserted him. He rattled off a string of French to Eric, who laughed and answered him in the same language. A moment later, the Knight was up and moving so fast he was nothing but a blur. A split-second after that, I heard the door into the library bang open and then silence descended over our chamber.

Startled at his abrupt departure, all I could think to ask was, "What the heck? Is there a fire or something?"

Chuckling, my husband replied, "In a manner of speaking. You know the effects of fairy blood. Our brother was burning for a little female companionship. I expect Pam and her human are in for a treat."

Quite suddenly, the erotic spell was broken, leaving me overcome with guilt and embarrassment. I rolled on to my stomach and buried my now-blushing face in a pillow. Knowing exactly what the trouble was, my spouse laughed lightly. Stroking my back in a soothing manner, he said, "My sweet wife, you should not be ashamed in the least. In my opinion, our ceremony was perfect."

"But he... I..." I trailed off, unable to say the words.

"I knew quite well that particular outcome was a possibility before we ever started," the vampire responded calmly, "It takes a lot of focus to control the human's response. Once the intoxication took him, what little will-power he had left was directed toward not draining you. Believe me, this was positively chaste compared to what usually occurs during nesting rituals."

I turned my head to the side so that I could peek at my Bonded with one eye. "You wouldn't have let it go that far, would you?"

In response, Eric stretched out next to me and put his face close to mine. With a gleam in his eye, he said, "I want you to tell me the truth, Sookie. You wondered what it would be like to have _two_ vampire lovers, did you not?"

Blushing furiously, I buried my burning face back in the pillow. The Viking just chuckled. Patting my back, he said, "I thought so. That is just a consequence of having way more of our blood than is prudent. I suspect that your emotions and sexual impulses will be nearly as uncontrollable as a newly-made vampire until the effects wear off. I will have to keep a _very_ close eye on you for the next few days."

"But, honey, what if I had... you know... ah, asked for it?"

"Do you think really I would have allowed that to happen? No, Dear One. As unvampire-like as it is, I simply cannot share your physical body with anyone, even Robert. It makes me feel a bit guilty for depriving you of the experience, though. The two of us together are quite unforgettable... but there it is. You will have to content yourself with _one_ vampire."

Into my pillow, I muttered darkly, "I always _knew_ vampire blood was going to get me into trouble some day."

"Do not fret, my angel. All that really happened was that our brother gave us _both_ a bit of physical pleasure, in return for the gift of your extremely unique blood. I know _I_ certainly enjoyed it. Our Bond and your body are as pure as they ever were." He ran his hand down my back all the way down to my butt. Lightly running his fingers over the rounded flesh, he said, "This body belongs to me and to me alone. It is mine to do with what I wish. Is that not correct?"

Still in somewhat of a funk, I half-heartedly replied, "I guess so."

In a flash, Eric's big body was covering mine, the silk underwear now conspicuously missing in action. Pressing his erection firmly against my backside, he play-growled in my ear, "What is this? It seems that my Bonded has forgotten to whom she belongs. Perhaps she needs claiming."

Instantly, my bad mood was out the window. I giggled a little, and then using my best school-marm voice, I said severely, "No way, buster. Only one ritual per night, that's the rule. Sorry. Any claiming will have to wait until tomorrow."

Slowly rubbing himself back and forth across the twin mounds, he stated firmly, "Those are the _Queen's_ rules. Fortunately for me, I am the King, and _my_ rules say all nesting rituals must be immediately followed up by some serious claiming."

"Well... if the King insists..."

"He does." The monarch started kissing his way down my back, and the fabric of my gown was so thin I could feel his lips as well as if there was nothing at all between us. When he reached my butt, however, he shoved the fabric up over my hips and then covered the revealed flesh with an unhurried series of kisses, licks, and nibbles. He only stopped long enough to mumble into my flesh, "As long as your inhibitions are lowered, my amorous little fairy, I might as well take advantage of it."

Thinking that he was still teasing, I said lightly, "Bring it on, big boy."

In a single heartbeat, the Viking had parted my legs and rolled between them. Grabbing my hips, he popped them off the mattress and then buried his head between my legs. As his tongue wrapped itself around my nub, I let out a short gasp. Each flick of his tongue elicited an Ah! Ah! Before I could get all the way to Ahhhhhhhh!, my highly aroused vampire moved his attentions somewhat higher. As his tongue first swept across the forbidden entrance, I nearly levitated right off the bed. One muscular arm clamped around me, ruthlessly holding me in place as he continued to lap and probe with abandon. All the while, he used his free hand to expertly rub the perfect spot between my folds. In shock, I gasped, "Eric, what in the...? Honey, what are you doing? You can't... ah! Oh!"

Chuckling, that naughty vampire ignored my protests, completely secure in the knowledge that he wasn't doing anything I wouldn't like once I got past the surprise of it. My inhibitions _were_ at an all time low, and within seconds I had given up protesting and began to enjoy the new sensations. After driving me nearly wild in that fashion, he reversed the positions of his mouth and fingers. As he sucked on my swollen clit, he slid one finger slowly into the now slick but very tight opening. As it had before, the tiny bit of pain actually served to intensify the pleasure. Since this was more familiar territory, I didn't even bother to protest. Instead, after a minute or two I was pleading, "Ah!... Eric!... Oh my god! Eric! _Don't stop_! Ah! Ahhhhhh!" A few more well-placed flicks of his tongue, and I came in a blinding rush.

Before the strong spasms had subsided, the Viking popped me all the way to my knees and knelt between my legs. Taking his erection in hand, he slowly rubbed himself across my rear entrance. He let out a low moan as a small spurt of cum escaped the tip, further moistening the virgin passage. Clearly he was about to do something I had recently discovered he had been absolutely _burning_ to do for months. Uninhibited Sookie found the whole idea pretty exciting... until I made the mistake of glancing over my shoulder. Good grief! The Gracious Plenty was just so danged _huge_. Something that big was bound to hurt a _lot_ worse than a finger. Even though part of me _wanted_ to know my husband in this way, I couldn't stop the jolt of fear that shot through me.

However, just that small amount of fear was enough to make my Bonded change his mind. He still thrust himself inside me... but in the usual place. I was simultaneously relieved and disappointed. Soon though, my vampire was giving me such intense pleasure, I forgot all about it. The entire evening had been a kind of prolonged foreplay, and the nest-binding ritual had roused the vampire in him... so he was not gentle. With all the vampire blood still swimming inside me, I gave every bit as good as I got.

Being in a mood, the Viking got pretty creative, and we ended up "christening" several surfaces in our bedroom that had previously been missed. By the time we were done, I practically needed another transfusion... but I was well and truly claimed. Lying in a heap on the rug in the middle of the room, the finally sated vampire said, "Well. That was a very satisfactory claiming. May I interest you in a bath?"

While we were luxuriating in the scented water, Eric asked, "So, my beautiful new nest-mate, what would you like to do tonight?"

I thought it over for a minute. "I want to go to Fangtasia."

Completely surprised by this answer, he said, "I will literally take you anywhere on Earth you want to go, and yet you choose Fangtasia. May I ask why?"

How could I explain this so he would understand? "After everything we've been though lately, I guess I'm just ready for everything to get back to normal. You have a kingdom to run, and you've had to take way more time off than you should have. I bet Pam is about ready to pull her hair out. Besides, we have a lot to celebrate, and I want to do it with our own nest, in our own club. As Pam says, it will be good for business to give the poor fangbangers a glimpse of the main attraction."

"Very practical, Mrs. Northman," said the vampire, "Fangtasia it shall be."

Not long after that, we were dressed and ready to go. Eric produced a tube of "invisible gloves" that Niall had left for me, and my concerned spouse insisted on rubbing it on my hands himself. Before leaving the room, he checked his cell phone for voice messages. Besides a couple from his Sheriffs, there was one from Niall demanding an update, and another from Jason that was almost the same. I resolved to call them back on the drive into Shreveport.

Once upstairs, we found Robert sitting in the kitchen having a discussion with Juanita. To my disappointment, that fantastic body of his was once again concealed behind a dark gray pin-striped suit, and his lovely long hair was pulled back in its normal neat ponytail. In spite of his business attire, he looked more relaxed and happy than I had ever seen him.

Juanita, on the other hand, was anything _but_ relaxed. The normally calm housekeeper was clearly agitated about something. After greeting Eric and me, she said, "Señora, Sir Robert was just telling me that he came back so soon because you were ill. Señor Eric, you should have called me! I would have been happy to help care for her."

I could only imagine what our entirely human housekeeper would have made of the supernatural circus that had been held here last night. One close encounter between her and Dr. Ludwig, and we would probably be placing a help wanted ad this very night. My spouse was clearly thinking the same thing. With a twinkle in his eye, Eric said, "Your loyalty to your Mistress is appreciated, but I called in a doctor to look after her."

Sounding scandalized, Juanita blurted out, "But I can see you also had several guests! There was no one here to see to them!" Taking a deep breath, Juanita looked the vampire right in the eye and added, "Senor, I realize that things may go on in this house that most humans might find... highly unusual. I want to make it clear that I would _never_ betray you by discussing what happens here with _anyone_. If I am to care for you properly, there must be a certain level of trust, yes?"

The Viking stared at her for a long moment. Finally he said, "I will keep that in mind. For now, perhaps your Mistress would like something to eat."

"Of course! Mrs. Sookie, when Sir Robert told me you had been ill, I started a pot of chicken soup. Would that be alright?"

Although the fairy-elixir had settled my stomach, I was still not all that hungry... but I wasn't about to get a lecture from Eric and/or Robert. I said, "Yes, that sounds good."

She bustled back to the stove to finish the soup, and Eric and I pulled up barstools and sat at the counter with Robert. The whole scene was so warm and homey and completely unlikely that I couldn't help but smile.

Eric asked Robert, "Speaking of guests, where are Pam and Bill?"

"They all cleared out a few minutes ago."

"Did you tell them of our new... connection?"

"It was unnecessary to tell Pam," the Knight replied, "She guessed the source of my intoxication, and Bill... just knew."

"And how did they take it?"

Robert gave a very French shrug. "Eh. Predictably, Pam reacted with sarcasm. Bill showed no reaction at all. I suspect they were both burning with jealousy but would never admit it."

Before the conversation went any farther, Eric's phone rang. He glanced at the display and immediately handed me the phone. "Niall," he said by way of explanation.

Taking the phone, I answered, "Good evening, Your Grace. I was just about to call you."

The Prince was not the kind of Fairy to beat around the bush. "Sookie, my child, are you alive or undead?"

"Ah... I'm alive and well, sir. I drank the medicine Rhiannon left for me, and I feel _much_ better."

"Wonderful." The relief in his voice was obvious. "... and your magic? It is intact?"

"Yes, everything seems to be fine. I want to thank you for coming to see me. I'm sorry I wasn't awake when you arrived."

"I am only sorry we were not available earlier. I suppose Northman told you of our difficulties?"

"Yes, he did. I was very sorry to hear it."

"Quite honestly, this has been brewing for a long time, and I am glad to finally put it to rest."

"Sir... how is Faeryn?"

There was a pause. "Faeryn is a strong girl and will recover eventually," Niall said slowly, "She _could_ use some cheering up while she heals. She is very fond of you, and she mentioned just this morning how soothing your magic is. Why do you not come to the Palace for a short visit?"

Of course, I knew both vampires could hear every word of this conversation. At the mere mention of me going to the Portal, Eric looked positively glacial. "Er... I'm afraid I can't get away for a while... but maybe Faeryn could come here."

"To a vampire's home? I am not sure that is the best place to settle her nerves."

"Valhalla is _my_ home, too. Faeryn knows Eric is not going to hurt her, and she doesn't have to be around any of the other vampires while she's here. A change of scenery might be exactly what she needs." A wonderful idea suddenly popped into my brain. "In fact, Eric and I have been planning to invite you all for dinner anyway. You can come and see for yourselves that it is perfectly safe here. If Faeryn feels up to staying over for a few days, she can."

"A dinner party, eh? That could be just what she needs," he said thoughtfully.

Excited by the prospect of hosting my very first dinner party, I asked, "How soon do you think Faeryn will be able to travel?"

"I will check with her mother, but I suspect it will be at least two or three more days by your calendar. I will have Rhiannon contact you, and the two of you can work out the details."

"That sounds good. As soon as we have a date, I can call the twins and let them know... oh! Maybe they are still there with you. If so, Rhiannon can pass along the invitation."

The Prince replied, "At my urging, Claudine has finally decided to give up that ridiculous job in Monroe. She will be living here at the palace until things are completely settled."

"Does that mean she won't be looking out after me anymore?" It made me really sad to think I was losing my Fairy godmother.

"Not at all. She will always be your guardian... but frankly, as long as you are constantly surrounded by vampires, there is not a great deal she can do without serious risk to herself. That is one of the reasons it has been important for you to develop your own magic as rapidly as possible. As for my grandson... Claude has not been in the Portal since the day you left, nor will he be allowed in for the next six months. It will be best if you avoid all contact with him during that period of time."

"Um... do you mind if I ask why?"

"Let us just say he is being punished, and leave it at that," he replied in his best Fairy-Prince, don't-even-think-about-asking tone. There was a slight pause and then he continued more warmly, "Now, my dear, I want to discuss your health. On the subject of iron..."

For the next few minutes, my great-grandfather explained the ins and outs of how to avoid any further problems with iron and promised to send several tubes of the barrier cream for my hands. After that we said our goodbyes. Handing the phone back to Eric, I said, "Well, I hope you were serious about having my family over for dinner. It looks like it might be sooner than you expected."

The Viking just grinned and said, "At least it appears I will be spared having to sit across from the odious Claude and make polite conversation."

"I wonder if Claude is in trouble on my account. Niall was plenty pissed off when he took his time delivering your letters to me, and if he somehow found out that Claude was holding them back just to get a new car out of you... I guess that might do it."

The Viking said rather grimly, "No doubt there are also other issues of which you are unaware. Sookie, how can you possibly feel sorry for _Claude_? In my opinion, being banned from the Portal for a short time is a very mild punishment. Believe me, I had something much more... physical in mind." His eyes gleamed with possibilities.

"I think being cut off from your home and family would be worse than getting beat up. I know how badly it would hurt me if I couldn't see you guys."

"That is not even a remote possibility. Now please... put Claude out of your mind. It appears that your dinner is ready, and I am anxious to see you eat something."

Juanita came around the counter and slid a steaming bowl in front of me, along with saltine crackers, a spoon, and a paper napkin. The Knight, who had been silent for the last few minutes, took one look at the napkin and frowned. The first spoonful of soup was half-way to my lips, but I stopped and asked, "What?"

The vampire reached over and plucked the offending item from my lap and then handed it back to the astonished housekeeper. "Napkins should be made of cloth," he informed her sternly, "Please fetch one for your Mistress."

Once again, the housekeeper looked a bit flustered. Her big brown eyes shifted back to me. I just laughed and said, "Go ahead, Juanita. Robert is fussy when it comes to this sort of thing, and he's too old to change now."

"But Ma'am! As far as I know, we do not have any cloth napkins!"

Ah, crap. Juanita was right. The one thing I hadn't bothered to buy on my shopping spree in New York was tablecloths _or_ napkins. All of my female ancestors had been prolific needle workers, and there were piles of carefully crocheted, tatted, or embroidered sets of table linens carefully stored in the big sideboard at my farmhouse. I had just never gotten around to bringing them to Valhalla. The Knight looked positively shocked. "No napkins? Sookie, how can you give a formal dinner party with no napkins! And who is going to serve? I can see that Juanita is an excellent cook, but she cannot do two things at once. "

A few days earlier, I might well have been petrified about giving my very first dinner party... but thanks to all the vampires' blood, I was feeling pretty darn confident. I just patted his arm and said, "Relax, Robert. I have plenty of tablecloths and napkins, I just need to get them from my house in Bon Temps. I can use my Gran's china and silverware, too... Ah, scratch that. I'll just have to use stainless."

Getting into the spirit of things, Eric said helpfully, "Sookie, we can hire Chef Sinclair to prepare the food, and he can provide trained servers. Juanita can supervise. Robert, I cannot wait for you to try some of the dishes this chef prepares especially for vampires. They are really very creative and quite tasty."

Surprised, Robert asked, "Am I to be included? Is that wise? Will I not make your other guests too nervous to enjoy their dinner?"

"This is a family dinner," I said firmly, "You are family. We'll figure it out." He still looked a little dubious, so I added slyly, "Faeryn will be here. Wouldn't you like to see her?"

"Yes, I would... the question is, will _she_ want to see _me_? I suspect that in her present condition, she may well consider me too dangerous. Besides that, I may not be here. I am leaving tonight for Chicago and then on to New York."

"Leaving!" I cried, "But I thought now that we have a ne... " I stopped in mid-sentence. I didn't know if the vampires wanted Juanita to know anything about nests or not, so rather lamely finished, "...er... I just thought you would be staying here now."

Our new nestmate looked at me with great affection. "I would like nothing better than to stay. Unfortunately, I still have contracts to fulfill and several other matters that require my attention in New York."

"Do you _have_ to leave right away?" I couldn't manage to keep the disappointment out of my voice, "I want to do some celebrating, and it won't be the same without you."

The Viking suggested, "At least come to the club with us for a couple of hours. Chicago is a relatively short flight from here. You can leave in plenty of time to make it before dawn."

"I suppose a celebration of our new status _is_ in order. And Sookie, if you truly want me to attend this family party, I will try to re-arrange things so I can be here. If you don't mind, when I come back I will be bringing a few things with me."

Rolling his eyes, Eric said, "Sookie, you had better be prepared to give up a spare bedroom or two... and that is just for his clothes. If he starts bringing furniture, we'll have to add a whole new wing."

This comment earned the Viking a withering look from his brother. I just laughed and said, "I'm not worried. This house is big enough for _ten_ vampires _and_ their stuff."

By that time I was finished with my soup, so Juanita came over to remove my dishes. While I was eating, she had been standing at the sink busily polishing some copper canisters. Obviously she had heard every word of our conversation. I could sense that she was burning with lots of questions but was too well-trained to ask. Quite suddenly, I was tired of having to dance around issues and speak in code in my own home. In New York, Robert had _loads_ of human servants, and he never seemed to edit anything in front of them. As far as I was concerned, Juanita had more than earned our trust. Looking directly at my spouse, I said firmly, "You've always said that handling the domestic employees was my department. I think it's time I clued Juanita in on a few things. Any objections?"

Clearly amused by my boldness, he responded, "You are the Mistress in this household. Do as you wish."

Turning to our housekeeper, I said, "First, remember when you told me about your grandmother and her stories about the old ones? Well, there really _are_ such creatures, except that nowadays most people call them Fairies."

Juanita was hanging on every word, but all she did was nod. Taking a deep breath, I continued, "The Fae are seriously secretive and don't want humans to know they even exist. Very rarely, they breed with humans, which is how I ended up with some of their blood. It was far enough back that I don't have much of it, but what I do have is special. Fairies are ruled over by a Prince, and I am lucky enough to be a member of his family. That's who I was staying with while I was gone."

Juanita let out an astonished gasp. "_Señora_!I _knew_ you were special! Does that mean you are a Fairy princess?"

"As crazy as it sounds, that is exactly what I am. Anyway, it looks like Eric and I are going to be having that side of the family over for dinner pretty soon."

Eyes as big as the soup bowl in her hand, she said reverently, "_E__l Príncipe de Los Viejos_ is going to be _here_? He will be eating dinner in this house? My goodness! No wonder we need real napkins!"

Looking a bit put out, Eric said, "Really, Juanita. Niall is not all _that_ impressive. It might interest you to know that vampires _also_ have monarchs. As a matter of fact, I happen to be the King of this territory."

"Honey, Juanita figured that out a long time ago. I just forgot to mention it."

"Then why hasn't she said anything?"

"Clearly she was very politely waiting for you to bring it up first! She's been around long enough to know how secretive vampires are. Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. The dinner party. This is kind of a big deal, and not just because it's my very first dinner party. Vampires and Fairies usually don't get along very well, so having two of their monarchs sitting down to a friendly dinner together is highly unusual."

Somewhat timidly, Juanita asked, "Do you mind me asking _why_ they don't get along? You and the King seem so well-suited..."

"Here's the problem. Full-blooded Fairies smell really, really good to everybody, but most especially to vampires. One good whiff sets off a vampire's instinct to feed. Unfortunately, Fairy blood is highly intoxicating and extremely addictive. Once the vampire gets a taste, he literally can't stop himself from taking as much as he can suck down. The poor Fairy usually doesn't survive the encounter. As far as we know, Eric is the only vampire in existence to be at least partially immune to these effects."

"Is that why Sir Robert was surprised that you wanted him to come to this party?"

"Yes. Even though he is very strong-willed, being in an enclosed space with a whole room full of Fairies might be too much even for him. I really want him to come, though, because he's a member of my family now, too. You see..."

This time I gave her a brief rundown on how vampire families work, and that Robert was now an official member of Eric's Royal Nest. As I knew she would, the little housekeeper took this all in stride. She looked thoughtfully at Robert and then back at me. After a moment, she said, "The weather has been very fine lately. If being in an enclosed area is the problem, why not serve the dinner outside on the back patio instead of in the dining room? With all the new landscaping and lighting, it would be a lovely setting for a party. As an added precaution, you could even set up a fan to blow their scent away from Sir Robert."

My two vampires and I stared at her and then each other, and then all three of us began to smile. "Excellent thinking!" cried the Knight, "Sookie, what do you think?"

"I think it just might work. Niall loves gardens, and we eat outside at the Palace all the time. Eric, what do you think?"

"I think I have completely underestimated our housekeeper," he replied with a smile. "She is indeed a jewel. Juanita, I am going to reward your loyalty and good service with a raise."

Completely surprised by the unexpected praise, the housekeeper positively beamed. "Thank you, sir. That is very generous."

"Nonsense. You have earned it. Now, as you have heard, my brother will be living here at least part-time. I will warn you now, he is very particular about practically everything. For all the additional trouble I am certain he will cause, you will also be receiving a bonus."

"My goodness! A bonus as well? _Muchas gracias,_... er... Your Highness."

"You may continue to call me _Señor_ Eric if you wish. Now, since our brother only has a limited amount of time here, we need to get to Fangtasia. Sookie, are you ready?"

"Yep, I'm definitely ready to rock 'n roll... but Robert? That suit looks much too stuffy for a night out. Wouldn't you like to change into something more comfortable? Say... those leather pants Pam bought you?"

Now it was Robert's turn to roll his eyes. "What is this fascination women have with leather?" he asked no one in particular.

"I would explain it, but it would go to your head," I teased, "Now come on. Indulge me. Go change."

Grumbling, he did as I asked. Eric and I followed him as far as the entry hall. While we were waiting on Robert to change clothes, I decided to get my call to Jason out of the way. During all the hullabaloo I had misplaced my cell phone, so I borrowed Eric's. After only two rings, Jason answered abruptly, "It's about time! How is she?"

"Jason Stackhouse! Gran would be rolling over in her grave if she knew you were being so rude!"

"Sookie! Are you all right? I mean... are you...?"

"I'm just as alive as I ever was. In fact, I feel fantastic."

"That's great news!" Jason exclaimed in relief, "You can't imagine how worried I've been."

"Listen, I want to thank you for coming over here last night," I said, "Everything considered, I know it wasn't easy for you."

"Sookie, I've got to tell you... last night was a real eye-opener in a lot of ways. I've been doing a lot of thinking. I sure would like to talk some things over with you. Do you think we could have lunch soon?"

Considering what I had told him about our Fae heritage, I figured my brother had plenty of questions. "Okay. I'll give you a call and we'll set something up."

Just as we were saying our good-byes, I glanced up and saw Robert coming down the stairs. He was now clad in the tight black leathers that made the most of the world's second greatest butt, and his silky long-sleeved shirt emphasized his broad shoulders. There was only one thing wrong. I walked over and removed the band from his ponytail and then fluffed his dark hair over his shoulders. Impulsively, I reached down and gave that fantastic butt the Sookie Stackhouse Northman Seal of Approval by giving it a little pat. "Rwwwrrr! Robert! You look good enough to eat! HA! Now the two hottest escorts on the planet are MINE! Every female in Fangtasia will be green with envy!"

The two vampires exchanged looks. "How long do you suppose it will be until the effect of our blood wears off?" Robert asked.

With an amused grin, Eric shook his head. "Impossible to say... but one thing _is_ perfectly clear. We absolutely cannot let her out of our sight even for an instant. In her current condition, there is no telling how much trouble she can get in."

"Now look, you two. I may never feel like this again, and I fully intend to enjoy it. Like the song says, _this_ girl just wants to have fun... so no fair being party poopers." Grabbing first Robert's hand and then Eric's, I playfully tugged them towards the front door. "The night isn't getting any younger! Come on, nestmates. Let's roll!"

Eric opened the door, and three of us stepped outside into a spectacular warm spring evening. A long black limousine was waiting in the drive. Surprised, I asked, "Where did this come from?"

Robert answered, "I arranged for it earlier, to take me to the airport."

"But Robert, you know we would have been glad to drive you into town."

"Save your breath, my love," said the Viking, "Our brother thinks this is the only civilized way to travel, and you will never convince him otherwise."

Cooper and the driver were lounging against the opposite side of the car having a chat. As soon as we had stepped out the door, they snapped to attention. The driver ran around and opened the passenger door. Cooper came straight to me with a broad smile on his face. He bowed deeply and then said, "Good evening, ma'am. I'm really happy to see you up and about. You look _much_ better than the last time I saw you. Obviously things worked out for the best."

"Yes, I'm definitely alive and well. Cooper, I really appreciate all your help."

"It was my pleasure as well as my duty. Oh... by the way, here is your cell phone. You dropped it by the gate, and I didn't find it until late this afternoon."

"Oh, thanks! I hadn't even thought about it!" Taking it from his hand, I realized that for the first time in my life, I had forgotten all about bringing a purse. I thought briefly about going inside to get it, but decided it was too much trouble. Why pack all that stuff around, anyway? Whatever I needed, my vampires would provide... except for a place to carry my phone. The skin-tight leather mini-dress that Eric had picked for me to wear had no pockets. In a move I had seen Pam making a thousand times, I reached in to the top of my dress, wedged the slender metal gadget in the valley between my breasts, and then wriggled a little until I was sure it would be held securely in place by my bra. All four men watched this maneuver in utter fascination. Comically, every one of them had nearly identical looks... as if they would dearly love to come over and pull that phone from its cozy little spot with their teeth. In the old days I would have been annoyed and embarrassed to have a pack of men leering at my breasts, but now it just made me feel... sexy and powerful. Ha!

Cooper was the first to snap out of it. With a slight shake of his head, he tore his eyes away from the girls. Focusing on Eric, he said, "Could I have a word with you, sir?"

Eric nodded, and the two of them stepped far enough away from the car that the driver could not hear their conversation. While they were having their talk, Robert helped me into the limo. Once we got settled, he patted my leg and said, "Now, is this not more comfortable than being scrunched up in a tiny car? We can carry on a decent conversation while someone else worries about traffic."

"Traffic? Out here? Robert, in case you hadn't noticed, this isn't exactly New York. I will admit that this is a nice treat, though."

"Treat? Sookie, you are a Queen. More importantly, you are now _my_ sister. This is the _only_ way you should travel. Now that I will be here more often, I intend to see that you..."

Uh oh. Time to set some boundaries. Quickly laying my fingers across the Knight's luscious lips, I said, "Hold it right there! One bossy male vampire trying to tell me what to do is enough. Here's the thing. I _like_ driving. It makes me feel independent. I am _not_ going to give up my car, so forget about it."

Clearly not put off in the least, he just kissed the tips of my fingers and said fondly, "You sound exactly like Eric. I can see that there is no use arguing... for now."

Laughing, I replied, "That doesn't sound like you're giving up to me. I've got to warn you, I _am_ just like Eric in lots of ways. For example, I'm every bit as stubborn as he is... so if you think you can eventually change my mind, all I can say is... give it your best shot." All this talk about cars brought to mind the conversation we had been having just before I got sick. Glancing out the back window, I could see that the Viking was still engrossed in his talk with Cooper. "Speaking of tiny cars, I've made up my mind. I definitely want to get Eric that Ferrari for his Coronation gift. How do I go about it?"

Sighing heavily, the vampire replied, "I was hoping you had forgotten all about it... but if you are sure I cannot talk you into a nice safe limousine instead of a ridiculously dangerous sports car, I will of course handle the purchase for you."

"Great! I just know Eric's going to love it. Oh... here he comes. We can work out the details later."

A moment later, Eric was seated next to me and the car was rolling down the drive.

On the way to Shreveport, the conversation eventually made its way around to Eric's recent trip to Magnolia. Soon the two vampires were in a deep discussion over why the strange nest had been planted there and by whom. Eric said, "Of course, some of our questions may be answered by the prisoner we brought back. I was hoping the human girl knew something, but Pam assures me she does not. I assume you were with her earlier this evening. What was your impression?"

With a pirate's grin, Robert responded, "All I can tell you is that her blood is extraordinarily tasty and she is quite accomplished sexually. A good time was had by all."

Hmph. I muttered crossly under my breath, "Oh, man, I could have gone all night without hearing that."

Eyes twinkling, the French vampire said, "Do not fret, _ma petite_. The human girl's blood is not even in the same class as yours. I am afraid my brother was right. I almost wish I had never tasted your fantastic blood. Everything else is going to pale in comparison."

"I did warn you," said Eric in a satisfied tone. "And as for sex, I can assure that Sookie is..."

"Eric! Stop right there! We are _so _not having this discussion!" Before I could say anything else, my cell phone began to ring. Retrieving it from my bra, I answered, "Hello?"

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. At first I thought the call had been dropped but then someone said, "It is _so_ good to hear your voice. I was afraid I might never hear it again."

The words were spoken so softly I could hardly make them out. I replied, "I'm sorry. Could you speak a little louder? I can barely hear you."

A silky voice murmured in my ear, "All I do is think of you. I just can't seem to get you out of my head. Do you know how much I want to fuck you?"

Ah, crap. I would know that nasty little whisper anywhere. It was the same sicko that had called me a couple of days back. Before I could think of a scathing comeback, my phone was plucked from my hand. Fangs fully down, Eric growled into it, "Who the HELL is this?"

Of course, the only response he got was a quick disconnect. Frowning, he looked at the uninformative caller log and then at me. "Who was that?"

"I have no idea, but this is the second time he's called me."

"What? Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"It happened right before I got poisoned, and after that I had more important things on my mind. It's really no big deal. Some perverts like to randomly call women and try to scare them by saying ugly things. It's sick but not all that uncommon. Now that he knows I have a man around, he'll probably move on to another girl."

Suspiciously, Robert said, "You are only assuming the first call was random. This man might be someone known to you and therefore potentially dangerous. Tell me about the first call and leave nothing out."

I told them everything I could remember, finishing with, "... and then he moaned and... well, I think he got off. I told him he was sick, and not to call again, and then I hung up."

Glowering, Eric made a fearsome noise low in his throat. Between gritted teeth, he spit out, "_This man masturbated while my wife listened_? Random or not, he is going to pay dearly for subjecting my wife to such disgusting behavior."

Whoa. My vampire was seriously pissed, and unless I could chill him out our lovely evening of partying would be ruined. I quickly climbed on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. Putting my lips next to his ear, I breathed, "It isn't always disgusting when a man does that. Remember Las Vegas? That was fun, wasn't it?"

"That was entirely different. You are mine."

I chuckled softly and nuzzled his ear. "I certainly am, but if you feel the need to do a little more claiming, I'm game." In spite of himself, one corner of his mouth twitched up in amusement. I gave him a big kiss on those delectable lips and then said, "Come on, baby, don't let some lonely freak ruin our evening. I doubt he'll ever call again."

"Not on this phone, he won't." The Viking started to roll down the window and pitch out the offending item. I caught his wrist and begged, "No, honey! I love that phone! It matches yours."

He thought about it for a minute before rolling up the window and handing the phone back to me. "Very well. You may keep it, but we _will_ have the number changed."

Robert spoke up. "I for one am not convinced this caller is a stranger. It may be possible to discover his identity from phone records, and if we do... you and I can pay him a small visit. If he is just some random pervert, he will find it difficult to place any more calls with broken hands and fingers. If he is _not_ a stranger... perhaps something more stringent than a few broken bones might be in order."

That idea was enough to finally get a smile out of the Viking. With a little more kissing and teasing from me, he completely regained his good mood. By the time we pulled up to the front door of Fangtasia, all three of us were in high spirits and ready to have some fun. From the look of things, we were not the only ones ready to party. The line to get in was nearly wrapped around the building. As the car came to a stop, Atticus strode up to the car and opened the door for us. As my two vampires and I got out of the car, a murmur of excitement went up from the crowd. As if on cue, my two placed me protectively between them and before I knew it, I had been whisked into the dark, pulsing, swirling world of Fangtasia.

_Author's notes: First and foremost, I want to thank every one of you who left me such wonderful, positive reviews. Because of you, my goal of reaching 4,000 reviews has been reached. Woo Hooo!_

_Next, I would like to apologize that it took so long for this update. I believe it would be constructive for all of us if I was honest about why it took me so long. While it is true that I have been very busy and was even down for a few days with a virus, that is not the only reason this chapter was delayed._

_In a nutshell, what happened to derail the story was that I got a very negative review and it really stuck in my head. So why, out of thousands of positive reviews, did this particular one get under my skin? The answer: I'm not really sure. By now, I know that a writer can't possibly please all of the readers all of the time, and that a few snarky comments are inevitable... but this one really hurt. Self-confidence has never been my strong suit. Even though I didn't agree with what this review said, it still caused me to rethink my story entirely. Is it too long and detailed? Is it getting boring? I seriously considered finishing the story much sooner than I planned, just to be done with it. It slowed my output down to a crawl. I can't tell you how many times I erased whole pages because I was afraid they might be boring._

_So here's the thing. If you feel that you absolutely must leave a bad review for me or any other author, please remember that we are not professional writers, and most of us are doing it for fun. Creative people tend to be very sensitive. Try to be considerate of the potentially fragile feelings of a new author. Ask yourself: if someone sent this to me, would it hurt __my__ feelings? Is this in any way going to be constructive, or am I just venting my frustration? And finally, for heaven's sake leave me some way to reply. Even if I don't agree with you, I will always be polite. If I can't respond, I spend hours and sometimes days of precious writing time fretting._

_Now I want to say a few words about __positive__ reviews. Many, many times over the course of this story, the only thing that kept me moving forward were the good reviews I received. Just about the time I would be hopelessly stuck or ready to throw in the towel, a wonderful message of encouragement would pop into my in-box... and it would inevitable give me that little push I needed to continue. In fact, that is exactly what got me through the serious struggle I had with this chapter. Never, ever think that taking the few minutes to leave some kind words are wasted. To a struggling new writer, those words are far more important than money._

_Anyway, I seem to be somewhat back on track. I still love my story and I am committed to finishing it. I hope that most of you continue to enjoy it. ~BTB_


	46. Chapter 46

_Author's notes: ***These characters are the sole property of Charlaine Harris. I am just borrowing them for fun.****_

_***After the last chapter, I admitted to having a setback due to a negative review. The outpouring of support and encouragement was absolutely phenomenal. Even though I was not able to respond to all of the messages and reviews (well over 300!), I want you all to know each one was a precious gift that I will always treasure. All of your wonderful comments made me realize that although a story this long and involved is definitely not for everyone, there are plenty of you that are just like me. We love to immerse ourselves into the minds and hearts and everyday lives of these characters, because in so doing, we have a brief respite from the daily grind of our own lives._

_I also realized that ATL isn't really written in normal book format. It is more like... a serial. Each chapter is almost a story-within-a story. Because of the multiple POV's, we get to know all of our characters extremely well and can see their personal growth over the arc of the story... which, of course, is really the point. Although ATL does have an end in sight, most of us are not in that big of a hurry to get there._

_So, with the new-found self-confidence you all gave me, I wrote... and wrote... and wrote. The update was a long time coming because this chapter is the longest one, ever. I had no intention of making it this long, but I just couldn't seem to help myself. Instead of editing it down to half, I decided to give you the whole bloody thing. It is the equivalent of 3 or 4 regular chapters, so plan accordingly! It isn't like anything I've written so far, because it is told from the POV of a total outsider... Amy. Don't worry, this is the only time this will happen... but it allows us to be privy to information that we would never know about in the normal course of events. For example, we get to hear what the fangbangers of Fangtasia __really__ think about Eric. Next chapter will be half Sookie and half Eric, with no overlap in time._

_So anyway, thanks again for all the heartfelt messages. They really made a HUGE difference._

_~BonTempsBaby_

_P.S. One reader suggested that since there is so much time between updates, a brief synopsis of the last chapter would be nice. So here goes: In chapter 45, Sookie wakes to find herself mostly recovered from her iron poisoning. She is alive but so full of vampire blood she's having symptoms similar to that of a newly-made vampire. She convinces Eric and Robert to formally make a nest. After a brief discussion, they realize that Bill and Pam are not ready for this step, so the three of them complete the very erotic nest-binding ritual in private. Afterward, Sookie convinces Robert to delay his departure. The new nestmates head to Fangtasia to celebrate their new connection. On the way, Sookie gets another creepy call, which puts the vampires on alert. The chapter ends with their arrival at Fangtasia._

**Chapter 46: Welcome to the Jungle**

**Amy's POV: Magnolia, Arkansas: the night after the big fight**

"Y'all come back and see me soon, you hear?" Caroline gives us a friendly wave as Pam and I pull out of her driveway. A few minutes later, the lights of Magnolia, Arkansas are in our rear view mirror. Thank God! I am sick to death of the place! We got a bit of a late start since Pam and I spent so much time having sex after first dark, but Pam says it isn't far to Shreveport. I've never been there, but _anything_ has to be better than the shithole I've been living in.

I sneak a glance at my new lover. She is wearing some very expensive but square clothes that Caroline loaned her. After the big fight at the farmhouse last night, her own slacks and blouse weren't worth saving. These make her look more like some boring suburban soccer mom than a hell-on-wheels vampiress. I wonder how old she is? She looks like she's even younger than me, but I know she's got to be pretty old or she wouldn't be side-kick to a king. I would ask her, but I learned a long time ago not to ask vampires too many personal questions.

To pass the time, I reach over and try to find something worth listening to on the radio, and finally find a rock and roll station that comes in pretty good. Pam looks over and gives me a slow smile. She purrs, "Honeybun, keep that turned low. Now that we've gotten to know each other better, I really need to ask you some questions."

Sighing, I turn the volume down. I figured we'd get around to this sooner or later. Since I want to get in good with this new group of vamps, I plan on cooperating... mostly. Information is power, so it never hurts to keep a few things under your hat. Unfortunately, I really don't have much to tell her. Like most vampires, my recently re-deceased boyfriend Marius was very secretive about his dealings.

For the next hour, Pam grills me for every tiny detail. I can tell by her questions that she is way smarter than most of the vamps I've known. It isn't until we hit the Shreveport city limits that she seems satisfied that she's gotten all the information she can from me. Just as the lights from the downtown area come into view, my stomach lets out a loud growl. Feeding human companions isn't always high on a vampire's priority list, and it is clearly time for a little reminder. "Uh, Pam? I'm really hungry. Do you think we could stop and get me something to eat?"

Sure enough, Pam looks surprised. "Oh, of course! There is a restaurant nearby that Sookie... my Mistress... likes. I will take you there."

I haven't eaten in nearly twenty-four hours, so I could care less where we go. About two miles later we pull into the parking lot of a restaurant, and I can tell by the exterior that it is a very classy place and probably expensive. Glancing down at myself, I realize that a ratty pair of cut-offs and a tank top are not going to cut it. "Pam... ah, I'm not really dressed right for a place like this. They probably won't let me through the door."

She just smirks a bit and drawls, "Don't worry, cupcake. You are with me."

Sure enough, the minute the guy at the door gets a look at Pam, he gushes, "Miss Pam! What a pleasant surprise! Will Mr. and Mrs. Northman be joining you?"

"Not tonight. It will be just the two of us."

Eric and Pam must be really good customers, because the old dude shows us to what is clearly a primo table as proudly as if I was wearing a ball gown and a tiara. Pam lets me order whatever I want, so I go for a nice, thick steak. While I eat, she sips on some sort of specialty blood I never heard of and asks me about myself. Since the real story is something I try not to think about, I make up something much more pleasant. I'm an excellent liar and no matter how smart Pam seems, she's still just a vamp. Generally, I wouldn't be in the least bit worried, but at one point, I glance up and catch the look in those unblinking, frigid blue eyes of hers. It makes me wonder if she already knows that every word leaving my mouth is total bullshit. Hmm. I guess I might need to be more careful with this bunch. As quickly as possible, I change the subject to something that I don't need to lie about.

Once I've finished eating and she's paid the check, we head back to the minivan. As soon as we're both inside, I ask, "So... where to now?"

"Fangtasia, but we have one more stop to make first."

"Fangtasia? I've heard that name. It's a vampire nightclub, right?"

She laughs. "Yes, but it's really more for tourists. Eric and I own it."

They _own_ it? I _knew_ these guys had money! I haven't been to a nightclub in a long time, so I'm looking forward to seeing it... and Eric. With any luck, he'll be there, too. "Sounds great. I _love_ to dance."

Smiling at my enthusiasm, she says indulgently, "Well, I have lots of work to do, but I'm sure we'll have time for a little dancing later. First, though, we need to get something to wear. I have an image to maintain."

A moment later, she pulls up in front of a little boutique which turns out to be absolutely chock-full of the coolest clothes I've ever seen. God! I could go crazy in a place like this! By the way the vampiress who owns the shop greets us, I can tell Pam must spend a boatload of money in here. While she is showing us all the latest things, she says to Pam, "I have some new things that would be perfect for Mrs. Northman, but I have not seen her in a long time. Perhaps you could pass along the message?"

Pam replies abruptly, "Sookie has been out of town visiting relatives." There is no mistaking the irritation in her voice. I catch the look of surprise on the shopkeeper's face. Pam sees it, too, and smoothly adds, "I am sure Eric would like to surprise her with some new things, Emma. Wrap them up and I'll see that she gets them."

The woman scurries off to gather up the items and get them gift-wrapped. Pam helps me pick out several outfits and then follows me into the dressing room. She seems to enjoy watching me as I try on our selections and can't seem to resist running her hands over my bare skin at every opportunity. She ends up buying me _three_ new outfits and a pair of extremely sexy shoes, which I find really encouraging. If it had only been _one_ outfit, I might have been a little worried... but clearly she intends to keep me around for a while. She gets herself a new outfit, too, and the transformation is pretty startling. In that black leather bustier and mini-skirt, she looks a lot more vampire-like and very, very hot. Unexpectedly, I find myself looking forward to more fun and games later.

Since we are heading straight to the club, we wear some of our new purchases and stuff our old clothes in a sack. Emma helps us load everything into the minivan and soon we are on our way. It turns out that our destination is only a few blocks to the west. It is impossible to miss the huge _Fangtasia _splashed in red neon letters across the front of a large building. Oh, man! This place is _much_ bigger than I imagined. From the long line waiting to get in, it's obvious that the club is very, very popular. I bet Pam and Eric need wheelbarrows to cart off all the money a place like this makes. I suddenly find myself bubbling over with excitement. I can hardly wait to see the inside of the club... and Eric.

Totally ignoring the "NO PARKING – FIRE LANE" sign painted on the pavement near the front door, Pam pulls up and stops. As she jumps out, an excited murmur comes from the people waiting to get inside the club. She tosses her keys to an absolutely enormous black vampire who is acting as doorman. He is wearing nothing but a pair of "genie" pants, a pair of sandals, and gold hoop earrings in both ears. "Park this for me, will you, Atticus? I'm running a little late."

"Yes, ma'am," he says politely, "Bill's been waiting on you. He said you'd have a guest with you."

They exchange a few more words. While they are talking, I can't help but stare at him. Black vampires are rare anyway, but this guy is _really_ something. With all those bulging muscles he looks strong enough to tear down the whole building with one hand tied behind his back... plus those earrings and muscular bare chest are _smokin'_ hot. I give him a sexy little smile and in return, he gives me a cool once over... but I can tell by his expression he is clearly not impressed. Well, fuck him! I have _much_ bigger fish to fry than a fucking bouncer!

Obviously something he said has irritated Pam. Muttering to herself, she grabs my arm and leads me inside. As soon as we are through the door, another vampire stops Pam for a brief chat, giving me a chance to look around. The main floor of the club is sunken a couple of steps lower than the entry, and from here I have a fairly good view of the place. From Pam's description, I was expecting something much different. This place is _awesome_! Mainly decorated in red and black, it is everything a vampire bar should be: dark, mysterious, and exciting. The atmosphere is electric! The place is packed with people drinking and talking and laughing and clearly having a great time. The dance floor is overflowing with bodies wildly gyrating to the heavy beat of rock music. Although most of the patrons are human, there are lots of vampires scattered throughout the crowd.

It doesn't take Pam long to finish her conversation. Hooking her arm through mine, she leads me down the steps and into the throng. As they catch sight of Pam, people move aside so that she can easily move through the crowd. Even more amazing, every last one of the vampires gives her a respectful nod as we pass. Well, well, well. Apparently this whole vampire royalty thing is a much bigger deal than I thought. The way Marius always talked about kings and queens with such contempt, I thought "King of the Territory" was just an empty title based on tradition without any real power to go along with it... kind of like most human monarchies these days. If even Eric's Lieutenants get this much respect, then clearly ol' Marius didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

Pam seems to be headed towards a cluster of chairs near the dance floor. Obviously the best seats in the house, they are perfectly positioned for a view of the action. In spite of the crowd, only one of them is occupied... but once we get closer, I see why. The chairs don't match the rest of the décor at all. Carved out of dark wood, they look really old but surprisingly comfortable. Clearly this is special seating reserved for the big wigs. Sure enough, the handsome dark vampire that was with Pam last night is sitting all by himself, absently looking out at the dancers. His fingers are drumming on the arm of his chair, and I can't decide if he looks more bored or aggravated. He, too, is dressed to kill (ha, ha) in a pair of tight-fitting pants and a shirt that shows off his well-built body. This outfit is _much_ more impressive than the boring threads he had on when I first saw him.

From what the bouncer said, this guy Bill has been keeping an eye out for us. His head swivels in our direction, and his eyes lock on to Pam. He watches us approach with no expression on his face, but when we get close enough for conversation (which is pretty damned close, due to the music), he stands and gives Pam a steely glare. "Where have you been?" he growls, "Why haven't you been answering your cell phone? I was just about to come looking for you."

Pam rolls her eyes. "For heaven's sake, Bill! My phone got damaged in the fight last night. We had to stop for food and clothes on the way. What's so urgent? Has something _else_ happened?"

"No. I was just..." he stops himself before he can blurt out "worried," but it is clear that was what he was going to say. Instead, he finishes by saying crossly, "It is _your_ turn for floor duty. You know how much I loathe this."

Completely ignoring his surly mood, Pam pokes him in the ribs and drawls, "But Bill! The vermin clearly adore you. Those pants make your ass look _fantastic_. You are _good_ for business."

"My business is to keep this kingdom running smoothly, not be eye candy for the masses," he responds sourly, "With the ceremony in New Orleans just around the corner, we have a great deal of work to do."

"I _have_ been working. Amy here told me everything she knows about the nest on the drive back from Magnolia. Unfortunately, she knows little of any value. Of course, Sookie will still want to talk to her. Have you and Eric had a chance to question the male we brought back?"

"No. He lost so much blood, he is still incapacitated."

Helpfully, I say, "Seth. His name is Seth."

Ignoring me, he continues, "Eric took the night off. He wants to spend some quality time with Sookie."

Well, shit. I was really looking forward to seeing the big blond hunk again. I am not the only one put off by this news. Pam snorts. "Hmph! Quality time! All that really means is that he's going to be fucking her every five minutes... but I suppose they _haven't_ had much time alone together since she's been back. At least let me borrow your phone so I can call him and report in."

Bill shakes his head firmly. "Not unless you want to get me staked. He does _not_ want to be disturbed, for any reason."

Hm. Mentally, I try to put two and two together. It sounds like maybe this Sookie has been gone for a while. If I was married to a vampire like Eric, I would _never_ let him out of my sight for any reason. This chick must be dumb as a stump. I wonder why they think _she_ needs to question me. Lying to humans is _lots_ easier than lying to vampires.

Pam sighs heavily. "All right. I suppose we had better get to work. Amy, follow me."

With Bill trailing behind us, we cross the room and head down a long hallway. We pass a couple of closed doors before Pam steps into an office with a desk and computer set-up at the far end. Several file cabinets line the wall behind it. A sofa and a couple of chairs are grouped on one side of the room, and a book shelf and several boxes of liquor are stacked against the other. The walls are covered with a hodge-podge of items: Promotional posters for various beers and bands; a couple of funny vampire slogans, such as "Unattended children will be eaten" (at least I assume it is meant to be humorous); two black-and-white art photos of women in bondage gear; a pair of handcuffs lined with pink fur and a matching whip hanging from a hook; an oversized mirror; and a huge cork bulletin board absolutely covered in sticky notes, a work schedule, and miscellaneous other scraps of paper. Stuck around the perimeter are dozens of photographs featuring various special events held at Fangtasia.

Making a bee-line to the desk, Pam plops down in the chair behind it. Bill carefully shuts the door behind him and then motions for me to sit on the sofa. Perching on the arm of a nearby chair, he proceeds to question me again, mostly going over all the same ground that Pam already covered... but he also manages to come up with few new items. Under that chilly, remote exterior, I can tell that he is one smart vampire and maybe not as easy to lie to as most of his kind. It makes me glad that most of what I'm telling him is the truth and nothing but. As for Pam, she watches all this with absolutely no expression on her face. I'll bet she is mentally comparing every answer I give Bill with what I've already told her. In spite of the fact that only a few hours ago she was lapping at my pussy like there was no tomorrow, I have a feeling that if I give the wrong answer she won't hesitate to rip me to shreds.

Fortunately, sticking mostly to the truth makes it easy to be consistent. After a while, Bill seems satisfied. They go out in the hallway and have a quick pow-wow. When she comes back inside, Pam goes back to her desk. Giving me a smile, she says, "I really do have several things that I must see to. While I'm answering my email, I'd like you to open this stack of envelopes. They are RSVP's to a party we're having in a couple of weeks. All you have to do is check the names off this list here."

What? She expects me to _work_? One of the main reasons I like being a vampire's companion is that I don't have to work. Giving her a cute little pout, I tell her, "Paperwork isn't really my thing. Can't someone else do it? Surely you have a secretary or something."

"We have been through a major transition recently and are a bit short-staffed at the moment, " she explains, "Everyone around here has been pitching in until we can hire some new help."

Without thinking, I blurt out, "I bet _Eric's_ companion doesn't have to work."

Instantly, I realize my mistake. Icebergs are warmer than the look the vampiress gives me. "Sookie is much more than just a companion," Pam says coldly, "She is Eric's wife under both human and vampire law. What she does and does not do is no concern of yours. However, I will tell you that she works as hard as any of us. There is not a lazy bone in my Mistress' body."

Somehow, I had the impression that maybe Pam was not too fond of Eric's wife, but I guess I was wrong. Furthermore, if Eric insists that his companions work, maybe I need to re-think a thing or two. Passively, I say, "Hey, I didn't mean it as an insult or anything. I know that most really old vampires don't allow their humans to work. My boyfriend Marius wouldn't hear of it... but maybe Eric isn't as old as I've heard he is."

Pam relaxes a bit. With obvious pride in her voice, she replies, "It is no secret that my Master is over a thousand years old... really. For one so old, he is a _very_ progressive vampire. Sookie would be bored to tears with nothing to do and he knows it. He wishes for her to be happy, so he allows her to work. On the other hand, I am much younger than he is, and _I_ simply cannot abide a lazy human... so here are the envelopes. Get busy."

It takes me over an hour and a half to go through the stack. What a boring job! After I finish my task, Pam relents and takes me up front for some dancing. I'll give her this much, she is an _amazing_ dancer. She has some moves that any stripper would love to copy... the tips would be phenomenal. From the minute we get on the dance floor, it seems like every eye in the place is glued to the two of us. I can tell our dancing is making a bunch of the men super horny, and some of the women, too. By the envy I see in several pairs of eyes, it is clear that most of them would give their front seat in hell to be in my shoes. Jesus, what a total rush! It kind of makes up for having to work.

After a few dances, Pam takes me to sit at the bar while she goes off to make some calls. Before leaving, she introduces me to the two bartenders on duty: an attractive vampiress named Felicia and a really charming male named Steven. They already seem to know who I am and why I am here, and I don't think any of us need to be told that they are supposed to keep an eye on me. After a while, I get bored just watching the crowd. I try to strike up a conversation with Felicia, but she seems a little aloof. Steven is much friendlier, and I try to pump him for as much information as possible without seeming to do so.

Apparently he hasn't been working for Eric all that long, but he seems to think the big blond vampire hung the moon. I think it's pretty funny that Steven seems to be much more intimidated by Pam. Delicately making my way around to the subject of Eric's wife, I ask the bartender what she's like. Getting a far-away look in his eyes, Steven thinks for a minute and then replies, "Sookie? All I can say is that she's pretty special."

Sheesh. What is it about this chick that makes the vampires like her so much? I am beginning to hate her, just on principle, "Well, however special she is, I bet a vampire like Eric needs more than one human to keep him satisfied. Does he have many girlfriends? Or maybe a mistress or two?"

"Oh, no! Eric adores his Bonded. He would nev..."

Before he can finish his sentence, Felicia appears out of nowhere and elbows him ... hard. Instantly, Steven snaps his mouth shut. Eying me like I'm something that got stuck on the bottom of her shoe, she says coldly, "Someone such as yourself could _never_ understand the relationship between our Master and Mistress. They are completely faithful to each other and always will be. Attempting to come between them would not only be a waste of time but extremely dangerous. I would _not_ recommend it."

Assuming my most innocent expression, I laugh and say, "Who, me? You have the wrong idea. I was just making an observation, that's all. I'm very happy to be _Pam's_ friend." I try hard to leave the impression that I _always_ prefer women. The male looks somewhat disappointed, but I'm not sure Felicia is buying it. I think that this vampiress is going to be someone to avoid as much as possible. For whatever reason, it is clear that she is very, very loyal to Eric's wife... but she's just a damned bartender. Someday, she might be sorry that she made that rude comment to me.

Knowing when to change the subject, I ask Steven a question about how to mix a particular drink, and soon they both relax. While he's prattling on about the ingredients of a drink I learned to make when I was about five, I'm busy mentally filing away all the little tidbits I just learned. One thing in particular caught my attention, but that nosy bitch Felicia showed up before I could get details. Steven said that Sookie is Eric's "bonded." I wonder what that means? Somehow, I don't think it has anything to do with S & M. I bet some of the human girls that work here have an idea. It wouldn't hurt to get friendly with a couple of them just to see what they know. Once I get Pam to trust me enough to let me off this short leash, then I can get busy and _really_ find out some stuff. For now, I'll just have to bide my time.

The rest of the night passes fairly quickly. By the time Pam is ready to go, the bar is closed for the night. We find the minivan parked in the alley behind Fangtasia. Pam points out a nasty old building on the other side of the alley and tells me they are about to use it to expand. It looks like nothing but rat-infested bulldozer bait to me, but this time I manage to keep my mouth shut. It's pretty late, so I figure I'm finally going to get to see where this nest lives. I am _really_ looking forward to seeing Eric again. I remind myself that no matter what happens, when I get introduced to Sookie I have to be extra nice to her.

About fifteen minutes later, Pam turns off into an upper-middle class neighborhood. We slow down when we come to a fairly large ranch-style house with nice landscaping. Is this _really_ it? It's so... boring. I expected the place to be much bigger and more modern-looking, and once again I wonder if I am wrong about Eric being rich. A bright yellow VW bug is parked out front and I wonder if it belongs to Sookie or maybe another member of the nest I have yet to meet. We pull into the driveway and Pam uses a remote to open a door to the three-car garage. There is a sexy little Mercedes convertible parked in one bay. Oh, man, I just _knew_ Eric would have a car like that! Now I really am excited because that means he is here. There is no sign of Bill's Cadillac, so he must not be home yet.

I follow Pam inside. We pass through a utility room and into a tiny kitchen which seems much too small for the rest of the house. A woman wearing an all-white maid's uniform is standing in front of an immaculate stainless steel refrigerator. She is unloading a sack of groceries onto shelves that up until now clearly only held synthetic blood. What the hell? Doesn't this Sookie girl eat? Wait a minute... is it possible that Eric's human does not live with the nest? It would be a little weird, but with vampires, who the hell knows? Putting the last item on the shelf, the woman closes the door and then turns and gives Pam a smile. "Good evening, Miss Pam," she says in a very proper English accent. "Did you have a good night?"

"Yes, Matilda, I did. This is Amy. Amy... Matilda. There are some packages in the van that need unloading. After that, I imagine Amy could use a snack. Oh... and before I forget, I need a new cell phone. Please call Penelope and tell her to handle it."

Pam rattles off these orders as if she has had servants her entire life. Come to think of it, I bet she has. She's one of those lucky bitches that's been taken care of her entire life _and_ death. Vampire or human, women like her have no idea what it's like to have to suck a stranger's dick so you can pay the rent. I _hate_ those kinds of women. Still, I have to admit it will be nice to have a servant waiting on me for a change, so I had better play nice. Swallowing back my resentment, I give my meal-ticket the best smile I can muster. Taking my arm, Pam leads me into a comfortably furnished den. Looking around, I ask curiously, "Where's Eric?"

The vampiress looks at me as if I have lost my mind. "Eric? What on Earth would Eric be doing here at this time of night?"

"Isn't that his car in the garage?"

"No, that car is mine. I hardly ever drive it." Narrowing her eyes, she gives me another chilly look. "You seem disappointed. I suppose you were hoping to see him again."

Ah, shit. I should have known better! All vampires are extremely possessive and prone to jealousy. I need to do a little damage control, fast. Soothingly, I tell her, "I wasn't hoping to see Eric at all, I just thought I would. This house isn't that big. I figured running into him would be unavoidable."

"Why would you, you silly girl? My Master does not live here."

Huh? Thoroughly surprised, I blurt out, "He doesn't? I've never heard of a nest that doesn't live together."

"Nest? Whatever gave you the idea we live in a nest?"

"Ah... no offense, but you all seem so... close. I just assumed..."

Still miffed, she says, "Stop assuming. Eric is my Maker and my King but _not_ my Elder. I am _much_ too independent to live in a nest. I live here alone and I like it that way."

Wow. She sounds kind of defensive. I wonder if she once wanted to be in a nest that wouldn't accept her... so even if she _has_ been pampered her whole life, maybe she knows what rejection feels like. Suddenly, I like her a little better. I reach out and run my fingers lightly over her arm. "Actually, that's _very_ good news," I say in a sultry voice, "That means I have you all to myself. Now, why don't you show me your bedroom?"

We manage to get in a very satisfactory round of sex before the maid has my meal ready. Pam orders her to serve me in bed, which is a first for me. I could get used to this kind of treatment in a hurry... and in fact, I intend to. Afterward, we have what Pam calls "a little slap and tickle session" in a playroom she has set up in one of the spare bedrooms. Just before dawn, she shows me to the guest bedroom and almost seems apologetic when she locks me inside. The room is clearly intended for vampire guests, because there are no windows and there is a pretty hefty dead-bolt on the door (which Pam was careful to lock from the outside.)

My duffle bag and purse is sitting in a chair by the bed, and the maid has already hung my new clothes in the closet. There is a bowl of fruit on the bedside table, so at least I won't starve before tomorrow night. In fact, in the dressing area I find a mini-fridge stocked with a couple of sandwiches and some soft drinks. I guess Pam is a fast learner. I think about taking a bath, but I'm just too worn out. The last couple of days have been pretty hectic. Yawning, I crawl under the covers and the second my head hits the pillow, I'm out like a light.

Even though I was completely exhausted when I went to bed, I wake up around noon just like I always do. Once I started hanging with vampires, I deliberately adjusted my sleeping patterns so I could be available when they wanted me. However, I also trained myself to get up for a couple of hours during the day. Being able to get a little sunshine keeps me feeling healthy, but mainly I do it because of the sense of power it gives me. Vampires are these incredibly powerful creatures at night, but during the day they are totally vulnerable. Knowing that I can stake one whenever I want is a real rush. Vampires can be really cruel sometimes, but once they think of you as "theirs" it can be very hard to get away from them. When one of them treats me too badly I just visualize standing over him with a nice, sharp stake and ramming it right through his rotten heart. When I start having that fantasy all the time, I know it is time to start making plans to move on. The only vampire I never once considered staking was my very first. Of all the vampires I've been with since, I guess I came closest to actually loving him.

I try not to think about Freddie too often because it inevitably leads me back to remembering what my life was like before I met him... but somehow today I just can't stop myself. Unlike that bullshit story I made up for Pam, my early life was so bad it was almost a cliché. My dad died when I was little, and after an endless string of loser boyfriends, my mom remarried when I was about nine or ten. They were both alcoholics, and when old Roy got a snootful he went from a fairly nice guy to a mean son-of-a-bitch in no time. Once he was drunk, there was no pleasing him. I can't count all the beatings I got for the most insignificant stuff. That wasn't the worst of it, though, not by a long way.

My mother had once been a real beauty, but all the drinking had taken its toll. By the time I was fourteen, she had turned into this ugly old hag who could hardly function, much less keep a man happy in bed. Roy was startling to get restless, and I had hopes he was going to move on... but then that old bitch Mother Nature finally showed up and gave me breasts. Suddenly, dear old "Daddy" started paying me way more attention than he usually did... and not in a good way. For a long time, he didn't do much but find lots of excuses to "accidentally" brush up against me or barge in on me when I was in the shower... but on the night of my fifteenth birthday, he waited until mom passed out and then "taught me what being a woman was all about." Ugh. I tried to tell my mom about it, but she didn't believe me. She said I was a drama queen who just wanted attention, and that I had basically ruined her life by being born in the first place. After that, old Roy could hardly wait 'til mom passed out so he could shag me. I didn't bother whining to anybody else about it. If my own mother wouldn't believe me, I figured no one else would either. I had no one to turn to and nowhere to go. I was too young to legally get a job to support myself, so I just decided to bide my time until I turned sixteen and could make my escape.

After awhile, it occurred to me that maybe I could use the whole sex thing to my advantage. I figured out pretty quick what floated old Roy's boat, and before long he was so hooked on having sex with me that he would just do anything to keep it coming … pun intended. He especially liked tying me up and doing nasty things to me, but I pitched a fit unless he paid me for it. One night, he got drunk and passed out before he unlocked my handcuffs, and I had to spend the whole night chained to the headboard. Not only was it really uncomfortable, I had drunk way too much coke before bedtime and ended up making a huge mess. There isn't any way to describe how humiliating that is.

Given how much he drank, I knew it was bound to happen again. The guy two trailers down was a locksmith, so I struck up a "friendship" with him in return for him teaching me how to pick locks. Besides the practical skills he taught me, he usually had some cash in his wallet, and I learned to liberate a few bucks here and there while he was in the shower... but never enough so that he'd notice. Over the next few months I saved up every penny I could beg, borrow, or steal and the night of my sixteenth birthday I made my break. I was such a little idiot, I thought $1200 was a fortune and would see me through until I could get a real job and then my life would be wonderful.

We lived in a little podunk town in Georgia, so the night I left I simply walked to the highway and hitched a ride with the first trucker who would stop for me. For a blow-job, he took me all the way to Macon. The next day I was able to rent a tiny, dirt-cheap efficiency apartment in a crummy part of town. Even though I was way under-age, it was the kind of place that didn't ask many questions. I had planned on getting a job as an exotic dancer because I heard it paid really well, but it turns out that employers are really picky about hiring girls that are of legal age and can prove it. Over the next year, I worked a series of minimum wage jobs, mostly at burger joints... although I did land a gig at a voodoo shop for a few weeks. It was a mom and pop place, and the pay was fairly decent. I really liked it... except that mom caught me blowing pop for a little extra cash and took a dim view of it. Unbelievably, the two of them really believed in the crap they were selling. As she was throwing me out the door, the lady yelled that she was going to curse me so that I would have nothing but bad luck for the rest of my life. I told her not to bother, because someone had obviously already beaten her to it.

After that, it was back to the burger joints for me. That kind of work is really hard for practically no money, and I kept getting fired for bullshit excuses. It turns out living on minimum wage is practically impossible. I thought about using my lock-picking skills to become a burglar, but I had a serious fear of getting caught and going to prison. Once the nest-egg ran out, I had to start turning a few tricks just to make ends meet. I was very careful _not_ to get caught doing that.

The Great Revelation came a couple of months after my seventeenth birthday. To tell the truth, I wasn't all that shocked. By then, I had met so many freaks that vampires didn't really seem all that weird to me. For once, luck was shining down on me, because the very first vampire I ever met was Freddie. The bar I used to pick up "dates" was one of the first in Macon to start serving TrueBlood, and he was one of the first vampires to come in. I had never seen a vampire except on TV, and I kept sneaking glances at him when I thought he wasn't looking... but every time I did I found him staring back at me. He wasn't all that handsome, but there was just something about him... the same irresistible mixture of mystery, danger and elegance that most vampires have. He sat at the bar watching me for a long time before he approached me. I'll say this for him... he was up front about what he wanted. Getting bitten didn't sound any kinkier than any of the other things I had done to me, and he was certainly cleaner and better dressed than most of my clients, so I agreed; but, I was savvy enough to charge twice what I usually did. He agreed to it without batting an eye.

I took him back to my place. I figured that most of the stuff I had seen in horror movies was just Hollywood bullshit; so imagine my surprise when I found out that a vampire really _did_ have to be invited inside a human's house. That wasn't the only thing about him that was different, though, and I don't mean the obvious. He was just so much classier than the human men I knew... for the very first time, I was a little embarrassed for someone to see how small and dingy my apartment was. Freddie didn't seem to notice, though. He was completely focused on me and nothing else.

That night, my life changed dramatically. I found out three things... that vampires think my blood is extra tasty, that they almost always have plenty of money, and that they can fuck like nobody's business. I had never really enjoyed sex right up until I slept with Freddie. No "wham-bam, thank you ma'am" for that vampire. He took his time and made sure I was getting as much pleasure as I was giving. He was the very first male in my life to do that... and when he bit me, I climaxed so hard I literally saw stars. That was all it took. From that night forward, I was totally addicted to having sex with vampires. I crave that little bite during sex... it's the only way I can get off. Human men just don't do it for me.

Well, anyway, in those days I wasn't used to staying up all night, so I fell asleep lying cradled in the vampire's arms. I _never_ did this on a date before, but in some strange way he made me feel safe and protected. Of course, he vanished sometime before dawn and I figured I would never see him again. However, a couple of nights later Freddie came looking for me. He said he couldn't get the taste of my blood out of his head, which was good news for me since I couldn't get the memory of what his bite felt like out of mine. Instead of going back to my place, we checked into a nice hotel and had more mind-blowing sex. As much as I wanted to stay awake, I had worked a double shift at the burger hut that day and was totally exhausted, so after the second round of intense orgasms, I fell asleep. I slept so soundly I never even knew it when he slipped out of the room.

I was hoping he would come around again the next night, but when I hadn't seen him in nearly two weeks, I figured he had moved on. After being with him, the thought of having sex with human men was totally unappealing, but funds were running low and rent was overdue. I went to the bar, rounded up a paying customer, and took him back to my place. I had been with this guy before and knew he liked anal sex, which I wasn't all that crazy about... but he was willing to pay more for it, and I really needed the cash. It was hot as hell that night, and humid, too. As usual, the crappy little window unit wasn't working. I lived in an awful neighborhood, but seeing as how I was on the second floor, I figured it was safe to leave the sliding glass door to the balcony open for ventilation.

After collecting my money up front, I got out some lube and put a condom on my client (back when I was dating humans, I was always super-paranoid about diseases and stuff). I got on the bed and got on my hands and knees, and he climbed up behind me. He was just shoving it in, when I heard a "whooshing" sound and a second later, I was alone on the bed. My customer yelped, "What the FUCK!"

Snapping my head around, I was shocked to see the man dangling from the end of Freddie's upraised hand. The vampire's eyes were normally a beautiful chocolate brown, but now they were nearly black with anger. Fangs down, he hissed at the man, "_What do you think you are doing_?"

In his terror, the man babbled, "Hey, man! She's a whore! I paid already, I swear!"

Giving him a little shake, Freddie said coldly, "This woman is _mine_. Never come near her again. Do you understand?"

"Sure, man, whatever you say! Just let me get dressed and you'll never see me again!"

"You can dress outside." Freddie carted the squirming man out to the balcony and casually tossed him over the railing. A second later, his clothes and his money went flying after him. From the string of curses coming from below, I knew the man was still alive, but I got up and ran to the railing to see if he was badly hurt. The thick shrubs below had broken his fall, and apparently the only damage was some minor scratches. A moment later, he had recovered enough to snatch up his jeans and boots. The last I saw of him, he was hauling ass towards his car, still completely starko.

I was in such shock, all I could think to say was, "Hey! I needed that money to pay the rent!"

With a growl, Freddie snatched me up and hauled me back to bed. He threw me face down on the mattress, and a second later, he was completing the task the other guy had barely started. He wasn't all that gentle about it, either. As he thrust into me, he said, "You are mine now. You will _never_ let another man do this to you... ever. Swear it!"

It seemed a poor time to argue. I gasped out, "Okay, I swear."

"I want to hear you say you are mine."

"Freddie, I belong to you and no one else," I said obediently. My words seemed to get him_ really_ stirred up, and as crazy as it sounds, his possessiveness was a real turn-on for me, too. After giving me a pretty good pounding, he leaned forward and sank his fangs into my shoulder. The mixture of pleasure and pain was so intense, I nearly passed out. After it was all over, he picked me up and carried me into my tiny bathroom. He filled the tub with hot water and bathed me as tenderly as if I was a newborn baby. While he was washing me, he explained, "I tried to stay away from you. These are dangerous times for vampires, and to get involved with a human right now is madness. I satisfied my desire to see you again by merely watching you from afar... until tonight. I simply could not stand to see another man take you in that fashion."

He sounded a little embarrassed by that idea. By that time, I had regained my wits and said, "Listen, Freddie, I like you, too... but if I can't date other guys, you are going to have to help with the rent."

Giving me one of those mysterious smiles of his, he said, "Let me worry about that."

That very night, we packed up my stuff and I went to live with him. I quit my job and adjusted my hours so I could be with him when he was awake. I had my own room and most of the time he slept in a vault under the house. I discovered right away that Freddie didn't like me asking too many questions, and in fact I never did find out where his money came from. He would be gone two or three nights a week doing god knows what. I always figured he was out feeding from other women. As much as I enjoyed his bite, I couldn't feed him all the time and still stay healthy. Plus, it was nice to have some time to myself. I had never had satellite TV before, so I had a great time watching shows and doing my hair and nails while he was gone.

Even though he was so secretive, over time we did get to know each other a little. I found out that he was nearly a hundred and ten years old (which at the time I thought was really old... now I know better) and that he had been born in Georgia. One night I told him all about my mom and stepdad. A couple of days later, I saw on the local news that dear old Roy had been found murdered in a particularly messy and painful way. I don't know how, exactly, but I knew right away that my vampire had done it. That was when I came closest to actually falling in love with Freddie. It was the first time someone had ever stood up for me in my whole crummy life. I absolutely adored the idea that nobody was going to be able to mess with me as long as I was his.

Unfortunately, in those early days Macon, Georgia was not the best place for vampires to live openly. One night, we went out dancing. On our way out to the car, four guys in masks ran up, threw a silver net over Freddie, wrestled him to the ground, and then staked him right there on the parking lot. Next to my fifteenth birthday, that was the worst night of my life. Not only was I out of a great boyfriend, I was going to have to go back to work.

Not having anywhere else to go, I hung around Freddie's house until the lawyers threw me out. By then, I had pawned some of his valuables and generated enough cash to tide me over for a little while. I was absolutely sick of Macon, Georgia, so I bought myself a bus ticket to Miami. For the next several years, I drifted around the South. It took me awhile to figure out how to find vampire "dates," but eventually I got pretty good at it. Even though most of them were extremely secretive, I kept my eyes and ears open and learned a few things... for example, it didn't take me long to discover that the older the vampire, the richer they are... and that their human companions are generally not allowed to work. Most of my "friends" tended to be on the young side (not newly-made, 'cause they are just too dangerous), but my long-term plan was to find a vampire that was old and wealthy, get him hooked on my blood, be a pampered companion for a couple of years, and then get him to turn me before I got too old... but finding a vampire that fit the bill turned out to be _much_ harder than I expected.

Eventually, I got a job at a casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, and that was where I hooked up with Marius. He wasn't the best-looking vampire on the planet, but he was by far the oldest one I had ever met. He claimed to be nearly 500 years old, which I thought was fucking _ancient_... until now. By the way he threw around money, I just knew he _had_ to be rich. By the time I met him, I was totally sick of working, so I put a lot of effort into getting him to make me "his." It wasn't long before I was living with him and his nest. Almost immediately, I knew I had made a huge mistake, but by then it was too late. Marius was old and strong, but he wasn't really rich like I thought. He had been once but apparently he lost most of it gambling. Even the fancy house he was living in belonged to someone else. He was really good at sex, though, and he wouldn't hear of me working... which suited me right down to the ground.

One thing led to another and eventually we ended up in Magnolia, Arkansas. I wasn't too crazy about it because it reminded me way too much of the crappy town I was from. From the minute we got there, Marius was on edge. He was always having hushed conversations with someone on the phone, and it became clear he was plotting something big. I asked him what was going on, but all he would tell me was that soon we would be living in the lap of luxury. By then I had figured out old Marius was not wrapped too tight and even if he did somehow manage to get his hands on a bunch of money, he would still be a horrible Maker. I had already started to have my old fantasy of staking him in his sleep when the King of Louisiana and his posse rolled into town.

From the minute I laid eyes on this new bunch of vampires, I knew my life was about to take a huge turn for the better. I could see right away they were a cut above the rag-tag nest I was living with, and maybe even better than Freddie. That Eric is one gorgeous hunk of dead flesh, and he has _the_ sexiest fangs I have ever seen. He is nothing at all like I expected. Marius and Seth talked about him all the time when they thought I couldn't hear them. They made him sound like a pussy, but anyone in their right mind can see he is anything _but_ weak. I don't know the first thing about vampire royalty, but I bet they are just about as well-connected as it's possible to get... and probably filthy rich. Pam already confirmed that Eric's actually over 1000, so if it turns out that he's as wealthy as I think he might be, my search for a Maker is over.

It really is too bad that he's married, but I'm not about to let such a minor detail get in my way. In spite of all that talk about how much this Sookie pleases him, I'm sure I saw some interest in me in those cold blue eyes of his. No matter what the bartenders seem to think, there is no way in hell he's faithful to her. Vampires just aren't made that way. I'll just bide my time and wait for the right opportunity. According to every vampire that has ever bitten me, my blood is really delicious and damned near addicting. If I can just get Eric to taste me, he'll be hooked. Not only is my blood better than most humans, I bet I know lots more about how to please a vampire sexually than ninety-nine percent of women on the planet. I can start out as a mistress and move my way up. With any luck, one day in the not too distant future, sweet wonderful wifey will be history.

Until then, I guess I'll have to keep this Pam chick happy. I've never been opposed to a little rug-munching, but overall I prefer men. Sooner or later it's going to get boring with no cock involved... but maybe I can talk her into a three-way with Bill. Even if he is too serious for my taste, he is movie-star handsome and I wouldn't mind fucking him at all. By some of the looks I saw Pam giving him when he wasn't looking, I have a feeling she might be thinking the same thing. That is, until they get into another argument and then she looks like she'd love to smack him a good one instead. They must have some kind of love-hate thing going on. I still haven't quite figured out the dynamics of this group, and it may take me awhile to sort it all out. They just don't act like any of the vampires I've ever known.

What I need is more information. Instead of laying around in bed all day thinking about the past, maybe this would be a good time to do a little snooping. I heard the maid's VW fire up and leave just before dawn, so the coast should be clear. After making a quick trip to the bathroom, I head straight for my purse. Pouring the contents on the bed, I reach into the seemingly empty bag and pull out the stiff flap which looks like the bottom of the purse but isn't. It's really a piece of cardboard covered in black fabric and stuck in place with Velcro. Underneath is where I keep my extremely illegal set of lock picks. They are my most prized possession, a parting gift from my buddy the locksmith. While I was packing up my stuff at the farmhouse in Magnolia, Pam looked through everything pretty carefully... but luckily she missed them.

Crossing the room, I study the deadbolt more closely. It is a high-quality lock, but given enough time and patience, I know I can defeat it. I choose the proper set of picks and set to work. As it turns out, I get lucky and have it open in much less time than I had planned. As quiet as a mouse, I open the door and listen. I figure the house is empty except for me and Pam, and sure enough, I hear nothing. Cautiously, I stick my head into the hall. Still nothing.

Once I am sure I am the only living thing in the house, I take my time and have a good look around. Pam must be a neat freak because everything is neat as a pin. I wonder how often the maid comes to keep it like this. Unlike Pam's office at Fangtasia, the furnishings here are obviously expensive. She really needs some new artwork, though. These paintings are old-fashioned and boring, and some of them are so old they are cracking. There are also several pieces of framed needlework. Jesus! It makes it look like someone's grandmother lives here.

On either side of the fireplace are shelves full of books, which I pass without bothering to look at the titles. Every time I see anything with a drawer, I check it out. Some are empty, the rest contain mundane items. Beside one comfortable-looking chair is a large canvas bag which holds a partially done needlepoint project. Who could possibly have enough patience for crap like that... and why would they want to? Could it possibly belong to... Pam? A hard-assed vamp like her, doing this stuff? Nah. It must belong to the maid.

Finding nothing else of interest in the den, I move on to the formal living room. The most noticeable feature of this room is a baby grand piano with several photographs in old-fashioned frames carefully arranged on top. I go over to look at them, and the first one I pick up is of Eric, Pam, and some other really handsome dude with a close-cut beard. They are posing for the camera dressed in Victorian clothes. At first I think it was made in one of those places at fairs where you can dress up in costumes... but when I look more closely, I realize that this is the real deal. Man, they all look so stiff and serious! I wonder if the photographer told them not to smile, or if they were just afraid to show their fangs in those days. Setting the frame back in its place, I glance quickly at the others. Most of them feature one of the three taken at various times over the last hundred-odd years, but a few are of vampires that I haven't met yet. I just don't get it. What is the point of having your picture made all the time if you always look the same? Shaking my head, I move on.

Across the room is a secretary that looks promising, but the cubbyholes inside only hold blank stationary, a few letters from Eric, and some old love letters from some guy named Robert. Behind the glass-fronted doors of the top half are displayed many small items that look old, valuable, and very pawn-able. One of them in particular catches my eye. It is a tiny little portrait in a carved ivory frame. It is of a woman who looks enough like me to be... me! Same eyes, same color hair, same face... huh. I wonder who this woman was. Somehow finding this picture makes me feel... creepy.

Trying to shake off the heebie-jeebies, I take a quick turn around the dining room, which contains a table and chairs but little else. Next is the postage stamp-sized kitchen. Surprisingly, there is a minimal amount of cookware and dishes and utensils that all look brand-spanking new. A couple of cabinets hold a ton of fancy crystal glasses in a wide variety of patterns and colors. No swigging TrueBlood out of a bottle for Pam! As far as I'm concerned, though, the most important thing in the entire kitchen is sitting on the counter top nearest the back door... Pam's purse.

Eagerly, I look inside. The handbag contains cosmetics, the pair of handcuffs from Magnolia, a hairbrush, a thin length of silver chain carefully packed in a pouch, a pair of leather gloves, a wallet, and a lacy handkerchief with a small drop of blood on one corner. In the wallet is a driver's license which shows Pam's birth year... but I've never been good at math and I certainly can't do it in my head... but clearly she is not over two hundred yet. Huh. I figured her to be lots older than that. Now I know for sure she's not Maker material.

Also in the wallet are several credit cards and a little over $2000 in cash. Oh, man! Who carries that kind of money around? Excitedly, I calculate how much I can take without her missing any. I ease out a couple of twenties and a ten... but then I reconsider. I am playing a long game here. Is it worth getting busted over fifty bucks when my whole future is at stake? Regretfully, I slide the money back in the wallet and return it to the purse.

I doubt there is anything worth looking at in the garage or the other spare bedrooms... that leaves only Pam's room. Returning to my bedroom, I grab my picks and head to the end of the hallway. There are not one but two locks on this door, and they are both a lot more sophisticated than the one on my door. I tackle the top one first, and it is a real booger. I am concentrating so hard that at first I completely miss the sound of a car pulling up in the driveway. It isn't until the garage door starts to go up that I snap to the fact that someone is here! Shit!

Scrambling to my feet, I run back to my room faster than a scalded cat. Quickly, but silently I pull my door shut just as the door into the utility room opens. Heart pounding, I fumble with my picks until I hear the tumblers fall back into place. With my ear pressed to the door, I try to figure out who is here and why... but it's impossible to tell. Getting a grip on myself, I finally realize it doesn't matter. I was careful to leave no trace that I was ever out of my room. Glancing at the clock, I see that my snooping expedition has taken longer than I expected. Chances are I'll be up all night, so I had better try to get some sleep... but the adrenaline rush makes it difficult. Grabbing a sandwich and a drink out of the minifridge, I climb back in bed. I find the remote, click on the TV and tune in to _Judge Judy_. As soon as she issues the last verdict, I close my eyes for a long afternoon nap.

The next thing I know, the door to my room is being unlocked. Opening one eye, I blearily watch the door swing open. Thoroughly expecting to see Pam, I am surprised when a tall dark-haired woman steps inside. Seeing her white uniform, I figure it's another maid. "What do you want?" I ask rather rudely. I'm not much of a morning person or an evening one, either.

"It is just after first dark. Miss Pam instructed me to check on you, and see if you would like something to eat."

"Where's Pam?"

The woman smiles. "The Mistress is not overly fond of talking when she first rises. She will be along directly. Now, can I fix you something to eat?"

Rolling over, I grunt, "No. I'm going back to sleep."

"Very well, ma'am."

Sometime later, I find myself being shaken awake. I open my eyes again, this time to see a fully dressed Pam grinning down at me. "I declare, Amy, you sleep like the dead."

"Wha...? What time is it?"

"Way past dark," she informs me, "I have a great deal of work to do, so I need to get to the club. We'll both get a bite once we get there." She says this with a shark-like grin.

More work? Shit! "Oh, man! Do we have to? Let's just stay here tonight and watch some movies or something." I give her a sultry smile, leaving no doubt as to the nature of the "something."

Shaking her head, she replies, "As enticing as that sounds, I have a job to do. This kingdom does not run itself. Now get up and get dressed, you lazy girl."

Grabbing the covers, she throws them back... and immediately wrinkles her nose. "Phew! You need a bath. I _loathe_ smelly humans."

Less than an hour later, we walk through the back door of Fangtasia. Bill is nowhere to be seen, so I guess he hasn't arrived yet. Once we're in her office, Pam lets me order some food to be delivered. I look through the yellow pages and find a pizza joint that has a "vampire lover's special"... no garlic in the sauce. While I'm looking through the phone book, Pam goes straight to her desk to check her emails. Looking over at me, she says, "Sugarpuff, go to the front and get me a blood, will you? I prefer AB negative. Oh... and don't get any ideas about running off, you hear? I've got too much to do tonight to be chasing you down."

Is she kidding? Shaking my head, I say, "I don't get it. With all of those fangbangers out front hoping and praying to be bitten, why on earth do you drink the bottled stuff? How about if I pick one out for you and bring her back here?"

My question clearly surprises her. "You would do that? It wouldn't... offend you?"

"No," I answer truthfully, "Why would it? It's just nutrition, right?"

"Er... right. It's just that Sookie... well, never mind. For now, I will have bottled."

It is still relatively early, but the bar is already in full swing. Apparently there are a couple of human bartenders that open the place before sunset, and then the vampires take over later on. Steven has already arrived so I get priority treatment, and before long I'm headed back to Pam's office with a warmed bottle in hand. Just as I get to the open door, I hear Bill's voice saying, "What is it about this girl that attracts you? She is not very..."

I come to an abrupt halt and listen to Pam's response. "Not very _what_, Bill?" the vampiress says defensively, "Beautiful? Useful? Intelligent? I think she is all those things."

"I was going to say well-bred. One night stands with humans like that are one thing, but if you're thinking of keeping her..."

"Bill Compton, you are such a snob! She just needs a little training."

He hesitates a moment and then says more slowly, "I suppose that _was_ rude of me, and I apologize. I seem to be a bit out of sorts this evening. Still, I must caution you to be careful, Pam. This girl is an unknown quantity. It isn't safe to trust her."

"Ha! That's rich, coming from you. You brought Sookie into the middle of things right from the start."

"If I had been allowed a choice, I would have kept her as away from vampire affairs as possible."

Huh. It sounds like Sookie once belonged to Bill. That is a very interesting piece of information, since it means that Eric has no problem taking a human away from an underling. Sarcastically, Pam replies, "Just think... if you _had_ managed to do that, she would never have met Eric. You two could still be playing house in Bon Temps."

In his chilly voice, Bill replies, "A Fated couple will always find each other, Pam. I could have taken Sookie to live on the moon and Eric would have found her."

Fated couple? Jesus, how corny. He makes them sound like Romeo and Juliet or something. Not wanting to hear anymore, I step inside the office. "Here's your blood, Pam. They were out of AB, but Steven said you like O positive, too. Hi, Bill. How's it hanging?"

The next couple of hours are mostly boring as hell. As soon as I finish eating my pizza, Pam makes me help Felicia do the weekly inventory in the stock room while she makes some business calls. We have barely started when the bartender gets called to the front. She leaves me in the back counting boxes of cocktail napkins. She hasn't been gone very long when what I thought was a built-in set of shelves along one wall begins to move. Startled nearly out of my wits, I stand rooted in place for a moment... but then instinct takes over and I duck down behind a column of beer cases. A split-second later, Bill comes popping out of the secret doorway carrying a couple of empty bottles with straws stuck in them. Not even daring to breathe, I stay as still as I possibly can and pray he can't hear my frantic heartbeat. Luckily, the vampire never even glances in my direction. After carefully swinging the shelf/door back into place, he opens the regular door into the hallway and steps out. Immediately I let out a huge sigh of relief.

For a split-second I think about seeing what's behind the secret entrance, but I am too afraid of getting caught. It is just as well, too, because it isn't long before Felicia is back. I pretend to be busy counting boxes while going over what I just saw in my mind. It doesn't take me long to figure out that the concealed doorway must lead to a basement. I bet that's where they are keeping Seth. Even though he isn't the smartest vampire on the planet, I've always liked Seth well enough; but trying to rescue him would be plain stupid, so I just shove the whole thing out of my mind for now.

Once Felicia and I are finished, Pam browbeats Bill into taking "floor duty," and gives him the added task of keeping an eye on me while he's at it... so now the two of us are sitting out in the bar, watching the crowd watch us. I'll say this for Bill... he may be a snob but at least he's polite. He attempts to carry on a conversation in spite of the fact that we clearly have nothing at all in common. The other times I have been around him, he has always seemed very calm and composed, but tonight he is antsy and out of sorts. Trying to sound as if I don't really care one way or the other, I ask, "Bill, is Eric coming in tonight?"

A slight frown crosses his handsome face. "Yes, I was expecting them before now. In fact I..."

Every so often, he trails off in the middle of a sentence and gets a far-off look, as if he's listening hard for something that he can't quite hear... like now. Lightly touching his arm to get his attention, I ask, "Does Sookie always come with him? Doesn't that cramp his style a little?"

"Of course not. She is his Bonded. They are practically inseparable, as it should be."

There is that word "bonded" again. I am burning to ask Bill what it means, but he doesn't strike me as the type to give away vampire secrets. Instead, I say, "I haven't met her yet. What is she like?"

I expect him to say something about how beautiful she is, or how smart, or even "well-bred"... but instead, he thinks for a minute before replying. "Sookie is... a force of nature. She and Eric are two of a kind. You will see."

I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. What is it with this chick? Everyone talks about her like she's a goddess or something! She's just human, same as me. Before I can think of any more questions, one of the waitresses comes over to see if we want anything. After taking Bill's order for a bottle of O positive, she turns to me with a friendly grin. "Hi! I'm Julie. Can I get you anything?"

Unlike most of the other humans on staff here, this girl is seriously ugly. I wonder how she ever got hired in the first place. However, anyone that's worked here for long probably knows a lot of stuff worth knowing. Someone so unattractive probably doesn't have too many friends, so it might be easier to play up to her and get some information. Giving her my best smile, I said, "Nice to meet you, Julie. I'm Amy. I'll take a Jack-and-Coke, thanks."

Trying to figure out how to get her alone for a little chat, I keep my eye on her as she heads back to the bar.. but then, I catch sight of Pam hurrying through the crowd in our direction. I can tell by the look on her face that something's up. Bill can see it, too, and he immediately rises from his chair as if bracing himself for bad news. Before Pam can even say a word, he states flatly, "It's Sookie, isn't it?"

"Yes. Eric just called." Pam pulls Bill's head down and begins to whisper urgently in his ear. I can't hear a thing, but whatever it is makes Bill look increasingly grim. Once she's finished, he nods sharply. His head comes up and his cold blue eyes begin to scan the crowd. They come to light on a really unattractive fangbanger standing by herself at the bar. Her short bleached-blond hair is styled in spikes with magenta tips, and a row of piercings run along the ridge of each ear. She is wearing black hip huggers and a crop-top which reveals both the tramp-stamp across her lower back and the roll of pudge around her middle. That is _so_ not a good look for her! I can hardly believe it when Bill takes off in her direction. A minute later he slides in next to her and starts chatting her up. What the hell? Why would a vampire as gorgeous as Bill hit on a woman that ugly?

Seemingly unsurprised by this, Pam glances at me and orders, "Sit here and wait."

Abruptly she takes off towards the other side of the room. Curious, I watch her prowl through the crowd. A moment later, she approaches a girl who is even uglier than the one Bill is talking to. What is this, some sort of "Who Can Pick Up the Ugliest Human" contest? I watch the girl carefully. As she listens to whatever Pam is saying, her face lights up like she just won the lottery. She nods vigorously a few times, grabs her purse, and begins to walk in my direction. When she gets to the "reserved seating" she gives me a nervous smile and says, "Hi! I'm Tess. Pam told me to wait here with you."

I want to ask her what the hell is going on, but I don't want her to know I'm not in the loop... so I just shrug casually and say, "Okay. Have a seat."

Eyes gleaming, she quickly looks over the available seats. She ends up picking the one next to the chair Bill just vacated, which is larger and even more heavily carved than the others. She glances around nervously before slowly lowering herself into the chair. By the way she wriggles and sighs when her butt hits the seat, I don't know whether she's going to pee her pants or pass out from the excitement. Rolling my eyes, I say sarcastically, "Just chill, okay? It's only a damned chair."

"Oh, no, it's _not_!" she responds breathlessly, "This is the Master's chair."

"The 'Master'? Oh, you must mean Eric. Uh... do you work for him?"

"No. I just come here a lot. That's what the staff here always calls him and so now the regulars do, too. I saw you dancing with Pam last night. Are you her companion now?"

My eyes travel back to Pam, who has now moved on to another woman. Her new target is marginally more attractive than the last one but not by much. Still wondering what in the hell is going on, I absently reply, "Uh huh."

The girl continues to prattle on. "I knew you must be, because you're the first girl any of us have ever seen with her two nights in a row."

Huh. Obviously this girl's been here a lot and might know a thing or two. I'm just about to ask her a couple of questions of my own when Bill's fangbanger comes over and sits down without being asked. Friendly girl smiles and says, "Hi, Jane. I haven't seen you around for a couple of weeks."

"Yeah, I've been down with the flu."

Tess says, "Oh! That's a bummer! Jane, this is Pam's new friend... " She trails off. They both wait expectantly for me to introduce myself. A little coolly, I say, "I'm Amy."

"Nice to meet you, Amy," says the self-appointed social director, "Is this exciting or what? I can't believe we're actually going to get to see the Master's house. No one has _ever_ seen it. Oh... maybe since you're Pam's friend, you've already been there."

Oh, man! We're going to Eric's house? That _is_ exciting news, but I'm careful not to act like I think it's a big deal. "No, I've only been in town a couple of nights. I was living with a nest up in Arkansas, but Pam and Eric liked me so much they brought me home with them. "

Now I have their total attention. Eyes round, Tess asks incredulously, "You've lived with a nest? Oh, wow! What was that like?"

No way I'm telling them how low-rent that bunch really was. "Pretty intense. We partied _all_ the time. They all adored me and took really good care of me... but I was ready for a change."

"That sounds amazing! Vampires are pretty possessive, though. Aren't you afraid they'll come after you and try to get you back?"

Jane snorts and says, "Get real! What vampire in their right mind would try to take a human away from _Eric_? I don't _think_ so."

"I have nothing to worry about," I assure them, "Eric already took care of the problem, if you know what I mean." The two fangbangers catch my drift right away and are suitably impressed. As far as it goes, that part is true enough. I probably shouldn't be saying anything about it, but it isn't like Eric can get in any trouble over it or anything. The police could care less if vampires kill each other as long as no humans are hurt, and since he's king he can probably do whatever he wants as far as the vampires are concerned.

Before the conversation can go any further, we are joined by Pam's newest conquest. She is so thin she looks like she'd blow away in a stiff breeze, and I've seen twelve-year-old boys with bigger boobs. Instead of being as friendly as the first two, she tries to play it cool. She acts as if she is invited to sit here in the "winner's circle" every night of the week. Giving us all a quick nod, she sits down. Knowing that this might be my only opportunity to pump this group for information, I say casually, "So... it sounds like you girls have been around here a lot."

"Yeah, I've been coming to Fangtasia off and on ever since it opened," Tess says proudly, "I think Jane showed up only a couple of months after I did."

"Really? Then I bet y'all know all there is to know about the place."

"Well... the regulars all think it's fun to try to figure out what's _really_ going on... but it isn't easy. If you've been living with a nest, you probably know all about how secretive vampires are."

"Yeah, I sure do. That's why it's important for us humans to share information. In fact, maybe you can explain something. Someone told me that this was more of a human tourist-type place, but it turns out there are _lots_ of vampires here... so is this a real vampire bar or not?"

"Well... to be honest, there haven't always been this many vampires," Tess explained, "Last fall something big happened, but we haven't been able to figure out exactly what it was. Some of the vampires that we saw fairly often disappeared, and a new bunch showed up. Even for vampires, they were pretty damned snooty, and none of us liked them much. I don't think the Master liked them, either. He seemed... different when they were around."

Jane shakes her head in disagreement. "Oh, come on, Tess. He started changing long before that."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well... when I first started coming here, Eric loved to party and was a real ladies' man. He fucked and fed on just about anything that moved, sometimes two or three at a time. He was practically never with the same girl two nights in a row..."

Tess interupts her. "Well, no human girl, anyway. Remember that bitchy vampiress with the long black hair? The Master dated her for a while. Man, was I glad when he dumped her!"

At her words, my spirits rise considerably. "Huh. One of the bartenders told me Eric is faithful to his wife, but I _knew_ that had to be total crap."

"No, all of this happened _before_ he got married, which was only a couple of months ago," Jane explains, "Since then, as far as anyone can tell, he _is_ faithful. Now, as I was saying before I was so _rudely_ interrupted, I think Eric really started to change right after he first met Sookie. I know because I was here the first night they met. I was sitting right there and saw the whole thing." She pointed to the table closest to the special seats and then continued, "Sookie came in with Bill and after a while the Master called them over and made Bill introduce her. I was watching Eric's face the entire time."

Tess cuts in again, "That's because you're _always_ watching his face the entire time!"

Jane giggles. "That's not true! When he stands up I watch his ass instead! Anyway, as I was saying... I've never seen Eric look at _any_ woman like that before. I wasn't the only one that noticed it, either. It wasn't long before we were all betting on how long it would take him to get her away from Bill."

"Poor Bill," Tess sighs, "By the way he looks at Sookie sometimes, I think he still loves her. I sure wouldn't mind consoling him, if you know what I mean."

I snort. "Oh, come on! Vampires aren't capable of love. Trust me, I've lived with them, so I know."

"Oh, yes, they are." Jane says smugly, "Anyone with eyes in their head can see that Eric is absolutely head-over-heels in love with Sookie... damn it."

Irritated, I spit out, "What could _possibly_ make this chick so special?"

The third girl to join our little group finally speaks up. "Not a damned thing! She's just a ditzy blond with big tits as far as I can tell."

"Ah, you're just like ninety-five percent of the other women in this bar... jealous because Sookie took Eric out of circulation," says Jane, "Face it. The Master was always out of your league anyhow. Beside, since all the new vampires have been coming in, I've noticed you've actually ended up with fang marks a time or two... so quit your bitching." Turning back to me, she continues, "Which brings us back around to your question about whether this is a real vampire bar or not. I think it's heading in that direction. For a long time, it was mainly Pam and Eric and the staff, and a few others that would show up on kind of a rotating basis. Within the last couple of months, though, it's like Fangtasia's suddenly got to be a real hot spot for vampires. They're coming in groups to hang out and party."

Curiously I asked, "So what do you think happened to change things?"

Tess leans forward and says in a conspiratorial tone, "It's always been pretty obvious that Eric was some kind of a big dog in the vampire community, but when he and Sookie came home from their honeymoon, anyone with half a brain could see that something really, really important had happened while they were gone. Personally, I think there was a huge shake-up in the vampire world and somehow Eric came out on top. I think all these new vampires are showing up just so they can be around him."

"Yeah, I think so, too," Jane agrees.

Huh. It sounds like Eric has only been King for a very short while. I think back over the questions that Pam and Bill asked me, and then about the stuff I overheard Marius saying. Suddenly, I think I get it. Marius must have thought that he had a shot at taking over the brand new King's territory, before he had a chance to get his feet under him... but what ever possessed the old idiot to think something so crazy? Unless... the guy he was always talking to on the phone had something to do with it. After all, he owned the house we were living in... so maybe he had put Marius up to it... but why? I was deep in thought when Jane says shrewdly, "It seems to me that we are the only ones doing any sharing here. If you've been around vampires as much as you say, you should know plenty. How about telling _us_ a few things?"

"If Pam found out I was giving out information, I wouldn't last very long, you know?" Uh oh. By the stubborn set of Jane's mouth, it's clear my excuses aren't going to fly. In order to keep the flow of information from drying up, I'm going to have to cough up something juicy. Glancing around, I make sure Pam and Bill are still occupied. In a low voice, I tell the three girls, "I'm warning you. If the vampires find out you know about this, you might not survive for long... so you really can't tell _anybody_ else."

They all look at each other and then back at me. Jane whispers, "Okay, we understand. So spill, already."

"All right. I don't know all the details, but vampires do have their own form of government. Each state has a King or a Queen and under them are Sheriffs. Guess who the Vampire King of Louisiana is?"

Stunned, the skinny girl breathes, "Eric? Our Eric is the Vampire King of Louisiana? Holy shit!"

Jane says excitedly, "Oh, man! I knew it had to be something like that! Does that make Sookie a Queen?"

"They call her that, but I bet she doesn't really have any power because she's human," I tell her, "To tell you the truth, I haven't met Sookie yet. I thought she'd be here tonight."

"Actually, she hasn't been here for weeks now. Eric hasn't been here much, either."

"It's probably a good thing he hasn't been_," _Tess says seriously,_ "_The last couple of times he was here, he was obviously in a _terrible_ mood. Were you here the night he nearly strangled a girl right in front of everybody?"

Jane replies, "No, but I heard about it. Everybody's got a theory about why he he's been so pissy. A bunch of people think he and Sookie have split up. Some even think he lost his temper and killed her... but I think that's crap."

"I bet they _have_ broken up!" The skinny girl says in excitement, "Otherwise, why would Eric want donors brought to his house? You know what the rumors say... that he never feeds from anybody but her. That means she's _got_ to be gone."

Ah ha! Now my ears pick up. Apparently these girls have been rounded up to be blood bags for Eric. Maybe Sookie _has_ taken off again. That would explain why Pam and Bill are so upset. Now I'm uber-excited. Tonight might be my chance! If I can just get him to taste me... maybe I'll be Queen a lot sooner than I hoped! Before anyone can say anything else, Pam comes hurrying up with two more women in tow. One of them is the ugly waitress who waited on Bill and me earlier. Pam gestures impatiently at the four of us and says, "We need to get going. Follow me."

After getting everyone loaded into either Pam's van or Bill's car, we hop on I-20 and head east. We haven't been out of the city limits for long before we exit. A couple of more turns puts us on the dark-assed country road we are winding down now. We pass a few small houses and a couple of double-wide trailers, but mostly there's just a whole lot of nothing out here. This area reminds me _way_ too much of backwoods Georgia. I just don't get why a hot-shot vampire like Eric would choose to live out here in the sticks instead of in town where the action is. I bet he's bored to tears out here.

Eventually we pull up in front of an enormous set of iron gates. Instantly, a dark-haired vampire appears from out of nowhere. This guy isn't all that big, but he is plenty scary-looking all the same. Pam doesn't seem surprised to see him, so I'm guessing he must be some sort of guard. Once he recognizes Pam, he bows and then gives a high sign to someone out of view. The gates begin to swing open, and soon we are rolling down a long tree-lined drive. From the glow of lights coming from up ahead, it's obvious we're getting close to the house. Although no one has said a word for miles, the excitement in the car is thick enough to cut with a knife. Pam steers the minivan around one last curve... and I finally get my first look at Eric's house.

One of the girls in the back let out gasps of surprise. "Well, fuck me," Jane says reverently, "Would you _look_ at this place?"

My thoughts exactly. This isn't just a house, it's a full-blown mansion! It looks just like one of those restored plantation homes that gives guided tours to old people on charter buses. I'm half-way expecting Scarlett O'Hara to come sweeping down the front steps in a hoop skirt any second now. The whole place is lit up, even the outside, so even though it's nighttime the extensive landscaping is easy to see. There are blooming plants and walkways and fountains everywhere. I don't know _what_ I expected, but it was certainly _not_ this! The place looks a lot more like something out of a fairy tale instead of a vampire's lair.

Practically before his car even stops, Bill springs out, grabs a case of liquor out of his trunk, and then hurriedly rounds up his passengers. Jogging over to the van, he slides the side door open to let Pam's group out. Once the last girl hits the pavement, the impatient vampire herds them together and hustles them all up to the house. The over-sized front door is jerked open by a tall burly guy with short dark-blond hair and a sexy as hell three-day stubble. He's too tanned to be vampire, but there's something not quite human about him. One of the many things I have learned through my association with vampires is that they aren't exactly the only supernatural game in town. There are werewolves, too, and I'm willing to bet money that this dude is one of them. I tried expanding my horizons by sleeping with one once, but it just didn't do it for me. When it comes to sex, vampires beat wolves hands down.

Anyway, Wolf-boy holds the door as the other girls file inside. Momentarily hanging back, Pam takes me by the arm and says with just a hint of anxiety, "Listen, Amy. My Master may not be too pleased to see you, and he is not at his best just now. Do _nothing_ to irritate him in any way. Stay behind me as much as possible. Do you understand?"

"I guess so... but Pam, what's going on?" Ignoring my question, she turns and heads inside. As instructed, I follow closely behind her and a moment later I find myself standing in an entry hall that is bigger than my first apartment.

Jesus H. Christ on a crutch! Staring up at the huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ornately carved ceiling, it occurs to me that I have never even been inside a house this big. The other girls are as speechless as I am, and not just because of the house. As if by magic, Eric himself has suddenly appeared at the foot of the stairs. The sight of him literally makes me breathless. Since I only got to see him for a few minutes in Magnolia, I've been telling myself that he might not be quite as wonderful as he is in my memory... but as it turns out, he is even better than I remember. Unlike the last time I saw him, tonight the vampire king is wearing only a pair of jeans and a gold necklace... no shirt, no shoes. Now every perfectly defined muscle of his upper body is on display. His eyes are such an intense shade of blue that they almost don't seem real. His long blond hair is loose and slightly mussed, and I guarantee every female in the place is just itching to run her fingers through it. Not only is he physically beautiful, he exudes an air of danger that is completely irresistible.

Simply put, Eric Northman is not only one-hundred-and-ten proof vampire, he is by far the most spectacular man I have ever seen. Judging from the other girls' awestruck expressions, they are thinking exactly the same thing.

As for the king himself, he casts his eyes over the buffet his side-kicks have brought him. His handsome features are expressionless... that is, until he recognizes me. Instantly, his fangs shoot down and his eyes flash with anger. Whoa. Pam was right, for some unknown reason this vampire is really _not_ happy to see me. He looks as if he's trying to decide whether to rip me to shreds right this second or save it for later. Forcing myself not to bolt for the door, I give him a nervous smile. Standing still under that deadly blue glare is probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my whole life. Maybe the vampire is reluctant to make a mess in his fancy house, or maybe he just decides to hold off until later... but instead of coming after me, he turns to the man at the door and calmly instructs him to take all the humans into the living room.

Inwardly breathing a sigh of relief, I happily follow our escort into the next room. Like so many tourists, the other girls mill around, gawking at the elaborate woodwork, huge fireplace, and other architectural features of the room. Me? I could care less. My heart is pounding and my knees are shaking, so I plop down on the first chair I come across. Eric's unexpected reaction rattled me badly, and it takes me a few minutes to get a grip on myself. Eventually everyone else finds a seat, too... most of them as far away from me as possible. Now that it's clear I'm not exactly as friendly with Eric as I implied, they are giving me a wide berth. Well, screw 'em. They didn't know very much anyway.

Our escort clears his throat and introduces himself. "Good evening, ladies. My name is Cooper. It might be a while before your services are needed, so please make yourselves comfortable while you wait."

Of course, chatty Tess chirps, "Hi, Cooper! I'm Tess. I think I've seen you at Fangtasia before. You're Eric's wife's bodyguard, aren't you?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Wow. That sounds like a cool job. Do you like it?"

For the first time, he smiles. "Yes, I do. It's very... interesting."

The skinny girl asks oh so innocently, "So is Sookie here? She hasn't been to Fangtasia in weeks, and I was worried that maybe she and Eric split up."

Clearly this guy is no dummy. From the look that he gives her, he knows that what she really means is that she is wishing like crazy they _have_ broken up. "Mrs. Northman's schedule is really none of your business," he says with a hint of frost, "But I will tell you that she _is_ here and that she and Mr. Northman are still _very_ happily married."

The way he says it lets everyone know that trying to pump him for any more personal information will be a complete waste of time. After giving us a polite nod, he goes over to the doorway. Crossing his arms across his chest, he leans against the jamb and closes his eyes. Somehow I can tell he is listening intently for something, so I close my eyes to see if I can figure out what it is... but with my human ears, I can't hear anything over the excited chatter of the other girls. While they're busy yakking about how wonderful the house is, all I can think about is why Eric got so pissed off when he saw me.

I desperately need to figure this out as soon as possible, but I just can't think over all the racket. My legs have finally stopped shaking, so I get up and wander over to one of the huge windows. For a long time, I stare blankly at the well-lit landscape while my mind races around in circles.

Eventually Pam comes back from her meeting with Eric. After a hushed and hurried talk with Cooper, she calls Julie over and the two of them disappear. A couple of minutes later, the waitress returns and offers everyone a drink. For the first time, I wonder why there aren't any servants here except for the bodyguard. With a house this big, I would expect there to be at least a couple on hand. By bringing Julie, Pam was clearly killing two birds with one stone. Before long the waitress/donor has efficiently served everyone. One of the girls produces a deck of cards out of her purse and soon a game of Texas Hold 'em is underway. Another one snares a coffee-table book and curls up in a wing-backed chair, and the skinny girl pulls an IPod and some earbuds out of her handbag and begins to listen to music. Jack-and-Coke in hand, I pick a different window to look out.

The next thing I know, Pam appears at my side. Crossing her arms as if she's a little chilly (well... chilli_er_) she stands silently staring out at the driveway. Even though her face is expressionless, she seems agitated. Trying to get on her good side, I ask quietly, "Is everything all right?"

Instead of answering right away, she takes my hand and leads me out into the big foyer. On the far side of the room, a pair of chairs with a small round table between them is arranged along one wall. Pam sits down and waves me into the other seat. In a low voice, she says, "It was a mistake for me to bring you here tonight. My Master was _not_ pleased to see you. We must keep you out of his way as much as possible."

"Yeah, I got that. He sure didn't seem like he was in the partying mood."

"Partying? What do you mean?"

"Well... those girls are donors, aren't they? I figured maybe we were here for a little vampire party."

She grimaced. "Nothing could be farther from the truth. We have been called to Valhalla because my Mistress is gravely ill. Until this situation is resolved, Eric is going to be extremely dangerous for _anyone_ to be around, much less humans that he has no reason to trust."

"If he's worried about her dying, why doesn't he just go ahead and turn her?"

"Sookie has never wanted to become vampire, and Eric will not force her."

"She doesn't _want_ to be turned? Is she insane?"

Pam smiles faintly. "I take it _you_ would have no problem with being turned. Aren't you worried about damning your immortal soul to hell?"

"Are you kidding? I don't believe in all that crap. What kind of God would allow the horrible stuff that happens to people who have never done anything wrong? There are no pearly gates and angels or devils and hell, either. I think that when we die, that's it... unless we get lucky and become vampire first."

Pam sighs heavily. "The problem is that Sookie _does_ believe it." The worry in her voice is clear. "I am not certain that my Master could survive the death of his Bonded."

"A vampire like Eric? Surely over the last thousand years he's lost _lots_ of humans. I bet he bounces back before you know it."

"You do not understand. Their souls are intertwined. To lose one might be to lose both."

Oh, brother. It's all I can do to keep from rolling my eyes. I can hardly believe that such a load of flowery romantic bullshit is coming out of this cold, hard-as-nails vampiress' mouth. Before I can say anything else, Bill comes dashing down the stairs and then shoots past us on his way toward the back of the house. Without another word to me, Pam jumps to her feet and scoots off after him. A short time later, he comes back carrying a tray of TrueBloods and hurries up the staircase on the left with Pam close on his heels.

Huh. Since all the action seems to be upstairs, I assume that's where Sookie's bedroom is. I was hoping to get to see the rest of the place, but the way things are going it looks doubtful... unless... Standing up, I saunter over to the guard who is once again leaning comfortably in the living room doorway. "Hey, Cooper, I need to use the ladies' room. Can you point me in the right direction?"

I figure he's been instructed to keep the humans from wandering around the house alone, but since he's seen that I'm Pam's friend, I'm hoping he'll let me go by myself. No such luck. He calls Julie over and asks if she will "escort me" to the powder room. In other words... no letting me out of her sight.

Sighing, I follow the waitress down the broad central hallway. There are several doors on either side, some of which are closed. I take a quick peek in the open rooms as we pass. From what little I can see, the house is full of antiques and oriental rugs and other stuff that looks like it belongs in a museum. There is a huge formal dining room with a big ornately carved table that looks long enough to seat an army. Across the hall is a library with floor-to-ceiling book shelves, a seating group in the middle, and a huge old desk parked at the far end.

Suddenly I get a mental flash of that concealed doorway in the storeroom at Fangtasia. I bet a vampire like Eric has more than one secret room in a house this big. In fact, I wonder where he rests? Sookie's bedroom is upstairs, but vampires really hate humans being around them when they are out cold. Freddie always told me it was safest for vampires to rest underground. Hmmm. Now I'm just itching to have some time alone in that library. There is no getting away from my escort, though. Sensing that I'm lagging behind, she looks back and says, "Come on, it's right around this corner."

"Sorry. It's just that I've never been in a house like this before."

Grinning, she says, "Me either! Isn't it fantastic? I would absolutely _love_ to live in a place like this."

"Not me. I just hate all this old crap. I'd sell this place in a heartbeat. I'd find a cool lot in town and build a really modern house with big open spaces and glass walls. Why on earth does Eric live out here in the middle of nowhere anyway? Was this Sookie's family home or something?"

"No, Sookie is from Bon Temps," Julie replies, "Oh... here's the bathroom. I'll wait out here for you."

When I come out, I try to talk Julie into taking a quick peek at the rest of the downstairs. Shaking her head regretfully, she says, "Sorry, but Pam said not to let anyone past here."

We head back to the front of the house, and just as we get to the entry hall, I hear a car screeching up in the drive. Cooper rushes to the front door, but just as he's reaching for the knob, Bill zooms down the stairs and beats him to it. He jerks the door open and I see a blond man bounding up the front steps. His clothes are nice but dirty, his hair is mussed, and there are a couple of smears of grease on his face. It looks like he's been crawling around under a car or something. Other than that, he's really, really good-looking. Before the guy can cross the threshold, Bill grabs him by the arm and yanks him inside. "What took you so long?" he growls. Without giving him a chance to answer, he practically drags the poor guy up the stairs.

"Who's that?" I whisper to Julie. She shakes her head and shrugs. Frowning, Cooper watches them until they are out of his line of sight. I slide over to him and ask quietly, "Who the heck was that?"

Somewhat surprisingly, I get an answer. "That is Jason Stackhouse, Sookie's brother."

Hm. Sounds like Sookie's bodyguard is not all that fond of her brother. "Are he and Sookie close?"

"I'm sorry, I don't discuss Mrs. Northman's personal life. Now, why don't you have a seat with the other girls? Hopefully it won't be much longer until you're needed."

"Listen, I saw a library down the hall. Maybe I can find a book to read while I'm waiting."

"I'm sorry, but the rest of the house is off-limits, at least for now."

I figured he was going to say that, but you can't blame a girl for trying. "Maybe I'd better sit out here where Pam left me," I suggest. He doesn't object, so I go back to the chairs and sit. There is nothing for me to do but watch as Julie goes back and forth, fetching fresh drinks for the fangbangers and then escorting them one by one to the bathroom. I am just about to scream from boredom when Pam and Bill finally make another appearance. Bill heads straight for the front door, and a few minutes later he comes back inside carrying a cardboard box under one arm. Meanwhile, Pam has taken off down the hall. From where I am sitting, I can see her head into the open doorway of the library. When she comes back out, she's carrying a small wicker basket in one hand. Bill is waiting on her at the foot of the stairs and they head up together. Neither one of them so much as glances in my direction.

Well, shit. I'm thoroughly sick of sitting out here, so I walk back to the living room. This time I pick the window closest to the front door. Since the last time I looked, a fancy new pickup truck has been parked next to Pam's minivan, and I figure it probably belongs to Sookie's brother. Besides that, a long black limousine has pulled up the far side of the drive. I watch the limo for a few minutes to see if anyone gets out, but no one ever does. I'm just about to give up and find something else to do, when a _second_ black limousine pulls up in front of the house. Before the driver can get out to open the passenger door, it flies open on its own and someone or something gets out... I think. All I really see is a blur. A split-second later, the front door opens. I start to run to the doorway so I can see who it is... but before I can make it, the blur flashes past and up the stairs.

Shaking his head, Cooper calmly shuts the door. I slide over to him and ask, "What the hell was _that_?"

For the first time tonight, a big grin crosses Cooper's face. "I'm pretty sure that was Sir Robert," he replies.

"Uh... vampire?"

"Oh, yes. _Definitely_ vampire."

It isn't much longer until Pam comes downstairs yet again. This time, she seems a bit less tense than she did earlier. She comes into the living room and announces, "Your services will be required very shortly. I want you all to come with me."

Everyone gathers up their things. We follow her up the stairs and down a long hallway which is lined with several closed doors. At the far end of the hall, an incredibly handsome vampire stands talking to an ugly little kid. As we get slightly closer, I realize it is not a child at all, but a sour-faced dwarf wearing a white tunic, baggy pants, and a pair of bright pink Crocs. Normally such an odd-looking person would hold my attention, but I just can't keep from staring at the vampire. Next to Eric, he is the best-looking male I have ever seen.

He has long dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, a close cut beard, and fabulous bluish-green eyes ringed with long dark lashes. He is wearing a navy-blue pinstriped business suit cut to show off his broad shoulders. Even standing still, he manages to give off the same air of power and confidence that Eric does. I have a feeling this must be who showed up in the limo, the one Cooper called Sir Robert. I wonder if he works for Eric or what. He certainly doesn't look like an underling to me. In fact, this vamp doesn't look like he would take orders from anybody, ever. As we come trooping down the hall, he glances up, but then goes right back to his conversation. I suppose he doesn't feel the need to cut it short on our account since they are speaking in some foreign language.

Dragging my eyes away from him, I finally realize that these two aren't the only ones in the hallway. A pair of chairs flanks a narrow chest-of-drawers about half-way down the hall, and Sookie's brother is camped out in one of them. He is leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his head buried in his hands, but as we crowd into the hallway he looks up to see what all the commotion is. As Pam marches past him, he says in confusion, "Hey, Pam... what's happening? Who are all these people?"

She stops long enough to reply, "We are about to begin. Most of them are donors for Eric and Robert. If you want to make yourself useful, you can help Cooper keep an eye on them." Starting at the back of the line, his eyes travel over the line of females now flooding the hallway. He doesn't seem very impressed... until he gets to me. His face lighting up with a slow smile, he walks over and sticks his hand out to shake mine. "Hello! I'm Jason."

"Nice to meet you, Jason. I'm Amy." The minute our skin comes into contact, I feel a little shock, like there is too much static electricity in the room. Startled, I start to pull back, but instead of letting go, he grasps my hand a bit tighter. My eyes come up to meet his. Wow. His eyes are such a pretty shade of blue... and such a nice shape... and so deep, I could stare into them forever. There is something uber-sexy about his smile. The warmth from his hand seems so pleasant, it makes me think about how nice it would be to feel a warm body rubbing against mine for a change. I noticed his nice build earlier, but now I have a serious urge to rip off his clothes so I can see every square inch of his skin. Somehow, I just _know_ he's hung to his knees. God, I would absolutely _love_ to feel this man's huge hot cock inside me. A vivid image of us fucking rolls into my head, and instantly my pussy is as wet and throbbing as if it was really happening.

Even though she can't possibly know this, Pam gives me a sharp look. Fangs down, she snarls at Jason, "Back off, Prince Charming. Amy is mine."

Immediately dropping my hand, he shifts his eyes away from mine. With a boyish grin, he shrugs. "Okay, okay. I was just being friendly."

"Fine," she snaps back, "As long as you keep Mr. Friendly in your pants, we won't have a problem."

In the meantime, I try to get a grip on myself. What the hell just happened? The minute he looked away from me and let go of my hand, my very first instinct was to grab a hold and try to get him to look at me again... but then, my mind began to clear. Now I realize how oddly I've been behaving. I don't even _like_ warm-blooded men! Did this dude put a spell on me or what? Giving my head a sharp shake, I step back to give myself a little breathing room.

About that time, the door at the end of the hallway opens and Eric steps out. After giving one quick glance around the hallway, he motions for Bill and Pam to join him. Giving Jason one last glare, Pam turns to me. With a no-bullshit look on her face, she says, "I'll be back soon. Stay away from him."

Not trusting myself to say anything, I just nod. She whirls around and goes over to Eric and Bill. They have a brief, whispered conference. A moment later, Eric looks towards Cooper, who is standing at the other end of the hallway. He tells him to take the donors into a bedroom to wait; and then the vampires and the dwarf all vanish into what must be Sookie's bedroom. The minute the door is shut, there is a burst of excited whispers from the fangbangers. Striding down to the bedroom next to Sookie's, Cooper opens the door and says, "Ladies... this way, please."

One by one, everyone filters into the bedroom, leaving only me, Jason, Cooper, and Julie left in the hallway. Since there are only two chairs available out here, the guard ducks into another bedroom and comes back out with two more. He places these close to the open door and then motions for Julie and I to sit down. Walking back to the chairs further down the hall, he picks one and settles into it. Closing his eyes, he leans his head back against the wall. Instead of taking a seat, Jason begins to pace nervously up and down.

Looking over at Julie, I murmur, "Did you see the really handsome vampire in the suit? Do you know who he is?"

She nods. "That's Sir Robert."

"Does he work for Eric?"

After thinking it over, she shakes her head. "I don't think so. He's not around that much. I think he's just a friend of Eric's and Pam's."

"What about the weird little dwarf? Who is she?"

Julie replies, "I've never seen her before, but I think she's Sookie's doctor."

"Oh, come on. Somebody like that couldn't possibly be a doctor!"

"I'm pretty sure. Sir Robert was calling her Dr. Ludwig, and they were discussing a blood transfusion."

"How do you know? They weren't even speaking English."

"I'm Cajun. My parents made sure I could speak the language, which is basically French with a Louisiana twist. The words aren't completely the same anymore, but close enough so that I can get the gist of a French conversation."

"Huh. So what else did you overhear?"

The girl glances quickly over at Cooper and then back at me. "Not much," she says vaguely. "Listen, I think I'd better go see what's going on in the other room."

Jumping up, she goes into the bedroom. After a few minutes, Jason stops near Cooper and says, "Hey, man, my stomach's a little upset. I need to use the john. Where's the closest one?"

Opening his eyes, Cooper says, "I think all the bedrooms have baths attached. Why don't you try the one in the room with the donors?"

"Naw, it might make the ladies uncomfortable. How 'bout the one across the hall?"

"Fine by me." The guard snaps his eyes shut again. Jason disappears into the bedroom. Sighing, I sit back and try to wait patiently... but all I can seem to think about is Jason Stackhouse. Even though Pam had warned me against being around him, I still can't shake the weird attraction I felt earlier. Maybe if I could just get him alone for a minute... My head knows how dangerous it is, but my body just doesn't seem to give a damn. Standing up, I quietly slide toward the bedroom door. Immediately opening one eye, Cooper asks, "Where are you going?"

"Ah... Sookie's brother said his stomach was upset. I thought I'd go check on him."

"Well... all right. Just don't be gone long."

"No problem." Opening the door very quietly, I step into the bedroom. It is large and comfortably furnished with a large bed at one end and a seating area at the other. The windows are covered with heavy drapes and the floor is covered in thick oriental carpets. Knowing that my time is limited, I head straight for the door at the far end of the room. It is closed, but I can see light shining under it. I am just about to knock, when I hear the low murmur of a voice. What the hell? I _know_ Jason is in here alone... oh! He must be talking to someone on his cell phone. Huh. I wonder if he came in here to make the call so that no one could overhear his conversation. Instantly curious, I press my ear against the door and listen.

He seems to be arguing with someone. "Calm down! I know how you feel about vampires, but it's better than her dying, ain't it?... yeah, I know, I know, but still!... Look, I think it's just a remote possibility anyway. She'll probably be just fine."

A moment later, he says, "No, I haven't gotten to see much of the house yet. It's fucking huge, plus there's enough security here for Fort Knox. I think the place in Shreveport is going to be better, anyway... Look, how should I know? Do you think there's a sign with an arrow saying _Vampire Sleeps Here_?"

After another brief pause, he says, "You know, it seems to me like they really love each other. Maybe we should re-think the whole thing... Yeah, I know you know a lot more about it than me, but …. Listen, we can discuss this later. It looks like I'm going to be here awhile. I need you to go by my house, get the cooler, and take it to the airport... of course I took the time to drop it off on my way back! Do you think I'm stupid?... No, I smelled too much like gasoline... Yeah, okay. I'll call you as soon as I know something."

That's my cue to move away from the door before I get caught. I take a couple of big steps backwards, so by the time the door opens, it looks like I'm just coming up to it. Even so, I can tell that finding me here startles the crap out of him. Jason exclaims, "Hey! What are you doing in here?"

"Ah... I thought you might be sick. I came to check on you."

"Oh. Well, I'm fine... but, you know, you really shouldn't be in here. Pam made it pretty clear that you are off-limits."

"And do you always do exactly what the vampires tell you to do?"

"Hell, no... but my sister is real sick, and the last thing she needs right now is more trouble. So come on, let's get you back outside before Pam finds out where you are."

We barely make it into the hallway before the door to Sookie's bedroom flies open and Sir Robert comes staggering out. He looks absolutely awful! Vampires are always pretty pale, but he is two steps beyond dead white. He heads straight to the donors in the next room. Only a few minutes later, he reappears looking rosy and better than ever. The second he disappears back into Sookie's room, Cooper and Jason hurry in to help the "used" donors to one of the other bedrooms to recuperate.

The next time the door at the end of the hall opens, Bill hurries out carrying a weak and ravenous Pam in his arms. Catching sight of me, he says tersely, "You, Amy. Come here. She needs you." He takes Pam in to the donor room and lays her gently on the bed. He motions to Julie to be the second donor and then shoos everyone else out of the room. Since she is "my" vampire, Bill makes me go first. I have never been with a half-starved vampire before. It is an extremely intense experience, to say the least. Bill acts as referee, forcing Pam to move on to the other donor before she takes too much from me. Once the vampiress finally drinks her fill of Julie, she rolls over and sits up. Sighing in satisfaction, she says, "I feel much better now. Bill, let's go see what is happening." Before leaving, she strokes my arm fondly and says, "Rest now. I'll see you soon."

As soon as the vampires are gone, Cooper and Jason show up to help us to another bedroom down the hall. I feel pretty woozy and am glad to have a chance to lay down for a while. As soon as the guard is out of the room, Julie rolls her head in my direction and grins. "Boy, that was something, wasn't it? Pam sure took a lot from you. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I think so... but I'm really wiped out. I think I'll just close my eyes for a second." Before I know it, I'm fast asleep.

The next thing I know, I hear Pam's voice saying softly, "Julie, it is time for you to go. The other girls are already waiting downstairs."

Julie says, "Yes, Miss Pam. What about Amy? Do you want me to wake her?"

"No, let her rest. I'll see about her directly."

I hear some rustling and then the door shuts very softly behind them. I try to go back to sleep, but have no luck. After tossing and turning for a bit, I finally get up and find the bathroom. While I'm taking care of business, I give myself a good ass-chewing for zonking out like that. Now I have no idea what happened, damn it! Glancing at the clock, I see that dawn isn't far away. I wonder what is going on? Going to the door, I turn the knob and am totally shocked to find it unlocked. I open it cautiously and stick my head out. Holy shit! Eric himself is striding past my door with the limp body of a woman cradled in his arms. Before I can get a good look at her, Robert speeds forward and blocks my view. A split-second later, all three of them have disappeared.

Stepping out into the middle of the hallway, I stare at the now empty space. Well, hell. Sighing, I start to go back inside my room, but then I realize that I have left my purse over near the chairs. I don't have any idea where I'll end up tonight, and the last thing I want to do is get locked into a room without it, so I retrieve it while I have the chance. Taking it back in the room, I place it on the floor next to the bed and then crawl back in and get comfortable.

While I'm waiting for Pam to show up, I think over the events of the night. My mind keeps coming back to my last encounter with Eric. All I really got to see of the woman that he was carrying was a mop of blond hair. Since none of the fangbangers had hair that looked anything like that, it must have been Sookie. If so, why was he moving her out of her bedroom? Unless... maybe she's dead. Come to think about it, her body did look awfully limp... but Pam didn't sound upset when she came to get Julie. Suddenly, Jason's hushed conversation in the bathroom comes floating into my head. Oh, man! What if Eric got desperate and decided to make Sookie vampire whether she wanted to be turned or not! Maybe he was taking her out to bury her! Excited by this idea, I sit straight up in bed. This could be very, very good news for me! It's common knowledge that vampire couples hardly ever stay together very long... and once she's gone, I will be right there waiting in the wings.

While I'm thinking over the possibilities, the door opens and Pam glides in. Seeing that I am awake, she comes over and sits on the side of the bed. "I came to check on you before I go down for the day," she says, "Since you seem comfortable here, I see no point in moving you to another room."

"This room is fine," I assure her. "Pam, what happened? Is Sookie okay?"

A smile crosses her face. "Yes, I think she will be just fine... one way or the other. In any event, she will sleep for many hours. We should know the outcome by tomorrow night."

"That's good. I guess Eric is happy."

"Yes, my Master is very relieved. Now, it is nearly dawn. Let me tuck you in before I go."

She helps me get undressed, and then I crawl under the covers and settle in. She bends down to give me a kiss. "Now, Amy, I am going to lock you in. I believe the housekeeper will be coming in late tomorrow afternoon. She isn't... qualified to look after you, so I prefer that you stay in your room until I rise. Are we clear?"

"Sure. I'll probably just sleep until then anyway."

"Good. I will see you at first dark."

When I wake the next day, it takes me a minute to remember where I am. Oh, right. I'm at Eric's place in the country. I lay still and listen for any signs of life in the house, but all I can hear is a few birds chirping outside the window. According to the clock on the bedside table, it's about 1:30. After all the blood Pam took last night, I'm still feeling sluggish... but this is my only chance to do some serious snooping. I know exactly where I'm going to start, too... the library. Excited now, I haul myself out of bed and slip on my bathrobe. After a quick trip to the bathroom, I pull out my picks and get to work.

It turns out that the lock on this door is similar to the ones at Pam's place. I'm not as lucky today, and it takes a frustratingly long time until I feel the last tumbler click into place. Slipping into the hallway, I look and listen, but the house is as quiet as a graveyard. Heart pounding, I head for the stairs. By the time I get to the bottom, I'm relatively certain there's no one moving around in the house but me. More confident now, I head down the hallway to the library only to find that someone has shut the pocket doors. Just as I reach out to slide one open, I am hit with a wave of dizziness. Oh, man. The last thing I had to eat was the pizza last night, and the combination of lack of food and blood loss is _definitely_ catching up to me.

It will be hours before Pam gets around to feeding me again, but I know I need to eat _now_. Since Sookie lives here, there must be some human food available. Making a quick decision, I leave the door to the library shut and go in search of the kitchen. Sure enough, it is exactly where I thought it would be. Compared to the dinky one in Pam's house, this kitchen is humongous with appliances sized for the space. In the middle of one wall is an enormous stove with the brand name "Viking" stamped on the front. Some of the restaurants I've worked in had smaller stoves than this! Walking straight to the commercial-size refrigerator, I open the door and peer in. The top shelf is packed with a large variety of bottled bloods, but the rest of the fridge holds nothing but human food. This Sookie girl must do nothing but eat, 'cause there's enough food in here for a family of five!

Spying a brand-new container of orange juice, I unscrew the cap and take a few swigs while looking over my choices. Fresh vegetables, fruits, yogurt... everything looks so friggin' healthy! I swear I'd kill for a Big Mac with fries right about now. I keep searching. One drawer holds nothing but raw meat... a couple of steaks, a chicken, and some pork chops. My mother rarely cooked, and even when she did, she was the Queen of boxed, easy to make food: Kraft macaroni and cheese, or pasta with sauce out of a glass jar, or when she got really ambitious, Hamburger Helper. When I was a little kid, I probably would have starved to death if it hadn't been for Spaghetti-Os. Once ol' Roy came on the scene, he would just pick up fast food on the way home from work. Consequently, I never really learned to cook. I could probably mange to fry the steak, but obviously I don't have time for that sort of thing. I keep looking.

In the very last drawer, I hit the jackpot. I find a couple of different types of cheese, some lunch meat, and several breakfast tacos wrapped in Saran wrap. Oh, yeah! After returning the o.j. to the spot where I found it, I pull out a couple of the tacos and pop them in the microwave. A minute later and I'm wolfing down the best damn tacos I've ever eaten. Mmmm! These things are awesome! I think about heating up two more, but decide I better not push my luck too far. Every minute I'm out of my room is dangerous.

To keep anyone from knowing I was here, I wipe up the crumbs and start to throw away the Saran Wrap... but I can't seem to find the stupid trash can. After hunting around, I discover a walk-in pantry. Except for a small pair of windows on the far wall, the small room is lined floor-to-ceiling with shelves which are curiously empty. In the middle of the room is a long wooden table, and next to it stands the trash can. Bingo! Just as I am tossing the wad of plastic wrap inside, I hear the unmistakable sound of a car engine. Rushing over and peeking out one window, I see an old piece-of-shit car pulling up to the side of the house. Oh, great! Pam must have been wrong about what time the maid comes in! Knowing I only have seconds, I make a mad dash through the house, up the stairs, and back to my room. Hands shaking, I finally manage to lock myself back inside.

Once I have a minute to regain my breath, I sit back on my heels and start to laugh. Nearly getting caught is scary as hell, but it is also a total rush! I guess in addition to being addicted to sex with vampires, I'm getting to be an adrenaline junkie! The only problem is, I'm much too wired to sleep now. There isn't any TV in this room, and I hate to read... so I end up taking a long, hot bubble bath just to settle down. After that, I go back to bed and masturbate to a vivid fantasy of a three-way with Eric and that other vampire Robert. Having two male vampires fucking me at once is hands down my favorite way of having sex. That double bite never fails to produce a mind-blowing orgasm, and I'm willing to bet those two could even take it a step further.

In my mind, I picture myself lying on top of the dark-haired one, my pussy quivering around his engorged cock, while Eric slides slowly into my back door. My mind supplies all sorts of graphic details, and in no time at all I feel the tension building. All it takes to drive me over the edge is to imagine two pairs of razor-sharp fangs penetrating my skin at the same time. OH... GOD! Frantically plunging my slick fingers in and out, I ride out the waves of a strong orgasm. Just as I had hoped, once the spasms pass, I am finally relaxed enough to get back to sleep.

Several hours later, I wake for the second time. It must be after dark, because Pam is sitting on the side of my bed. I must have been sleeping really soundly, because she has pulled back the covers and it didn't even wake me. Obviously deep in thought, she is staring absently down at my nude body. She is wearing a pale pink nightgown and robe set that looks like it cost a fortune, and her hair is pinned on the top of her head with little tendrils spilling down. She looks like the heroine on the cover of one of those trashy romances my mother used to read... except for the slight frown on her face. Instantly I wonder if she's somehow discovered I've been out of my room. Apparently not, because only a moment later she looks up and gives me a slow smile. "Good evening, Amy. Did you sleep well?"

"Uh... I guess so."

Running one fingertip down the side of my face, she says lightly, "That doesn't sound like you are very sure about it. What was the trouble? Did you have bad dreams?"

"No. I didn't have any dreams. I never do."

"All humans dream, Amy. You just can't remember them."

Even though she is wrong, there is no point in arguing about it. "Well... maybe so. Anyway, I slept fine. How about you?" I threw in that last part just to be polite.

Grinning, she replies, "Like the dead, of course. I confess, I find myself in an uncommonly good mood. Perhaps it is because the crisis has past."

"Oh? Have you seen Sookie? Is she... er... better?"

"She and Eric are still in their chamber, but Bill assures me that she is still among the living. This means that my Master is also out of danger... and so, I am happy."

If they haven't made an appearance yet, how the hell does Bill know how Sookie is? I doubt Pam is going to tell me if I ask her, so instead I say, "You just said '_their_ chamber.' Does Eric really allow her to sleep in the same room with him? Isn't that... unusual?"

With a small chuckle, she replies, "Since the Great Revelation, it isn't nearly as rare as it once was. I always thought vampires that exposed themselves to that kind of danger were very foolish... but it seems to make Eric happy. Of course, it took him over a thousand years to find someone he trusted enough to allow it. Lately, I have begun to think it might be nice to wake up with someone warm next to me. Hopefully it will not take me nearly as long to find that special person."

Hm. It sounds to me like ol' Pam here is jonesing for a long-term companion of her own. Giving her a sultry smile, I say, "I'm always very, very warm. Why don't you come over here and I'll show you just how warm I can be?"

Within seconds, that fancy pink nightie is on the floor. We are just getting down to business when I hear a strange noise out in the hallway. A second later, the door flies open and the dark-haired vampire I was fantasizing about earlier comes rushing in to the room. He is wearing nothing but a pair of black silk boxers, which aren't doing a very good job of covering up a massive erection. Like Eric's, this vampire's body is beyond impressive, but what really gets my attention is his complexion. I swear he is so pink and glowing he looks totally alive! Well, except for those fantastic fangs he's flashing, and his eyes, which are glowing with an eerie, inhuman light. He growls out something low and sexy but entirely in French. I don't understand a word of that language, but I know what he wants, anyhow. This vampire is so horny he's about to explode, and with any luck Pam and I are about to be on the receiving end of all that passion.

Pam is staring at him with a very strange expression on her face. I'm half-way expecting her to get all possessive and tell him to get lost... but instead, her eyes begin to glow a little, too. She turns to me and says, "Amy, this is my friend Robert. As you can see, he is in a mood. I think we are all about to have a _very_ good time."

As it turns out, she was absolutely right.

No telling how many orgasms later, our amorous visitor is finally satisfied. From the blissed-out expression on her face, Pam is, too... and me? Well, let's just say a bowl of Jell-O has a better chance of getting up and walking away. Between the pair of them, I have been bitten so many times, I ought to be drained by now... except that unlike most of my previous vampire lovers, Robert only takes tiny little sips when he bites. I kept expecting him to say something about how wonderful my blood tastes, but he never did. Anyway, I'm weak and wobbly but it was totally worth it. I've had _lots_ of lovers over my lifetime, but this vampire puts them all to shame.

Right now, Robert has Pam cuddled in one muscular arm and me in the other. In that amazing French-accent, he says, "Ladies, I regret that I must leave you so soon, but I must be on my way. I am off to Chicago and then on to New York."

Her voice loaded with sarcasm, Pam says, "What? Leaving the nest so soon?"

Robert laughs. "Is it that obvious?"

"Do you think I don't know an intoxicated vampire when I see one? I can't imagine Eric allowing it for any other reason. I've already seen Bill, so obviously he wasn't the third. Who else could it possibly be? Was one of your children brought in during the day?"

I have no idea what they are talking about... but maybe later I can figure it out. I lay quiet as a mouse, hoping they'll keep talking. After a brief pause, Robert replies, "Sookie was the third."

Pam sits up and stares at him in surprise. "What! How is that even possible?"

"Any other time, it might not have worked. Consider the circumstances."

Eyes narrowed, Pam says, "So you and Eric decided to take advantage of the situation."

"On the contrary. It was _she_ that talked _us_ into it... although it didn't take much persuasion. Eric and I had already discussed it. Tonight was clearly the perfect time to make it a reality."

"So, it was just the three of you. How cozy. I take it everything went well?"

Eyes twinkling, he replies, "Perfect. In fact, you could say it was... magical. I wish you could have joined us."

"I wasn't invited."

Reaching up, he lays one big palm against her cheek and says lightly, "Do not be offended. This was not the right time for you, _ma belle_. There are certain issues that must be resolved first."

Pam snorts, "You certainly take a lot for granted. What makes you think I want to? I am perfectly content with the way things are."

Robert's eyes shift to me and then back to Pam. They have a rapid conversation in French. Robert's tone is even and reasonable, Pam's sharp and sarcastic. Finally, Robert throws his hands up in the air and exclaims, "Pamela, you are one stubborn woman! _Tres bien_, have it your way... but do not be surprised if your Maker has a thing or two to say on the subject. Now, I really must fly. I should have been to the airport by now."

"Do you need a ride into town?" Pam asks grumpily.

"No, thank you," he says rather stiffly, "I should have a car waiting."

Rising from the bed, the vampire strides across the room without bothering to retrieve his boxers. This gives me a chance to ogle his fantastic ass one last time. For a moment, I think he's going to leave without even saying goodbye; but at the last minute, he stops and turns back towards us. Bowing slightly at the waist, he says, "_Bonsoir, mesdemoiselles._ Our time together was most enjoyable, and I thank you."

With that, he was gone. Unable to stop myself, I blurt out, "Wow! Now _that's_ a vampire!"

"Don't let the sexy French accent and good manners fool you," Pam says crossly, "He is as arrogant and stubborn as they come... and lethal. I am warning you... _never_ make the mistake of crossing him."

Funny, he sure didn't seem very lethal to me... unless you count him nearly fucking me to death. Come to think of it, I can't think of a better way to go! It seems like Pam knows him pretty well, though, so I say mildly, "Ah... okay. Will I be seeing him again? I kind of got the impression that maybe he doesn't live around here."

"Apparently he does now," she mutters under her breath.

"You don't sound too happy about it."

"Don't be silly. Of course I am happy... just surprised," she answers firmly, "Now come on. I am getting further and further behind at work. Let's have a quick shower and get back to Shreveport."

The _last_ thing I want to do is go to Fangtasia and be railroaded into doing some mindless, boring task... but I know better than to argue about it. Sighing, I roll out of bed and try to stand up... but my legs aren't cooperating. My knees give out, and I end up in a heap on the floor. In a flash, Pam is by my side. "What is the matter?"

"Ah... I think I'm weak from blood loss. Also, I haven't eaten anything since last night."

"You silly girl! Why didn't you say something?"

To myself I think _Because I was too busy getting thoroughly fucked by vampires to care about anything else. _To Pam, I say meekly, "I didn't want to be a bother."

"I suppose I need to take better care of you. It has been a long time since I had a companion, and I am out of practice. I will try to do better. Let me start by bathing you..."

It doesn't take Pam long to get us both clean and dressed. None of her things will fit me, so I have to wear the same outfit I had on last night. The vampiress even fixes my hair and applies my make-up for me. It's a little light for my taste, but it is kind of fun being fussed over. She even offers to heal all my bite marks, but I turn her down flat. It's obvious that I've been with _two_ vampires tonight, and that suits me to a T. All the fangbangers at the club will be positively green with envy! Once we're both ready, I grab my purse and she helps me down the stairs. I'm hoping to see Eric and/or Robert... but the only person we run into is the Mexican housekeeper. She is very polite and offers to fix me something to eat, but I'm afraid she might notice that the tacos are missing from the fridge. Thinking quickly, I tell Pam I have a mad craving for a hamburger. She is in the mood to indulge me, but she says that Sookie always has orange juice when she needs a pick-me-up, and flat-out insists I drink some before we get on the road. Breathlessly, I watch the maid open the refrigerator door. My heart skips a couple of beats as she looks at the now-opened container of o.j. and frowns... but she doesn't say a word.

As soon as I'm done belting down the juice, Pam takes me out to the minivan. The same long black limousine I saw pulling up the night before is sitting in front of the house. "Pam? Is that limo here to pick up Robert? I thought he was in a hurry to catch a flight. Do you think he missed it and decided to stay?"

"Of course not. It's his airplane. It won't leave until he's ready."

"He _owns_ an airplane?"

"Yes. He travels so frequently that it is much easier for him to have his own jet. It is specially outfitted for vampires."

"He... owns... a _jet_? Oh my God! He must be _super _rich! Is he very old?"

Amused at my astonishment, she laughs. "You couldn't tell? How do you think he became so good at sex? Control like that takes centuries to develop."

"Oh, man! He must be _ancient_!"

"Actually, he's a hundred years younger than Eric."

Stunned, I sit back and try to get my mind around this information. Robert is gorgeous, old, rich... and freakin' fantastic in bed. This proves that the old witch from the voodoo shop that cursed me clearly didn't know her ass from her hat. Now I have not one but two perfect candidates to be my Maker. How lucky can one girl get?

On the way back to Shreveport, I get Pam to pull over at the first pair of golden arches we come across. I scarf down my burger and fries on the way to the club, and by the time we get there I feel much better... but I have no intention of sharing that tidbit with Pam. Playing sick might get me out of working, at least for one night. When we get to Fangtasia, I try to look as wan and wobbly as possible. Bill's car is parked in the side lot, and we find him in Eric's office busily typing away. This is the first time I've been inside this room, and it sure doesn't look much like a King's office to me. It's bigger than Pam's, but the furnishings aren't any more upscale than hers. There are a few differences. The desk is at least twice the size of hers, instead of filing cabinets there are lots of bookshelves, and there are no liquor boxes in view. There is a door in one corner, which probably goes to a coat closet.

Obviously Bill drove straight here and got to work. He has already neatly arranged several stacks of paper on the huge desk. Although there is a state-of-the-art computer on this desk, the vampire is pounding away at the keyboard of an old one that is set up on a side-table. It looks nearly identical to the computer we had in Magnolia. If it _is_ Marius' and Bill is trying to find something incriminating on it, I am fairly certain he's wasting his time. Marius barely knew how to boot up the damned thing. Mostly he and the boys used it to play on-line poker. Pam asks curiously, "What are you doing, Bill? After everything that has happened, do you really think they will be coming in tonight?"

Glancing up from the monitor, he replies, "Yes, I do. Sookie will want us around her tonight."

"Oh, really? Clearly we were not wanted earlier."

Bill stares at her for a moment, obviously turning something over in his mind. He finally asks, "If they _had_ asked you, what would your answer have been?"

"I do not know, but it would have been nice to have been asked!"

"No doubt they had their reasons. Perhaps they sensed that we were not prepared to make such an important decision on the spur of the moment. Quite honestly, I have no idea what I would have said. As you know, my previous experiences in that area have been... unpleasant."

Before Pam can respond, her cell phone begins to ring. Quickly producing it from a hidden pocket of her filmy black dress, she answers, "Yes?... Oh, hello, Beauford. Can you hold for a moment?"

Holding the phone slightly away from her head, she says to Bill, "The Sheriffs are beginning to call in with last night's reports. I will take this in my office. Amy is not feeling well tonight. Will you keep an eye on her for me?"

Without waiting for an answer, she scoots out the door. For the first time tonight, Bill looks directly at me. Eying the multiple bite marks visible on my neck and shoulders, he asks, "Weak from blood loss?"

Lifting my chin, I reply proudly, "Yes. Being with two vampires at once really takes it out of a girl."

"You could have said no. Pam would have probably honored your wishes."

"Are you kidding? I had a great time! In fact, as soon as I've had a couple of days to recover, maybe _you'd_ like to join us."

"Thank you, but no. I prefer my partners one at a time."

I can't help but point out the obvious. "Oh, really? What about those two blonds last night?"

Unbelievable! The vampire actually looks embarrassed! "Those were extraordinary circumstances," he says stiffly, "Vampires are driven by instinct to a much greater degree than humans. We are not always _able_ to control our responses. You would do well to remember that."

Giving him a broad grin, I reply, "Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you? Have you given much thought to the consequences of such behavior?"

"The only consequence I can see is having a really good time. Jesus, Bill! Lighten up! Were you a Puritan in your human life, or what?"

Giving me a withering look, he replies. "No, I am not that old... but in my time, women were taught to respect themselves and their bodies. Even considering the current society's looser moral code, I find it hard to believe any worthy man will want to marry a woman with such a... colorful past."

"Why should I care what human men think? I have no intention of ever getting married. One of these days, I'm going to be a vampire... and _you _are the only one I ever met who gives a good goddamn about morals."

Bill gazes at me with those cold blue eyes for a few beats and then says slowly, "I see. It appears that you have your future all planned out. And who is the lucky vampire that you have chosen to be your Maker? Pam, perhaps?"

"Why? Are _you_ applying for the job?"

"No," he replies, "I have no desire to be a Maker. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some work to do. You may lie down on the sofa and rest if you wish."

The vampire turns back to his computer and starts to type. I do as he suggests and stretch out on Eric's couch, but it doesn't take long until I'm bored stiff. Just to have something to do, I sit up and say, "Bill, I need to go to the restroom. Can I go by myself? I swear I won't try to run off or anything."

"No, I don't suppose you will," he responds. "Don't be gone long. Pam will be cross if she finds you missing."

Before he can change his mind, I slide out of the office. Knowing that the regular ladies room is bound to be packed, I head for the employee's locker room at the end of the hall. When I step inside, I find the waitress Julie rocked back in a rickety-looking chair with her feet propped up against the lockers. Obviously on a break, she's sipping on a bottle of Ozarka water and smoking a clove-scented cigarette. "Hey, Amy," she says with a smile, "How are you tonight?"

"I'm okay. What are you doing here? After having to work until dawn, I figured you'd at least get tonight off."

"We're pretty short-handed just now. I don't mind. I can use the money."

"Didn't the vampires pay you extra for being a donor?"

"Yeah, but I probably would have done it for free just so I could see the Master's house. Was that place amazing, or what? It's the strangest thing, though... I can't seem to remember exactly where it is. I guess I just wasn't paying good enough attention."

"Uh huh. Did one of the vampires have a little chat with you before you left?"

"Well, sure. Pam and Bill paid me and the other girls, and thanked us for coming out, and then... Huh. Actually, I don't really remember much after that."

"Right. They must have glamoured it out of you. You do know what glamour is, don't you?"

If she was a cartoon, a light bulb would have just come on over her head. She blinks a couple of times and says, "Of course I know what glamour is... but it never even occurred to me that they might have used it on me! Well, hell. I guess they didn't want us being able to just drop in any time, huh?

"... or to sell the information to someone else that would. You're lucky they didn't wipe out the whole night while they were at it."

She shakes her head ruefully and laughs. "No kidding! Come to think about it, I'm lucky they didn't just wipe _me_ out!... Hey, girl, are you all right? You look a little pale."

Shrugging carelessly, I reply, "I'm good. Just one too many vampires sucking away, you know?"

"You better take it easy for a couple of days," she says seriously, "Getting bitten is a total rush, but too much blood loss can be dangerous."

"I know, I know. Hey, just between us humans... have you ever heard the term 'bonded?' I've heard it several times since I got here, but I'm not sure what it means."

"Yeah, I heard Eric calling Sookie "his Bonded," so I asked this friend of mine if she knew what it meant. She's a cryptozoologist and has been studying vampire lore for a long time. Anyway, she told me that when a vampire gives a human his blood, it creates a tie between them. If it happens enough times, then the human becomes "bound" to the vampire and has to do whatever the vampire wants."

"So basically, Sookie is Eric's slave?"

Julie laughs. "Not hardly. Sookie's about as independent as they come. She stands up to the Master when no one else can or will. Trust me, he can be a real handful."

"So now I'm confused. If Eric can't control her, are they bonded or not?"

"All I can say is that they are the most married people I've ever seen. It's like they have this invisible string running between them. Even if they aren't in the same room she always knows where he is, and vice-versa... not that he lets her out of his sight that often. He isn't happy unless she's within touching distance."

"It sounds like he's obsessed with her."

Grinning, she says, "Yeah, he's definitely addicted to her, all right. Personally, I think it's pretty cool. If a bad-ass vampire like Eric can learn to love so deeply, I guess anybody can." Glancing down at her wristwatch, she exclaims, " Oh, shit! My break was over five minutes ago! Felicia is going to skin me alive if I don't get back! I'll see you later!" Jumping up, she sticks the butt of her cigarette into the water bottle and then tosses it in the trash on her way out of the room.

Once the door swings shut, I sit in the now empty chair. It's fairly quiet in here and I want to think about what she just said. If true, the info about the bond is very interesting. Given their controlling natures, it doesn't surprise me at all that vampires have come up with methods of controlling humans. What I find so surprising is that apparently this tie works both ways, at least to some extent. How cool would it be to be able to keep track of your vampire, instead of them always tracking you? The only thing I don't understand is why after all the vampires I've been with, not one of them has tried to bond me. The fact of the matter is that I've never even had one offer me his blood, except a dab here and there to heal fang-marks and such.

In all honesty, the only vampire blood I've even tasted has been out of a vial... and that was only a couple of times. For one thing, it was way too expensive for me to buy; but the real reason I don't do more "v" is because vampires can smell it on you... and it _really_ pisses them off. Anyway, I'd _much_ rather fuck a vampire all night and have several intense orgasms instead of having one short-lived high from a drop of their blood. However, it sounds like Eric is not opposed to sharing his blood with his companions so maybe someday soon I can have the best of both worlds!

The only fly in the ointment is Sookie.

For the first time, I begin to wonder if it's possible that Eric really does love his wife. Everyone that knows them seems to think so. If it's true, it may be a lot harder to get him away from her than I thought. Of course, if all else fails, there is always plan B: Robert. As far as I can tell, _he_ doesn't have a human companion. Without more information, though, it's impossible to make a choice at this point. There's really no hurry. Pam is not all that bad, especially if she keeps inviting her hunky male friends to share me. I think I'll just chill out for a while and eventually I'll figure out what to do.

Glancing up at the clock hanging above the lockers, I realize I've been gone much longer than I intended. I bet Bill is going to start beating the bushes for me if I don't get back soon. By now, I really do need to use the restroom, so I take care of that issue and then hurry back to Eric's office. I guess I was worried for nothing, because Bill is exactly where I left him, fingers flying across the computer keyboard. He barely looks up as I plop down on the sofa.

A few minutes pass and since I have nothing to do but watch the vampire, I do. Although not quite as muscular as Eric or Robert, Bill still has an extremely nice build... broad shoulders, trim waist, tight ass, and a really handsome face. I've always loved men with dark hair and blue eyes, and I'd kill for lashes that long. It's really too bad he's got such a big fat stick up his ass. When Pam was talking to Robert earlier, she said something about "knowing an intoxicated vampire when she saw one." I have no idea what gets a vampire buzzed, but stodgy ol' Bill here needs some in the worst way.

Suddenly, the vampire lifts his head and closes his eyes. It looks as if he's listening for something really far away. For just a moment, his body relaxes and he looks... almost happy. Picking up the phone on the desk, he hits a button and a moment later he says, "Pam, I thought you might like to know that they _will_ be here soon... Yes, of course, I am sure... Oh, I'd say maybe ten or fifteen minutes... yes, Amy is fine. She's resting... All right. Good bye."

A couple of minutes later, Pam comes breezing through the door. Walking over to the couch, she bends over and peers at me. "Your color is better now," she observes, "Sit up and let me put some fresh lipstick on you."

Obediently, I do as she says. She fusses over my make-up and hair, making sure I look my best for meeting Eric's wife. Bill completely ignores us, obviously focusing on finishing up his project. Quite suddenly, he pops out of his chair and announces, "They are here. Come on."

Without a backward glance, he hurries out of the office. Pam stands and pulls me to my feet. As we walk down the hallway toward the bar, she says urgently, "At some point tonight, you willbe questioned again. I am warning you... do _not_ attempt to lie to Sookie."

"What is she, some kind of human lie detector?"

"Close enough," she replies, and then pauses. I can tell she is debating with herself to whether to say more... but she doesn't. For some reason, she seems nervous about this meeting. Trying to reassure her, I say confidently, "Relax. I've already told you everything."

"For your sake, I certainly hope so," she says rather grimly. Grabbing my arm, she hurries to catch up to Bill. On the way to the front, I tell myself _Even if she's a total bitch, I __have__ to be nice to Sookie. I've got to get on her good side until I can figure out what to do. _From where I am now, I can already see the entrance. The door opens and a couple of fangbangers scurry inside with their eyes aglow. Obviously they've caught sight of Eric and are rushing to pass on the news to their buddies. The information spreads through the crowd like wildfire. All across the room, heads swivel towards the entrance, everyone clearly eager to catch a glimpse of the elusive owner of Fangtasia.

It isn't long before they get their money's worth... and then some. The double doors fly open and Eric steps inside. One big arm is wrapped possessively around the slender waist of a small blond woman. Like a pair of rock-stars being escorted into a packed arena, the couple is closely flanked by two large, clearly protective vampires. Eric stops just at the top of the steps leading down to the main floor of the club, which gives the bar patrons (and me) a chance to study this amazing group. There is no doubt about it, these three male vampires are seriously impressive. All dressed to the nines in black leather, they are _exactly_ what the humans in this bar have paid good money to see: gorgeous, mysterious, powerful creatures of the night, clearly capable of just about anything.

My eyes shift to the enormous black vampire to Eric's right. It is the doorman Atticus, and I realize with a small shock that I have completely misjudged his role here. He isn't just some run-of-the-mill bouncer at all. His _real_ function is to guard the vampire king, and I bet that job isn't handed out to any slackers. I am even more startled to see that the vampire to Sookie's right is none other than Robert! I figured he was on his way to Chicago by now, but that's not the real shocker. I can hardly believe this is the same charming, fun-loving sex-machine from earlier. Now I can see that Pam was right. This vampire is very, very dangerous. His handsome face is a cold mask as he scans the room for potential danger... not that anybody would be stupid enough to try anything with him around. Even though he is not nearly as large as Atticus, any fool can plainly see that he is by far the more lethal of the two. I bet there is only one vampire in the entire place that can beat him, and that's the king himself.

No matter how impressive the other two vamps are, Eric is still undeniably the most powerful male present. Even though he seems much more relaxed than the other two, he still positively oozes strength and authority. A satisfied little smile plays across his perfect lips as he slowly surveys his little kingdom. He seems particularly pleased to see the many vampires in the room, and he gives a regal nod of recognition to a chosen few. Even the tourists seem to grasp that he's something special. As I brush past a couple that is standing in line to buy Fangtasia souvenirs, I hear the missus (who is wearing a t-shirt that reads _I __ Kansas)_ say to her husband, "Holy Moses, Herbert! Look at the big blond one! He's really something, isn't he?" Her husband replies excitedly, "None of the vampires back home look like _that_! He's _got_ to be somebody important..." By then, I have moved too far away to hear the rest of the conversation, but that one little snippet is enough to make me flush with pride. These are now _my_ vampires, and one day soon, I'm going to be standing up there with them and the tourists will be gawking at _me_.

Once I'm done taking in the vampires, I finally get around to looking at the human woman with them. Jesus! Sookie is _nothing_ at all like I pictured her. Instead of the tall, willowy super-model type I figured Eric would go for, she's medium-sized and _very_ curvy. She is dressed in an extremely sexy outfit, which emphasizes every one of those curves, particularly her boobs. They are even bigger than mine... but they're probably store-bought instead of God-given like mine are. I didn't notice it last night, but her hair is the exact same shade as Eric's. Hmpf. She probably has it died to match his. I'll give her this much... even though she is dwarfed by the huge males hovering protectively around her, she still has a presence that is nearly as compelling as the vampires. In fact, even though I know better, I could _swear _thatshe is as undead as her companions. Clearly the "transfusion" she got last night has had a few side-effects... the lucky little bitch.

While the males are busy checking out the room, Eric's woman doesn't so much as glance around. In spite of the crowded bar, the minute she steps inside, her gaze goes straight to Bill. Instead of waiting for the dark-haired vampire to come to her, she apparently decides to meet him half-way. Giving Eric's hand a little pat, she steps out of his protective embrace and then heads down onto the main floor. The guard Atticus remains near the door, but Eric and Robert immediately take off after her. The three of them glide though the crowd as a unit, their movements so completely in sync that it almost seems choreographed. I've seen other vampires move like this once before, but they were nestmates that had lived together for many years. Pam swears that there is no nest, but...

Oh! Suddenly, several bits and pieces of earlier conversations begin to make sense. I would bet my last dollar that these three formed a nest tonight! Now I understand Pam's question to Robert. How _is _this possible? How can a human girl be a full-fledged member of a vampire's nest? Before I have time to puzzle this out, Pam practically jerks my arm out of its socket as she hurries to catch up to Bill. We are right behind him when he reaches his Mistress. Taking her hand gently in his own, he kisses the back of it. Staring down at her hand instead of looking her in the eye, he says, "Good evening, Sookie. I am so happy to see you are better." He gives Eric and Robert a half-bow and says, "Good evening, gentlemen." Now addressing all three of them, he continues, "I understand that congratulations are in order. My best wishes to you all on your new connection."

Sookie laughs. Somehow, it has such a musical quality that I find myself smiling in spite of myself. Eyes twinkling merrily, she says, "Come on, Bill. This is a night for celebration. You can do better than that." With that, she steps up and throws her arms around his neck. Because I am standing directly behind them, I can clearly see her lips moving as she whispers in his ear. Although I can't quite hear it, I think what she said was, "You'll be next, okay?"

Before she lets him go, she gives him a big smack on the cheek. My eyes fly to Eric, to see how he's taking his wife's obvious show of affection for another vampire. Instead of pitching a jealous fit, he just smiles indulgently and holds out his hand for her. She goes back to him and slips under his arm. Even though he could not possibly have heard it, Eric seems to know what she said to Bill anyway. Giving the younger vampire a broad smile, he says, "You know firsthand how stubborn she is. You might as well give in now."

The king is obviously in a much better mood than he was last night. Turning those impossibly blue eyes on his child, he says evenly, "Good evening, Pamela. Do you not wish to congratulate us?"

Stepping forward she says stiffly, "Of course. Master... Mistress... Robert... please accept my best wishes."

Sookie stares at Pam for a beat before saying, "Thanks, Pam. Now hadn't you better introduce me to your friend?"

Pam turns and pulls me forward. She says rapidly, "Sookie, I would like for you to meet Amy. Amy, this is Eric's wife, Sookie Northman."

At long last, I find myself face to face with Eric's human... if that's what she is. A few inches shorter than me, she gazes up at me with a pair of eerie blue eyes that seem to see right through me. My very first thought is _God! No wonder Eric is obsessed with her... she's really, really beautiful. Maybe he picked her because she __looks__ like a Queen. _From across the room, I mistook her for vampire, but now I think maybe she's something else altogether. She has such a warm, golden glow to her skin that she can't possibly be undead... but there's no way in hell she's entirely human, either. Whatever she _really_ is, this woman is so poised and self-confident that she _had_ to be raised with tons and tons of money, and her wealthy, important family probably some sent her to some fancy-dancy Swiss finishing school or some such bullshit. But wait! I met her brother last night, and attractive as he was, he was anything _but_ a blue-blood... although, come to think of it, he didn't strike me as entirely human, either. Jesus! What _are_ these people?

As if she can read my last thought, Sookie belts out a laugh and says, "Hi, Amy. Obviously Pam hasn't told you much about me. Why don't you and I have a chat and get to know each other a little better? Eric, honey, it's way too noisy in here. Let's go to your office, okay?"

She starts to reach out to take my arm, but Eric says sharply, "Sookie! Let Pam handle her."

Somehow, I get the impression that he isn't saying that because I belong to Pam, but because he just doesn't want Sookie touching me. Instead of obeying him instantly, she looks up at him and says calmly, "Don't be silly. You know how this works. And no frowning! Pam is nervous enough as it is. Now come on."

So the waitress was right! Sookie _does_ stand up to him! How does she ever find the nerve to do it? She hooks her hand around my arm and leads me back to Eric's office with the entire pack of vampires trailing after us. Even though she made it sound like two new acquaintances just having a talk to get to know each other, I know this is really going to be another interrogation. I guess I should be nervous about it, but for some reason, I am perfectly calm. In fact, suddenly I feel better than I have all night. I take a deep breath and let it out. I think to myself _God, Sookie smells good! That perfume she's wearing is amazing! I would love to have some. Maybe I can get Pam to buy some for me..._

Once we reach the office, Sookie leads me over to the sofa and sits down next to me. Robert takes one of the chairs nearby. Instead of finding somewhere to sit, Pam hovers near the door. Eric goes straight to his desk and settles into his big leather chair with a sigh. Looking at the piles of paper on the desktop with distaste, he says, "Now that everything is back on track, we really _must_ hire some assistants." He glances over at the extra computer and then at Bill, who is just sitting down in one of the chairs directly in front of the desk. "Any luck so far?"

"Not yet, but I am still working on it."

"And our guest from Magnolia? Has he recovered enough for questioning?"

"Yes, I believe so. Perhaps we can see to it after this?"

Sookie says firmly, "Nuh uh. Whatever he says might put ya'll in a bad mood, and then you'll get all messy. Let's party a little first and then you can question him after the bar closes."

For some reason, her words seem to amuse Eric. He grins and says, "The Queen has spoken. We will do it later."

Sookie flashes him a smile and then turns to me. Taking my hand in hers, she gazes into my eyes and says, "Now, why don't you tell me a little about yourself? Where are you from?"

Oh, shit! Pam warned me not to lie to her, but if I tell her the truth, Pam will know I was lying to _her. _Of the two of them, Pam is lots more likely to take my head off... literally. What the hell _did_ I tell her, anyway? Oh, yeah... I take a deep breath and begin to spout the same malarkey that I told Pam a couple of nights ago. Meanwhile, the real story flashes through my head in a series of images I'd give anything to erase forever. The whole time, Sookie watches me with those strange, all-seeing eyes of hers. The funny thing is, even though I'm telling her how peachy-keen my early life was, I still detect a look of pity in those eyes. Oh, man... maybe she really _is_ a human lie-detector! Now what? I pause for a minute, just to see what she's going to do.

Taking a deep breath, she glances over at Pam and then back at me. Still holding on to me with one hand, she uses the other one to stroke my forearm. I usually don't like humans touching me, but somehow I find this woman's touch very, very soothing. "You know, I grew up in a little bitty town not too far from here," she tells me, "My parents were killed in an accident when I was very young, so my brother and I were raised by my grandmother. We lived in a rickety old farmhouse in the country and were poor as church mice. I had a learning disability so I didn't do very well in school, and people didn't like me much because of it... but even so, I was lucky. My brother and I had a roof over our heads and full tummies and all the love we could stand. Not everyone is that lucky, you know? Life can be a real bitch without someone to love and protect you."

Oh, wow. She said that just like she knows the real truth about me... but the strange thing is, I don't really care. With every stroke of her hand, all the anxiety and humiliation and fear that those memories always bring up just float right out of my system. Even stranger, I find myself _wanting_ to tell her the truth from now on. Sookie prompts, "So how did you get involved with vampires?"

So, I tell her a little bit about Freddie. I leave out the part about turning tricks, but somehow I think she knows about it anyway. She asks me about how and where I hooked up with Marius. Before I know it, I have told her absolutely every scrap of information I know, even the stuff I didn't tell Pam or Bill before. The next question she asks me is surprising, but very smart. "These vampires sent your last lover to his true death. Do you have any plans for retaliation of any kind?"

With total honesty, I blurt out, "No! Meeting these vampires is the best thing that's ever happened to me! I love it here!"

For a moment, Sookie's eyes leave mine and travel around the room, fondly gazing at each vampire in turn. When she finally comes to Eric, her eyes begin to glow with an inner light and her lips curve upward in a gentle smile. Almost to herself, she says softly, "I know exactly what you mean."

The two of them stare at each other for a few beats. In that one moment, I know that everything that everyone has said about this pair is true. Eric _does_ love this woman quite passionately, and they _do_ share some sort of deep connection that may well be impossible to break. All I can think is _God! What would it be like to have someone love you that much? I can't even imagine it._

A second later, Sookie pulls her eyes away from her husband's and turns back to me. She gives my arm one last pat and then releases my hand. The minute she lets go, the mental haze I've been in starts to gradually recede. Still, I feel different than I did earlier... lighter, somehow. In fact, I can't seem to stop smiling and I have the strangest urge to get up and dance around. Man, I guess confession _is _good for the soul! Glancing around the room, I see that all the vampires have been watching this whole thing with total fascination. Sookie says calmly, "Pam, I think Amy could use a drink and I know I could. Why don't you take her out to the bar? The boys and I need a minute alone and then we'll join you."

Trying her best to sound as if she doesn't really care one way or the other, Pam asks her, "Is there anything I should know?"

Shaking her head, Sookie replies, "Everything is fine, Pam. Go enjoy yourself for a while. You've earned it."

Looking relieved, Pam motions for me to join her. We step out into the hall, and she carefully closes the office door behind us. Sliding her arms around me, she gives me a very tender kiss. "I'm glad you told me the truth, Amy. It would have made me very sad to have to kill you."

I'm still feeling so good that the last half of that comment doesn't even faze me. Giggling, I say, "That Sookie is a real trip! Tell me the truth, Pam. What the hell _is _she?"

She thinks for a moment before answering. "My Mistress will have to tell you that herself. All I can say is that she is very, very unique."

"You can say that again! Now, let's go get that drink!"

Apparently, their discussion was a short one. Pam and I have barely gotten our drinks when Sookie and the male vampires join us. Eric sits down in "his" chair and pulls Sookie on to his lap. One of the waitresses scurries over to take their orders. Eric asks his wife, "What would you like to drink, my love? Champagne, perhaps?"

She thinks for a minute. "No, I want something with a little more kick to it. I'd like a Vampire's Kiss, please."

For a split-second, a startled look flashes across Eric's face, but it is gone so quickly I think I must have imagined it. "Are you sure? This is a celebration, after all. I was rather looking forward to a taste of champagne this evening." He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, and she laughs.

"After all that Perianth you had earlier? You are _such_ a greedy vampire. Maybe if you're a good boy I'll let you have some later. Right now I want a Vampire's Kiss."

Shaking his head sadly, he says, "You are a hard woman, Mrs. Northman." Flicking his finger tips at the waitress, he says, "Tell Steven to make the Mistress a Vampire's Kiss. I need to speak to him, so I will come fetch it myself shortly. Please serve everyone else some of the new blood that just came in from Las Vegas."

Even though I've only had a few sips of my drink, I feel as uninhibited as if I'd done several shooters. The truth is, I don't drink that much. I hate the loss of control. Maybe it has to do with seeing my drunken mother acting like a complete fool for all those years... and yet, for once it feels nice to let loose. Without caring a bit if I'm being too nosy, I lean over to Pam and whisper, "What the hell? Can Eric _really_ drink champagne? I thought you guys can't drink anything but blood. And what's Perianth?"

"Perianth is a rare liqueur. Only very old vampires such as Robert or my Master can accept the essence of spirits from the lips of a warm-blooded creature. _Extremely_ old vampires can have a few sips of wine with no ill effects."

"You mean to say there are vampires older than _Eric_?"

"Oh, yes... but they are very, very rare indeed, and almost none of them live in this country."

Wow. Up until a couple of days ago, I thought a 500-year-old vampire was really ancient! I wonder if someday I will be that old... it's pretty hard to wrap your mind around something crazy like that! Looking past Pam's shoulder, I happen to notice that one of the vampires Eric nodded to earlier is headed straight toward our group. He is a stocky male about my height with dark hair and eyes and a short, scruffy beard. Eric sees him coming and waves him closer. As soon as the greetings are over, Eric says, "I was a bit surprised to see you here, Alphonse. Who is watching the gator farm?"

"My boy Maurice is overseeing things while I am gone."

"And the guest I sent you? How is he faring?"

Grinning broadly, Alphonse replies, "He won't be giving any more phony swamp tours, that's for sure. As a matter of fact, that is one of the reasons I dropped by. Since I was in the Area on business, I thought you might like an update."

Sookie looks puzzled, but before she has a chance to ask any questions, Eric sets her on her feet and then stands. "Sookie, please excuse us for a moment."

He and the other vampire step off to one side and have a whispered conference. Whatever Alphonse is telling him seems to tickle Eric, because his eyes begin to gleam and a slow smile of satisfaction crosses his face. Still standing right where he left her, Sookie watches this with a slight frown. Turning back toward us, she pins Pam with a stern look and says, "Okay, Pam. What gives?"

"Oh, that's right! You were not here for the first King's Court," Pam says rather snidely, "Well! Where do I start? Eric was not in the best of moods by then, of course, so he got very creative with some of his punishments. This one was particularly inspiring. You see, one of the Area One vampires was luring tourists out to the swamps and..."

"Pam! This is _not_ the time," Bill warns her. Looking Sookie straight in the eye, he says firmly, "Sookie, trust me. If you really want to celebrate tonight, this is something that can wait. I am sure Eric will tell you all about it later if you really want to know."

Sookie is silent for a minute, clearly deciding whether to force the issue. Robert chimes in. "Bill is right. This is a night for celebration. Now come sit down and keep an old vampire company." Catching her hand, he tugs at it until she sits down. "That is much better. Now, I see that your Bonded has presented you with the Sunrise Necklace. It looks splendid on you. Do you like it? Eric designed it himself, you know."

Touching the flashing yellow stone lightly with her fingertips, she smiles and says, "Yes, I know. I think it is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I imagine you had a hand in this, too."

"I am pleased to say that I supervised its making. When Eric told me what he had in mind, I knew I already possessed the perfect stone. I have had that particular diamond for many years. It has quite a history, and some day I shall tell you the story of how I came by it."

Well, fuck me! That necklace is made from _real diamonds_? That center stone is big enough to choke a horse! How much would something like that be worth? I probably can't even count that high. Sookie cries, "Oh, Robert! This diamond belonged to you? It's so special, how could you bear to give it up?"

"A stone such as this one was destined to be worn by a Queen. It pleases me to no end to see it around your throat. Besides, _ma petite soeur_, have you forgotten our vows so soon? Nestmates share everything. What is mine is now yours. When you come to New York the next time, I will take you down to the vault. You can choose whatever stones strike your fancy, and I shall make you a lovely bracelet to commemorate our new relationship with my own hands."

"Robert, I didn't know you could make jewelry."

"A strange pastime for an old warrior, no? I have always enjoyed creating beautiful things... but nowadays I generally leave it to the jewelers on my staff."

"So you and Faeryn do have at least one thing in common! I can't wait to show her this necklace. You know, I certainly hope she feels like coming to dinner soon..."

At the first mention of this woman, the French vampire's eyes light up and he and Sookie launch into a discussion about the details of some dinner party Sookie is planning. Pam sighs heavily. I get the idea that maybe she's not too fond of this Faeryn person, and I have the distinct feeling she's about to say something catty...

but after a strong look from Bill, she clamps her lips together and remains silent.

I don't know the first thing about dinner parties, so I tune them out. My eyes automatically slide back towards Eric, only to find that his meeting is done and he is now striding towards the bar. The humans in his path are quick to get out of his way. I study their faces carefully as he passes by them. In some of them I see both adoration and awe mixed with a healthy dose of caution, and in some, flat-out fear. I went to the zoo once and the people around the tiger cage looked just like that... and _they_ had bars between them and the animals. Right now there is nothing between them and the incredibly beautiful but deadly and unpredictable predator. When those cold blue eyes settle on you, there is no way of telling if he's going to smile at you or rip your head off... which of course is a big part of the attraction.

Once the tall blond vampire reaches the bar, Steven hands him a fancy cocktail glass containing a blood-red drink. In spite of what he told the waitress, Eric does not say more than two words to the bartender before taking the glass and then disappearing around the corner. What the hell? Only a few seconds later, he comes back into view. His eyes are glowing and he has such a mischievous grin on his face that I just _know_ he's been up to something. He heads in our direction. The waitress arrives with the fluted glasses of blood at the same time he does. By now, his face is completely expressionless. Handing Sookie the cocktail glass, he sits down and then casually leans back in his chair and crosses his long legs. He is the very picture of an unconcerned, relaxed vampire... but his eyes never leave his wife's face. While the waitress serves the rest of the group, Sookie examines her drink and then starts to laugh. Instead of a paper umbrella, the glass is decorated with a pair of fake fangs attached the end of a long, thin plastic stick. "Oh, brother!" she exclaims, "Whose idea was this?"

"Felicia and Steven came up with it," Pam answers, "So far, that drink has been extremely popular. I do not know if the humans order it because it tastes good or for the decoration."

"Believe me, Pam, if this drink is as good as I remember, it's delicious." Pushing the fangs to one side, Sookie takes a big sip. Almost instantly, a faint blush rises in her cheeks and her eyes start to glow... just like Eric's. Eyes sparkling, the vampire is now openly smiling at his wife, who exclaims, "Holy cow! This is one kick-ass drink!" She immediately takes a second sip. "I just can't figure out what all is in it." Turning to the only other human present, she asks me, "Amy, have you ever tasted a Vampire's Kiss?"

"Not the kind in a glass."

"Ha! Pretty funny! Here. Take a sip of this and see if you can figure out what's in it."

She offers me the glass, but before I can take it, Eric's hand flashes out and grabs her wrist. "No," he says rather sharply, "The girl can order her own drink if she wants to taste one."

"Oh, come on, honey. It's just a little sip..."

"No," he says flatly.

Sookie stares at him in astonishment, as if this is the very first time he's ever told her no and meant it. She looks down at the drink in her hand and then back at Eric. I can practically see the wheels turning in her head, and a moment later she narrows her eyes and asks suspiciously. "Eric, is there something you want to tell me about this drink?"

The vampire king tries his best to look innocent but fails miserably. Robert bursts out laughing. "_Ma petite_, I would say there is something about that drink that he is trying very hard _not _to tell you."

"Eric...! Tell me!"

One corner of that fantastic mouth twitches upward. "Well... perhaps there _is_ an extra ingredient in that particular drink that makes it quite special. It is much too precious to be casually shared."

It takes me a minute to get it. The King was slipping his Queen a little vampire-blood mickey! The other vampires catch on about the same time as I do, and they all begin to chuckle. Clearly shocked to her core, Sookie cries, "This drink is _spiked_? Oh, man! That means the _first_ one you gave me was spiked, too! Wasn't it?"

Now her vampire attempts to look ashamed, but he's no better at that than he was at looking innocent. Popping out of her chair, his irritated wife puts her fists on her hips and glares down at him. "Eric Northman! You tricked me into taking your blood when you knew I didn't want any! Of all the dirty, underhanded, manipulative... _vampire-like_ things to do!"

"I believe you left out ruthless," suggests Robert helpfully.

Bill adds, "And arrogant. Don't forget arrogant."

"Those, too!" she fumes.

"Yes, I freely admit that I am all of those things," says Eric with a smirk, "but you love me anyway, because I am _also_ irresistible." He wiggles his eyebrows for emphasis.

Sookie is so taken aback by this totally outrageous statement that all she can do is sputter. Finally she manages to spit out. "Dang it, Eric! You make me _so mad_! The least you could do is apologize!" The sight of this winky human girl chewing out the State of Lousiana's biggest, scariest vampire is so ridiculous that it causes Pam, Bill, and Robert to go from snickering to outright laughter. This is the first real laugh I have ever heard out of Pam, and it is a bit startling to see how much it softens her. As for Bill, it dawns on me that this is the first time I have ever even seen him_ smile_, and it really throws me for a loop. I wondered what had ever attracted Sookie to this cold, aloof, completely serious vampire in the first place... but now I think I know. That little-boy grin and the warm sparkle in those big blue eyes changes his face from very handsome to breathtaking in an instant. It kind of makes you want to do whatever it takes to keep him happy, just so he'll always look like that. I decide on the spot that I'm going to make him change his mind about threesomes if it is the last thing I ever do.

As for the king, he is grinning, too. Totally unrepentant, he says, "Why should I apologize? I was doing my duty to my Bonded by providing her with something she needed, even though she was too stubborn to take it on her own. Admit it, my love... you enjoyed that evening every bit as much as I did. Now, come... sit on my lap and tell me how glad you are that I take such good care of you."

"I will _not_!"

Quick as a wink, Eric reaches out and catches her hand. "Yes, you will. Come to me, Sookie." With only the ghost of a smile on his lips, he gives her the absolute sexiest look I have ever seen a man give a woman. If he ever looked at me like that, I would probably have an orgasm on the spot.

"Nuh uh. Not gonna happen. I'm mad at you."

"No, you are not. You are just being stubborn again. Now come here."

He tugs at her hand, and this time she gives in. He pulls her on to his lap, wraps his arms around her and starts nuzzling her neck. He whispers soft words into her ear that no one else can hear (except maybe Robert, who is still grinning like a Cheshire cat.) Sookie sits there stiffly at first but soon she is smiling and giggling.

Rolling her eyes, Pam says, "Come on, Amy, let's dance." Pulling me to my feet, she leads me out on to the crowded floor. It isn't long before we are joined by the others... and from that point forward, the night picks right up. When vampires put their mind to it, they can out-party any human ever born. One by one, the other vampires in the club come by and pay their respects to the head honcho. Eric is in such a great mood, he invites a bunch of them and their dates to join us. In fact, he even goes so far as to declare free drinks for everyone in the place, human and vampire. This earns him a scowl from Pam, but he just swats her on the ass and tells her to get over it. In between audiences with the various groups of vampires, the king and his woman spend a lot of time on the dance floor. For such a big man, Eric turns out to be an excellent dancer, and Sookie is no slouch either. They are clearly having such a wonderful time that it rubs off on everyone around them. Between their high spirits and the free drinks, pretty soon the entire bar is absolutely rocking! I even catch sight of the tourist couple from Kansas doing a little dirty dancing of their own, both of them flushed and laughing like maniacs.

About three Jack-and-Cokes into the evening, Felicia sides over and whispers something in Pam's ear. She hops up and says, "Amy, I've got to take a call in my office. I'll be back shortly. You might as well stay here and have fun."

Once she is gone, Robert politely asks me to dance. Is he kidding? I've been dying to dance with him all night! Taking my hand, he leads me to the dance floor, and we wiggle our way into the center of the crowd. The French vampire is an wonderful dancer, and watching the sensuous way he moves makes me remember some of the highly erotic things we did together earlier in the evening. The unaccustomed amount of alcohol has really gone to my head by now, so I boldly pull his head down to my lips and suggest, "How about we sneak off for awhile? I bet you could use a little sip of the real thing."

Pulling his head back, he stares down at me as if he can't quite remember my name. "You are Pam's," he says coldly.

Surprised, I respond, "So what? Obviously she doesn't mind sharing."

"Those were unusual circumstances. If she had not offered, I would have certainly respected her wishes."

"But... "

"No buts. If you are to be a companion, you must learn the rules."

"Okay, then maybe you should explain them to me. What if Pam joins your nest? Nestmates share everything, right? Now that you have formed this nest, you don't have to ask Eric if you want to fuck Sookie, do you?"

The vampire moves so fast, my mind doesn't even have time to register it. The next thing I know, the vampire's big hand is wrapped firmly around my throat and a gigantic pair of fangs is flashing mere inches from my face. "Shut your filthy mouth," Robert hisses, "My Queen is not passed around like some common guttersnipe! Only her Twice-Bonded will ever have the pleasure of knowing her intimately. If I _ever_ hear you suggesting otherwise, Pam or no Pam, they will be the last words you ever speak."

Looking into his beautiful eyes, all I see is death staring back at me. My mind goes completely blank from sheer terror. Just as the steel band around my throat begins to tighten, I am rescued by none other than Sookie herself. Luckily for me, she and Eric just happen to be dancing nearby, and she catches sight of Robert preparing to squeeze the life out of me. With Eric tagging along behind her, she hurriedly cuts through the other dancers and makes her way to Robert's side. Tugging on the angry vampire's arm, she exclaims, "Robert! What are you doing? Eric, make him stop!"

"I will not," her husband replies calmly, "I imagine he has a perfectly valid reason for it."

Robert growls, "My Lady, this _putain_ insulted you. She _must_ be taught manners."

"Robert, cut it out! I mean it!"

Very reluctantly, he lets me go... but he is still glaring at me and those razor-sharp fangs stay down. Sookie reaches up and strokes his cheek affectionately. "Settle down, Brother," she says soothingly, "I'm sure this was all a misunderstanding. You don't want to spoil our celebration, do you?"

With every stroke of her hand, the aggression seems to leak right out of him. I swear it's just like watching Beauty tame the Beast. Within less than a minute, the vampire's eyes are glowing, but this time with good humor. How in the hell does she do it? Sookie says, "Better now? Good. Listen, boys. Amy and I are going to the ladies' room. We'll be right back."

Frowning, Eric says, "I think one of us should come with you."

She gives him a very wifely look. "No, I can handle this. If I need you, I'll call you. Come on, Amy."

Grabbing me firmly by the elbow, Sookie drags me all the way to the employee's locker room. Fortunately, it is empty. Once the door swings shut, she says, "I'm going to use the restroom. That ought to give you a couple of minutes to gather your wits."

Shaking like a leaf, I sit in the wicker chair and try to get a grip on myself. Pam was absolutely right. That is one scary-assed vampire! Shit! From now on, I'll be _much_ more careful what I say to him. How was I supposed to know that Sookie doesn't fuck anybody but Eric? Marius never had any problem sharing me with his nest... not that I minded. And what the fuck is "Twice-Bonded," anyway? It's frustrating as hell to be in the game, but not have a clue what the rules are!

To top it all off, it looks like Robert isn't going to have anything to do with me as long as I'm Pam's! God_damn_ it. Unless... I can talk her in to joining their nest. Then I'm fair game for both Robert and Eric... and Bill, too, if he signs up. Yeah, that's exactly what I need to do. If I can pull that off, it'll be like hitting the trifecta at the race track. Sweet!

The toilet flushing alerts me that Sookie is coming back out. She comes out of the stall and goes over to the sink to wash her hands. To give myself a little more time, I go pee. When I come back out, she's resting one hip against the counter top, clearly waiting on me. Reluctantly, I go over and wash my hands. Looking in the mirror, I see an angry red band around my neck. Sookie sees it to. Touching it gently with one finger, she asks, "Does it hurt?"

"Some. It'll be probably be sore as hell tomorrow."

"I'm sorry it happened. Robert is just very, very protective of me."

"Aren't you going to ask me what it was that I said to set him off?"

"I have a pretty good idea. Amy, you need to be more careful."

"I know that! You're not the only one that's lived with a vampire, you know. My last boyfriend Marius had a terrible temper. I just wasn't expecting a classy vamp like Robert to turn on me like that. He seemed to like me well enough when he was giving me these." I point to the multiple fang marks visible above my strapless top.

Sookie winces. "No matter how civilized they seem, all vampires are extremely dangerous... even Robert. _Especially_ Robert." Gesturing towards the fang marks, she asks, "Would you like for me to ask Pam to heal these for you?"

"She offered earlier. I told her no."

Looking shocked, Sookie asks, "Why on earth would you do that?"

She makes it sound like I'm mentally defective or something. Stung, I snap, "I'm _proud_ of these bites. Just about every girl out there would love to have them. I see _you_ don't have any. I would think you'd _want_ everyone to see Eric's mark. Are you ashamed of them, or are you just vain?"

Narrowing her eyes, she says coolly, "First off, my gran would say that visible marks of passion are very unladylike. Second, Eric prefers my skin to be flawless. Just in case there's _anybody _that can't already tell I'm his, I am wearing his wedding rings... and third, it is a sign of respect for a vampire to offer to heal you. If you know so much about vampires, I would think you'd know that. You probably hurt Pam's feelings when you refused."

For someone who is from basically the same white-trash background as me, this chick sure sounds high-and-mighty. I guess having all the vampires kissing her ass has gone to her head. Still under the influence of one too many Jack-and-Cokes, I snort, "Ladylike? Vampires don't give a flying fuck about someone being ladylike." At least I manage to stop myself before adding _and Pam doesn't have any feelings to hurt, not that I would give a shit if she did._

Instantly, Sookie stands up straight and takes a step away from me. Those strange blue eyes of hers are as cold as Eric's as she says, "Maybe the no-account vampires you are used to don't care, but I can assure you that _these_ vampires do... and _o_f course Pam has feelings. They _all_ do. The truth is, they feel _everything_ much more intensely than humans. They just learn to turn their emotion off to keep from going crazy."

Ah, shit! There's no doubt about it this time. Sookie pulled my thoughts straight out of my head! What the hell _is_ she?

Giving me a chilly smile, Sookie says, "What I am is a telepath. That means I can hear every thought in your head whenever I want. For example, I know that you don't care a hill of beans about Pam, and that you've already lied to her on a couple of occasions. For some strange reason, you seem to make her happy. The lies you told weren't important ones, so I didn't say anything. As long as you treat her right, you and I will get along just fine... but if you hurt her in any way, you will have to answer to me."

"So what... if I don't lick her pussy just right, you'll sick Eric on me?"

Sookie looks at me in disgust. Taking a step closer to me, she replies, "Oh, no. I can take care of you all by myself."

Her eyes take on a weird glow and she raises her right hand. An invisible wave of... something... pushes against me and I stumble backwards. A sizzling hot current of air swirls around me and the hair on my body stands straight up, as if I just passed through some kind of electrical field. Suddenly, I am every bit as afraid of this small blond woman as I was of Robert earlier. Unable to stop myself, I blurt out, "Jesus Christ! What the fuck _are_ you? A witch?"

Lowering her hand, she replies calmly, "No, although some of my best friends are. All _you_ need to know is that I am the Queen of the vampires of this territory and Eric Northman's Twice-Bonded... which, by the way, means our souls are tied together for all eternity, so you can forget about him so much as looking in your direction."

"So... what are you going to do to me?"

"As long as you make Pam happy, nothing. I expect that she will get tired of you sooner or later, and you can move on to some other vampire."

I can't stop myself from thinking... _yeah, with any luck it will be Robert. _Shit! Shit! Shit! I bet she just heard that!

Sookie barks out a laugh. "Yep, I did. I wouldn't get my hopes up on Robert if I were you. You are _really_ not his type, and besides... I think he's already got someone in mind. Now, I guess we'd better get back. Pam is going to be looking all over for you. Just so we're clear... for her sake, I'm not going to tell her anything about this conversation. Oh, and another thing... Eric is the King of this territory. Vampires look up to him. If you want to be seen in public with us, I expect you to at least try to have a little class."

With that, she whirls around and heads for the door. Not knowing what else to do, a minute later I follow after her.

True to her word, Sookie never says anything to Pam about our little talk. When we get back to our seats, apparently the two males have already explained to Pam what happened because she doesn't seem surprised to see the bruise around my neck. Instead of being mad at Robert, she seems pissed at me! She pulls me off to one side and lays into me for causing trouble. Since I've already come close to being killed at least once tonight, I stand still and take it. Sookie watches me carefully. I just know she's "listening in," so I do my best to blank out any negative thoughts.

Soon, though, everything seems to be forgotten. As the night wears on, Pam gets over her snit and goes back to being amorous, and Sookie is too busy having fun with Eric and Robert to pay any attention to me. Just in case, I am on my absolute best behavior. No more liquor for me! I stay out of Sookie's way as much as possible, and I am as nice to Pam as I know how... but I can't keep myself from watching Sookie and wondering what the hell she _really_ is. Obviously there is some other supernatural group out there who are even more secretive than the vampires and werewolves.

As I study this strange female, I can see exactly what Julie meant about her and Eric. Even though they are busy interacting with others, they are totally aware of each other at all times. If she wanders too far away from him, it seems to make him antsy; and even though he doesn't do or say anything, she seems to sense his unease. Within a minute or two, she's back at his side and then he's all smiles. Eric can't keep his hands off her. He's constantly running his fingers through her hair, rubbing the small of her back, nuzzling her neck, and so on. I'm not really surprised by that part, though. Vampires are very sensual creatures, and it's pretty common for them to stroke and pet their warm-blooded companions... just like Pam does to me.

Eric clearly loves showing his woman off to the other vampires. They are all very respectful of her... but of course, they would be. Only an idiot would risk getting shredded by Eric or his buddy Robert for being rude to "the queen." Even though she's not vampire, Sookie seems very comfortable with them. No matter how intimidating they seem, she has no problem looking them right in the eye, and even laughs and jokes with some of them. In turn, they all seem totally fascinated by her.

As for Eric, Sookie goes out of her way to make sure he's happy... but she's anything but a doormat. If she has an opinion, she doesn't mind sharing it. They banter back and forth a lot. She clearly likes to tease her spouse, but I think he likes it. Robert is a willing participant in this. Later on in the evening, Eric is sitting in his chair, idly chatting with several other vampire males. The music changes to something with a slow, heavy, sensual beat. Instead of interrupting her spouse, Sookie pulls her new nestmate on to the dance floor but makes sure that Eric has a bird's-eye view of the two of them. Basically using Robert as a pole, she proceeds to do a dance for her husband's benefit that is anything _but_ "ladylike."

Narrowing his eyes, Eric watches this erotic little show intently. Within seconds, his fangs shoot down and his eyes become smoldering blue embers. He is so hot and bothered, he practically has steam coming out of his ears... and he isn't the only one. Every vampire within spitting distance is in a similar condition, including Pam. All eyes are glued to the blond bombshell slithering sensuously around the gorgeous body of Robert. Sookie turns so that both she and her dance partner are facing her spouse. Robert snugs up behind her. Covering his hands with hers, she slowly guides his palms down her sides and hips and outer thighs and then back up again, all the while staring straight into her vampire's eyes and giving him a challenging, catch-me-fuck-me smile. That is all it takes to throw him over the edge. Growling deep in his throat, Eric slowly rises to his full height. There is no missing the totally impressive bulge in his tight leather pants. Taking two long steps forward, he grabs her, yanks her into his arms, and then practically devours her mouth in a crushing kiss. A moment later, he sweeps her up in his arms and strides towards his office, leaving absolutely no doubt in anybody's mind what is about to happen behind closed doors.

This passionate display casts an erotic spell over everyone in the room. Not long after Eric and Sookie's departure, the vampires and their dates begin to leave, clearly anxious to find a private spot to carry out the rest of the evening's more intimate activities. The next thing I know, I'm being hustled back to Pam's office. In one sweep, she brushes everything off her desk and the next thing I know, I'm laying spread-eagled and panty-less on top of it. As I lay there enjoying her attentions, I can vaguely hear sounds coming from the next office... laughter, a rhythmic thumping, and then muffled shout... and after a couple of minutes of silence, it starts all over again. With her vampire senses, Pam can obviously hear everything in much more detail, and the sounds of their fucking just stirs her up even more. It turns out the pink fur-lined handcuffs hanging on the wall aren't just for decoration...

After playtime, Pam and I get ourselves straightened up and head back up front. As we pass by, I see that the door to Eric's office is still firmly shut. By now, it is long after normal closing hours and the bar itself is shockingly quiet. Eric had issued the order earlier that anybody who wanted to stay and party could... and of course, nearly everyone did. Once all the vampires cleared out, though, the party was officially over. The staff has just managed to shove the last few stragglers out the front door. Since it is so late now, Pam tells them to leave the mess for the day humans to clean up. Before long, they are gone, too. To give me a chance to recuperate from my blood loss, Pam didn't bite me during sex, so I sit at the bar while she warms herself a bottle of TrueBlood. Shoving a bowl of peanuts and a big glass of orange juice across the bar, she says, "Have a snack now. When we get home, I'll have Matilda fix you a steak."

Just about the time the microwave dings, Bill comes sauntering out of the back hallway looking relaxed and rosy. His hair is mussed, there is a long smear of red lipstick next to his ear, and his normally neat clothes are a wreck. Even his shirt is buttoned unevenly. Sliding on the next bar stool next to me, he gives Pam one of those amazing smiles and says, "That was quite a party."

Looking him over with a practiced eye, she drawls, "Yes, I can see that you enjoyed yourself. You are a mess." Coming around to this side of the bar, she grabs a cocktail napkin and licks it. Grabbing his chin, she starts scrubbing the lipstick off his face, and not too gently, either. He sits still and lets her do it without a word of protest. Once that's done, she reaches out and begins to unbutton his shirt, saying, "Aren't you a little old to be having sex in the back seat of a car?"

"Where else would you suggest I have it? The stock room, perhaps? I do not have an office."

As if this is the first time this has occurred to her, Pam says thoughtfully, "I suppose you have a point. Maybe now that everything is back to normal, we can get on with the expansion." She has finally reached the last button, and as soon as it is unfastened, both she and Bill try to straighten the shirt at the same time. Her hand slides past his and ends up resting against bare skin. Instead of immediately jerking it back, she brushes it lightly across the very masculine hairs of his surprisingly muscular chest. They stare intently at each other for a long beat, and then Pam says slowly, "Maybe until then we can just share."

It isn't clear if she means the office, or me, or both. Before Bill has a chance to reply, a French accented voice from across the room says, "I highly recommend you take the lady up on her generous offer, William. I believe the experience would be good for both of you."

All three of our heads whip towards Robert, who has just let himself in through the front entrance. Even though he has clearly been outside fucking and feeding, not a hair is out of place. Deliberately misinterpreting the older vampire's obvious meaning, Bill replies, "Robert, you seem to do fine with no office."

"Why do you think I prefer limousines? There is adequate room for all sorts of business, no? Speaking of transportation, I really must be on my way, but I wanted to say goodbye to my nestmates before I go. Any sign of our lovebirds?"

Grinning, Pam says, "You know Eric. When he gets really wound up, he can go on for hours. Would you like for me to go interrupt them?" She sounds a bit hopeful.

Bill gets that faraway look on his face again. After a few seconds he says, "As much as you would enjoy that, it won't be necessary."

Sure enough, within seconds the couple pops out of the hallway. Arms wrapped around each other's waists, they both have that unmistakable just-fucked look. Seeing us all clustered at the bar, they head over to join us. Eric says, "I see the party is over."

"Yes, but it was certainly fun while it lasted," Robert replies, "I was just about to come tell you good-bye. I really must get going."

Slipping out from underneath Eric's arm, Sookie goes over to her new nestmate and gives him a big hug. "Thank you for staying, Robert. It wouldn't have been nearly as fun without you."

"Of course I had to stay. I have to keep my Queen happy."

Looking up at him, she says wistfully, "I wish you didn't have to go. It just doesn't feel right for you to leave."

Tipping her face up to his, he says softly, "I never thought the day would come that I would regret leaving Shreveport, but I confess that I am going to miss our cozy nest."

"Then hurry back. We'll miss you."

"I promise, I will return as soon as I can. Adieu, little sister." With that, he presses his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. As soon as he lets her go, he turns to Eric and says, "_A__u revoir, mon frère. _I know it is a Herculean task, but try to keep the little one out of trouble, will you?"

Eric laughs. "I will do my best, but you know how she is. Hurry back to our nest, brother. Clearly, I need all the help I can get."

After saying a quick goodbye to Pam and Bill (and totally ignoring me), Robert heads out the door. As soon as he is gone, Eric turns to the other vampires and says, "I suppose there is still enough time to pay our guest a visit. Sookie, it might be best if you stay here. Amy, come with us."

Surprised by this, Pam steps closer to me. Wrapping her arm protectively around my shoulders, she says, "Surely you aren't taking her downstairs just for making that comment earlier."

"No... but if it happens again, she will find herself down there in a heartbeat. I want her to go to the prisoner and offer to help him escape if he'll tell her what he knows."

"But Eric... up until two nights ago, Amy was sharing a nest with this vampire. It may be difficult for her to betray him in such a way."

Seeing an opportunity to get in good with them, I say quickly, "I don't mind. I'm with you guys now. Just tell me what you want me to say."

Eric glances over at his wife, who says with distaste, "She's telling the truth. Even though she's had sex with him and he treated her really well, she has no loyalty to him at all."

Dropping her arm, Pam steps away from me. Giving me a cool look, she says flatly, "Really. How interesting."

Eric just snorts and says, "I suspected as much. Now Amy, this is what I want you to say..."

A few minutes later, I find myself being led through the hidden door and down a long flight of concrete steps into a creepy, dark, damp basement. One look around, and I make a solemn promise to myself to never, _ever_ do anything to get myself locked up down here. Moving silently, Eric turns left and leads me down a hallway. Stopping in front of a steel door with a tiny window in it, Eric glances in and then back at me. I nod, letting him know that I'm ready. He unlocks the door and I open it and walk inside, leaving the door partially open so he and the others can listen.

My old buddy Seth is laying on his side on the cold concrete floor. He looks like shit. He's still wearing the ripped up, bloody clothing he had on the last time I saw him. I guess he lost so much blood in the fight that he hasn't been able to heal properly, because his skin is a nasty gray-white and has bunches of ugly red welts all over it. A silver chain runs from a huge bolt set into the wall to a thick silver manacle clamped tightly around his ankle. The manacle has been padded to keep it from burning through his skin, but there is no way for the vampire to try to remove it without searing his hands. There is nothing else in the cell but a single plastic chair.

He must not be as injured as I think he is, though, because the minute I come through the door, he sits right up. "Amy!" he says in surprise. "Girl, what are you doing here?"

Taking a deep breath, I tell him what Eric had coached me to say, "One of the king's lieutenants took a shine to me and decided to keep me around for a couple of nights. It took me awhile to find out where they were keeping you. They are all upstairs having a party, so I was able to sneak down here and see about you."

Eying me suspiciously, he asks, "They trust you enough to let you run around loose?"

"Yeah. They are all just as dumb as Marius said. I lied and said I hated Marius and was glad to get away from him, and they believed me... stupid fuckers." Making myself tear up, I put a little quiver in my voice and say, "God, I miss him!"

"I know! I can't believe he's really dead! Listen, do you think you can get me out of here?"

"I don't see how. I didn't see any keys on the way in, and I'm not strong enough to get that thing off you." I pause for a minute, letting that information sink in. "Hey... I bet I could manage to call somebody without getting caught. Do you know anybody that _could_ break you out of here?"

Shaking his head, he answers, "Not really. Marius was the one with all the contacts."

Kneeling down, I lay my hand on his arm and say persuasively, "Come on, Seth... think hard. What about the guy who owned the house in Magnolia? I could call him."

"No. I doubt it would do any good anyway. I'm just not that important."

"Okay... let's go about this another way, then. I've been watching these vampires and they really aren't all that bad. Maybe if you tell them what you know, they'll just let you go like they did the others."

He snorts. "Shit, if I tell them what I know they'll kill me for sure."

Sitting back on my haunches, I give him an exasperated look and say, "You're going to have to tell me something. Come on, tell me the guy's name and I'll call him. It's your only way out of here."

He stares at me for a minute, obviously thinking it over. Suddenly, the look on his face changes from hopeful to outraged. "Why do you want to know his name so badly? You're working for them now, aren't you? You little bitch! We treated you right! How could you!"

He tries to grab me, but he's so weak that his reflexes are slow. In the blink of an eye, the door to the cell flies open and the next thing I know, Eric is snatching me out of harm's way. Pam is right behind him. None to gently, Eric deposits me in the far corner of the room and commands "Stay!"

Gulping, I nod.

Arranging the plastic chair just out of Seth's reach, the vampire king sits down and casually crosses his legs. "Since you refuse to share any information with Amy here, I thought perhaps you would rather tell me."

Seth says defiantly, "You're going to kill me anyway. I'm not going to tell you anything."

The smile Eric gives his prisoner is the coldest thing I have ever seen. Chuckling, he says, "Oh, I think you will. Bill?"

The dark-haired vampire steps through the door. Now wearing a pair of heavy leather gloves, he is carrying a gallon-sized Ziploc bag full of silver nails, a hammer, and a brand-new pair of garden loppers. A couple of more pairs of gloves are stuck in his back pocket. Setting the other items on the floor, he grabs the gloves and tosses them to Eric and Pam. While slipping them on, Pam says, "Eric? Shall I take Amy upstairs before we get started?"

Without even looking in my direction, the king replies, "No. She needs to see what happens to those who betray us."

Oh, man. Swallowing hard, I look over at Seth. I've always known that he isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but clearly I underestimated how stupid he really is. Instead of begging for mercy and telling them everything they want to know, he clamps his lips shut and refuses to say another word... at least, for a while. Ultimately, he ends up telling them all sorts of things. I don't get to hear some of it, though, because I pass clean out soon after Pam gets to work with the loppers. When I come back to my senses, Eric is just rising from his chair. Looking down at what is left of Seth, he says, "Even though you and your nestmates were used as pawns and your ridiculous plan did not have the slightest chance of succeeding, the fact remains you were still going to attempt to kill me and take my kingdom. The penalty for treason is final death. Because you made us go to all this trouble to get the information, it will now be as painful as possible."

The three of them move in, the screaming resumes, and soon the room is filled with a fine red haze. What they are doing now makes what came before seem like child's play. After all these years of hanging around with vampires, I thought I knew all about them. I've been told a thousand times that vampires are dangerous, but I really had no concept of what that really meant. Now I understand it all too well. These creatures really aren't even remotely human anymore. No matter how beautiful the packaging, vampires are nothing but cold-blooded, incredibly efficient killing machines without the slightest hint of guilt or remorse in their make-up... and Eric truly is the worst of the lot. Seeing him in action is beyond terrifying. When he is done, there is nothing left of Seth but gooey, smoldering globs.

Even though it is clearly impossible for those tiny bits to make any sound at all, someone in the room is still shrieking. It takes me a minute to realize it is me. Over the years, I have often heard the term "blood-lust," but now I know first-hand what it means. It means that once the frenzy starts, the vampires' killer instincts take over, and all they care about is finding someone _else_ to shred... like the only human in the room. Bill tried to warn me about this, and of course I didn't listen. In the very back of my mind, a small voice is shouting, "Stop screaming, stupid! Don't remind them that you're here!"... but unfortunately, I just can't seem to make myself stop.

Sure enough, three pairs of glowing vampire eyes swivel in my direction. It is Eric that comes toward me first. He is absolutely covered in blood and gore. That same little voice in my head screams, "Run! Run! Run!" but my limbs are frozen in place. The only thing I can manage to do is squeeze my eyes shut. A second later, one big hand clamps around my face and forces my head up. A smooth, low voice with just a hint of a foreign accent says, "Open your eyes, Amy. Look at me."

Having no choice but to obey that black velvet voice, I do as he says. The last thing I see is a pair of incredibly blue, completely inhuman eyes staring intently into mine...


	47. Chapter 47

_Author's notes: Once again, I apologize for the length of time between chapters. Since many of you are reading this story to escape from your own problems for a little while, I am not going to bum you out with a litany of my woes. All I'll say is that real life has not been kind the last few weeks. Hopefully, things will get better from here on out! As I have promised before, I WILL finish this story, I pinky-swear!  
_

_****After the last chapter, several of you asked why the vampires were not able to smell Amy's scent where it wasn't supposed to be. Look at it this way: When Amy is with Pam, Pam can't distinguish between her current scent and one that was left hours before. At Valhalla, Robert had no way of knowing where Amy had been allowed to go before his arrival. Bill knew, but did not go downstairs before Amy and Pam had already visited the kitchen (which was the only place she went that was "out of bounds" the night before._

_*****A semi-brief overview of the chapter: The chapter was told from Amy's POV. Her back story is explored all the way up to the night she met Eric and his crew in Magnolia. From an abusive home, she has learned to survive by using her body and her wits, picking up various skills like lock-picking along the way. She never enjoyed having sex until she met her first vampire, and from then on she was addicted to it. She became determined to find a rich, well-connected vampire to turn her... and after meeting Eric, she felt her search was over. She decided to stay with Pam until she manages to get him to fall for her._

_The second night Amy is in Shreveport, Eric calls Pam and orders her to bring blood donors to Valhalla. Pam takes Amy along, where she meets Cooper, Jason, and Robert. After Pam donates blood to Eric, Amy helps replenish her but then passes out from blood loss. She is locked in a bedroom during the following day. She picks the lock and goes exploring, but does not get caught. That night, she has a threesome with Pam and a highly intoxicated Robert, who has just completed the nesting ritual with Sookie and Eric. She and Pam then head to Fangtasia._

_After finally meeting Sookie, she realizes that getting Eric away from his wife might be impossible... but decides she'll settle for Robert. After the Knight nearly strangles Amy for being disloyal to Pam, Sookie takes her to the bathroom to give her time to recover. She smarts off to Sookie, who quickly shows Amy that she is not someone to be messed with... although she does not reveal that she is Fairy. Once the huge party is over and everyone has cleared out, Eric, Pam, and Bill go to the basement to question the vampire from Magnolia. Eric sends Amy in as a spy, but this does not work. Amy is forced to watch as Eric's crew resorts to torture and then witnesses the gory aftermath. It is not made clear whether she survives their bloodlust or not._

_Phew! Was that an eventful chapter, or what? Now we move on to the next day..._

**Chapter 47**

**Sookie's POV: Shreveport, Louisiana**

As I had so many times over the course of the last few months, the next day I opened my eyes and found myself staring up at yet another unfamiliar ceiling. It took me a moment to remember where the heck I was. Oh... yeah. After the interrogation of the male vampire from Magnolia, it was so close to dawn that Eric decided to stay in Shreveport instead of driving back to the country. For some reason, he seemed reluctant to stay in "Sookie's Safehouse," so we ended up in his suite at the vampire hotel in downtown Shreveport instead.

After being such a homebody my entire life, I found it somewhat discombobulating to never know exactly where I was going to wake up on any given day. Eric had lived this way for so many centuries that he probably never gave it a single thought. Even though I loved my fantastic husband and my exciting new life, I found myself craving just a tiny bit of routine. I had known when I agreed to marry a vampire Sheriff that my life would not be the sedate, rather boring one that I always expected it would be... but when Eric became King, things had been ramped up a notch or two. Add a little Fairy magic into the mix, and things had gone from intense to frantic in no time.

Rolling toward my vampire, I stared at his handsome, lightly glowing face and tried to imagine what our lives would be like if we were both just ordinary humans with ordinary, boring jobs. I had no problem picturing us happily married and living in the old farmhouse in Bon Temps, but envisioning Eric doing any of the mundane jobs available in the area was another matter. Like a virtual Ken doll, I mentally dressed (and then undressed!) my vampire in a variety of work outfits... the brown uniform of a UPS driver, the polo shirt and khakis of the Bon Temps high school football coach, and the local banker's J.C. Penney business suit, to name a few... but each one seemed more absurd than the last. I even indulged in a brief fantasy of Eric in a bright yellow pair of fireman's pants with red suspenders, boots, and helmet (minus the heavy jacket and shirt, of course) but even that just didn't seem right.

Given my husband's high-octane personality and brilliant mind, even if he _was_ human, an ordinary job simply wouldn't cut it. Okay, so what if we didn't live in Podunk, U.S.A.? What then? Hmmm. That expanded the job pool considerably. How about... mercenary? Rock star? Eric loved politics, so why not Senator Northman... no, _President_ Northman! Except that even Presidents had to get along with Congress, and my Viking had definitely never learned to play well with others. No rule-bound, law-abiding position for him! Being Dictator of a banana republic would be much more like it. I conjured up a view of him dressed _à la_ Fidel Castro. Nah. Olive drab just wasn't his color, and there was no way I could live with all that cigar smoke.

Maybe the real problem was that, try as I might, now I couldn't imagine Eric as anything _but_ a Vampire King. It was a job that suited him right down to the ground, and if it required us sleeping somewhere different every night of the week, I would just have to learn to get used to it. To be honest, making all these little adjustments no longer seemed like such a big deal to me. My recent brush with death had put things into startlingly clear perspective. I loved my vampire and he loved me and we needed to be together. In the long run, nothing else mattered.

Smoothing his long hair away from his gorgeous face, I smiled at my resting mate. No one could ask for a more perfect husband. He had been there for me in good times and bad... and we had certainly had our fair share of bad recently. All that was finally behind us, though. Now it was time for the good stuff... and last night's celebration at Fangtasia had been a great start. For the first time in weeks, Eric's playful side had definitely made an appearance. The Viking's good spirits had been totally infectious and had spread to everyone in the place, including me. That was probably the best time I had ever had at a party in my entire life, and it had just been a spur-of-the-moment thing. With a little planning, I bet we could do even better... at the upcoming Coronation, for example. I was determined to make that important event as much fun for my vampire as possible... and that wasn't the only item on our social calendar. We were going to have our very first dinner party at Valhalla soon. Holy crow! What in the heck was I doing lounging around in bed? I needed to get busy!

After kissing my little party animal on the tip of his adorable nose, I made sure he was covered and then rolled out of bed. I yawned and stretched, mentally checking my body for any lingering signs of illness. Besides having just recovered from iron poisoning, I had pounded down more than my fair share of alcohol the night before... but thanks to my ever-thoughtful spouse, I didn't have so much as a slight headache. Although I was still awash in his and Robert's old blood, Eric had insisted that I take one last nip before bedtime, just in case... and now I felt utterly fantastic! In addition to being hangover-free, my senses were still heightened to a remarkable degree. I could see just fine even though the room was pitch dark, so I had no trouble navigating to the bathroom without turning on any lights.

After using the restroom, I took a quick shower and then hunted around for something to wear. I knew from my first stay at the hotel that Eric kept some of his clothes in the closet. Knowing that he always loved to see me parading around in one of his shirts, I pulled one off its hanger and slipped it on. I picked up my cell phone, located my keycard to the electronic lock, and then let myself out of the bedroom. Stopping in the doorway, I glanced around the enormous, well-furnished living room. I was somewhat surprised to see that everything was exactly the same as it had been the night of the Sheriff's Ball... but then, why wouldn't it be? It was a hotel room, for Pete's sake! Hmm. Maybe I was expecting it to be different because _I_ had changed so dramatically since then. I was no longer single, poor, untraveled, insecure, or naïve. (Well... mostly.) I now had an incredible husband who adored me, really cool Fairy relatives who claimed me as one of their own, and a wonderful home that most people could only dream about. I had an amazing new vampire brother, and I had finally made up with the human one I already had. Last but certainly not least, I was learning to see all of my magical gifts as the blessings they really were. There was no doubt about it... the new version of Sookie was a vastly improved model.

At the moment, the new, improved Sookie had only one problem: an empty tummy. Luckily, I knew exactly how to fix that. Picking up the house phone, I punched the number for room service. A male voice answered, "Good afternoon. How may I help you?"

"This is Mrs. Northman. I'd like a small steak cooked rare, a spinach salad, and a glass of iced tea, please. Oh... and some strawberries if you have any."

"Yes, ma'am. Anything else?"

"No, thanks, that's all for now. I'm not sure of the room number but it's one of the penthouse suites."

The man assured me that he knew exactly which room I was in and told me my meal would be delivered promptly. While I was waiting, I decided to make a few calls, starting with Amelia. In all the craziness of the last couple of days, I hadn't had time to check on her. The last time we talked, she still hadn't broken the news of her pregnancy to her boyfriend Tray, and I was dying to know what his reaction had been.

She answered half-way through the first ring. "Sookie! That is so weird! I just picked up the phone to call you and there you were!"

Chuckling, I said, "Great minds think alike, right? So... how are you feeling?"

"Okay right now," she replied, "The morning sickness comes and goes."

"Have you told Tray yet?"

"Actually, that's why I was calling. I finally got up the nerve to tell him... and guess what? He's thrilled! He says this is the best news in the world and he wants us to get married! Can you believe it?"

I could hear the joy in her voice. Laughing, I said, "Oh, honey! Of course I believe it! I had a feeling he'd be over the moon about the baby. So when are you two going to tie the knot?"

"Well, I was all for going to the Justice of the Peace right away, but Tray said no way. He says _this_ marriage is going to be his last, and he wants to do it right this time. He and his first wife got married before a judge, so he's bound and determined to have a real wedding in church. We're both Catholic, but his first wife wasn't, so he kind of gets a do-over as far as the Church is concerned. The original plan was to have a small ceremony with only family and very close friends, kind of like you and Eric did."

Completely excited for my friend, I said, "I think that's awesome! After being a bride's maid so many times, you deserve to be the bride for once! Have you told your dad yet?"

She snorted, "Oh, yes. Oddly enough, he took the news of the pregnancy pretty well. It was the wedding plans he threw a fit over!"

"Why? Is it because you're already pregnant?"

"No! It's because he wants us to have a big fancy wedding at his church in New Orleans! Never let it be said that Copley Carmichael passed up a chance to impress all his hoity-toity friends and business associates!"

Hmpf. That sounded _exactly_ like Amelia's father. "Uh huh. And what did _you_ say?"

Sighing heavily, she responded, "You know my dad. He's pretty good at getting his way. I finally gave in and said yes. The only problem is, the church he belongs to is normally booked for months and months in advance. I know I wouldn't be the first bride to walk down the aisle of that cathedral with a discreet little bun in the oven, but I absolutely refuse to do it looking like the broad side of a barn. We agreed that if he can't get it booked before I start showing, then we can go back to the original plan. Either way, I'd love it if you would be my Matron of Honor."

The only time I had been a bride's maid, it was just to fill in for someone else at the last minute. To be invited to take part in such an important occasion by a friend was very, very touching and before I knew it, tears sprang into my eyes. In a voice choked with emotion, I answered, "I would be honored!"

"That's terrific! You can help me plan everything. Since you just got married a couple of months ago, it should all be fresh in your mind. I wish I could go to New York to get my dress, but Tray isn't going to let me out of his sight that long. I guess I'll have to find something in Shreveport. Maybe we can do lunch and then you can take me to the bridal stores you found."

"It sounds like fun. Just let me know when."

Laughing, Amelia said, "For obvious reasons, it'll have to be soon! I'll let you know the date of the wedding as soon as I can."

"Okay. Listen, speaking of important dates, Eric's Coronation is just around the corner. Do you think you'll be up to attending?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for anything. Speaking of His Majesty, how are things between the two of you?"

She was so happy and excited about her upcoming wedding, I didn't want to bring her down by telling her about the upsetting events of the last couple of days. I hedged by saying, "Ah... it's been pretty wild around here since the last time I talked to you, but right now things are fine. I'll tell you all about it the next time I see you."

We chatted a little more about her wedding until my food arrived. After promising to get together soon, we disconnected and then I opened the door for the waiter. A few minutes later, I was curled up on the sofa, happily eating my lunch while watching a movie on the flat-screen. It seemed like years since I had done something so ordinary, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Just as I was finishing my last strawberry, my phone rang. To my surprise, it was Rhiannon. "Good afternoon, Sookie," she said in her musical voice, "How are you feeling today?"

"Good as new. I'm sorry I was out of it when you came to see me, but Eric told me everything you did for me. I want you to know how much I appreciate it."

"It was my pleasure, my dear... but to be frank, I am hoping that you can return the favor. Faeryn's physical injuries are healing well enough, but in spite of the Prince's best efforts, her spirit is not rebounding as quickly as I would like. Niall told me of your kind offer to have her come for a visit. I believe a few days with you might be just what she needs."

"Of course, I will be more than happy to have her... but if the Prince hasn't been able to help her, what can I possibly do?"

"You can be her friend, Sookie. Perhaps that is what she needs more than anything. Niall mentioned your suggestion of a dinner party. I think that is a splendid idea."

"Wonderful! How soon do you think it will be before Faeryn is up to it?"

"Oh, fairly soon. I think... perhaps by this Sunday. Would that be suitable?"

"I think so. I'll check with Eric, but Sunday should be just fine."

After hashing out the details, we finally said goodbye. I sat there for a second, thinking how excited I was to be having my first dinner party... and then it hit me! Holy crap! I was going to have my first formal dinner party in less than a week! Jumping to my feet, I started pacing around the room, trying to get everything straight in my mind. I needed to come up with a menu, order flowers, figure out what dishes to use ... and go to Bon Temps to pick up tablecloths and the cloth napkins! Heaven forbid I forget that all-important detail! I was on my third circuit around the room when I finally realized what I was doing, and when I did I had to laugh. Was my Viking starting to rub off on me, or what? I was pacing around just like he did when he was trying to work out a problem.

Grinning to myself, I grabbed a pad of paper and a pen off the desk and plopped into the nearest chair. I made a list of things I needed to do before Sunday night. The very first thing I wrote was: _Make sure Juanita can work this weekend_. If I had my calm, capable housekeeper to help me, I was confident that the dinner would go without a hitch. After dashing off a few other items, I looked at the clock. Juanita was probably already at Valhalla, so I decided to give her a call there. It was the very first time I had ever called our land-line. In fact, as far as I knew, it was the first time anyone had called it, ever. All of our friends just called on our cell phones, and no one else would have access to the number. It wasn't like someone could look in the yellow pages under _Kings, Vampire_ and find it. After lots of rings, Juanita finally answered. With a hint of surprise in her voice, she said, "Hello? Ah... this is the Northman residence. How may I help you?"

"Juanita? This is Sookie."

"Oh! Good afternoon, Señora Sookie. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm fine, thanks. I wanted to let you know that Eric and I are still in Shreveport, so you won't need to worry about cooking anything today. Also, it looks like my relatives will be coming to dinner this Sunday. I know it's your day off, but do you think you could work that night?"

"_Of course _I will be here. It is my job to help you with entertaining."

"Good! I have to admit, this is my first fancy dinner and I'm a little nervous. I need all the help I can get."

"You should not be nervous. Even if they _are_ royalty, they are still your family. They will love you no matter what you do. Have you chosen the menu yet? If you don't mind me asking... what do fairies eat?"

I explained that they ate everything we did except for lemon. Juanita suggested, "You were thinking of serving the dinner outside, which means the menu can be more casual. Perhaps they would like to have a traditional Southern dinner... fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, greens, and biscuits. We could serve peach cobbler and home-made ice cream for dessert. I would need at least one more iron skillet to fry that much chicken and I..."

Iron skillet! Ack! Hastily, I broke in. "As wonderful as that sounds, there is one detail I forgot to mention. Full-blooded Fairies are highly allergic to iron, and I've recently become sensitive to it myself. If you cooked our food in an iron skillet... well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty."

Boy, playing hostess to Supernaturals was turning out to be trickier than I thought. Here I had been worrying about serving the wrong kind of wine, but never gave a thought to poisoning nearly everyone at the table! I got cold chills just thinking about it. I gave Juanita the run-down on what cookware was acceptable, adding, "However, I think Eric wants to hire Chef Sinclair to prepare this particular meal. Eric says he can provide the servers, too... but honestly, I'd rather you do it. I would like my family to be able to relax and be themselves... and they can't do that around ordinary humans. There will only be seven of us. Do you think you can handle serving that many people by yourself?"

"Yes, I believe I can," came the calm reply. "Once you decide what you are serving, we can plan on the proper serving dishes and utensils. You may need to buy some new things."

We went over a few more details before saying goodbye. Looking over my list, I decided that I needed to make the trip to Bon Temps in the next day or two. I remembered that Jason had asked if I would meet him for lunch, so I figured I might as well kill two birds with one stone. Just to make sure he was going to be available the next day, I gave him a call. The phone rang so many times I thought it was about to go to voice-mail, but Jason finally answered. "Uh. Stackhouse here," he mumbled.

"Good morning, sunshine," I said cheerfully, "You lazy boy! Are you going to sleep all day? Don't you know that the early bird catches the worm?" Our Gran used to say that to us when we were teenagers and tried to sleep late. She thought sleeping past 8:30 was the height of slothfulness, and would gently but ruthlessly roust us out of bed in spite of our grumblings. She made up for it by having a big hot breakfast waiting on the kitchen table, though.

Jason yawned and said groggily, "Jesus, Sook. I ain't fifteen anymore. What time is it?"

"Early afternoon. I called to see if you wanted to have a late lunch with me tomorrow."

"Sounds good. Where do you want to meet?"

"I've got to pick up a few things from Gran's, so why don't you meet me there? The weather is nice this time of year. I'll bring along a picnic, and we can eat outside."

He snorted. "What sort of stuff are you picking up? I can't imagine anything from our old farmhouse looking right in that mansion you live in now."

"Valhalla _is_ big, but it is still my home," I said rather stiffly, "I tried my best not to make it too stuffy. I think our family things will fit in just fine."

Jason said quickly, "Now, Sook, don't get your fur up. I just can't believe that my baby sister is really living in a place like that. It's pretty incredible... from what little I got to see of it. That bodyguard of yours wasn't too keen on letting people wander around." Now it was his turn to sound offended.

"Don't take it personally. I'm sure Cooper was only following orders. Eric isn't used to having people in his house. I'll have you over soon and give you the grand tour if you want."

"Well, I'm awake now. Instead of waiting until tomorrow, why don't I pick up some burgers and bring them over? We could have a late lunch and you could show me around."

"Actually, Eric and I are in Shreveport right now. We had a late night at the club and decided to stay over."

"So you're at your house in town?"

"No, we're staying at the vampire hotel downtown, but I'm pretty sure we'll be back at Valhalla tonight. Now, about tomorrow..."

After talking it over, we came up with a time that was good for both of us and then said goodbye. Next, I decided to give Chef Sinclair a call. Since it was such short notice, I was worried that he might already be booked. The only problem was that I didn't have his number. I thought for a minute, and then punched in the number for Eric's day man, Bobby Burnham. He answered promptly, "Hello?"

"Hey, Bobby. It's Sookie. I'm trying to get in touch with Chef Sinclair, and I was wondering if you had his number."

"Sure, but if you want to give me the details, I can call him for you."

"No thanks. Eric and I are going to have a party, and I want to discuss the menu with him."

"Okay. If you'll hold on for a minute, I'll look it up for you."

A moment later, he was back on the line reading the number to me, and then we spent a couple of minutes going over a few unrelated matters. Suddenly, my phone beeped with an incoming call. Asking Bobby to hold for a second, I switched calls. "Hello?"

A male voice I didn't recognize said, "Hello. Is this Sookie Stackhouse?"

"Um... may I ask who is calling?" I answered cautiously.

"My name is Wade Johnson. I'm a friend of your cousin Claude's."

I vaguely remembered meeting this guy Wade at Hooligan's. He was a dancer and one of Claude's on-again/off-again lovers. At the mere mention of my cousin's name, a spike of irritation shot through me. Niall had informed me that Claude was being punished for his bad behavior, and I was willing to bet this was an attempt on my cousin's part to get me to intercede on his behalf. If so, he had another think coming! Rather rudely, I said, "Yes, this is Sookie. What do you want?"

"Well, Claude's in trouble, and I was hoping you could help."

I snorted, "Claude told you to call _me_ for help? Let me tell you, buddy, he's barking up the wrong tree."

"Look, I tried his sister first, but she didn't answer. Claude doesn't really have very many other friends. I didn't know who else to call but you."

"Listen, Wade, whatever trouble Claude's in, he'll just have to handle it himself. Sorry you wasted your time. Goodbye."

Before I could disconnect, I heard Wade pleading desperately, "Wait! Please don't hang up! Claude's life could be in danger!"

I hesitated. As angry as I was at my cousin, I really didn't want him to die. For one thing, it would upset Claudine too much. I guessed the least I could do was find out what was wrong. Reluctantly, I said, "All right, I'll hear you out, but I'm not promising anything."

"That's all I can ask," said Wade with relief, "Okay, here's the deal. Late yesterday afternoon, Claude's grandfather showed up and reamed him a new one. After he left, Claude was really upset and went tearing out of here in his new car. He got pulled over for speeding, and when the highway patrolman checked the registration, the car came back listed as stolen. They hauled Claude to jail for grand theft auto!"

Claude was... in jail? For driving the very car that had caused Eric and me so much grief? I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing. Ordinarily, I might be very upset to find out that my husband was involved in the theft of a car... but I knew in my bones there had to be some sort of mistake. Oh, Eric was perfectly capable of stealing, all right... Vampire, duh!... but in this case, why would he? For one thing, the Viking could afford to buy a hundred BMW's without batting an eye, and for another, he would have been too worried that I might find out about it and _never_ come back from the Portal. I figured Eric could get the whole mess cleared up at first dark with a couple of phone calls. Until then, it would serve Claude right to have to sit in jail for a few hours.

Still chuckling, I said, "Frankly, it sounds like poetic justice to me. Does Claude _really_ expect me to go bail him out? I think a few days in jail might be good for him."

"To be honest, Claude doesn't even know I'm calling you. Sookie, have you ever seen the kind of men that are in the parish lock-up? Unfortunately, I have... and believe me, they don't treat any kind of fairy too kindly."

Obviously Wade was aware that Claude was Fae. I snorted. "Is that what you meant when you said his life was in danger? Don't get your panties in a twist. Fairies are lots stronger than most humans, and besides... Claude can use his magic to protect himself."

"That's just it, Sookie. He can't. That's why he was so upset in the first place. I don't know what Claude did to deserve it, but Niall took his magic away from him for a whole month."

What? I thought Claude's punishment was being banished from the Portal for a few weeks, which was bad enough... but having his magic taken away from him? As mad as I was at Claude's behavior while Eric and I were separated, this seemed pretty extreme. Even though I didn't rely on my magic as much as a full Fairy might, it still made me slightly ill to think about having it suddenly snatched away. Incredibly, I found myself feeling almost sorry for my male cousin.

Without waiting for a response, Wade continued, "Even if Niall hadn't taken away Claude's powers, they would be seriously weakened anyhow. Think about it, Sookie! He's locked in a cell with iron bars! In fact, the whole building is full of iron! That's what's really worrying me. You see, the jailers took away his tube of that special barrier cream when they arrested him. That stuff only lasts for twenty-four hours or so... and then what? We've just got to get him out before then!"

Just the thought of iron poisoning sent cold chills through me. I said slowly, "Okay, I get how serious it is... but what Claude needs is a lawyer. Surely he has one."

"Claude has always used the family lawyer... who answers to Niall. He won't take Claude's calls, either. I finally found someone to take the case... a friend of a friend kind of deal... but frankly, I'm not sure how competent he is. To make it worse, Claude smarted off to the judge at his arraignment this morning, and so his bail got set really high."

"Okay, so go pay it. Claude has plenty of money."

"Not really. Claude spends money like a sailor on shore leave. It turns out that most of it comes from Niall anyway, and those accounts have all been shut down. Claude just spent a ton of money on redecorating the club, so the Hooligan's account is practically empty. I just don't have that kind of money! Please, Sookie... even if you won't help him directly, will you at least call his sister? Maybe she'll listen to you."

"All right. Give me all the details and I'll see what I can do."

After writing down all the pertinent information, I said goodbye and disconnected... but before I could make the next call, I heard a tiny voice shouting, "Hello! Sookie? Are you there?"

Oh, man! I had forgotten that I had put Bobby on hold! Putting the phone to my ear, I said rapidly, "Sorry about that. Listen, I'll have to call you back." Before he could say a word, I hit "end" again and then immediately dialed the palace. Within moments, I had Claudine on the line. After saying a quick hello, I wasted no time in telling her about her brother's situation. She gasped in horror. "A human jail!" she cried, "Oh, this is awful! All that iron...!"

"I know. Believe me, that's the only reason I'm calling. As mad as I am at Claude, I don't want him to get really sick."

For a long moment, there was total silence. Then, in a voice filled with distress, my beautiful girl-cousin said, "I can't help him, Sookie. The Prince has expressly forbidden any of us here from having any contact with my brother for the next month."

"But this is his grandson we're talking about! Considering the circumstances, surely Niall will relent."

"No. Once Niall has issued a punishment, he never changes his mind... even for a family member. As much as I fear for Claude, I cannot go against my Prince's edict."

By the desolation in her voice, I could tell this was tearing her apart. Claudine had saved my butt more times than I could count, and I would do just about anything to keep her from being unhappy... and if anything terrible happened to her remaining triplet, she would be downright inconsolable. Thinking quickly, I said, "Okay, what about me? Niall told me to avoid Claude, but he certainly didn't make it sound like an order. _I_ could go spring him."

Suddenly hopeful, Claudine said, "That is so. Although I cannot _ask_ you to help my brother, I am not obligated to try to talk you out of it, either."

"All right, then. I'll find a way to handle it."

"Sookie... thank you. And please... _hurry_."

"I will. I'll call you as soon as I know something." I hung up and then jumped to my feet. Pacing around a bit, I tried to decide what I should do next. I could attempt to "talk" it over with Eric and find out what the deal was with the car, but the Viking was so angry with Claude that he might well forbid me to help him... and I had already promised Claudine I would handle it. The best thing to do was to get Claude out of jail as fast as possible and then worry about getting the charges dropped later. I didn't know a thing about posting bail, but figured it couldn't be all that difficult. However, getting to Ruston was easier said than done. The limousine had dropped us off at the hotel last night, so I didn't have a car. Even if I could "pop" that far, I had no idea where the jail was located. Would a cab take me all the way to Ruston? Probably not. Briefly, I thought about calling Cooper for a ride, but it would take him much too long to get here. I knew I was risking a lecture from Eric about not having a proper guard, but honestly, what could happen to me at the jail? It would be swimming in police and state troopers and trained guards. Besides, I felt confident that I could defend myself with my magic now, at least during the day.

Okay, then... who did I know that lived in Shreveport and would be willing to come get me at the drop of a hat? Oh! Of course! I immediately placed another call. "Bobby, it's Sookie again. Listen, Eric and I are at staying at the hotel in Shreveport and both of our cars are at Valhalla. I need to get to Ruston as soon as possible. I want you to come pick me up and drive me there."

Sounding a little surprised at such a direct order coming from me, he said, "Normally, I'd be happy to, but my car is in the shop. I've been driving an old beater of my brother's. Is that okay?"

"As long as it has wheels and an engine, that's good enough for me."

"Okay, then. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Great! I'll be waiting downstairs."

As soon as we disconnected, I hurried back into the bedroom to change. Rats! All I had to wear was the tight-fitting black leather dress and high-heeled fuck-me pumps that I had worn to Fangtasia the night before. Wearing such an outfit to a vampire nightclub was one thing, but traipsing into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center looking like a hooker was quite another... and that wasn't even the worst of it! Eric had shredded my only pair of panties last night. Since our marriage, I had started keeping two extra pairs in my handbag... which I had stupidly left at Valhalla. Under normal circumstances there was no way I would even consider going _anywhere_ without underwear... but I owed Claudine, big time. What if something bad happened to Claude because I had taken the time to stop and buy panties? I could never face my relatives again.

Funny how the absence of such a small scrap of fabric could mean the difference between feeling like a lady or a skank. I was not only going to look like a 'ho, now I was going to feel like one... but I really didn't have time to worry about it. I was just going to have to keep my knees together and pray. As quickly as I could, I wriggled my way into the dress, slipped on my shoes, and ran a brush through my hair. I had to forgo putting on any make-up, because I didn't have any with me. From start to finish, I was dressed in ten minutes flat.

Grabbing my cell phone, I stashed it in my bodice and then glanced around the room. I had the nagging feeling I was forgetting something important... and then it dawned on me. _I didn't have a purse!_ How could I possibly bail someone out of jail with no money? My credit cards and checkbook were at Valhalla... but maybe the jail wouldn't take anything but a money order or cash anyhow. Without a driver's license, I couldn't go to the bank and get either one. Eric always carried enough cash in his money clip to choke an elephant, but even that wasn't going to be nearly enough. Oh! Eric... cash. Suddenly, the solution to my problem popped into my head. It would take a few extra minutes, but I had really no choice.

The last thing I did before heading out was leave a note for my sleeping vampire in case I didn't make it back before dark. I set it in our customary spot so he wouldn't miss it. Even though I could feel the clock ticking, I couldn't leave without giving him one last kiss. Sighing heavily, I headed out, taking great care to lock both doors behind me. Since the hotel provided extra security for the vampire floors of the hotel, Eric hadn't bothered to bring any Royal Guards with us. Although we were not expecting any trouble, it still made me feel better to see the armed sentries stationed in the hallway outside. I gave a friendly nod to each of them. The one near the elevator gave me a confident smile and politely pushed the "down" button for me.

By the time I made it outside, Bobby was already waiting out front. When I saw the car he was driving, I started to laugh. "Old beater" didn't even begin to cover it. It was without a doubt the ugliest car I had ever seen. It was some sort of sedan from the late '60's or early '70's, which meant it was roughly the size of a gunboat. It had once been red... and then someone had spray-painted it pea-soup green, which had mostly flaked off, leaving a hideous mixture of those two faded colors plus a generous helping of gray patches of Bondo. Good thing I wasn't a car snob like some vampires I knew. Robert would have a conniption if he found out I had even been near it, much less actually riding around in it. I wondered if Bobby's brother would rent it to me the next time Robert flew in to town. I could picture my new nestmate's horrified face as I came tooling up to his airplane driving this baby! Ha! Grinning, I opened the door and carefully slid inside. "Hey, Bobby!" I greeted him cheerfully, "Nice ride."

"It runs better than it looks," he said defensively, "It's a 1972 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron. My brother's restoring it."

"Uh... why?"

"Very funny. He says it's collectible."

After having recently seen the truly collectible cars in Eric's warehouse, I had my doubts. All I said was, "Uh huh. Well, as long as it'll get us to Ruston and back, it's fine."

"It will. My brother's already fixed all the mechanical stuff," he replied. Instead of putting the car in gear, though, he just sat there staring at the front door of the hotel.

"Bobby... I'm kind of in a hurry here. Could we get going?"

"I'm waiting for your bodyguard."

"Guess what? Today, _you're_ the bodyguard."

Looking totally horrified by the idea, Bobby cried, "But Sookie! Eric will have my hide if I let you go anywhere without a real bodyguard!"

By the stubborn set to his mouth, I figured I was going to have a fight on my hands. I really didn't have time or the inclination to sit around debating the issue. Giving him my best glare, I said coldly, "... and _I_ will have your hide if you don't." Holding up my hand, I sent a tiny wave of energy flying in his direction. I really only intended to ruffle his hair a little, just to show him that I meant business, but I was so anxious to get going, I put a little too much _oomph_ into it.

Instantly, the car was filled with the odor of burnt hair. Eyes as big as saucers and newly-singed hair standing on end, Bobby shrank back in his seat and stared at me for half a beat. Without uttering another word, he rotated his head to the front, gripped the steering wheel with both hands, and stomped on the gas. As we peeled out of the parking lot, my reluctant new bodyguard/driver muttered under his breath, "Shit! Eric is _not_ going to be happy about this."

"Let me worry about Eric. Now, what do you know about bailing people out of jail?"

Giving me a quick glance, he asked in surprise, "We're going to get somebody out of jail? Who?"

"My cousin Claude. He has... a really serious allergy and being in jail could set it off. It could even kill him. That's why we have to hurry."

"Oh. Well, to be honest, I've never had to bail anybody out before. All I know is that most people don't have the cash to put up all the money, so they go to a Bail Bondsman. I imagine there's a bunch of them located around the jail, so we can find one once we get there. You'll probably have to fill out a bunch of paperwork, and they'll have to check your credit and stuff. That will probably take a couple of hours and then..."

"A couple of hours!" I exclaimed in dismay, "Wouldn't it be faster if I just paid the bail?"

"Of course, that _would_ be the fastest way... but I don't know if they'll take personal checks or credit cards. They probably want either cash or a money order."

I said, "Yeah, I figured the same thing. Listen, before we head for Ruston, we need to stop at Fangtasia."

Of course, since Bobby ran errands for Eric during the day, he had his own key to the club. Leaving him in the car, I used his key to let myself in the back door. After turning off the security system and flipping on the lights, I went straight to Pam's office. Being a shopaholic, she always had a few empty shopping bags hanging around. Sure enough, there were several neatly folded on top of the file cabinet behind her desk. Grabbing one, I hurried on to Eric's office. The safe where the nightly cash receipts were kept was in plain view. Ignoring that one, I went straight to the concealed safe where the serious money was kept. Swinging open the panel, I stared at the electronic keypad and tried to remember the combination. When Eric had told me this one, I hadn't really been paying that much attention. At that time, I couldn't imagine myself _ever_ having the need or the nerve to open it unless Eric himself had sent me. Now I understood why it was important for me to know these things... in the Supernatural world, emergencies requiring fast cash could pop up at any moment.

All I could remember was that, like most of Eric's combinations, this one was a significant date in our relationship. Guessing, I punched in several important dates... like our wedding, the day he became King, and so on... but nothing seemed to work. Think, Sookie! Apply some logic! As far as I knew, the numbers on this safe hadn't been reset for a long time, since before our engagement... Oh! Suddenly, it came to me! It was the date of our very first meeting here at Fangtasia. Sure enough, the moment I applied those numbers, I heard a significant "click." Smiling to myself, I turned the handle and pulled open the heavy door.

The top two shelves of the safe held various items of value, including gems, coins, stamps, and bearer bonds. The rest of the shelves were filled with neatly stacked greenbacks, euros, and other currencies. I quickly counted out enough of the banded stacks to cover the bail amount that Wade had mentioned, plus an extra $10,000 for contingencies, and stuffed it all in the shopping bag. It wasn't until I was re-setting the lock that it hit me. I had just hijacked my vampire's safe without a qualm!

Not long ago, such an act would have been unthinkable... but since then, my understanding of things had shifted radically. In my heart, there was no longer the slightest bit of doubt that I _was_ Eric's true mate and that no matter what, we would be together forever. Consequently, my previous ideas of what was "his" and "mine" now seemed kind of silly. When Eric said that everything he possessed was equally mine, he truly meant it. He might well throw a fit when he found out what I had done with the money, but I was totally confident that he wouldn't even question my right to take it in the first place. I was really only "borrowing" it, anyway. I had no doubt that Claudine would make sure I got back every penny.

After making sure the concealing panel was firmly back in place, I hoisted my sack-o'-cash and started to leave... but as I passed Eric's desk, I remembered that I had stashed a small bag of cosmetics in his bottom drawer several weeks back. I took a second to grab it before hurrying out the door.

Once we were on the road, I pulled out the bag of make-up and spent a little time fixing myself up a bit. While I was "putting on my face," I tried to figure out my next move. I figured that the best way to find out exactly where to go and what to do was to get the information from Claude's new attorney. Wade had supplied me with his name and number, so once I was finished with my make-up, I gave him a call. After a brief argument with his secretary and about ten minutes on hold, I finally got to talk to him. Either the guy was naturally grumpy, or Claude had rubbed him the wrong way. I was betting on the latter. In any event, he wasn't too helpful and kept telling me how busy his schedule was... until I offered him a juicy cash bonus, and at that point he agreed to meet me and walk me through the process.

Once our conversation was over, I sat back and took a deep breath. After a while, I noticed that Bobby kept sneaking puzzled glances in my direction. Finally, I sighed and said, "Bobby, you are driving me crazy. Is there something you want to ask me?"

"Uh... well, to be honest, I was just wondering what you are."

"Yeah, I figured. Tell me... since working for Eric, how many other Supernatural races have you run across?"

"Well... Were-animals, of course, and demons. Witches... but I guess most of them aren't born Supernatural. I've overheard some of the vampires talking about goblins and Fairies, but I've never actually met any. Eric mentioned a troll once, but I think he was pulling my leg. I guess that's it, so far. So, what are you?"

Even though he already knew about Fairies, I hesitated. This man had been working for Eric for a while, but I still didn't know him all that well. On the few occasions that I had "listened in," he had seemed loyal to Eric... but I also knew that he had not always been my biggest fan. The feeling was mutual. He thought I was beneath Eric, and I thought he was a self-important jerk. Bobby wasn't stupid, though. Once Eric and I announced our engagement, he must have realized that the Viking was not the sort of vampire to put up with rudeness to his new wife... and lo and behold, Bobby had been friendly and accommodating to me ever since... but even so, did I trust him enough to tell him my biggest secret without talking it over with Eric first? Nope, not really. Besides, if I _did_ tell him and Eric decided he shouldn't have that knowledge, Bobby might not live to see the next sunrise. In response to Bobby's question, I answered, "Quite obviously, I'm not entirely human... but it might not be in your best interests if I tell you any more. To be perfectly honest, I had better discuss it with Eric first."

He thought that over for a moment. "I understand. Just so you know, though, one of the reasons Eric keeps me around is that I'm damned good at keeping secrets."

After that, both of us lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. I tried to think up some neutral topic, but besides both of us thinking that Eric hung the moon, Bobby and I had absolutely nothing in common. It made me wish I had waited for Cooper to come get me. Besides the fact that my Were knew all about my heritage, he was just great company. We never seemed to run out of things to talk about, and our tastes in music were pretty much the same. He even seemed to understand the depth of my connection to Eric, which was great. For example, I could tell Cooper how uncomfortable it was to be away from my Bonded even for a short while, and he would get it without some long-winded explanation.

In truth, the Bond was already tugging at me, trying to get me to return to my vampire's side. From past experience, I had known what would happen before I ever agreed to go. Being prepared for it helped a little, but there was really no overcoming the jittery, uneasy feeling. It took a lot of energy to tamp it down, and I bet by the time I got home, I would be totally exhausted. Sharing such personal information with Bobby was just too awkward, so I kept my problems to myself. To pass the time, I suggested that he put on some music. Unfortunately, his tastes ran to hard-core rap, which was just about the only form of music that I had never learned to appreciate. It beat total silence, but not by much. To take my mind off my vampire, I spent some time trying to decipher the lyrics. I have to admit, when I figured out that most of the songs featured bad-ass vampires instead of gangstas, it did at least get a laugh out of me.

Still, after the third "song" about fightin' and bitin' and suckin' and fuckin,' I tuned it out. Laying my head back and closing my eyes, I let my mind roam back over the events of the last few days. When I got to the intimate and highly erotic nest-binding ritual of the night before, I felt myself blushing... but also smiling. That was some ritual! I was _never_ going to forget it... and maybe that was the point of the whole deal. It was hard to believe that I was actually a full-fledged member of a vampire's nest... and not any old run-of-the-mill nest, either, but one that had two of the most amazing vampires in existence as members. Robert hadn't been gone 24 hours, and I already missed him like crazy! I still had some time on my hands, so I sent him a text to read at sunset: _**Miss u already! Dinner party with family this Sunday nite. Can u make it? Luv, Sis**_

Now that the three of us had taken the first step, I was hoping it wouldn't be long before the other two came on board. Somehow, our nest just didn't seem complete without Pam and especially Bill. Although my dark vampire hadn't said anything about it, I could sense that he had been hurt by not being asked to join us from the get-go... but I also knew that in a way, he was relieved. He had never told me the details about his experiences with nests, but I knew they had not been good. Last night had been so hectic, I hadn't had the opportunity to take him aside and discuss it, but I planned on having a heart-to-heart with him as soon as possible. As for Pam, I was more than ready to get all the bad feelings behind us. Although the Viking had promised to stay out of it, I could tell his patience was wearing thin. I had better do something to resolve the situation, and the sooner the better.

I was so deep in thought, I completely lost track of time. Before I knew it, we were already to the Ruston City limits. By the time Bobby and I arrived at the agreed-upon meeting place, the lawyer was already there waiting on us. He stood on the sidewalk and watched as we pulled up in Bobby's Bondo Buggy. I could tell by his expression that he was less than impressed with our lovely car, and I figured he was wondering if the promise of a cash bonus had just been hooey. Sack of money in hand, I opened my door and got out of the car very, very carefully. Never an easy thing to do gracefully in a short, tight skirt under any circumstances, having no panties made it even more of a challenge... but somehow, I managed.

Although I hadn't flashed him or anything, as soon as he got a good look at me, the lawyer nearly fell all over himself in his rush to get to me. Dressed in a pair of brown slacks, a dun-colored button-down shirt, and a hideous tie, the man looked to be in his mid-forties. He was short and stocky and bald as a baby, but he did have a fairly attractive face. I had gotten so accustomed to being around tall men that it seemed strange to me that in my heels, I was actually an inch or two taller than he was. Offering me his hand, he said, "Sookie Northman? I'm Bob Harris. Pleased to meet you."

That sounded friendly enough, except instead of looking me in the eye, the man seemed to be addressing my breasts. For all this guy knew, I had three eyeballs. I had a burning desire to tap him on the top of his shiny little head and say, "Hello! I'm up here, you little jerk!"... but I needed his help, so I bit my tongue. Besides, I really had no one to blame but myself. I could have made Bobby stop somewhere so I could buy something less revealing to wear, but I just hadn't been willing to take the time. Even though I was pretty sure what I was going to hear, I let down my shields and listened in. Sure enough, he was thinking _Good God Almighty! If she'd just let me suck on those babies for about an hour, I would take this case for free!_

Dropping his hand like it was a hot potato, I took a step back. Keeping my voice as neutral as possible, I introducedI introduced the two men. "Mr. Harris, this is my friend Bobby Burnham."

The lawyer managed to pull his eyes away from my cleavage long enough to shake Bobby's hand, while thinking _How does a loser like this have such a smoking hot girlfriend? He's got to be hung to his knees. _He said jovially, "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Burnham. Now, Sookie, you impressed on me the urgency of getting your cousin out as soon as possible. We'd better get moving." What he was really thinking was "_Cousin," my lily-white ass! Clearly Claude got one of his strippers to come down and bail him out. I wonder if she free-lances on the side? Maybe I could get her to come to my office..._

With a mental image of me giving him a lap dance swimming through his head, he gestured for us to join him as he turned and walked toward the entrance to the building. With Bobby trailing behind us, the lawyer said, "You indicated that you intend to pay the entire amount of Claude's bail. It is a considerable amount of money, and you should be aware that if he misses any court dates or is arrested again before this case is settled, you could lose the entire amount."

"I don't expect it to get that far. Claude's not guilty."

"Well, Sookie, _of course_ you think the best of your 'cousin'... but I have to say right up front that his defense is pretty weak. He told me that he was given the car as a gift by a vampire, but he refuses to name that mysterious vampire. If he would only..."

Well, well, well. So Claude hadn't ratted Eric out, even to his lawyer. Maybe Niall's punishment was doing some good, after all. Grabbing the lawyer by the arm, I stopped him in his tracks. Making sure he was looking me in the eye this time, I said firmly, "Listen up, _Bob_. Claude is telling the truth. He _did_ get the car from a vampire. Furthermore, I am certain that it wasn't stolen."

His expression said that he had heard it all before, and he wasn't buying it for a second. "Really," he said sarcastically.

"Yes, really. My husband gave Claude that car, and believe me, he's not the kind of vampire that gives out stolen cars. This whole matter can be cleared up at first dark."

Now it was his turn to take a step back. As if a light bulb came on over his head, he stared at me and thought _Ah, shit. She's hooked up with a fucking vampire! Guess that explains the clothes. _Out loud, he said, "You... are "married"... to a vampire?"

"Yes, I am. Is that a problem?"

What came out of his mouth was, "No, of course not. It's just that it hasn't been legal here in Louisiana all that long. You're the first person I've met who's actually tried it"... but what he was thinking was W_hy in God's name would a beautiful woman like that degrade herself by fucking a cold, dead thing when there's plenty of warm-blooded men around? What a waste. Maybe I should show her what a real man is like. After half-an-hour with my hot cock inside her, she'd forget all about this so-called husband... but I bet this Burnham character is probably here to make sure she doesn't screw anybody during the day. I'll have to get rid of him before I make my move..._

It wasn't as if it was the first time I had ever "heard" those kinds of thoughts before, but my system was still plenty full of vampire blood. Immediately, my canines began to throb, and for the first time in my life I had a strong desire to bite someone. If I _could_ have flashed him a little fang, I would have been pleased as punch. Instead, I gave him my best imitation of a frosty vampire glare. "So tell me, Bob, do you even _know_ any vampires?"

"Ah... no, I can't say as I do."

"I thought so. Maybe you would like me to send my husband over to meet you. I think you would find the experience... very enlightening."

"Ah... I'm sure it would be," he replied vaguely, while thinking _Jesus! That sounded like a threat. Maybe I'd better be more careful what I say. The last thing I want is to have one of those dead fuckers paying me a visit._ Ha! It would serve the nasty little twerp right if I sent both Eric _and_ Robert 'round for a little visit. That happy thought cheered me right up, and by the time we got inside the building, I had managed to regain my cool.

At least Claude's lawyer seemed to know his business. Once inside, he took me around and showed me what to do. Even with his help, it took a couple of hours to get Claude released. When it came time to actually pay the bail, I opened the shopping bag that I was toting around and began stacking the cash on the counter. The lady at the window merely looked bored, but Lawyer Harris' beady little eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He asked, "What business did you say your husband was in?" He was thinking _The only people with that kind of cash on hand are drug dealers. I bet that "husband" of hers sells vamp juice, right along with God knows what else._

Was this man really stupid enough to believe that any self-respecting vampire would sell his own blood? Sheesh! What an idiot! I would have dearly loved to set him straight, but I couldn't do it without revealing more about myself than I wanted him to know. For the first time, Bobby spoke up. "Her husband owns a vampire bar in Shreveport," he announced proudly.

"Ah. I see." But of course, he didn't really. Instead of a large, wildly successful bar like Fangtasia actually was, he had a mental image of some sleazy, hole-in-the-wall ice-house, filled with whores and drug dealers. Jeez! This man was the kind of person who had the worst possible opinion of practically _everyone. _He just managed to hide it behind slick words, a fake smile, and a professional degree. Inside, this man was a self-important, nasty-minded, bigoted a-hole. I decided that I had "heard" quite enough of his thoughts, so I slid my mental shields into place with a sense of relief.

Once the bail was paid, we still had a bit of time to kill before Claude was released. Mr. Harris showed us to the waiting room, and then disappeared behind the security door to see if he could hurry things along. I found a newspaper someone had abandoned and then took a seat. Bobby asked for the puzzle page and was soon looking over the day's selections. We weren't the only people waiting. Quite an assortment of people were hanging around, from a well-groomed woman who looked like a soccer mom, to a couple of gnarly biker-dudes who looked like they had just rolled in from a night on the town. One hefty woman in stretch pants and a loud floral top appeared to be permanently camped out in the far corner. She had a passel of kids with her, and she passed the time by swatting at her off-spring and hollering stuff like, "James Earl! If you kick your sister one more time, I'm gonna smack you into next week!"

Every so often a buzzer would sound, and a newly released prisoner would be disgorged through the security door. Everyone in the waiting room would stop what they were doing and look up to see if it was the friend/family member/loved one they were waiting on. Some reunions were joyful, some not. My favorite was a tiny gray-haired grandmother who greeted her cocky young grandson by whacking him with a rolled up newspaper, and then exclaiming in a thick Cajun accent, "Why you have to ack lak a fool, you? Ah done _tole_ you not to go wid doz boys, me! Dey no good, de bunch o' dem! _Now_ whatchu gon do, you? Couyon!" She punctuated each sentence with another "thwack." She was still giving him what for as the outside door closed behind them.

With all the noise, I was finding it difficult to concentrate on my newspaper. Also, I seemed to be attracting plenty of stares from the men in the room. With the get-up I was wearing, this was no big surprise, but it still made me uncomfortable. One of the bikers seemed to take a special interest in me. He looked to be about my age, and was dressed in ratty jeans and a faded "Born to Raise Hell" muscle shirt. His worn blue jean jacket had the sleeves torn out, probably to show off all his tats. Most of them looked like they had been done by a bored third-grader with a leaky Bic pen, but one on his left shoulder had clearly been done by a professional. It depicted a black heart with a stake driven through it. One large drop of dark-red blood was dripping off the point of the stake. I wondered if it was a symbol of love gone wrong, or what... but I wasn't about to ask. Its owner was staring at me so intently, I could practically feel his gaze burning into my skin. Knees firmly together and ankles crossed, I tugged on the hem of my skirt and made darned sure he wasn't getting a peek at my regrettably bare hoo-hoo. I glanced over at Bobby to see if he had noticed, but he was so absorbed in his puzzle he was oblivious to anything else.

For about the twentieth time, I wished that Cooper was with me. I bet _he_ would have known exactly what to do to get Claude out without needing the services of the charming Mr. Harris. Instead of burying his head in a newspaper, my Were would be totally alert and constantly scanning the room for signs of trouble. He would take a totally dim view of me being ogled by the biker, and would immediately give the guy one of those testosterone-laden glares that says, "Stop staring at the lady, or I'll gladly remove your eyeballs for you." It wasn't like I _needed_ a man to look after me. Up until very recently, I had taken care of myself my whole life just fine, and now I had the added advantage of having some pretty kick-ass magic on tap... but to be honest, I suppose I had come to enjoy having a friend around to watch my back. A big, burly, highly-trained friend... but still, a friend. Since I was on my own this time, I gave the guy my best glare and a frown, raised my newspaper a little higher, and pretended to read.

Not too long afterward, the buzzer sounded again and this time, a large man with long, greasy black hair and a nasty-looking beard came sauntering through the door. The two biker-types sprang to their feet and went over to greet him. The newcomer was dressed similarly to his friends and even had the same black heart tattoo as my admirer, except that there were three drops of blood dripping off his stake. The men spoke a few low words to each other, and as they turned to go, the new guy shot a look in my direction. Obviously his friend had said something about me, and he was checking out the goods for himself. I certainly didn't want to hear what nasty things he was thinking about me, so I kept my shields firmly in place. He said something to his buddies that was clearly x-rated, and the way they all laughed left me feeling like I needed a hot shower. Now I really, really missed Cooper. I actually breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind them.

The very next time the buzzer sounded, Mr. Harris came through the security door with Claude at his side. Oh... dear. My cousin looked so awful that I hardly recognized him. Instead of the gorgeous, well-groomed Fairy I was used to seeing, this one was a train wreck. His skin had a strange bluish tinge to it, his left eye was black and purple and nearly swollen shut, and he was limping. His clothes were rumpled and his dark hair looked like a bird had been nesting in it. That wasn't the worst of it, though. Even if I hadn't been told about it, I would have known his magic was gone. It was as if all the light and life had gone out of him, leaving nothing but a shell. Seeing him like that just about broke my heart.

I figured Claude would be furious with Eric for getting him into this mess, and I had already prepared myself for an ugly scene... but that isn't what happened at all. Instead, the minute my cousin caught sight of me, tears began to well up in his eyes. That was all it took. All my anger towards him melted clean away, and I went straight over and wrapped my arms around him. I could feel his whole body trembling. Leaning his head against mine, he whispered hoarsely, "Sookie... after everything I've done to you, I can't believe you came for me."

"Shhh. We can talk about that stuff later. Let's get you out of here." Catching Bobby's eye, I said, "Get the car and meet us outside, please."

He nodded and then scurried out the front door. Claude was still clinging to me like he was drowning. Peeling myself away from him, I opened my shopping bag and dug out $2500. Handing it to the startled lawyer, I said, "This should cover your fees up 'til now, plus the bonus I promised you."

"It isn't necessary to pay me now. I will bill Mr. Brigant as the case progresses."

"I'd just as soon settle up and be done with it. Another lawyer will be taking it from here. Right, Claude?"

In a low voice, Claude said, "Sure. Whatever you say, Sookie."

Obviously taken aback, the lawyer said, "Sookie, I assure you that I'm perfectly capable of handling this matter. You won't find anyone any more competent..."

"Oh, I think I can. His name is Mr. Cataliades, and I could kick myself for not calling him earlier."

"Cataliades? The attorney from New Orleans? From what I hear, he only takes extremely influential or wealthy clients. I doubt a routine auto theft case would interest him. Are you sure he'll take your case?"

"Yep, pretty sure. Let's see."

I pulled out my phone and scrolled down until I found his number. A few seconds later, the smooth voice of the half-demon said, "Your Majesty, I am delighted to hear from you again so soon. Have you decided to purchase the Ferrari?"

"Yes, I have, but that's not what I'm calling about. My cousin Claude's in a bit of a jam. Eric gave him a new BMW and for some reason, the police seem to think it's stolen."

A throaty chuckle came over the line. "Oh, dear. I believe Eric used Jean Lafitte to procure that car. Once a pirate, always a pirate."

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed, "So it _is_ stolen?"

"No, my dear. I was merely jesting. A vampire as smart as old Jean would never risk angering a King as powerful as the Viking. Besides, I know for a fact that Eric paid for that car, because I wired the money to Florida myself. I suspect that the original owner is responsible for the mix-up. I can make a few calls and have this cleared up in no time. Where did this arrest occur? I will need to speak to the proper authorities in order to have young Claude released."

"In Ruston, but I've already paid Claude's bail and they just let him out. I'm about to drive him home now."

Sounding completely scandalized, Mr. Cataliades said, "You went to the jail _yourself_? My dear Queen, please tell me you are joking."

"No, I'm afraid not. For... ah... obvious reasons, I needed to get Claude out as quickly as possible."

"Why on Earth didn't you call me immediately? I would have handled the entire matter for you."

"Well, Claude had already hired a lawyer here in Ruston. Actually, that's why I'm calling. This man doesn't care much for vampires and has a pretty low opinion of women, too, so I was wondering if you could take the case from here... but he seems to think that a big-time lawyer like you won't be interested in taking such a low-level case from a nobody like me."

The lawyer exclaimed loudly, "Now wait just a minute, Sookie! Those accusations are completely unfounded! I never said anything of the sort!"

On the other end of the line, Mr. Cataliades said, "Madam, if you would be so good as to hand this person the phone, I would like to have a short chat with him."

"Okay." Holding out the phone to Mr. Harris, I said, "He wants to talk to you."

The lawyer hesitated for just a moment, but then took the phone from my hand and put it to his ear. In an ultra-confident, man-to-man tone, he said, "Hello, Mr. Cataliades. Bob Harris here. I'm sure you don't remember me, but I had the pleasure of hearing you speak at a bar association meeting once. I just want to say right up front that Sookie here has gotten the wrong idea. I have nothing against vampires and..."

He never got to finish his sentence. Most of what he contributed to the rest of the conversation was a series of mumbled 'oh's!', 'no, sirs', and _lots_ of 'yes, sirs'. I had no idea what-all Mr. Cataliades said to him, but when they were finished, Bob's ears where bright red. He handed me the phone with a nervous, sickly smile.

I put it to my ear. Chuckling, Mr. Cataliades said, "Well, I believe we have that all straightened out. Now, my dear, you must promise me that in future you will call me immediately when anything of this nature arises. It pains me to think of you being subjected to such an unsuitable environment. Tell young Claude not to worry. I will have this cleared up in no time."

"Thank you so much! Oh! By the way, Sir Robert is handling the purchase of the Ferrari for me, but if you could see about the license plates we talked about, I'd certainly appreciate it."

"It will be my pleasure. Please give my regards to the King."

"I will. Goodbye!"

Slipping the phone in my purse, I said to Claude, "He said that he wired the money for that car himself, so it's certainly _not_ stolen. He said to tell you not to worry, he'll have this fixed in no time." Slipping my arm through his, I said, "Now come on, let's get you home."

Just as we were turning to walk out the door, the lawyer called out, "Mrs. Northman... Mr. Brigant... I sincerely apologize if I have in any way offended either one of you. If I can ever be of service in the future... Please don't hesitate to call on me."

About twenty scathing remarks ran through my head, but I knew whatever I said would be a waste of breath. With an effort, I took the high road and turned my back on him without letting him have it. Bobby was already waiting at the curb. I opened the back door for Claude, and unbelievably, he climbed into the backseat without a single comment about the condition of the car. I started to shut the door, but he reached out and caught my hand. Humbly, he asked, "Will you sit with me?"

"Ah... okay." I slipped in beside him. "Where do you want us to take you?"

Claude glanced worriedly at Bobby and then said in Sylvan "I want to go home, but I have gone to a lot of trouble to keep its location a secret. He works for vampires. How do I know I can trust him not to sell the information?"

"I think he's okay," I replied in the same language, "... but if you want, I can always make him forget where it is later."

Not long after the death of their triplet Claudette, Claude and Claudine had sold their house in Monroe. Claudine had moved into an apartment closer to her job, and Claude had built a house in Ruston. Since I had never been to the new place, my cousin had to give Bobby the directions. After that, he scooted in close and laid his head on my shoulder. Inhaling deeply, he sighed. "Sookie, you smell so _good."_

About fifteen minutes later, Bobby turned the car into one of the older neighborhoods in Ruston, where cool-looking houses dated back to the '30s and '40s. The yards were large and well-kept, with plenty of huge old trees providing shade. At the end of one long block, the street curved a little to the left. Just round the bend lay an old wooden trestle bridge that went over a little creek bed. Once we crossed over the bridge, it was almost as if we had entered another world. Instead of neatly manicured urban-sized lots, the ones on this side of the creek were heavily wooded. Each lot had to be at least four or five acres, if not more. Most of the houses were set far back from the road and I could only catch a glimpse of one here and there. Even though we were not far from the center of town, it seemed as though we were out in the country. Since Ruston was the closest "big" city to Bon Temps, I had been there many times, but I had never known this secluded little enclave existed.

Claude instructed Bobby to turn left at the next driveway. We went over a large culvert and then wound back into the trees, eventually coming to a large, very modern multi-level house. Bobby pulled up close to the front door. Patting my cousin's hand, I said, "Claude, I'm sorry this happened. Mr. Cataliades will take care of everything. If you run into any problems, you can call me..."

"Wait! You aren't leaving, are you?" he cried in alarm, "Can't you come in for a while?"

It was clear that my cousin just didn't want to be alone. Looking at my watch, I saw that it was nearly two hours until dark, so I said, "All right... but I really can't stay long." In English, I said to Bobby, "I'm going to stay for a little while."

"No problem. If it's okay with you, I'll just wait out here." While we were waiting for Claude. I had discovered that Bobby was a Sudoku puzzle fan. Sure enough, as my cousin and I were climbing out of the car, I saw Bobby eagerly pulling the folded bit of newspaper and a pencil stub from his shirt pocket.

Taking my arm, Claude escorted me up to the front door. He started to wave his hand over the heavy-duty lock, but faltered as he remembered that his magic was temporarily out of commission. With a heavy sigh, he rummaged in his pocket and produced a small key ring. Using an ordinary key, he unlocked the door and then stepped inside. After punching in the code to an alarm system, he led me through a small foyer and up a short flight of steps. As we stepped into the main living area, I gasped! The room was absolutely stunning. Three of the four walls were mostly glass, giving a spectacular view of the surrounding forest. A large wooden deck with no rail surrounded the place on all sides, accessed by cleverly designed sliding doors. Both inside and out, the furniture was minimal and very streamlined, so as not to distract from the view.

"Claude, this is _amazing_!" I exclaimed, "It's just like being in the world's coolest tree house!"

"Do you like it?" he said almost shyly, "I designed it myself."

"You _designed_ this? Wow. I am beyond impressed."

For a split second, I thought I saw a tiny spark of life in his empty eyes, but then it was gone. He merely shrugged and said, "I like it. It reminds me of being in the woods around the palace." Suddenly, he turned away from me, but not before I had a chance to see the moisture that had come into his eyes. I didn't know if he was so down because of being cut off from the Portal, the loss of his magic, or the ordeal of being thrown in with the dregs of human society... or maybe the combination of all those things was just more than he could bear. I found myself soaking up his sadness like a sponge. I needed to do something fast, or both of us were going to be sobbing like babies in no time.

Quietly, I said, "I bet you'd feel tons better after a hot shower."

"I guess I look as filthy as I feel. Will you stick around until I'm done?"

"Sure. Do you mind if I look around the rest of the house?"

"Go ahead. I won't be long." I watched as he walked dejectedly down a long hallway which I assumed led to his bedroom. Soon I heard the faint sound of running water. Obviously Claude was _not_ in a good place, and I hated to leave him by himself... but I had been gone long enough that the Bond was really kicking up a fuss. I missed my vampire something awful, and I needed to get back to him. Taking Claude home with me was not really an option, so after thinking over the problem, I pulled up my call log and found Wade's number. He answered breathlessly, "Hello?"

"Hi, it's Sookie. Listen, I just got Claude home. He's pretty shaken up and I really think he could use a friend. Do you think you could come over and stay with him?"

"Well... I was supposed to work tonight, but let me see if I can dig up someone to take my place."

"Great. In case you were wondering... the car really _wasn't_ stolen. My attorney is going to get everything straightened out right away."

"Poor Claude. I know he can be a real jerk sometimes, but when I think of him being thrown in with such scum... and exposed to all that iron!... it just gives me _shivers_! Sookie, is he... okay? Nothing bad happened, did it?"

I knew what he meant, but I wasn't sure of the answer. "He hasn't told me any details, but I think he had a pretty rough time. He'd be more likely to tell you about it, I think."

Wade promised me he would be over as soon as he could. After we hung up, I wandered around the house until I found the kitchen. It was large and well-equipped, which I found interesting since Claude could conjure up anything he wanted in the blink of an eye. I had no trouble locating the walk-in pantry which was surprisingly full. The shelves along one wall were filled with rows and rows of glass jars, all neatly labeled in hand-written Sylvan. I was willing to bet that these had been lovingly prepared by little Celyn and sent here from the Portal. I examined my choices and selected a soup that was almost like chicken noodle... except that it was made from a type of fowl that ran wild in the woods around the Palace. I found a package of some nice elven-crisps (the fairy equivalent of saltine crackers) to go with it. After a brief search through the cabinets, I pulled out some dishes, heated the soup in the microwave, fixed a cup of hot tea, and assembled everything on a tray.

Picking it up, I carried it back to the living room. It wasn't long before Claude stepped into the room. His long black hair had been washed and combed back from his battered face, and he was wearing nothing but a low-slung pair of sleep pants. Made of white fairy cloth, they were sheer enough to leave nothing to the imagination. Oh, my! I quickly looked away, but not before I got to see why Claude had such an avid following at his strip club. Of course, being both a stripper _and_ a Fairy, Claude was not embarrassed in the slightest. Normally, seeing so much of my male cousin would have made _me_ pretty uncomfortable, but just then I was too dismayed by the condition of his body to give it a second thought. His skin was covered in multiple bruises and contusions. Clearly my cousin had been fighting, and as strong as he was, I had an awful feeling that maybe things hadn't gone his way. Now I felt nearly as bad as he looked.

Apparently, Claude was not inclined to talk about it. Eyes downcast, he crossed the room and sat on the couch. Not knowing what else to do, I carried the tray over and set it on the coffee table. "You should eat something," I said gently, "It will make you feel better."

Obediently he picked up the spoon, but after only a few bites he set it back down. Burying his face in his hands, he just sat there not moving a muscle. Even before our recent troubles, I had never been very close to Claude, but seeing him so distraught and vulnerable tugged at my heartstrings. No matter what he had done to me, this Fairy was my kin and he was hurting. I couldn't do anything about the physical wounds... but I just might be able to help out with the emotional bruises. I felt it was my duty to use my gift to help him if I could, but clearly he was in pretty bad shape. Given how little training I had in this area, I knew that this was going to be a real challenge. Now I wished that Niall or Rhiannon had taught me more about using my gift, but I guessed I was just going to have to wing it. Luckily, I still had plenty of Eric and Robert's old blood flowing through me, which should help give my magic a boost. In the past, I had discovered that if I just followed my instincts instead of listening to my brain, good things happened... so I tried to do just that.

Taking a few deep breaths, I willed my body to relax muscle by muscle. I emptied my mind of everything but a single thought: _I wish that I knew what to do to help Claude_... and almost immediately, a small voice in the back of my head said very clearly _You must find the pain to heal it. _As if on auto-pilot, my hand floated up and began to stroke the beautiful male Fairy's back. As my magic began to flow into him, it seemed as if a tiny part of my mind floated in, too. I imagined myself traveling along the paths of his energy, seeking out the source of his misery. It took some time to find it, because I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for. There were many spots that didn't seem quite right, but somehow I could sense they weren't what I was after. As I passed by the region of his heart, I could tell that this Fairy's magic was not really gone, but merely dammed up. Some incredibly powerful force was surrounding it, keeping it from flowing properly. I knew better than to even attempt to unblock it, and so I moved on.

Eventually I came upon an ugly dark red mass that pulsed near the Fairy's middle, and I knew right away that I had found the right spot. All I could think to do was to seal it off so that it couldn't send out its poison anymore... so I sent out wave after wave of my energy, bathing the red thing in soft golden light and not letting up until it began to shrink. I tried my best to hold out until it was completely gone, but unfortunately I just didn't have the strength to make it disappear entirely. Finally, I _had_ to let go... and instantly, my mind snapped back into my own body.

Wow. Had part of me actually been roaming around inside my cousin's body, or had my mind just provided a kind of "virtual reality" of the healing process? Either way, that was one seriously intense experience! I was trembling with exhaustion but also completely elated. Claude slumped back against the sofa cushions and rolled his head in my direction. By the light in his eyes and the peaceful expression on his face, I could tell that my efforts had done him some good. In Sylvan, he said, "Sookie, you had every reason to turn your back on me, and yet... you blessed me with the gift of your magic. I am truly grateful."

In the same language, I replied, "I am glad you are feeling better, cousin."

Catching my hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed it. "I am also sorry for treating you so badly."

Now that I had been "inside" him, I "knew" things about him that I could never have guessed. Deep inside, Claude was filled with self-loathing, resentment, and jealously, all of which obviously played a part in his bad behavior. The one thing I couldn't figure out was the _why_ of it. Hesitantly, I said, "I could tell that you keep lots of things bottled up inside, and they are making you very unhappy."

"I guess you know lots of things about me now. Could you tell how jealous of you I have been?"

Well, that was beyond surprising. Slipping back into English, I blurted out, "Jealous of... _me?_ Why?"

"From the minute Niall laid eyes on you, all he could talk about is how special you are. _I _have been a disappointment to my family for years."

"In what way? Is it just because you're a... er... " Not wanting to undo whatever good my magic had just done, I trailed off, frantically searching my brain for a phrase less hurtful than "surly self-involved jerk."

Claude snorted. "Go ahead. You can say it. I'm a self-centered asshole, right? I haven't always been this way, you know. I wasn't _born_ in a bad mood."

"So what happened?"

"Do you have any idea how much pressure there is being the only full-blooded male descendant of a powerful monarch like Niall? Even though I wasn't born with the mark of a Prince, once my father died, the entire Fairy world expected _me_ to follow in Niall's footsteps. Guess what? I could care less about being a ruler! I _hate_ fighting! Politics bore me silly. I'm pretty smart, but not brilliant like he is... and frankly, my magic is just not strong enough for the job. Still, Grandfather insisted that I be trained to take over at his death. All I really wanted to do was be an architect and build things, but my duty to the Fairy race was more important than my own happiness. I was absolutely miserable."

"So what changed things?"

"Ha! Fate played Niall a cruel hand. Even if I never took his place, I was still expected to produce a son who _could_ be a Prince... but from a very early age, I was only attracted to other males. Unlike some of the other races, it's fairly rare for a Fairy to be homo- or bisexual... and _especially_ not the heir to the throne! Niall turned a blind eye for a long time, hoping that I would grow out of it. He tried to tempt me with all sorts of beautiful women... and I admit, I even tried... but I just couldn't do it. Frankly, even touching a woman in that way makes me queasy. By that time, Niall had already figured out that I would make a horrible Prince, and when it became clear that I would never father a child, he finally gave up. He let me leave the Portal and follow my own inclinations... but even after all this time, I can still _feel_ his disappointment."

I thought that over for a minute. What Claude said was true to a certain extent. Even I could see that Niall was less than thrilled with his grandson, I just hadn't known the reasons. "So does the throne _always_ pass to a male?" I asked, "What about Claudine?"

"Our monarchy is almost always passed through the male line, but there actually _have_ been a couple of female rulers," he explained, "Our sister Claudette was strong enough and smart enough, but she's dead, and Claudine has her heart set on becoming an angel."

"That doesn't mean she can't be a mother first, though, does it? Couldn't _she_ produce the next Prince?"

"You have no idea how I have prayed for that very thing... and believe me, she's tried. She's had a go with just about every decent male we could find... but she has never been able to get pregnant. So unless a miracle happens, when Niall dies, the throne will be up for grabs. The inevitable fight over the monarchy will be long and bloody, at a time when our numbers are already depleted... and I feel like it's all my fault. Let me tell you, knowing you have let down an entire race tends to make you cranky."

Wow. That really _was_ a lot to deal with. All I could think to say was, "I'm really sorry."

He shrugged and said, "It can't be helped. Anyway, I suppose it made me angry that Grandfather loved you without expecting you to "do your duty." I still can't believe he allowed you to marry a vampire! But at least now I understand why he and Claudine are so crazy about you... you really _are_ special. I sincerely apologize for all the trouble I've caused you."

"I guess I understand. I'm not too sure Eric is going to be quite as forgiving, though."

"That's why I'd make an awful Prince. Deliberately antagonizing a vampire King like Eric was stupid. All I could think about was proving that I could out-smart him, instead of racking up a favor by helping him get you back... and then hanging up on him before he had a chance to tell me what was wrong with you? _Beyond_ stupid. I will _always_ regret not listening to what he had to say."

"Do you mean to tell me he called you to ask you for help and you hung up on him? All he told me was that you were unavailable."

Looking shocked, Claude said, "Eric didn't tell you how badly I behaved? That _is_ surprising. Yes, he called to ask me to give you blood, but that night I was feeling sorry for myself. Niall had just banished me from the Portal, and it was easier to blame the vampire for all my troubles than to admit to myself that I was at fault. When he called, I flipped out and hung up on him before he could get two words out. Sookie, I _swear_ to you... if I had known you had iron poisoning, I would have come to help you. You are my kin. I would not have let you die."

Even though I couldn't read his thoughts, the sorrow in his eyes was genuine. "I don't know why I should, but I believe you," I said slowly, "So... is _that _why Niall blocked your magic? Because you didn't help me?"

Hanging his head, my cousin replied, "Yes. Niall's been angry with me plenty of times, but he's never gone this far before... but I suppose I deserve it. At least it's only for a month. I imagine I've made an enemy of the Viking for life... which might not turn out to be all that long. Once he finds out that my magic is gone, I'll be lucky to live until the next sunrise."

I wanted to reassure Claude that he was safe, but I wasn't all that sure. Eric was not the kind of vampire to forgive and really, really not the type to forget anything, ever. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Look, I'll do my best to smooth things over. Until then, you had better lay low. At some point, though, you know you are going to have to apologize to him."

Instantly, a glimpse of the "old Claude" appeared. Eyes flashing, he asked, "Do you _really_ expect a Brigant to apologize to a _vampire_?"

Narrowing my eyes, I said firmly, "Yes, I certainly do. You forced Eric into apologizing, and if a Vampire King can do it, so can you."

Staring back at me, he said seriously, "I want you to tell me something, Sookie. What is it about him that you find so irresistible? I grant you, he's gorgeous... but he's still a vampire. Do you have any idea how many of us he's probably killed over the last thousand years?"

"Don't pretend that Fairies are all sweetness and light, because I know better. How many vampires have _you_ killed, or would if you had the opportunity? If you could forget this whole fairy/vampire thing for a little while and get to know Eric as a person, you might find lots of things to like about him."

"Well... maybe so," he said grudgingly, "But there are lots of handsome, charming, wealthy Fairy males, too, and any one of them could give you the one thing the vampire never will... children. Take Rhys, for example. It was obvious to everyone that the two of you enjoyed each other's company. If you had met _him_ first, you'd probably be expecting a Fairy baby by now. Are you sure you won't reconsider?

"Cut it out, Claude. Even if I wasn't already married, I'm not a brood mare. The Fairy race is just going to have to solve its population problems without me."

Shaking his head sadly, he said, "It's really too bad. I think you'd make a great mother."

"Tell me the truth, Claude. Have you ever really _been_ in love? Head-over-heels, heart-thumping, can't-catch-your-breath type love?"

Sighing heavily, he replied, "No... I suppose I haven't."

"Well, that's how I feel about Eric. No matter how unsuitable it is, or who might find it offensive, or anything else, I love him and I always will. And you know the crazy part? He loves me just as much. I know that's hard for you to believe, but it's true. We are going to be together for the rest of my life. I don't expect the two of you to be pals, but it would make me happy if you could at least learn to tolerate each other."

He was silent for a long time. Finally, he said, "I... I'll try, okay? For you, I'll try."

Our conversation was interrupted by the chiming of the doorbell. Claude twitched and said nervously, "Who could that be? Do you think it's your driver?"

"Oh! I hope you don't mind, but I called Wade and asked him to come stay with you. I've got to get home, and I'll feel better knowing there is someone here to look after you."

Jumping up, Claude hurried to open the front door. From the foyer, I heard Wade wail, "Oh, _baby!_ Look at your _eye! _Look at all those _bruises_! What did they _do_ to you in there?"

Claude murmured something that I couldn't make out, but there was no missing Wade's horrified gasp. "Oh, _honey_! That's just awful! Are you okay?"

I couldn't hear Claude's low response. A few minutes passed before the two men came into the room. The concern on his face clear, Wade had his arm wrapped comfortingly around Claude's shoulders. I could tell with one look that this man really cared about my cousin, and I felt like I was leaving him in good hands. I stood up and said, "Hi, Wade. Thanks for coming."

"No, thank _you_, Sookie, for coming to the rescue," Wade said fervently, "Claude told me how much you've helped him."

To my surprise, he rushed across the room and started to pull me into a big bear hug. Like all of Claude's boyfriends, this one was tall, broad-shouldered, and completely buff. Dressed for an evening at home, he was wearing a soft pair of gym pants and a wife-beater t-shirt (idly, I wondered if gay guys called them something else) which emphasized his highly-sculpted upper body. Even if he _was_ gay, I normally wouldn't have minded rubbing up next to such a gorgeous male specimen at all... but the first thing that shot through my head was _Oh dear._ _The Viking is going to be irritated enough without smelling this!_

Taking a quick step back, I put a hand up to stop him. Giving him an apologetic smile, I explained, "Sorry, but vampires don't care much for their mates smelling like strangers. Anyway, I'm glad I was able to help. Now that you're here, I need to get going. I want to get back to Shreveport before dark."

Although Claude tried to talk me into staying longer, I was firm. It was getting late, and I was missing my vampire something awful. After giving my cousin one last hug, I hurried out to the car. I felt bad about leaving Bobby outside for so long, but it turned out I was worried for nothing. He had rolled the windows down, laid his seat back, and was fast asleep with the newspaper tented over his face to keep the sun out of his eyes.

The screech of the car door opening startled him awake. Looking a little wild-eyed, he said incoherently, "Huh? Whozat? Whusgoinon?"

"It's just me. Sorry I kept you waiting so long."

"No problem. How's your cousin? He looked pretty shaky earlier."

"I think he had a pretty bad time in the jail, but Claude's tougher than he looks. He'll be okay. Now let's get going. I want to make it back to the hotel before Eric rises for the evening."

Bobby nodded and turned on the engine. He steered us back to the highway with no trouble. Remembering my promise to Claude, just before we made the last turn to get on the interstate, I had Bobby pull over. We had a small chat, and when I was done with him, he couldn't have found my cousin's house again on a bet. Once again, Faeryn's lessons had come in handy.

As luck would have it, not too long after we got on I-20, we ran into a terrible traffic jam. As the car inched forward at a snail's pace, I put in a call to Claudine. I knew she would be on pins and needles until she heard that her twin was safe. As usual, my great-grandfather's secretary answered the call, but when I asked for my cousin, he said, "The Lady Claudine is at dinner with the Prince and some guests, Your Grace. Shall I call her to the telephone?"

If he did, Niall would surely ask questions, and since this whole operation was supposed to be on the down-low, I figured it would be best if I just left a message. "No, don't do that. Just tell her I called and said everything is fine."

I wasn't all that surprised to hear a hint of relief in Ieuan's voice as he responded, "Oh! Splendid! I will be more than happy to pass that along... when her ladyship is alone." During my time in the Portal, I had discovered that Ieuan always seemed to know exactly what was going on behind the scenes. I was willing to bet that he knew all about Claude's current troubles. After exchanging a few pleasantries, we said goodbye and disconnected. Although I had already left Eric a note, I knew he would be worried. It was too soon for him to be up yet, but I figured he would check his messages first thing, so I texted him _**Stuck in traffic. B there as soon as I can. Miss U!**_

I was just tucking my phone back into my dress when it began to ring. After getting two creepy calls in the last couple of days, for once I decided to check to see who it was before answering it. Sure enough, instead of one of my friend's names, the display read "wireless caller." Well, crap. Did I answer it or not? Just because it didn't say who it was, it didn't mean it was the creep. I waited so long to make up my mind that it quit ringing and rolled to voice mail. After a moment, I checked it but there was no message. It made me mad that I couldn't answer my phone freely for fear of it being the nutcase again. As much as I hated to do it, I guess Eric was right about getting a new number. I made a mental note to ask Bill about it later.

The closer the sun got to the horizon, the more fidgety I became. I wanted to be with my vampire so badly I could taste it. Eventually we got to the blockage. There had been an accident involving two cars, an eighteen wheeler, and one of those haulers moving half of a double-wide mobile home. Talk about a mess! Of course, everybody had to slow down to rubberneck, which just made things worse. Once we got past it, Bobby was finally able to put on some speed. By then, though, it was clear that I wasn't going to make it by dark. I considered trying to pop myself back to the hotel, but I was so tired I was afraid to even try. The session with Claude had really worn me out. I wondered if it was possible to use my gift of "healing" without getting exhausted. Clearly, I needed some instruction, and I made a mental note to ask Niall or Rhiannon about it on Sunday.

A little before dark, I could sense my vampire stirring. I expected him to call me as soon as he got my messages, but my phone remained ominously silent. Oh, dear. That was definitely not a good sign. At that point, we were still far enough apart that I could only pick up vague echoes of his emotions, but it was enough to tell me that the Viking was _not_ a happy camper. I thought about calling him myself, but decided it might be best to give him a little time to calm down. Unfortunately, it seemed my strategy wasn't very effective. By the time Bobby steered the car into the hotel parking lot, there was no mistaking the impatience and irritation that were flashing through the Bond.

As Bobby's car rolled to a stop under the porte-cochère, I saw a couple of unfamiliar vampires and their dates standing around waiting for their cars to be brought around. Ignoring them, my eyes went straight to the tall, imposing figure standing a little apart from the others. Feet apart and muscular arms crossed firmly across his big chest, my vampire's face was completely expressionless... that is, until he got a good look at the car I was in. Instantly, his eyes widened in shock and disbelief. They shifted to the back seat, and when he saw that it was empty, those expressive Viking eyebrows came together in a serious frown. Under his breath, Bobby muttered, "Oh, shit. I _knew_ it."

He took the words right out of my mouth.

Eric's POV: Shreveport, Louisiana, just before sunset

As the sun gradually releases me from its iron grasp, the first thing that penetrates my consciousness is the familiar, delightful scent of my Bonded. Opening my eyes, I am disappointed to find that the sweet smell is merely coming from her pillow, which is comfortably bunched under my cheek. Sadly, the Fairy herself is absent. Ah, where has my little will-o'-the-wisp wife gotten off to now? Fully expecting her to be in the next room, I reach out with my vampiric senses to locate my missing mate. Hm, it seems that she is not in the suite at all. No doubt she is at the salon downstairs having her hair and nails done, or perhaps having dinner in the restaurant. No, not there either. I quickly expand my search to include the entire hotel. My vague sense of unease turns to outright alarm when it becomes clear that she is not in the building at all. Telling myself to remain calm, I put some serious effort into finding her. The further away she is, the harder it becomes to pinpoint her exact location without physically hunting her down. All I can tell is that she is somewhere to the east, possibly twenty or thirty miles away.

Our Bond tells me that she is quite anxious about something, but at least I cannot detect any fear. Somewhat reassured that she is not in any imminent danger, I sit up and look for a note. I am relieved to find a folded piece of hotel stationery propped against the base of the lamp. On the front is written "Eric" with a little smiley face drawn next to it. Snatching it up, I unfold it and read:

_**Hi baby! **_(this makes me smile in spite of myself)

_**Claude's been arrested and thrown in jail.**_ (The odious Claude, in jail? Now my smile is broader than ever.) _**The police think the car you gave him is stolen!**_ (That gets an out-right laugh.) _**I promised Claudine I'd handle it, so I've gone to Ruston to bail him out.**_

She... what? Certain that I must have misread that last sentence, I go over it again. Sure enough, it says that _my Bonded_ has gone all the way to _Ruston_ to get that conniving, deceitful, _back-stabbing_ Fairy cousin of hers _out of jail_! The very same Fairy that prolonged our separation and then refused to help her in her time of need! Unbelievable! In a flash, the smile disappears and my temper begins to rise. I force myself to finish reading the note.

_**I'll be back as soon as possible, and I'll explain everything then.**_

_**I love you,**_

_**Sookie**_

_**P.S. I had a really good time last night.**_

Springing from the bed, I pace around in tight circles while trying to get myself under control. Why Sookie felt it necessary to leave my side to go rescue her treacherous cousin is truly beyond me! Just a few nights ago, I saw first-hand how angry she was with him, and it is not like my little spitfire to forgive and forget so quickly. I suppose the answer lies in the phrase "I promised Claudine." Sookie is extremely fond of her female cousin, who has come to her aid on multiple occasions. If Claudine asked for her assistance, Sookie would feel obligated to help her.

Even so, she should have called our attorney and instructed him to handle the situation. My Queen has no business being anywhere near a human jail! It is as unseemly as it is dangerous! It is a well-known fact that in any given prisoner population, there is always a disproportionate amount of vampire-haters (which I always find ironic, since a great many of them are also "V"-users), and the police themselves are not exactly our biggest fans. If Sookie had been recognized as a "vampire-lover," much less my wife, it could have led to serious trouble. No doubt my impetuous, headstrong Fairy went dashing off without giving any of this a second thought... but that Were bodyguard of hers should have known better. I am going to have a piece of his hide for this!

Grabbing my cell phone from the nightstand, I check to see if Sookie has left any further messages. None of the voice-mails are from her, so next I check for texts. Impatiently scrolling through the ones that have been sent since dawn, I finally come across one from my errant wife, informing me that she is running late due to a traffic jam. I think about calling her, but decide that what I have to say is best left until we are face-to-face. Having a few minutes to get myself under control before I see her is probably a good thing. The last thing I want is another fight.

I can tell that I still have plenty of time to shower and dress, so I head to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the hot water does nothing to wash away my irritation. The more I think about the entire situation, the more agitated I get. Rationally, I know that this is partly due to the last remnants of Bonding Sickness. Although it seems like much longer, it has been less than a week that Sookie and I have been reunited; and since then, many things have happened to prevent our Bond from healing completely. First the trip to Magnolia, then the horrible fight in the glade, followed by her severe illness... and now she has stretched the Bond once again by running off to Ruston. In spite of knowing how much she would loathe it, I have a strong desire to use my powers as her Bonded to _force_ her to stay put. I indulge in a brief fantasy in which my obedient Fairy-wife sleeps all day at my side, wakes with me at sunset, and is never out of my loving but watchful sight for even a minute. In this wonderful daydream, not only am I the object of her undivided attention, I never have to worry about her because she is always with me. Ah, now _that_ would be bliss!

After my shower, I throw on some jeans and a t-shirt, and tug on my boots. After running a brush through my hair (grumpily thinking all the while that Sookie should be here to do it for me) I head downstairs to await her arrival. It is now well past dark, and as I ride down in the elevator, I am joined by a couple of visiting vampires and their companions from out-of-state. Since I am in no mood to be social, I merely nod to them, but unfortunately one of them recognizes me. Forcing myself to be gracious, I endure a round of introductions and polite small-talk. It seems they are from Santa Fé and are taking a road trip across the Southern states... without travel coffins. In spite of myself, I do find this rather interesting.

In the old days, traveling cross-country in style and comfort took an enormous amount of planning and was hideously expensive. Nowadays, most vampires prefer to travel by air... and by that, I mean taking an airplane. (The talent of flying is actually fairly rare among our kind.) It is quick, safe, and cheap. Traveling any significant distance by car has always been risky, inconvenient, and generally uncomfortable. Unless one had friends along the route, finding adequate daytime shelter in an unfamiliar town often meant taking pot luck... an abandoned cellar, an enclosed crawl-space, or the worst-case scenario, simply burrowing in the dirt... not to mention finding a suitable place to stash the car during the daylight hours. Taking coffin-less, long distance road-trips is the latest craze among wealthy vampires, made possible by the new hotels and Bed-and-Bloods across the country that offer light-tight accommodations. Now, one can simply call ahead for reservations.

I am also slightly amused to learn that Fangtasia is on the visitor's list of "must-see" attractions while in Louisiana. Now that I am King, my little nightclub appears to be morphing from a tourist trap for humans into a hot spot for vampires and other Supernaturals. (Pam reports that even a few Weres have been venturing in. Last night a couple of half-demons were present, and I know for a fact that one particularly short, ugly fangbanger was really a goblin in disguise.) The two visitors want to take their companions out for a nice dinner before hitting the bar, so I recommend Julius' place and give them directions.

By now, I can feel that Sookie is quite close, so I decide to wait for her outside. The others are on their way out, too, so we all walk out the front door together. Spotting me, the valet hurries over and gives me a little bow. "Good evening, sir. May I arrange some transportation for you?"

"No, I am waiting on my wife. She should be here soon."

"Very well, sir." Bowing to me again, he turns to the other group and asks if he can help them. One of the males hands him a stub, and the valet races off to retrieve their car. While they wait, I cannot help but notice the human women. Probably in their mid-to-late twenties, they are both quite beautiful. They are casually but elegantly dressed and fairly dripping in good jewelry... but that is not how I know that these women are not fangbangers or paid escorts, but long-term companions of quality. It has more to do with the way they cling to their vampire's arms, and the adoring glances they give them. For some reason, this makes me grumpier than ever.

Where the HELL is my Bonded? I want her, and I want her NOW!

No sooner has the thought left my brain than the Bond lets me know that my wish has been granted. My woman is _finally_ here! Eagerly, I look down the drive in anticipation, my eyes sliding past a beat-up old car that is just pulling in under the porte-cochère. Right behind it, a brand-new black Mercedes sedan glides up and stops. My very first thought is _Whose car is this? It definitely does not belong to Sookie's bodyguard._ It takes me a second to register that it is being driven by the valet, and therefore must belong to the New Mexico vampires. So where, then, is Sookie? Oh... no. No, no, no. Reluctantly, my eyes swing back to the monstrosity parked directly in front of me. Sure enough, there sits my Twice-Bonded... my _Queen_... in what is surely the ugliest car in the entire state of Louisiana. Instead of her bodyguard, the figure clutching the steering wheel is none other than my day-man... my soon-to-be _former _day-man, Bobby Burnham. His face pale as fresh milk, he is keeping his eyes downcast to keep from looking me in the eye. Immediately, my gaze shifts to the back seat, seeking out the Were that _should_ be there... but sadly, is not.

Looking back even further, I catch sight of the visiting vampires who are carefully tucking their well-dressed, well-behaved companions into their lovely, expensive, elegant car. All four of them are shooting discreet but curious glances at the outlandish vehicle in front of them. Without warning, my temper flares. It takes all of my will-power to keep from jerking my wife out of the offensive vehicle and crushing it into a lump, driver still inside. Closing my eyes tightly, I count to three... and then to ten. I am well on my way to twenty when I hear the door open with a loud creaking/squealing/popping sound. A moment later, the lovely scent of Fairy fills the air. A tiny warm palm is placed gently on my cheek, and in her beautiful Southern accent, my woman says quietly, "Baby, I missed you _so_ much. Please don't be mad."

Opening my eyes, I stare down into Sookie's eyes. Not only are they filled with love, they are clearly begging me to give her a chance to explain. Even though her hair needs combing, her make-up is faded, and she is still wearing the same dress from last night, she is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I can _feel_ how much she has yearned for me, and how glad she is to be back. How can I possibly stay angry at a woman such as this? The answer is... I cannot. One sweet look from my lovely Fairy-wife, and my cold, non-beating warrior's heart melts into a warm, gooey puddle.

Of course, she knows this. Giving me the world's most charming smile, she pulls my head down for a toe-curling kiss. She whispers into my ear, "You are the best husband in the world, do you know that?"

Not willing to let her completely off the hook, I respond, "And you, Mrs. Northman, are a willful, stubborn, infuriating wife, who deserts her Bonded in the daytime, runs off to unsuitable places to do favors for undeserving Fairies, all without benefit of a bodyguard! What you need is a good spanking."

Instead of arguing, Sookie replies calmly, "Guilty as charged, except the bodyguard part. Bobby was with me."

"Bobby could not fight off a toy poodle, much less a Were-animal...or even most human men," I say sternly, "What were you thinking, Sookie? I thought we had settled this issue long ago."

"That was before I learned to protect myself! I don't need guards anymore, at least in the daytime." She makes this outrageously naïve statement with the utmost sincerity, and then adds, "Honey, it looks like we're attracting attention. Let me tell Bobby he can go, and we can continue this in our room."

My Bonded is right about one thing. We _are_ being watched (and listened to) by everyone within range. I suppose since this discussion involves the use of her magic, it is best to have it in private, but as for Bobby... Letting my wife off the hook is one thing. Letting this stupid human get off without a good dressing-down is quite another. I snarl, "Let Bobby go? I certainly will _not_. He must be punished for taking you into such a potentially dangerous situation, not to mention allowing you to ride in that... that _ridiculous_ excuse of a vehicle."

"Don't be mad at Bobby. He told me no, but I forced him into it."

"You... forced him."

"Yeah, I did," she says with an impish grin, "I singed his hair pretty good, too. If you don't believe me, take a look."

"Sookie! What did you tell him?" Bobby has always been discreet, but he is human, which means I only trust him so far.

"Nothing. I thought I'd better ask you first."

Hmpf. At least she had enough sense to keep the very delicate information of her heritage to herself. Now there is no question that I _must_ speak to him, to determine how much he knows or can guess about Sookie's secret. Taking a stride closer to the car, I glare down at my day-man through the windshield. I make a sharp gesture for him to get out and come to me. The car is still running and for a split-second, I think he is going to step on the accelerator and make a run for it... but with a heavy sigh, he turns off the motor and climbs out. It is an excellent choice on his part, because I would have caught him before he hit the street... and at that point, he would have gotten something a great deal more unpleasant than what I have in mind. The one thing I simply cannot abide is a coward.

Like a condemned man on his way to the electric chair, Bobby walks slowly around the car until he is standing directly in front of me. I can practically hear his knees knocking together. Knowing that every pair of eyes in the vicinity is glued to us, I say curtly, "Follow me." Taking Sookie's arm, I steer her into the hotel. Bobby trails along behind us like a whipped puppy. Finding a fairly secluded alcove off the main lobby, I turn around and glare down at him. "Bobby, I am definitely _not_ pleased that you took your Mistress _anywhere_ without her bodyguard, much less somewhere as dangerous as a human jail. Fortunately for you, she has explained that she compelled you to do it. Is this the case?"

He clears his throat twice before he manages to squeak out, "Ye... yes, sir. I _told_ her you wouldn't like it if she went without her bodyguard, but _she_ told _me_ she would have my hide if I didn't take her … and then she... she... well, she scared the crap out of me, sir. I thought she was going to burn me up! Look at my hair!"

He bends forward slightly to give me a better view. Just as Sookie said, the tips of his hair are clearly singed. My little Fairy did that? Ha! I imagine having his head nearly set on fire by a woman that he has always thought to be completely human really _did_ scare the crap out of him. I am suddenly filled with pride, along with a touch of amused satisfaction. I am well aware that Bobby has never understood why, of all the women available to me, I picked a poor, uneducated backwoods barmaid with a sassy attitude to be my mate. Bobby has always been something of a snob, and he simply could not see past Sookie's humble beginnings; and, of course, misguided jealousy played a role in his feelings towards her as well. Not long before I proposed to her, I overheard him making a disparaging remark about my Beloved to one of the waitresses at the club. It goes without saying that I set him straight immediately in an "attitude adjustment" session that he is unlikely to _ever_ forget.

Since that time, he has gone out of his way to be pleasant and accommodating to my wife, but under the surface, his feelings about her were still very much the same... until now. Ironically, nearly being fried by his Mistress has clearly raised his opinion of her worth considerably. For this reason, I do not wish to glamour this knowledge out of him... but I am not about to trust him with all the details, either.

Quick as a flash, I wrap my hand loosely around his throat. After our last disciplining session, he knows better than to so much as wiggle. Pining his terrified eyes with mine, I growl, "Now you know something very important about your Mistress that I did not intend for you to know. Quite obviously, she is more than human. Have you guessed what she is?"

Standing as still as a statue, he answers, "Ah... no, sir."

From behind my left shoulder, my Telepath reports, "That's true enough. He really has no clue _what_ the heck I am, although he'd dearly love to find out."

"I see. Perhaps he would like a further demonstration of your powers. Sookie, let me take a step back first and ..."

At this mild threat, my day-man quivers and blurts out, "No! Er... I mean, no sir. That won't be necessary. I saw enough the first time."

"Very well. For your own good, young Bobby, it is best if you are not privy to the details. Just know that what you have seen is just the tip of the iceberg. Your Mistress is very special, indeed."

"Yes, sir! I agree wholeheartedly!"

"Much too special, in fact, to be driven _anywhere_ in a car as disreputable as that monstrosity out front. Allowing my Queen to be seen in such a vehicle is cause for punishment." My hand starts to tighten around his throat, but before I can do any real damage, Sookie tugs on my arm and cries in alarm, "No, baby! Don't! I promised him you wouldn't hurt him! Besides, he told me up front how crappy the car was and I said I didn't care."

At her plea, I loosen my grasp but only slightly. Giving the terrified human an up close and personal look at my fangs, I say coldly, "Let me be clear. If you are ever called upon to drive the Queen in the future, you will do so in something suitable to her station, or even she will not be able to stop me from punishing you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir! I understand completely. I _swear_, it will never happen again."

Even though I believe him, the darkness within me has been stirred. Due to the Bonding Sickness, my level of control is not what it should be... and the fact that I have not yet fed is compounding the problem. Between Sookie's delicious Fairy scent and the odor of terrified human, I am absolutely ravenous. Quite suddenly, I find myself fighting an overwhelming urge to tear into this human. Sensing the serious danger the human is in, my Bonded lays her hand directly over mine and says gently, "Baby, please let him go."

I feel a small trickle of her lovely magic flowing into me, but it is not quite enough to overcome my dark impulses. Placing her hand on my cheek, Sookie says quietly, "Look at me, Eric."

Reluctant to take my eyes off my prey, I ignore her plea... until she begins to speak to me in Sylvan. Although I do not understand their meaning, the beautiful words pouring out of her are enough to capture my attention. Feeling compelled to look at the Fairy producing the wonderfully soothing sounds, I turn my head in her direction. A pair of huge, glowing blue eyes meet mine, and they are so deep and lovely that I find myself completely unable to look away. Giving me a sultry smile, my Fairy-wife says in English, "You're just cranky because you're hungry, baby. Let Bobby go and you can have a little bite." In a move guaranteed to drive me wild, she cocks her neck to one side and runs her fingers enticingly down the side of her slender neck.

As my hunger surges, my interest in the human completely disappears. Letting him out of my grasp, I turn to my female and jerk her into my arms. In spite of my roughness, she comes to me willingly, leaning her body familiarly against mine. As she tilts her head to one side to allow me better access, she says softly, "Bobby, this would be a great time for you to get going."

At least he has enough wits left to take advantage of the opportunity his Mistress has created for him. As I plunge my fangs into my mate's firm young flesh, I vaguely note the sounds of the exceedingly lucky human slipping away as fast as his Italian loafers can carry him... but I do nothing to stop him. The delectable blood flowing into my hungry mouth more than makes up for letting him go. Groaning with pleasure, I gather my lover's small form closer. The feel of her luscious body pressing firmly against mine sets off yet another primal urge. I want to be inside my woman, NOW!

Temporarily retracting my fangs and giving the punctures a quick lick, I raise my head and glance around the little alcove, searching for a suitable flat surface. There is a desk against one wall that will do nicely, so I start to maneuver us in that direction. Immediately, my Bonded figures out my intentions and gasps, "Not here! Too public!"

Growling in frustration, I swing her into my arms and head for the elevators. There are several people standing around the lobby who stare at us with open curiosity. Sookie whispers urgently, "Baby, put me down! My dress is too short for this!"

Of course, there is no question of me doing any such thing. I am moving too quickly for any human to see anything that would embarrass her, and if a vampire catches a glimpse of their Queen's panties, so what? As I hurry across the room, Sookie clamps her knees together and frantically tugs on the hem of her dress in a desperate attempt to keep the short skirt from riding up. As we approach the elevators, I see one of my vampires from Area 3 and his companion waiting patiently for the next car going up. A soft bell chimes and the doors slide open. The pair of them start to step inside, but from behind them I command, "Wait for the next one."

As I stride past them, the human girl cries, "Hey! Who do you think you are? We were here fir..." Before she can finish her objection, her vampire yanks her backwards and clamps a hand firmly over her mouth. Giving me a nervous smile, he says apologetically, "Sorry, sir. She's new. Enjoy your evening."

I give him a brief nod in acknowledgment. As the doors slide shut, I hear him hiss, "Are you insane? Never, _ever_ says things like that to another vampire, and _especially_ not that one! He's..." I never get to hear the rest, because the doors slide shut. Reaching into my back pocket, I produce the keycard that allows access to the top floor, insert it into its special slot above the main panel, and the elevator begins its slow ascent. Lowering my head, I give my temptress a fiery, lust-filled kiss. Instantly, the air in the enclosed space quickly becomes permeated with the mouth-watering smell of aroused Fairy. That does it! Long before we can make it to the top floor, the slender thread of my nearly non-existent self-control snaps. Easily supporting Sookie's weight with one arm, my other hand snakes out and presses the emergency button. As the car jerks to a halt, Sookie breaks off our kiss and says in alarm, "What's wrong?"

Setting her down, I practically devour my lover's tender mouth with another hungry kiss. My hands cup her round, leather-clad bottom and press her body against the almost painful bulge in my jeans. My voice thick with desire, I tell her, "I want you, Sookie... I _need_ you... right now."

"Here?... Now?"she says, clearly startled, "...but honey, we _can't!_" No matter what her lips are saying, I know she wants me just as much... I can _feel_ it. Not about to take no for an answer, I say emphatically, "Yes, we can. Right here. Right now."

Knowing that any further protests are a waste of breath, Sookie eyes the elevator's panel of buttons and asks nervously, "Uh... how long will that thing hold?"

Knowing that it will take several minutes before someone is dispatched to see what the trouble is, my reply is, "Long enough."

Like most elevators, this one is basically an unfurnished box. The walls are covered in a dark fabric, except for the back, which is mirrored from floor to ceiling. A handrail runs around three sides of the enclosure. Whirling Sookie around, I lean her forward and plant her hands firmly on that rail. In this position, her short skirt comes tantalizingly close to revealing her panties. To my utter surprise, she looks over her shoulder and purrs, "Oh, dear. Does this mean I'm going to get that spanking?"

The flirtatious little minx! She is playing with fire! Growling, I shove the hem of her skirt up over her hips... and get an unexpected thrill. Now I understand why my little Belle was so nervous earlier. She was worried about revealing something much more intimate than panties... because she is not wearing any! Her creamy round bottom is as bare as a baby's and much too tantalizing a target to ignore. In a flash, I give it a good swat with the flat of my hand.

With a slight jerk, Sookie cries, "OW!" I am half-way expecting my little spitfire to turn around and punch me with that tiny fist of hers... but instead, she just looks back and says, "Just one? I guess I wasn't all _that_ bad."

Ah! How this woman delights me! I quickly give her a couple of more swats, until both cheeks are a lovely glowing red. I know I am not truly hurting her, because in between each "OW!" she is giggling like a maniac. Even though I am well aware that the clock is ticking, I find that I simply _must_ taste her. With the toe of one boot, I make sure her feet are an adequate space apart. Falling to my knees, I begin to nip and lick at her fantastic bottom, eventually working my way forward. Sookie moans with pleasure as I eagerly plunge my tongue inside her again and again. By now, my cock is throbbing painfully, so I reach down and unzip my jeans. When I was dressing, I was in too much of a rush to bother with underwear, so it takes very little to release my cramped organ from its blue jean prison. I know full well that Sookie can see this in the mirror. I also know that it excites her to watch me pleasure myself, so I give my fully erect member a few long, slow strokes, all the while rhythmically flicking my tongue back and forth across her nub. In less than a minute of this winning combination, my female shudders as she begins to climax. In a flash, I am on my feet and positioning her hips at just the right angle to thrust myself into her hot, slick channel.

As soon as we are joined as deeply as possible, I force myself to be still. There is nothing more erotic than the feel of my lover's orgasm pulsing against my rock-hard erection... and the fact that I can watch her in the mirror while she cums adds another layer of excitement. Her face nearly as rosy as her bottom, my Bonded's head is thrown back and with each deep breath, her swollen breasts are trying their best to escape the confines of her low-cut bodice. No longer as shy as she once was about seeking her own fulfillment, Sookie rolls her hips against me, using my stiff cock to prolong her orgasm for as long as possible. Between the physical sensations and the visual stimulation, it takes an enormous amount of discipline for me to stay still, but it is well worth the effort.

The minute her last spasm fades away, I begin to move. Normally I like to take my time when making love to my wife, but I am so highly aroused just now that going slowly is entirely out of the question. It pleases me to no end that I do not have to tell Sookie to open her eyes. They are already fixed intently on our reflections, and by the way they are glowing, I know that she finds the sight of us together every bit as exciting as I do. After only a few strong thrusts, I feel the tension building... and a moment later, I lose control. With a prolonged moan, I grasp my lover's hips and hold her tightly against me as I explode inside her.

Although I did not intend to finish quite so soon, it is just as well that I did, because I seriously underestimated the maintenance crew's response time. Before I even have a chance to recover my senses, the small emergency phone hanging just above the control panel begins to ring. Still holding on to the handrail for dear life, Sookie pants out, "Honey, aren't you going to answer that?"

Sighing deeply, I reluctantly withdraw from my lover's warm body. Giving her adorable bottom one last pat before pulling her skirt over it, I reply, "No. They will figure it out soon enough." After quickly stuffing my semi-erect member back into my jeans, I see about assisting my mate. She has rearranged her dress already, but she looks up at me and asks hopefully, "Ah... you wouldn't have a handkerchief or something, would you?"

Grinning, I reply, "Sorry, not this time." I shrug off my t-shirt and attempt to clean up the mess I created. As soon as my mate is somewhat presentable, I reach over and disengage the emergency switch. Within seconds, the car resumes its upward course. I wrap my arms around my lover and hold her close for the brief trip, imagining the things I want to do to her once we get back to our suite. My strong appetites have not yet been sated, not even close.

The minute the doors slide open, one of the special vampire guards assigned to this floor pokes his head in and asks, "Is everything all right, sir? The front desk alerted us that there was a problem with this elevator." Nearly before the words leave his mouth, he realizes his concern is totally unnecessary. Between my half-dressed, somewhat disheveled appearance and the heady smell of sex and Fairy which is thick inside the small enclosure, the cause of the "malfunction" is no longer a mystery. Unable to stop himself, the guard inhales deeply. Immediately, his fangs descend and a look of sheer pleasure crosses his face... rapidly followed by one of confusion. His dilated eyes dart to Sookie and then back to me. Obviously he is burning to know why his Queen smells so strongly of Fae... and a minute later, it dawns on him that maybe she smells like fairy because she _is_ one. Now he is more puzzled than ever. If she _is_ Fae, how have I managed to keep from draining her?

Taking care to hide the fangs that have made such an untimely appearance, he bows deeply and then holds the door while we step out. I am very careful to put myself between the two of them, lest his natural instinct to capture the Fairy overpowers his common sense. Clearly, self-preservation wins, because even though he takes another very discreet sniff as Sookie goes past, he makes no move in her direction. This is the downside of not bringing along my own Royal Guards, who can be relied upon to keep their mouths shut. To avoid undue gossip, this must be dealt with immediately. Giving the guard a stern look, I say, "I sincerely hope you realize that both your job _and_ your continued well-being depend upon your discretion. There will be no gossip about your Queen. Understood?"

"Of course, sir," he says seriously, "No one will hear a thing from me."

He punctuates this vow by bowing deeply, and I nod in return. As I escort my fragrant Queen to our suite, I mentally chide myself for not anticipating this situation. After spending the day with her cousin, Sookie smells exactly the same as any full-blooded Fairy. A few months ago, a hot bath would have solved the problem, but no more. As Sookie's magical gifts have developed, the Fae component in her blood has increased... and the utterly intoxicating Fae scent right along with it. So far, we have been able to explain it away by using the same story we once told Felipe: Sookie is wearing a special perfume made in the Islands whose secret ingredient is a drop of pure Fairy blood. However, I could tell last night at the club that some of the new vampires were not entirely convinced. Obviously, I need to discuss this matter with Niall, and the sooner the better. The upcoming dinner party should provide the perfect opportunity.

For now, though, it seems a shame to let that lovely smell go to waste. Using the keycard, I open the door and usher Sookie inside. As soon as the door is firmly shut and locked, I pull her into my arms and begin round two.

After another very satisfying round of lovemaking, I find myself craving a long, hot bath. Sookie agrees, and soon I am luxuriating in a tub of steaming hot water with my lover lying comfortably cradled against my chest. Now that I am on a more even keel, I am ready to discuss her daytime activities. She begins by telling me about the urgent call from the man Wade, her reasons for going to Claude's rescue, and then briefly summarizing the rest of the day's events. She says earnestly, "Honey, the last thing I wanted to do was leave you today, but Claudine has saved my life so many times, I just couldn't say no... and to be honest, as mad as I was at him, I couldn't have lived with myself if Claude had died."

I snort. "I for one would have been quite content if Claude had perished."

"Claude has been a real stinker, but he has his reasons," she says, "I think being next in line after a great Prince like Niall can be tough on a person."

At that, I have to chuckle. "Yes, it is. In fact, I know first-hand how hard it can be."

It takes her a moment to catch my meaning. Once it sinks in, her eyes grow round with astonishment. "Eric! You never told me your father was a Prince."

"Actually, he was what my people considered a king. I was the eldest son and heir, and therefore trained from birth to take his place. Of course, things were not as orderly in those days as they are now. Inheriting the title was no assurance one could keep it. Upon my father's death, I would have only kept the position by being stronger and more cunning than those who were sure to challenge me for it."

"...and did you?"

"I never got the chance. As luck would have it, I died before my father did. My brother ended up taking his place."

"Oh, honey! I'm _so_ sorry... but all that training wasn't wasted, was it? It took a little longer than you expected, but you're a king now." She pauses for a minute and then exclaims, "Wow! That explains why it was so easy for you to adjust to this whole royalty thing. You started out that way!"

"I suppose so. In any event, I _do_ understand the pressures of being the heir. My father was known as a great king, and I worked very hard to be worthy enough to follow in his footsteps."

"It sounds like you wanted the job."

"Oh, yes, very much. I like to think that I would have made a good king to my people."

"I _know_ you would have. You are a good king now! Your dad would be proud."

"Perhaps he would be." I smile, thinking about what my father would have made of my "subjects." He was an extremely practical man, and once he got over the shock of it, I suspect he _would_ be proud of the amount of territory under my control... which is actually larger than his and great deal more lucrative. "Sookie, what sort of ruler do you think Claude will make?"

"From what he said, I don't think he will ever be Prince. He claims that he doesn't want it. He seems to think that when Niall dies, there will be lots of different people fighting for the throne."

Oddly enough, that news is not as welcomed as it might seem. When a throne changes hands in that manner, it is not uncommon for the blood relatives of the last monarch to be rounded up and killed, to prevent any challenges by the rightful heirs. This is yet another important topic I need to discuss with Niall.

Sookie continues, "I think that's why Claude is so surly, because he feels like he let everyone down. In spite of everything he's done to us, I really felt sorry for him today. Baby, if you could have seen him when I picked him up, even _you_ would have felt sorry for him."

"Pity is a useless emotion, and one I discarded long ago."

Sitting up, she turns around to face me. Gently touching the side of my face, she says, "You can fool everybody else, Eric Northman, but I know you better than that. A Fairy without his magic is about the saddest thing you've ever seen. It would be like pulling out a vampire's fangs. I can't imagine how horrible _that_ would be."

She shudders delicately, just thinking about it. Now I am happier than ever that she missed my first King's Court... as I recall, I imposed that very sentence on not one but two vampires.

"You are too tender-hearted for your own good, Sookie. To be effective, the punishment must fit the crime. Clearly Niall thought Claude's behavior warranted such a harsh sentence."

"It was pretty harsh, all right. It meant that Claude couldn't defend himself properly when he was in jail. Eric, I think some bad things happened to him in there. I think they ganged up on him and... You know. Bad, bad things. I can't imagine anything worse than being taken against your will."

Unfortunately, I know first-hand how horrible it truly is, and in spite of myself, I do feel the tiniest flash of pity for the hapless Fairy. Feeling this, Sookie says, "See? You aren't quite as cold-hearted as you pretend."

"That was not me, that was you."

"Nuh uh. That was definitely _you_."

Shifting the conversation away from my flaws, I say, "I still do not understand why you insisted on going to the jail yourself. Did you once stop to think about the danger you might be in? What do you think Cataliades is for?"

"Honestly, it never even occurred to me to call him until later," she replies, "I guess I'm not used to having a bunch of people at my beck and call."

"Hmph. It seems you were able to beckon Bobby with no problem... which brings up another topic. Would you care to explain why you did not summon your Were?"

Not backing down for an instant, she looks me right in the eye and says, "I guess this is the part where I get another lecture about guards. Before you get cranked up, let me remind you that you told me when I got a handle on my magic, I wouldn't need them anymore. Obviously, I can protect myself now, at least during the day. If I get into trouble, I can pop myself home... or give them a little Fairy whammy. Whichever."

"Let me get this straight. You think you are now in control of your magic."

"Uh huh."

"I see," I say in my most reasonable tone, "So, I gather you intended to set Bobby's hair on fire all along."

Sheepishly, she admits, "Well... no. I was in a hurry and overdid it a little..."

"If you were in such a hurry, why wait for a ride at all? Why not simply teleport yourself to Ruston?"

"Um... I'm not sure I can go that far yet, but..."

Interrupting her, I ask, "And earlier tonight? When you wanted to keep me from harming Bobby, you used your feminine wiles instead of soothing me with your magic. May I ask why?"

Frowning now, she replies, "I tried... but I was too tired, okay? I used up too much of my energy on Claude, and my batteries hadn't recharged yet! I'm new at this! Give me a break!"

"You have just made my point for me. You _are_ new at this. As awesome as your powers are, you are still learning to control them. Until you have them firmly in hand, and you can use them without getting exhausted... you still need guards. I believe the Prince will agree with me on this issue, and Robert as well. In fact, I can only imagine what the Knight will have to say about this."

"Oh, wonderful! All I need is the three of you ganging up on me." Crossing her arms across her chest, my Bonded gets that stubborn look on her face that I know all too well. For a moment I think I am going to have another all-out fight on my hands. Determined to keep this thing from escalating, I decided to try a different approach. I reach out and lovingly trace the contours of her face. Looking deeply into her eyes, I say softly, "Sookie. I adore you. If something were to happen to you, I could not bear it. You do not wish for me to spend all my time worrying, do you?"

My unusually sweet words have the desired effect. The irritation and stubbornness drain right out of her. Sighing, she says, "No, of course not. To be perfectly honest, I missed having Cooper with me today. I guess I've gotten used to having him around."

"The day will come when you will no longer need him... but today is not that day."

"I know, I know. I guess I just got a little over-confident. I promise, I'll be good from now on." Suddenly, she yawns. "Oh, sorry! That just slipped out."

"You have over-exerted yourself. Here, let me bathe you."

"Okay." For a few minutes, she is quiet, obviously enjoying her bath. Every so often, another yawn slips out. I can feel her weariness through our Bond. Once she is clean, I lift her from the tub and dry her, and then carry her into the bedroom and lay her on the bed. "What are you doing?" she asks, "Shouldn't we be getting ready to go to the club?"

"No. I want you to rest first. I can check my email and return some calls while you nap."

"Will you lay here with me for a minute?"

"Of course." I climb on the bed and stretch out next to her. Rolling on her side so that she is facing me, she reaches out and lightly runs her fingers over my chest. Softly, she says, "Eric?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Do you realize that we just had our first argument without anybody yelling or disappearing or anything? I guess that means we're making progress."

"It would seem so."

With a smile dancing across her lips, she asks, "Tell me. If there's no yelling, does that mean we don't get to have great, passionate make-up sex afterward?"

"If it does, I will gladly go back to losing my temper."

"I'll tell you a secret. You're kinda cute when you're mad. Scary, but cute. Anyway, no matter how hard we try, I doubt we'll get through the rest of our lives without yelling."

"We are two passionate people, Sookie. Perhaps that is just our way."

"Maybe so. All I know is, I want to make you happy, and I'm going to try my best to stay out of trouble for a while."

"Thank you. Now I will tell _you_ a secret. Even at your most infuriating, you make me happier than I have ever been."

Now that she is still, her exhaustion overcomes her. No longer able to stay awake, her eyes drift shut. The last thing she mumbles is, "I'm glad. Love you, baby..."

To my now sleeping wife, I whisper, "I love you, too, my angel."

For a long time, I lay and watch her as she sleeps. Briefly I consider putting myself into downtime and sharing a dream with her, but there really are several things I need to do. Taking care not to wake her, I slip out of bed and return to the bathroom. I dress myself again, this time taking more care with my appearance. Leaving my resting mate to her nap, I head out of the suite to run a quick errand. Making no reference to our earlier encounter, the guard near the elevator merely bows and presses the down button for me. As soon as the car arrives, I step inside. As the doors slide shut, I glance up. As I knew there would be, there is a security camera discreetly mounted in one corner of the ceiling.

Selecting the proper button, I descend to the floor that houses the security offices. Being part-owner of the hotel (the other two original partners being Robert and Queen Sophie-Anne), my special keycard allows me access to restricted areas. I head straight towards the room that houses the monitoring equipment. The door to this room is open, and the sound of two male voices drifts to my ears. One of them is saying, "She is a real beauty, isn't she? It is a pity she is only human. I can't imagine what he will do when she dies." The other snorts, "Human? Are you sure about that? I saw them come in last night. She certainly didn't look human to me."

Finding this conversation of interest, I slow down a bit. Moving quietly is such an ingrained habit, I do it without conscious thought, and clearly no one here has heard my approach thus far. Continuing to drift silently towards the door, I hear the first voice say, "Honestly, I have no idea. I have had the pleasure of meeting her, and she is unlike any human _I've_ ever known. No matter what she is, though, she seems to make him quite happy."

"Ha! If I had a woman like that, I'd be downright ecstatic."

The first one chuckles, "If you were hung like he is, you would have all the women you wanted... and probably men, too."

Suppressing a smile, I glide to the open doorway and get a look at the two vampires inside. I am well acquainted with one of them, who has made his home in Area Five for several years. He is a relatively young vampire, but he fought valiantly with me in New Orleans. As a reward for his loyalty, I recently appointed him chief of hotel security, a very well-paid and prestigious position for one so young. The other is new to the area, and I only met him briefly when he requested my permission to move to Shreveport. He is sitting in a chair in front of a bank of monitors with his boss hovering over his shoulder. The pair of them are so intent on watching one of the screens that even now they have not registered my presence.

From their conversation, I can guess what has their undivided attention. Sure enough, they are replaying the security recording from the camera inside the elevator. Of course, I was well aware of its presence all along. However, I also knew that the cameras in the elevators are the type that records any movement for later review, as opposed to the ones in the hallways that are "live-feed" and constantly monitored. I had hoped to retrieve the digital disc before it was reviewed, but apparently I waited a little too long.

From the doorway, I say quietly, "I hope you two are enjoying the show."

As intended, my words startle the hell out of them. Fangs down, the pair of them whirl around with nearly identical expressions of surprise and guilt written across their faces. The Head of Security recovers first. Immediately retracting his fangs, he bows low. "Good evening, Your Majesty. The front desk alerted us that the elevator had temporarily malfunctioned, and as a precaution we thought we had better review the recording..."

"Yes, I can see that. The question is, how many times have you reviewed it?" Stepping closer, I gaze down at the monitor. At the moment, it shows a well-built vampire on his knees, licking and nipping his gorgeous mate's perfectly shaped bottom with abandon. Although only in black in white, the quality of the recording is excellent. I can even make out the butterfly-shaped birthmark on Sookie's right cheek. My only comment is, "Your Queen _is_ beautiful, isn't she?"

"Ah... yes, sir."

Holding out my hand, I say, "I will take the disc with me. I presume there are no copies."

"No, sir, this is the only one. If you like, I can erase it for you right now."

"That will not be necessary. I will take care of it myself."

Nodding, the guard hurriedly retrieves the small silver disc from the recording device and then puts it in my outstretched hand. I pin the two of them with a frosty look. "Your Queen is very much a lady and would be quite disturbed if she caught wind of this."

"She won't hear about it from us, sir!"

"Good." With that, I take my leave. Upon returning to the suite, I go straight the spare bedroom that serves as an office. Sitting at the desk, I boot up the laptop and insert the DVD. Fast forwarding until I get to the proper place, I watch the pertinent footage in its entirety... twice. No wonder the guards were so enthralled! The highly erotic sequence gives me another throbbing erection almost immediately, and I have to stifle the urge to take myself in hand… but I really do have other business to attend to while Sookie is asleep. Sighing, I remove the precious disc from the computer and carefully store it inside the small, well concealed safe in the next room... one that Sookie does _not_ know about. A vampire has to have a _few_ secrets, after all. Besides, I really do intend to show it to her... eventually. I like to think that someday she will be uninhibited enough to enjoy watching it with me. If tonight was any indication, that night might come sooner than I can imagine. One can only hope.

Going back to the computer, I look through my emails. A good number of them have piled up in the last couple of days, and I only open the ones I deem urgent. After replying to the ones that require an immediate answer, I return a few phone calls. In a surprisingly short time, the most urgent matters have been attended to, so I move on to a few personal issues that need handling. I send an email to my tailor, confirming an appointment for a fitting for my new white tuxedo. Next, I want to reward Juanita for the excellent service she has given us. After thinking it over, I decide on the perfect gift. I navigate to a familiar site on the Internet and scroll through several choices. After making my selection, I send in an order with very specific instructions. I also need to reward my Lieutenants for their loyalty in my time of need. This requires a bit more thought, but eventually I decide on appropriate gifts. Unfortunately, these are items that cannot be obtained on the Internet, so I go on to order a few small items for Sookie that I have had on my mind for some time.

Finally I am done with my chores. It is very quiet in the suite, and Sookie is still sleeping peacefully. It occurs to me that for the first time in weeks, I finally have a chance to relax. Kicking back in my chair, I take a few minutes to just sit and think. Many things that need contemplation roll through my brain, in no particular order: the brief conversation that Cooper and I had last night; the mystery of Sookie's prank caller; the information obtained from the Magnolia vampire; the upcoming Coronation and the potential problems associated with that event; the drainer situation; and finally, the increasing difficulty of concealing my Queen's Fae bloodline.

Suddenly, the peace and quiet of the room is shattered by the ringing of my cell phone. Glancing at the display, I see that it is Robert. "Good evening, Brother. How is Chicago this fine evening?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, I miss Shreveport. How is the little one?"

"Right now, she is sleeping."

"Sleeping?" he says with a hint of alarm in his voice, "At this time of night? Is there something wrong?

"No, she just wore herself out driving over to Ruston to get her cousin Claude out of jail... all without benefit of a bodyguard, I might add."

"She did _not_."

"Oh, yes. For some unknown reason, that BMW that we went to so much trouble to obtain has been reported as stolen and Claude was arrested for driving it."

The Knight burst into laughter, "Ah, the lovely Claude, incarcerated. I would have paid good money to see that. However, why was it necessary for Sookie to get him out?"

"Apparently Niall punished Claude by banishing him from the Portal and forbidding anyone there from having any contact with him. Furthermore, the Prince went so far as to strip him of his money _and_ his magic, at least temporarily. Sookie was his last resort to get himself out before the iron took its toll."

There was a moment of silence while Robert absorbed this amazing news. "No magic, eh? Perhaps now would be an excellent time for one of us to pay dear Claude a visit."

"Believe me, I would _love_ to do that very thing. My day man actually drove Sookie to the Fairy's house, so I could get the location from him... but I fear Claude's death would upset Sookie too much."

"Hmph. All right, then... what about severe bodily injury?"

"Once I got started, I doubt I could stop myself... and not just because he is Fae. Could you?"

"No, probably not," the Knight admits.

"Besides, Sookie believes that he has been punished enough. It seems that a gang of humans took an undue interest in the beautiful Claude while he was in lock-up."

Robert chuckled, "Ha! It could not have happened to a more deserving Fairy, in my opinion... but I can see that our tender-hearted girl would find it very upsetting."

"It amazes me how tough she is in some ways, and yet so sensitive in others. For example, she never turned a hair when we questioned the prisoner from Magnolia last night."

"Actually, that was one reason for my call. A few minutes ago, I was having a chat with someone here, and I ran across a very interesting piece of information that made me think of the problem in a whole new way. It made me eager to hear the results of the interrogation. Were you able to learn anything of value?"

We spend some time exchanging information, followed by an avid debate on how to act on it. Once we are done, Robert says, "By the way, you never told me what happened to the little guttersnipe. I presume she will be troubling us no more."

Sighing heavily, I reply, "Unfortunately, she still lives."

"What? How on Earth did she escape three vampires in the throes of bloodlust?"

"Well... to be perfectly truthful, I saved her. Sending a traitorous vampire to his final death was one thing, but Sookie would have been quite cross if we had killed the human. I was merely avoiding another conflict."

Robert grumbled, "It might have been worth it to rid ourselves of the girl. I fear she is going to be nothing but trouble. What do you suppose Pamela sees in her?"

"I have no idea. Clearly she does not have a loyal bone in her body."

"The little idiot had the nerve to proposition me last night... and from the looks she was giving you, I suspect you will be next."

Laughing, I say, "She better not let Sookie catch her at it, or she might find herself burned to a crisp."

With great delight, I tell him about Bobby's new hairdo. The Knight says thoughtfully, "Ah, now I see. Between her newly-developed powers and the strength and confidence imparted by our blood, no wonder our little Fairy got the notion she no longer needs guards. I trust you have already set her straight on that score."

"Of course... but if some other friend or relative needs saving and a suitable guard is not at hand, I have no doubt she will do it again. She is just so impetuous!"

With a short laugh, Robert says, "She is young, she is female, _and_ she is Fae... really, Brother, what do you expect? I imagine she will settle down as she ages. I can already see the changes in her."

"You and everyone else, apparently. Robert, earlier tonight I overheard two of my vampires talking, and it was clear from their conversation that there is already a good deal of speculation about their Queen. The physical changes in her are becoming increasingly obvious, but I am most worried about her scent. Tonight, it was pure Fairy with a spicy undertone of vintage vampire blood. If you had smelled her when she first came in, even _you_ would have been hard pressed to keep your fangs off her."

"I imagine so, since she had just been with her full-blooded cousin... but still, I _have_ noticed that her Fae scent is stronger since her return from the Portal. I thought it might fade with time."

"So did I... but so far it has not. When she uses her magic to any extent, it becomes even stronger... but fortunately, that effect fades fairly quickly. The creams and perfume she brought back from the Portal disguise the smell to a certain extent, but if it gets any stronger... We are going to have a real problem on our hands."

Obviously thinking this over, Robert is silent for several moments. Finally he says, "Perhaps it is _not_ possible for it to be concealed much longer. _T__rès bien_... would that _really_ be such a tragedy? Initially, Niall was reluctant to reveal her connection with him to prevent his enemies from capturing her and using her as a pawn. _You_ did not want to expose her heritage for fear a more powerful vampire would try to take her from you... but many things are different now, yes? You and your woman are publicly Twice-Bonded. You have become a very powerful king. Furthermore, you have a nestmate who is well-known for his ability to guard precious things. My brother, I ask you... Are we not capable of protecting what is ours?"

Now I am the one who is silent for a time. Everything the Knight has said is true. Some things _have_ changed, radically. "I hear what you are saying, Robert. However, I gave my word to the Prince."

"...who will be coming to your home for a cozy family dinner by week's end. Would that not be the perfect opportunity to revisit the subject?"

"I had already made up my mind to discuss the situation with him," I reply, "However, even if he has no objection to revealing Sookie's true heritage, I am not convinced it is wise. I am still concerned about keeping her safe during the daylight hours. As you can see, she is prone to running off without her guards."

The Knight growls, "Not after _I_ have a chance to speak to her. Sookie _will_ listen to me."

Even though he cannot see it, I grin at the certainty in his voice. Clearly he does not know my headstrong female nearly as well as he thinks. It should be fairly amusing to sit back and watch the fireworks if he tries to push her too far. "You are more than welcomed to try," I say mildly, "Quite soon, in fact. I do believe your new sister is awake and headed this way."

As predicted, a few seconds later Sookie comes wandering into the room. Her long hair is slightly tousled, and her skin still has a lovely rosy glow from her nap. She has found one of my shirts and slipped it on, leaving her long legs and slender feet bare. In short, she is absolutely adorable! Without saying a word, she comes over and crawls on to my lap. She gives me a kiss on the jaw and then snuggles against me, resting her head against my shoulder like a sleepy child. With relief, I note that now she has bathed and rested, her scent has returned to a much more manageable level. "Did you sleep well, Beloved?" I ask.

Still half-asleep, she murmurs, "Mm hmm."

"Robert is on the phone. He wishes to speak to you."

With a little smile, she takes the phone and holds it to her ear. "Hi, Robert. Did you get my text?"

Of course, I can hear his side of the conversation perfectly well. He answers evenly, "Yes, I did. If all goes well, I will be back in Shreveport by Sunday morning at the latest.

"Good! I miss you already."

"Do you? I think you should be _glad_ I am away, little sister. Eric has informed me of your trip to Ruston today. If I _was_ there, you would not be able to sit down for a week! Parading around the state with nothing but a scrawny human errand-boy as a guard! Sookie! What were you thinking?"

Cuddling my warm, sweet-scented wife in my arms, I listen with great enjoyment as the Knight proceeds to give her a stern lecture. Some of the highlights of his speech are: "Do you not realize how unseemly it is for a Queen to be visiting such a place! What do you think minions are for?" and "If you do not care about how this reflects on your Bonded, what about me? What do you think it would do to my reputation if something were to happen to my very own nestmate? I would be the laughingstock of the vampire world!"

To my utter astonishment, she does not even raise an objection! Instead, she lies comfortably against my chest, fiddling with the bullet on my gold necklace as he rips into her. With a half-smile playing across her lips, every so often she responds with a soft, "Yes, Robert" or "No, Robert." Is this meek creature really _my_ Sookie? Totally unbelievable!

Once the agitated Knight has let off a little steam, he says a bit more calmly, "My dove, you cannot rely solely on your still unreliable magic to protect you. You _must_ use your brain as well. Did you think for a moment about what sorts of people might be in and around a jail? I will tell you. Jails and prisons are overflowing with vampire-haters. The one thing rival gangs in prison have in common is their hatred of the fang. Do you know, they even have special tattoos which indicate the bearer has killed a vampire? Amongst inmates, it is a badge of honor. If you had been recognized as a known associate of vampires, you could have been in serious danger."

At this, a jolt of alarm comes from Sookie. Bolting upright, she says sharply, "The tattoo... it wouldn't be a black heart with a bloody stake through it, would it?"

"That is one of them, yes. The drops supposedly represent the number of vampires killed... although if those numbers were not grossly exaggerated, there would be no vampires left," he replies. Then, as the likely cause for her question sinks in, we both exclaim simultaneously, "Sookie! Did you see one today?"

With a reluctant nod, she says, "There were a couple of guys at the jail that had them. They were checking me out pretty good, but I think it was just because of the way I was dressed. Anyway, they left without any trouble."

A stream of excited French comes pouring through the phone. I translate, "Are you certain you were not followed?"

"Well... no. When we left the jail, I had my mind on Claude. I bet Bobby would have noticed, though."

The Knight makes a rude noise. "Pfft. That human would not notice if the hounds of hell were on his tail, and trust me, they make a horrendous racket."

Sookie thinks it over for a moment, and then says, "Claude lives in a very quiet upscale neighborhood without much traffic. I think even Bobby would have noticed those guys following us. Maybe you two are just paranoid. Maybe they really _were_ just ogling me because they thought I was attractive. I'm still full of your blood, you know. It seems to make me attractive to humans."

I am quick to state, "My love, you are incredibly beautiful _without_ our blood. Of course men are going to "ogle" you, no matter how you are dressed... which is yet another reason I want you to have a guard!"

Ignoring my last comment, Sookie says speculatively, "Huh. Maybe _I_ should have followed _them._ Think about it... we've been having a problem with drainers, right? Drainers kill vampires. Those guys have "vampire killer" tats. If I was looking to hire a drainer, wouldn't I start with guys like that?"

"Or perhaps that is how they "earn" the tattoo in the first place," Robert says slowly, "Either way, the idea is worth pursuing."

Sookie offers, "Besides finding them hanging around jails, there must be an easier way of tracking some of the guys. For example, those tattoos looked professional to me. Maybe we could do some investigating and find out what shops around the state offer that particular tattoo. Surely they keep records."

The three of us discuss this at some length, until Robert says, "Excuse me, but I am being summoned by Illinois. I am anxious to get this task completed, so I can get back to New York. If I am to be back in Louisiana by Sunday, I will need to make the most of my time there. Sookie, do I have your word that you will not set foot outside of the safety of our nest without a guard?"

"Yes, Robert, I promise," she says sweetly. After we say our goodbyes, I pull my woman back into my arms and nuzzle her for a bit. Into the crook of her neck, I grumble, "Why is it when Robert asks you something, you do not give _him_ a fight?"

Grinning, she says, "It is totally impossible to resist his accent. Too bad you claim you don't have one." After a pause, she laughs softly. "Eric, do you remember the first night we spent together in this hotel room?"

"Of course. I am unlikely to ever forget it. Not only was the sex absolutely fantastic, it was also the first night you trusted me enough to tell me you could read vampire minds on occasion."

"That _would_ be what _you_ remember!" she says playfully, "You know why _I_ think it was so special? Because that night was the first time you told me you loved me."

"Ah, yes. I remember it well. For the first time in over a thousand years, I finally tell a woman I love her, and she does not respond in kind. I was devastated." Sniffing loudly, I wipe away an imaginary tear.

Even though she knows I am teasing, she throws her arms around my neck and peppers me with kisses. In between, she declares, "I'm sorry, baby!"... kiss, kiss, kiss... "I was _such_ an idiot!"...kiss, kiss, kiss..."If I could do it over again, I would sing it from the rooftop!"...kiss, kiss, kiss.

"You can make it up to me now. Tell me how much you love me, Sookie."

With a smile, she indulges me, whispering lots of sweet nothings into my ear... until her stomach lets out an angry rumble. Blushing, she says, "My goodness, that was unladylike! I suppose I need to eat."

"Where shall I take you, my love?"

Frowning slightly, she replies, "Maybe I had better just order room service. I don't have anything to wear but that same old dress. Before we go to the club, can we go by our house and let me change into something else?"

"I have a better idea," I tell her, "After you have eaten, I want to take you shopping. Emma's establishment is nearby and open quite late."

"Honey, I really don't need any more clothes."

"Yes, you do. You need to keep some here. We can have someone drop them off here later."

Knowing there is no use arguing, she just smiles and agrees. After ordering her dinner, I put down the phone and run my hand slowly up her bare leg, saying, "So, Mrs. Northman, what do you have on under that shirt?"

As it turned out, the answer was... nothing! Consequently, the time it took for room service to deliver our order was definitely _not_ wasted...

_Author's notes: Aren't y'all proud of me? For once, I didn't end a chapter with a cliffhanger! By the way, "couyon" means "a stupid or foolish person" in Cajun French._


	48. Chapter 48

_Author's notes: Once again, I am truly sorry for the delay in posting. I know it is aggravating to wait for updates. I really appreciate those of you who have chosen to stick with the story in spite of the weeks between chapters. My only defense is that I have a very hectic real life, leaving me very little time to write. I get frustrated and upset sometimes, because I hate leaving you guys hanging. After the last chapter, though, one of my favorite reviewers pointed out CH's new book was only around 100,000 words and that my last chapter was over 30,000__! This one is around 28,000. Considering that I produce this in my "spare time" I guess I really shouldn't beat myself up so much. Just know that I am doing my best, and that the story __will__ be finished._

_*****Thank you for all the lovely reviews from the last chapter. I wish I had the time to answer each one, because interacting with my readers is one of the true joys of writing fan fiction. However, as slowly as I type, responding to all of them just delays the next chapter even further. Be assured that I treasure each one._

_**** As a humorous side note, I want y'all to know that I have purchased a speech recognition program which allows me to dictate the story instead of typing it. Once I am past the learning curve, hopefully it will speed things up a little. Unfortunately, I have to take the time to train it. It doesn't seem to recognize words like fangbanger or vampiress or hoochie. What's wrong with the dumb thing? That should be normal vocabulary, shouldn't it? The program also seems to have some issues with my southern accent, resulting in some pretty humorous mistakes._

_*****Recap of last chapter: After questioning the prisoner from Magnolia until nearly dawn, Eric decides to stay at the vampire hotel in Shreveport. After awakening later that day, Sookie enjoys her morning by ordering room service and making a few calls. She discovers that her friend Amelia is going to be married. She also speaks to Rhiannon, and the two of them set the date for the family dinner party for Sunday. Next, Sookie gets a call from Claude's friend Wade, pleading with her to get Claude out of jail before the iron in the place can damage or kill him. During this conversation, Sookie discovers that Niall has punished Claude by taking away his magic._

_Sookie calls Bobby Burnham for a ride. Sookie has left her purse at Valhalla, so they stop by Fangtasia to get bail money, and then drive to Ruston in Bobby's brother's hideously ugly old car. She meets with Claude's attorney and eventually gets Claude out of jail. While she is waiting, she sees some men with tattoos depicting a bleeding heart with a stake through it. After Claude is released, she takes him home, where she attempts to soothe him with her magic._

_Although she leaves well before dark, a wreck prevents her from reaching the hotel before her vampire rises for the night. Eric is at first alarmed by her absence, and then irritated when he discovers where she went. He is still not fully recovered from his bonding sickness, which plays havoc with his self-control. He goes downstairs to wait for her and is horrified to see her driving up in Bobby's old beater. Embarrassment turns to anger when he realizes she has not __taken a guard with her. He blames Bobby for this and nearly injures him, but Sookie uses her __feminine wiles to distract her vampire long enough for the human to escape. They end up having wild sex in the elevator, which is recorded by the security cameras. Eric later retrieves this recording and hides it in his safe._

_After having another round of lovemaking in their room, Sookie naps while Eric makes a few business calls. Robert phones and Eric tells him about Sookie's adventures. Once she awakens, Robert gives her a stern lecture. During this discussion, they realize the possible significance of the heart tattoo and make plans to investigate this further. After their conversation with Robert, they order room service for Sookie. She has nothing to wear but the same dress she wore to Fangtasia the night before, so Eric tells her he is going to take her shopping for some new clothes after she eats. This is where our story resumes..._

**Chapter 48**

**Eric's POV: Penthouse Suite of Vampire Hotel, Shreveport, LA.**

"I am really, really tired of this dress," Sookie grumbles as she struggles to re-arrange her generous breasts in the low-cut bodice, "And if I ever, _ever_ leave the house again without my purse, please just shoot me."

I do my best to help my irritated spouse by attempting to fasten the fiendishly small hook-and-eye combination at the top of the zipper. "Hm. The idea has merit. It might be fun sucking the bullet out of _you_ for a change."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny."

Grinning, I say, "Actually, your breasts _do_ look a little uncomfortable, Sookie. Here. Let me assist you." I start to stick my hands into her bodice, but she playfully slaps my hands away.

"Cut it out, honey, or we'll never get to work tonight."

"And that would be bad because...?"

Giving me a stern look, she says in mock severity, "We have taken too much time off already. This kingdom doesn't run itself, you know."

"For your information, while the Queen was sleeping the night away, the King _was_ working. My conscience is clear."

"Since you claim not to have a conscience, that's not saying much," my mate replies, "Anyhow, let me slip on my shoes and I'll finally be ready. I can't believe I'm going out with no panties _again_! The first thing we're going to do is stop somewhere to buy some."

Helpfully, I suggest, "The last time I was in Emma's shop, she had some very nice crotchless ones. If we get some of those, I will not have to shred them."

Sookie rolls her eyes. "Give me a break. Panties with no crotch are about as useless as screen doors on a submarine. Besides, I would feel like a total skank wearing them."

"Come on. Just one pair?" Pulling her into my arms, I give her a kiss with enough sizzle to leave her gasping.

"Well, when you put it that way... maybe _one_ pair. But you can forget about me wearing them out of the house."

Ha! That is what she thinks! I just give her another grin, and then escort her out of our suite.

In order to erase the memory of my Queen riding in that hideous car of Bobby's, I have arranged for a limousine for the evening. The appropriately elegant black vehicle is already waiting in front of the hotel. The minute we step outside, the valet comes hurrying over to open the rear door for Sookie. I give him an abrupt signal indicating that I will do it myself. He and the driver are both warm-blooded, and I do not care for them to see the slightest flash of my Queen's golden curls as she gets into the car. I am careful to block their view with my body until she is safely inside. After sliding in beside her, I give the driver instructions and a moment later we are underway.

The trip to the clothing shop is a short one. As soon as we walk inside, a display to the left of the door catches Sookie's eye and she wanders over to take a closer look. She never seems to mind rummaging through the racks herself, but I vastly prefer having a knowledgeable salesperson bring the selections to us. Emma always insists on waiting on her best customers herself. Normally she is at the door to greet new arrivals the minute they step inside, but tonight she is nowhere in evidence.

Leaving Sookie to her own devices, I wander towards the back of the store in search of the proprietress, keeping a sharp eye out for the panty display as I go. An unfamiliar young human girl steps out of the back room and glides in my direction. Emma always hires very attractive assistants, since part of their job is to model the merchandise. This girl is tall and willowy with beautiful hair the color of a shiny new penny. She is dressed in an extremely sexy bondage-type outfit. "Welcome," she purrs, "My name is Angel. May I help you find something?"

I have to chuckle. "Angel? Is that _really_ your name?"

Giving me a sexy little smile, the girl replies, "Yes, it is. Between you and me, I think that's why Emma hired me."

"Speaking of Emma, where is she?"

The girl hesitates a second before replying, "Ah, she seems to be running late tonight. Maybe I can help you."

"I want to buy some things for my wife," I explain, "She needs a few new outfits to wear to the club."

"The club...?"

"I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Eric Northman, and I own the vampire bar Fangtasia. Perhaps you have heard of it."

The girl's eyes begin to glow with excitement. Tossing back her satiny, waist-length hair, she replies, "Yes, several customers have mentioned it... but I'm new to town. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet."

Although Sookie is still near the front of the store, I know quite well she can hear every word of this conversation. Feeling a bit mischievous, I reply, "Ah. What a pity. Beautiful women are always welcome." I follow this up with one of my best smiles, the one with just a flash of fang showing. This calculated move has the intended result. The girl gives me an incandescent smile bracketed by two deep dimples, and the pleasant aroma of aroused female drifts into the air... and a split-second later, Sookie appears at my side. She wraps one hand possessively around my arm, clearly staking her territory. "Hi. I'm Eric's wife, Sookie."

Ha! It always makes my night when I can get that little jealous streak of hers to pop out... but my efforts have triggered another reaction that I was _not_ expecting. It seems that tonight my magical girl is struggling to keep her true nature under wraps, and my little game has not helped matters. Her eyes and skin are now glowing with an unearthly light, which is pronounced enough that even the human can probably see it. Earlier in the evening, I told Sookie the absolute truth. Even without vampire blood inside her, she is a beautiful woman... but when her "inner Fairy" bubbles to the surface, she is positively stunning... and that smell! Even though mostly I am immune to it, my fangs and my cock instantly extend to their full length.

With an effort, I pull my eyes away from my spectacular wife and glance at the human. Eyes glazed and mouth slightly open, she is staring at Sookie with open fascination. Before she can stop herself, she blurts out, "Wow. You are _so_ beautiful."

Startled, Sookie blinks and then glances up at me with a puzzled look. To the girl, I say smoothly, "Yes, my wife _is_ lovely, isn't she? Do you think you could choose a few things for her to try on? We will be waiting in the dressing room."

Never taking her eyes off my Bonded, the clerk bubbles, "Oh, yes, sir! It would be my pleasure! Ah... what size?"

Still feeling a bit devilish, I take a step behind Sookie and run both hands slowly over her curves. "Oh... I'd say an 8."

Sookie mutters, "Or a 10. It depends."

This erotic vision proves nearly too much for the girl to handle. By now, she is practically drooling. Too overwhelmed to speak, she just nods.

"Be sure and bring some suitable undergarments, too."

Finally finding her voice, she enthusiastically exclaims, "Yes, sir!" Dragging her eyes away from us, she scurries off to do my bidding.

The minute she is out of earshot, Sookie whispers, "Eric! What the _hell_?"

Taking my startled mate's arm and leading her towards the dressing room, I reply, "Ha! _You_ did that, not me."

"I didn't do anything but keep her from hitting on my husband... who was clearly flirting with her first!"

Chuckling, I respond, "A vampire has to have a little fun. Besides, she is every bit as interested in _you_."

"But Eric, until I showed up, she was thinking about how sexy you are and wondering how great you are in bed."

"...and once she saw you?"

To my great delight, Sookie actually blushes! "Ah... she was thinking the exact same thing about me. What's up with that?"

"You really don't know, do you?"

Bewildered, she shakes her head "no." Leading my wife into the large dressing area that Emma reserves for her best clients, I position her squarely in front of the full-length triple mirror. "Look at yourself, Sookie. What do you see?"

Staring at her own reflection in the mirror, a look of wonder crosses my Bonded's face. She whispers, "Oh, wow! I look like a Fairy."

"Yes, you do. You have never seen yourself like this before, have you?"

"No, I guess not."

"Trust me, Sookie. This is only the tip of the iceberg. The other night in the library, you did much more than make the fairy-cloth glow. It was almost as if you were made of light. I have never seen anything so beautiful. It made me want to weep. I know Robert felt exactly the same."

Clearly shocked by this information, she says faintly, "Whoa. I honestly had no idea. I always _feel_ prettier when I'm in Fairy-mode, but I figured it was all in my head." After a pause, she continues, "Still, it doesn't explain that girl's reaction. I might smell nice to them, but humans aren't attracted to it in the same way vampires are. Humans can't see a vampire's glow, so I bet they can't see Fairy-light, either."

"Not true. They _can_ see it when it becomes pronounced enough. Right now, I suspect you are just a tad over the visible threshold for a human. Glowing or not, though, Fairies are extremely attractive to _everyone_, not just vampires. Humans in particular are susceptible to your charms."

"Believe me, the _last_ thing on my mind was trying to charm her."

"When you look like this, you will attract people whether you are consciously trying to or not. Did you not notice the way everyone was staring at you last night at the club?"

"I thought it was because I was so full of your blood."

I shake my head. "That was only part of it. Whether you realize it or not, you have looked like this to varying degrees since your return from the Portal. It is particularly noticeable after you have used your magic to any great extent, or when your emotions are stirred. The unusual amount of vampire blood in your system merely enhances the effect in a very intriguing and mysterious way. As much as I love it when you look like this, I must confess it worries me a little."

"You don't even have to explain why... I get it." Suddenly, she squeezes her eyes shut and gets a look of intense concentration on her face. A minute passes, but nothing happens.

"Sookie... what are you doing?"

"Shh! I'm wishing to look normal again." Opening her eyes, she sees in the mirror that nothing has changed. Frowning, she exclaims, "Dang! I must be doing something wrong. Usually if I wish for something hard enough, it happens. Hmpf. I better try again."

She does, this time screwing her face into an awful grimace. The result is exactly the same... nothing happens. "Well, hell's bells," she says in disgust, "My 'wisher' must be out-of-order."

I cannot stop myself from laughing. "Have you ever considered that this _is_ normal for you now? Perhaps you should have wished to look more human instead... but I doubt that would have worked, either. That particular type of magic probably only works if you _truly_ desire something. I suspect that subconsciously, you do not really wish to look entirely human any longer."

"That's not true," she protests, "There's nothing wrong with looking human."

"Not if you _are_ human... but you are so much more than that now. Naturally you want to be seen as who and what you really truly are. I only wish there was no need for you to hide it. Maybe someday the Fae will have their own Great Revelation."

"I doubt it," Sookie says ruefully, "Most fairies _like_ being secretive. Somebody had better teach me to adjust my supernatural thermostat right away before I accidentally blow their cover. You know what's weird? Up until that night in the library, I didn't even know I had it in me. I had to dig down deep inside to bring it out, but now I can't seem to keep a lid on it even when I try. What's up with that?"

"I imagine my blood _is_ responsible for that. You came exceedingly close to being turned, and newly-made vampires are not known for their self-control."

"Great. I just learned to get my telepathy under control and now this! No matter what you think, it makes me uncomfortable when people stare at me. Too many years of people looking at me like I was a freak, I guess."

"This is altogether different, Sookie. They stare now because they cannot believe how beautiful you are. Trust me, you will get used to it."

"Ha. I guess you would know."

Pulling her into my arms, I look down at her and say teasingly, "And why is that? Is it because I am beautiful, too? Tell me how handsome you think I am, Sookie."

"Not a chance, Buster. The last thing you need is another woman telling you how gorgeous you are," she says sternly, "Your ego is already big enough for ten vampires."

"You are confusing having a firm grasp on reality with ego. I _am_ beautiful. So are you. Why pretend otherwise?"

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that modesty is a virtue?"

"Do you know a lot of modest Vikings? Or vampires? Or Fairies, for that matter?"

"Okay, point taken. Supes aren't into modesty... but I was raised differently. In a way, though, I guess I've gotten used to vampires thinking I'm the bees' knees... but having humans drool over me is just too weird. Political reasons aside, I better learn how to hide this... this... fairy thing, if only for my own benefit."

"_I _think you should learn to enjoy being admired. What you need is practice. This girl Angel is an excellent start."

Rolling her eyes, she exclaims, "Oh, please! What am I supposed to do? Just stand here while she falls at my feet and basks in my glow?"

"Exactly. Think of it as a learning exercise. I will glamour the knowledge out of her before we leave."

"Honey, can't I just go home and hang out until this fades? You don't even have to drive me. I think I can pop from here."

"No, you cannot. I want you with me." Mm. That came out a bit sharper than I intended. It seems my "inner vampire" is close to the surface tonight, as well. Sookie looks at me in surprise. However, before she can comment, the salesclerk is back with an armful of clothes. Taking a seat in one of the comfortable armchairs provided, I sit back and prepare to be entertained.

Even though my fairy's glow has already begun to fade, the human looks just as enthralled with her as ever. With a smile, she displays the selections one by one. After a few, I stop her. "That one is very attractive, Sookie. Try it on first."

Although my Bonded has finally become accustomed to Emma assisting her, just now she is feeling extremely self-conscious. She says to the girl, "Thanks, Angel. I think I can take it from here."

"Let the girl do her job, my love. I insist."

With a resigned sigh, Sookie plucks her cell phone from her bodice and hands it to me to hold. She allows the girl to help her into the skin-tight dress, which requires a bit more tugging and smoothing than any of the other selections... which is of course why I picked it. The girl runs her hands over Sookie's curves a few more times than is strictly necessary. She looks longingly at Sookie's bare skin, clearly having to restrain herself from stroking it. At first, Sookie is quite uncomfortable, but eventually she relaxes and begins to enjoy herself. As for myself, the vision of the two lovely females together is so enjoyable that I simply cannot keep my fangs from coming down. Suddenly, the cellphone in my hand begins to ring. Glancing at the display, I tell Sookie, "It is your cousin. Shall I tell her to call back later?"

"No, I want to talk to her." Taking the phone from my hand, she puts it to her ear. "Hi, Claudine. Did Ieuan give you the message?"

Even though she is standing several feet away, by concentrating I can hear her cousin's reply, "Yes, he did, but I wanted to get the details. How was my brother, Sookie? Was he showing any symptoms of iron poisoning?"

Realizing that her words might not be suitable for human ears, Sookie looks at her adoring helper and says, "Angel, would you pick out some shoes to go with this? Size seven and a half, please."

The girl nods and hurries off to do her bidding. As soon as the door closes, Sookie replies, "He seemed a little blue, but he didn't have a fever or anything." She quickly fills in the details, adding, "Wade is going to stay with him tonight. I think Claude is going to be okay. I'll call tomorrow and check on him, though."

"Thank you so much, cousin," Claudine says with relief, "I feel better knowing you are there to look out for him. It frightens me to think how vulnerable my twin is without his magic. If he runs across any vampires, he can't... Oh dear. Sookie... you haven't told your vampire about Claude losing his magic, have you? "

Sookie glances quickly over at me, trying to figure out if I have been able to hear her cousin's words. I do my best to keep my features neutral. Sookie replies, "Um... actually, I did mention it... but please don't worry. Eric would never think about hurting a member of my family."

Strictly speaking, that is not true. I _did_ think about it... but now I am doubly glad I was able to resist the temptation. Claudine laughs. "Really. I wonder... does this trustworthiness extend to close family friends as well?"

"If you mean Faeryn, she already knows she can trust Eric."

"Sookie, after what Faeryn has been through, I think she is finding it difficult to trust _anyone_, much less a vampire. However, I was really referring to Rhys. He talks about you constantly. Niall made the mistake of telling him about your bout with iron poisoning, and now he's driving us all crazy asking for updates. Don't be too surprised if he turns up on your doorstep some bright sunny day."

Rhys! GRRRRR! The mere sound of my hated rival's name causes a searing flame of jealousy to ignite in my chest. In response, a jolt of alarm shoots through my Bonded. Switching to Sylvan, she rattles off several agitated sentences into the phone and then disconnects. Setting it down, she slowly turns to face me. "I'm sorry, baby," she says apologetically, "Claudine had no way of knowing you could hear that. She was just teasing me."

Fighting to regain control of my dark emotions, I make no response. By sheer force of will, I have managed to shove the thought of the treacherous Fairy out of my brain, but now all I can think about are ways of capturing him and exacting my revenge. The problem, of course, is finding him. Suddenly, an icy calm settles over me. In my most persuasive voice, I say, "Claudine implied this man is a close family friend. Is this correct?"

Slightly confused, Sookie replies cautiously, "Yes, he is."

"Obviously he is concerned for your welfare."

"Uh... I guess so."

Giving my wife a chilly smile, I suggest, "Well then, we should invite him to come to our party, so that he can see for himself that you are well."

Of course, that was the last thing she was expecting me to say. For a split-second, Sookie looks at me as if she is certain I have lost my mind... but that expression is immediately replaced with a serious frown. "Eric Northman, if you think I'm going to lure Rhys to our home with a dinner invitation just so you can get your hands on him, you had better think again!" she says heatedly.

"What I _think_ is that I am going to _insist_ that you invite him."

"What?... No!"

"Oh, yes. If this Fairy is determined to see you again, he will find a way. I would rather it be when I am present."

Sookie says, "Look... I told Claudine to tell him to stay away from me, okay? You have nothing to worry about."

"Sometimes, Dear One, you are incredibly naïve. Do you think by telling this Fairy to stay away, he will just forget about his feelings for you? It is much more likely to have the opposite effect. _I _certainly would not give up so easily. _I_ would find a way to see you again, preferably during the daylight hours when the pesky vampire husband is sure to be absent."

"Honey, you're over-estimating the depth of Rhys' interest in me. Believe me, he's not the serious type. It was just a temporary infatuation. I'll bet he's already moved on to wooing some other Fairy girl... or two. He's just been asking about me because he's my friend."

"And you? How do _you_ feel about _him_? You are certainly going to great lengths to protect someone you care nothing about."

She is silent for a moment, carefully thinking over her answer. Looking me straight in the eye, she says boldly, "I never said I don't care about him. The truth is, I like Rhys a lot. He's interesting and light-hearted and fun to be around. Do I care about him? Yes, I do. I haven't had very many friends in my life, and it makes me sad to think I'll never be able to see him again. Do I love him, though? Nope. I can truthfully say my heart belongs entirely to a Viking Vampire King."

"If what you say is true, then you should not be worried about inviting him to our home," I say smoothly, "_He_ can see that you are happily married, and _I_ can see that there is nothing between the two of you but friendship."

"So let me get this straight. You want me to believe that you are going to play the congenial host to the Fairy who tried to bed your wife. Boy, you really _must_ think I'm naïve."

"Clearly you do not think me so trustworthy, after all."

"Eric, as far as I know you've never lied to me," she says seriously, "If you give me your solemn promise not to hurt him, I will believe you."

"Very well. I will give you my solemn promise not to harm the Fairy Rhys at any time during our party."

"...or have Robert do it. Or anybody else."

"My goodness, Sookie. You are such a suspicious little thing! All right, then... No vampire under my control will lay a fang on him while he is my guest. Is that good enough for you?"

Before she gives me a firm answer, a soft knock comes at the door, and Angel slips inside carrying a huge stack of shoe boxes. Giving Sookie a radiant smile, she says, "I brought some choices for the other outfits, too."

Obviously relieved at the interruption, Sookie exclaims, "Great! I love shoes!" To me, she says, "We'll talk about this later, okay? We've still got some time until... Oh! I did tell you I'd like to have the party this Sunday, didn't I?"

"No, but I gathered as much from your conversation with Robert."

"Is Sunday okay with you, then?"

"Yes. I take it you've already made arrangements with Chef Sinclair?"

Putting her palm to her forehead she says, "Oh, man! I was just about to do it when Wade called about Claude. I can't believe I forgot! What are we going to do if he's already booked?"

"I am certain something can be arranged. Do you have his number? I will give him a call while you try on shoes."

"Yes, Bobby gave it to me earlier. I put it in my address book. Here." She tosses her cell phone to me. I look up the chef's number and give him a call. After a few rings, he answers. "Hello?"

"Chef Sinclair? This is Eric Northman."

"Good evening, Your Majesty," he replies, "How may I be of service?"Although his voice is calm and professional, I can detect an undercurrent of excitement that I am calling him again so soon.

"My wife and I were quite pleased with our dinner the other night. We are planning a dinner party for this Sunday evening. Are you available?"

"This Sunday? Actually, I _do_ have a prior engagement, but... Pardon me for one moment, Sir." After a brief pause, he returns. "I think my assistant chef should be able to handle that event. I will be delighted to prepare your meal for you. How many are you expecting?"

"This is our first party in our new home, so we are starting small. There will only be seven or eight, two of which will be vampires."

"I understand completely. Do you have a particular menu in mind, or shall I come up with some ideas and let you choose?"

"You need to speak to my wife about the particulars. She is busy at the moment, but she will phone you tomorrow and tell you what she wants."

"Very good, Sir. I will be waiting for her call."

After disconnecting, I try to relax and enjoy watching Sookie try on her clothes, but thinking about that damned Fairy kissing her has made me quite out-of-sorts. Sensing this, my mate attempts to lighten my mood by making sarcastic but amusing comments about each outfit as she tries it on. In spite of the presence of the human, she openly flirts with me... but even that does little good. In a supreme effort to get me over my bout of grumpiness, she dispatches the salesgirl to retrieve a couple of pairs of crotchless panties... and then, blushing from head to toe, she allows the girl to help her put them on. As I watch the lovely young woman sliding the silken panties up my wife's shapely legs, my mood and a piece of my anatomy begin to rise. With a huge grin, Sookie exclaims triumphantly, "Ha! I figured that would do it! Do I know how to cheer up a vampire, or what?"

As it turns out, the little human girl has an excellent eye for what suits my Queen. I end up buying nearly everything she brought for Sookie to try on. As she is ringing up the sale, I tell her, "Put it on the Fangtasia account. Please deliver everything to the vampire hotel downtown. Ask for the manager. He will see to it that it is put in our suite."

"I'll be happy to, Mr. Northman... but I'm running the store alone just now. I can't deliver it until Emma comes in."

"That is acceptable. Now, I want you to look at me."

Although slightly puzzled at my request, the girl does as she is told. Within seconds, her eyes have the unfocused look that indicates she susceptible to my suggestions. "Angel, all you will remember about my wife is that she is an extraordinarily beautiful woman. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," she answers dreamily, "I hope you both come back soon."

Now that little chore has been handled, Sookie and I start towards the door. After only a few steps, Sookie turns back to the girl and says, "Thanks for all your help, Angel. Come to Fangtasia sometime. Tell the bartender that Sookie said to give you a free drink."

The girl flashes my wife another dimpled smile. "Thank you! I certainly will!"

With one last wave of her hand, Sookie catches up to me. "That was unexpected," I murmur in her ear.

Quite seriously, my wife replies, "She's really a sweet, honest person inside. You have no idea how rare that is. Is it too much to hope that Pam takes an interest in her and dumps Amy?"

Fangtasia is only a few blocks away, so the trip there is quite short. As our limousine pulls into the parking lot, I see that the line of people waiting to get in is longer than ever. Chuckling, Sookie says, "Wow. I guess the news of last night's party has spread. Baby, we _really _need that extra space. Are you still planning to expand?"

"Of course. The title documents have been ready for your signature for weeks."

"_My_ signature?"

"Yes, my love, _your_ signature. We will own the property jointly. Are you still willing to oversee the project?"

Eyes alight with excitement, Sookie exclaims, "You bet I am! When can I start?"

"I will call Cataliades and make arrangements for us to sign the papers as soon as possible. After that, you can begin when you wish; however, I would advise you to wait until after the Coronation. We will be quite busy between now and then."

"Boy, you can say that again... But I'd like to take another look at the building as soon as we can."

Since Sookie is back to looking acceptably human, I instruct the driver to drop us off at the front door of the club. Once we are safely inside, out of long habit I stop to survey the crowd. I am pleased to see a good number of Supernaturals present, including the two Santa Fe vampires. Taking Sookie's arm, I lead her down the steps and into the throng. As we make our way to our regular seats, I acknowledge several of the vampires I see, and make it a point to stop by the visitors' table and introduce them to my Queen. Even without her tell-tale glow, they are both utterly captivated by my little vampire-charmer .

By the time we get to our regular seats, Bill is already there waiting. After we exchange greetings, he says, "I was just about to call to remind you that the Sheriff of Area 4 is coming by to see you tonight."

"Yes, I remember. The timing could not be better. I have several things I want to discuss with him." Looking around, I ask curiously, "Where is Pam?"

"She claimed to have several pressing errands to run," her counterpart replies with a frown, "I think she really just wanted some time to herself. She coerced me into babysitting her human."

He looks so aggravated that Sookie and I both have to laugh. Patting him on the arm, his Queen grins and says, "Cheer up, Bill. At least Amy's already potty trained."

"Apparently Pam thinks that is not good enough. She is having Felicia train the girl as a waitress."

No sooner have the words left his mouth than a loud crash comes from direction of the bar. I know that sound well. It comes from an entire tray full of drinks being dropped on the floor. Obviously, Sookie is well acquainted with it, too. Looking towards the bar, she exclaims, "Uh oh! I better go rescue Amy before there's bloodshed. Felicia looks like she's about to take her head off."

"I wish you'd let her," Bill mutters under his breath.

Not overly anxious for Sookie to dig the details of last night's interrogation session out of the girl's head, I say quickly, "Sookie, let Felicia handle this."

"Oh, please! Felicia doesn't know beans about training waitresses. That's my department." Before I can voice another objection, my wife scurries off towards the disaster at the bar.

In spite of his obvious relief at having Sookie take control of Amy, Bill dutifully asks, "Do you want me to stop her?"

"No, let her go. There is no stopping her when she gets that look."

"I know you do not care for Sookie working, but she seems to enjoy helping to run the bar," Bill observes, "There is no doubt she is better at dealing with the human staff than Pam."

"As long as it makes her happy, I am willing to allow it." Taking my seat, I gesture for my Lieutenant to join me. "Speaking of Pam, I take it there is trouble in paradise, or she would not be forcing her pet to work in such a menial position."

Settling in the chair to my left, Bill answers, "Last night seems to have taken the bloom off the rose, all right; but for some unfathomable reason, Pam is not ready to discard the girl just yet. She has gotten it in her head that working as a waitress will be good for building Amy's character and is the first step toward making her a suitable companion."

With a snort of disbelief, I say, "What? Where did she get such an absurd idea?"

"Because Sookie was a waitress, I suppose."

"You and I both know that being a waitress had nothing to do with it."

"Personally, I think the girl is not redeemable no matter what Pam does," he replies with a frown, "I wish you had let nature take its course last night."

"So do I. However, now that the girl is showing her true colors, I suspect Pam will come to her senses and take care of the problem herself."

Shaking his head, Bill says, "I only hope she does it before the girl has a chance to cause any serious trouble."

"After last night, surely she knows better. In any event, maybe there is a method to Pam's madness. If she works the girl hard enough, she may be too tired to get into much mischief."

"Hmpf. The girl does not strike me as the hardworking type," Bill says doubtfully, "Even Sookie may not be successful at training her."

"I think we are about to find out. Here they come."

The two of us watch as Amy slowly makes her way towards us, a tray of drinks carefully balanced on one hand. Sookie is walking behind her, watching the girl's every move with a practiced eye. As the girl approaches, she avoids looking directly at either one of us. Instead of her normal bold attitude, she seems somewhat subdued tonight. Eyes downcast, she says, "Good evening, Master." Without waiting for a reply, she takes a couple of cocktail napkins from a small stack on her tray and then bends over to place them on the table in front of us.

Sookie stops her, saying patiently, "If you bend over like that, Amy, the entire bar can see your backside."

"So? I'll get better tips that way."

"Fangtasia is a vampire bar, not a strip club," my wife informs her, "If you're friendly and efficient, you can be classy and still get great tips. Besides, it's not just about that. Bending over like that is liable to make you lose control of your tray. When you're serving a really low table like this one, you need to bend at the knees, not at the waist... like this." Taking the tray from the girl's hand, she demonstrates. In a graceful movement, she dips down and places two napkins in the proper location. Rising, she hands the tray back to the girl and says, "Now you try it. Slow and easy, okay?"

Clearly nervous, Amy does as she is told. Although she wobbles a bit, she manages to set the two glasses of blood down on the napkins without spilling a drop. Sookie says proudly, "There! You did it! Now let's go back and get the next round for table seven." The girl nods and heads back to the bar. Sookie looks down at me and grins. "She'll be all right. She just needs someone to show her the ropes. I'm going to spend a little more time with her, okay?"

I can see that my woman really is enjoying herself, so I reply, "Very well. Bill and I have a few matters to discuss that require privacy, so I will be in my office."

"Okay, baby. See you in a bit." She gives me a quick kiss before hurrying back to the bar. Glasses of blood in hand, Bill and I get up and make our way to my office. As soon as I set foot through the door, I notice a shopping bag sitting on top of my desk. "What is this? Has Pam been shopping for me again?"

"No, your day man dropped that off a couple of hours ago. Apparently Sookie left it in his car earlier."

Opening the bag, I see several stacks of cash and a small bag of cosmetics. Taking out the money, I go over to open the safe. Bill says, "If you do not mind me asking, what in the world was Sookie doing running around with that sort of cash?"

Peeling off a few bills from the first stack, I replenish my money clip and then place the rest of the cash back in the safe. While performing this minor task, I give Bill a brief run-down of Sookie's day. None of it seems to surprise him much, except the part about her taking the money from my safe. "She actually took it without asking your permission?" he asks in astonishment, "Well, well, well. She _is_ growing up, isn't she?"

"So it seems."

After a pause, he says hesitantly, "Eric... I cannot help but notice she is changing other ways as well. Since she's been home, she is just so... so..." Clearly not sure how to say it without overstepping his bounds, he trails off.

Grinning at his discomfort, I provide the word for him, "Edible?"

"Frankly, yes. At first, I thought I was just imagining things, but... since her return, there have been several occasions when she has looked and smelled a great deal more Fae than human. I am very much afraid that I am the not only one that has noticed."

"Believe me, I am aware of the situation. Her visit to the Portal seems to have awakened her Fae nature, and I believe the unusual amount of vampire blood in her system is compounding the problem."

"How so?"

"Our blood makes her magic stronger, while drastically reducing her emotional stability and impulse control. Since the transfusion, any strong emotion or the extended use of her magic brings the Fairy in her straight to the surface. Unfortunately, she is finding it quite difficult to stuff the genie back in the bottle, so to speak."

"The effects of the blood should wear off eventually. Until then, perhaps you should consider limiting her exposure to others. Convince her to stay at home for a few days..."

"Wonderful idea. I believe I will assign that particular task to _you_. It should be quite amusing to see how well you do."

He grimaces. "Point taken. So, what do you intend to do?"

"For one thing, I have made her aware that there is a problem. She seems to want to learn to control it... but until she does, all I can do is keep her calm and away from any kind of conflict when we are in public. I intend to discuss the issue with Niall quite soon. He is coming to dinner this Sunday."

Shaking his head, Bill says, "A vampire-fairy dinner party. Did you ever in your wildest imagination think such a thing was possible?"

"No. Life with Sookie is certainly full of surprises... but at least I can truthfully say I am no longer bored." Making sure the safe is securely locked and concealed, I go back to my desk and settle into my chair. "Now, tell me... have you made any headway with the information we obtained last night?"

"I was just getting started when Pam dumped Amy in my lap. All I can say so far is that the password for the email account was the correct one. There was surprisingly little in it. Of course, I had already checked the browser history. Most of the sites visited were either hard-core pornography or on-line gambling. None of the documents saved to the hard drive were of any value whatsoever."

Sighing, I say, "I was surprised to find how little information Marius shared with young Seth. What is the point of having a nest if you cannot trust your own nestmates?"

"Not exactly unusual behavior for Elders, in my experience," Bill says drily, "He only told Seth as much as he did because he needed to brag to someone. At least Seth was able to confirm our suspicions that a take-over was being contemplated."

"Yes, it is fortunate for us that he liked to snoop," I reply, "If only he had been better at it, he might have been able to discover the name of the vampire behind it all."

We had managed to learn a few things for our troubles. For one, Seth revealed that Marius had not really imagined himself to be the next King. Instead, he had been promised that the staggering amount of gambling debts he owed would be canceled, and he would also receive a highly paid position in the new regime. As far as the young vampire could tell, his Elder had been sent to Magnolia to scout out the area and find a suitable place to establish a base camp for the future incursion. He had been told that the nest could do as it pleased until the time was ripe for the take-over to begin, since the current King of Louisiana was so incompetent and focused on his human wife that he paid no attention to what was going on in his territory. As I suspected, none of the nest including the Elder realized they were being used as pawns.

"At least we got the name of Marius' contact," Bill says thoughtfully, "Of course, Peter is a common name."

"Don't forget, we also have a partial description," I remind him. Seth had only caught a glimpse of this mysterious vampire once or twice before the move to Arkansas. The young vampire had described him as tall and slender with long dark hair. Seth had the idea that he was involved with gambling somehow, although he wasn't sure in what capacity. This "Peter" had never come to Magnolia but he and Marius communicated often by cellphone. These conversations were always conducted in some foreign language, so the only thing Seth could tell us was that my name had been mentioned frequently, as well as a vampire he thought was named Leroy.

Frowning, Bill says, "Even so, there are going to be quite a few Peters. Maybe we will have better luck finding Leroy. It really is a pity that the phone number Seth gave us is no longer in service, especially considering what it took for us to get it out of him."

"If this Peter was monitoring the farmhouse through the security cameras, he would know that Marius had been killed. At that point, having anything that could tie him to Marius was a liability. He probably disposed of the cellphone that very night."

"Speaking of the security cameras, I do have one bit of news to report. That particular brand is manufactured by a company based in Las Vegas and is almost exclusively used in casinos. As for the computer we brought back, it was garden-variety and could have been obtained anywhere... but it was loaded with a number of casino-style games... poker, black-jack, and so forth."

"Las Vegas, eh?" During our short meeting last night, Bill had informed me that he had been able to trace the ownership of the Magnolia farmhouse to a dummy corporation registered in Nevada. "It seems like all avenues lead straight back to Nevada."

"You know what they say about a woman scorned. Since you rejected her Proposal, perhaps Queen Sandy is looking to seek revenge and acquire Louisiana at the same time."

"It is possible, but why go to the trouble of setting up the nest in Magnolia? Due to our recent collaboration, Sandy already knows a great deal about my methods and the way I think. She also knows my forces are vastly superior to hers. The Queen of Nevada is not a complete fool. No, there is someone in Las Vegas who is a more likely candidate. In fact, his name came up in a dream that Sookie and I shared recently, and now I realize I should have paid closer attention to what my subconscious was trying to tell me."

Instead of asking me the name of this vampire, the first thing out of Bill's mouth is a stunned, "You and Sookie can _share_ dreams?"

"Yes, we can."

"Good God! That means you have access to each other's subconscious thoughts and desires, completely unfiltered. Do you not find that... invasive?"

"On the contrary, I find it exciting. Now, back to the original subject. What Nevada vampire could be testing the waters for a possible take-over? Ask yourself... who has enough influence, money, and nerve to challenge me? Who might have eventually challenged de Castro himself if I had not beaten him to it?"

"I can only think of one. Melich Weiss."

"Precisely. I want you to check around and see if any of his associates are named Peter or Leroy, or if he has any ownership in the corporation that owns the house in Magnolia. However, he may not be our only candidate. Robert called me with a very interesting tidbit earlier which seems to lead in another direction."

Once I fill him in, my Lieutenant sits back in his chair and mulls over the information. After a moment, he says, "It seems pretty farfetched. He sided with you against de Castro."

"Maybe he just wanted me to do his dirty work for him, with the idea of marching in and taking the throne before I had a chance to solidify my position."

"If that is true, he will have to make his move soon. What do you intend to do?"

"No matter _who_ it is or _when_ it is, I intend to be prepared. Robert and I discussed this earlier, and this is what I have decided to do..."

The next few minutes are spent going over my plans and how I want them to be put in motion. We are deep in this discussion when a knock sounds on my office door. A second later, Felicia slides in. "Pardon me for interrupting, Your Majesty, but there is a human woman on the telephone who insists on talking to you."

The staff here knows that I hardly ever accept calls from humans, particularly women. Fangbangers being what they are, I would never get anything done. The sole exception has always been Sookie. Felicia would never dare to interrupt a meeting unless she felt it was important, so I gesture for her to continue. "She has called several times already. I told her you are unavailable, but she is persistent. She will not give her name, but this time she says to tell you that she has information about Sookie that you should know."

Bill and I exchange glances. "Do you want me to talk to this woman?" he asks.

"No, I will do it." I wave Felicia away, but she remains standing in the doorway.

"Ah... there is one other thing, Sir. There was also a call for the Mistress not long after you arrived. You have never given any specific instructions on how to handle the Queen's calls, so I told the caller that she was unavailable... but now I realize perhaps that was wrong."

"Was it the same woman who is on the line now?"

"Er... no, Sir. It was a man."

Any man (or woman, for that matter) that should have direct access to Sookie already has her cellphone number. I do not care for random men phoning her, especially in light of the disturbing calls she has received recently. "Did this man leave a name?"

"No, Sir. Shall I tell the Mistress about it?"

"No. If he calls back, _I _will speak to him."

"Yes, Sir." She bows and then heads back to the bar. Picking up the telephone on my desk, I punch the blinking button for line one. "This is Eric Northman."

A female voice says, "I just thought you might want to know what that little 'ho' you married has been up to. You might want to ask her why the wife of a vampire needs to buy a pregnancy test kit. Whether she's knocked up or not, I'd say it's pretty obvious she's been fucking around on you, dead man." Click.

With unseeing eyes, I stare at the receiver in my hand. As my mind tries to process this revolting information, a black tide of anger and jealousy begins to rise within me. Could it _possibly_ be true? Sookie confessed to kissing the damnable Fairy while we were parted, but what if it was more than that? Maybe _that_ is why she refuses to invite him to our home! If I saw them together, I would know immediately if they had shared more than just a few kisses... and what if they _did_ have sex? After months of drinking my blood, Sookie would have been in a hyper-fertile state. Unexpectedly, Dr. Ludwig's words about the "Essential Spark" tumble through my brain. Is it possible that these physical changes are taking place in Sookie because she is carrying a full-Fae baby? At this early stage, I doubt even I could detect a pregnancy.

Suddenly, the calm, chilly voice of my Lieutenant breaks into my consciousness. "Your Majesty?... Eric? Are you all right?"

Through a red haze, I see Bill hovering anxiously on the other side of my desk. When I fail to respond, he says more sharply, "_Eric!_ What did the woman say?"

All at once, the rational, Bonded part of my brain begins to assert itself. By the Gods, what am I thinking? If our awful separation taught me nothing else, it is how much my wife loves me. Besides that, she is honest to a fault. There is no doubt in my mind that she told me the absolute truth about what transpired in the Portal. Our Bond would tell me if she was lying, just as I would feel her overwhelming guilt if she had been unfaithful. The whole thing is absurd. As I struggle to overcome the dark emotions that have been stirred, I start to replace the receiver in its cradle... until I realize I have inadvertently crushed it to bits.

Staring up at my Lieutenant, I growl, "Someone wanted to stir up trouble between Sookie and me by insinuating she has been unfaithful. Apparently she was seen purchasing a test for pregnancy."

Cool as a mountain stream, Bill scoffs, "Impossible. Sookie is the most faithful woman on the planet. She would _never_..."

Before he can finish his statement, the door of my office comes flying open and the subject of this discussion comes rushing in. Her eyes go straight to the remnants of the phone in my hand and then back to my face. "Honey! What's wrong?"

Trying to keep my voice even, I reply, "I just had a very interesting call. Some nameless female informed me that you were seen purchasing a pregnancy test kit."

Looking a little confused, Sookie says, "Yeah... so what?" Pause. "Oh." Pause. "Oh, holy crap! You didn't really think I was buying one for myself, did you?"

Incredulously, Bill asks, "Do you mean to say that you _did_ buy one?"

"Well, yeah! Eric, you remember the night I was late getting back from Bon Temps and I called you from Wal-Mart? I was there to buy a pregnancy test for Amelia, and then I took it to her house and waited while she did it. The rabbit died, by the way."

Bill and I look blankly at each other. Sookie sighs at our ignorance. "In the old days, they used a live rabbit to test for pregnancy," she explains patiently, "They would inject the rabbit with... well, you boys probably don't want to hear the gory details. Just know that if someone says 'the rabbit died' it means the woman is pregnant. Amelia is going to have a baby! Isn't that wonderful?"

Although I really did not think Sookie capable of being unfaithful, I confess to feeling the tiniest bit of relief, but that emotion is immediately replaced with concern for my wife. Knowing how much she secretly longs for a child of her own, I try to determine if her friend's pregnancy has upset her in any way. Sookie seems to be genuinely happy and excited by her friend's condition... but still, underneath those positive emotions runs a current of sadness. As usual, though, my woman hides it well. Without comment, she takes what is left of the receiver out of my hand and starts to toss the various bits and pieces into the trash can.

While watching her dispose of the mess, Bill observes, "I doubt the Witch thinks being pregnant is so wonderful. She is an unmarried woman."

"Not for long, though," Sookie says with a huge grin, "She and Tray are getting married! She's asked me to be her Matron of Honor!"

Having recently been through a human wedding ceremony myself, I actually know what a Matron of Honor is. I can tell my Bonded is quite pleased by this invitation. "So when is this ceremony going to take place?" I inquire.

"They are still working out the details, but obviously it will have to be soon."

"Blessed events aside, I would like to point out that we have a problem," Bill reminds us, "Why would someone call Eric with this kind of information? If he were a different sort of vampire, we might well be planning a funeral instead of a wedding right now. Sookie, it seems as though you have a serious enemy in Bon Temps."

With a careless shrug, Sookie replies, "Not necessarily. Small towns are like that. They are full of busybodies who just love to get into other people's business. Whoever it was probably saw me at Wal-Mart and thought it would be fun to stir up trouble without really understanding the potential consequences. After living with that sort of thing all my life, you'd think I'd know better than to be seen buying a pregnancy test. Duh!"

"If you had just told me the truth in the first place, this would not have been a problem," I remind her sternly.

"I _did_ tell you the truth, I just didn't tell you everything," she responds blithely, "Gee... I wonder who I learned that from?"

"Bill, perhaps?"

"Nope. I learned it from the Vampire King himself... although he was still a mere Sheriff then," Sookie says with a grin, "Anyway, the secret wasn't mine to share. Amelia asked me not to say anything until she told Tray."

Unconvinced, Bill says, "Sookie, you cannot be certain this person was not deliberately trying to get you harmed or killed. Perhaps it would be best if you stay out of Bon Temps for a while."

"If you think I'm going to allow some petty, poison-tongued anonymous woman to keep me out of my home town, Bill Compton, you are nuts," Sookie responds with some heat, "As a matter of fact, I'm going there tomorrow."

What? She is leaving me yet again? Irritation surges through me, but with great restraint, I manage to remain silent. Feeling my displeasure, Sookie gives me a sharp look. "Sugar, I need to go to the farmhouse to get some linens and stuff for our party. Plus, I told Jason I would have lunch with him tomorrow. I promise, I'll take Cooper with me."

Before I can frame a reply, Bill speaks up. "Sookie, have you ever considered that your Bonded needs you to stay close to him for a few days? Eric's Bonding Sickness was quite severe, and it is unlikely he is completely over it yet. If you keep running off, it will take him even longer to heal."

Sookie blinks as if someone just slapped her. A second later, she kneels in front of my chair. Taking both of my hands in hers, she says contritely, "I'm sorry, baby. I should have thought of that myself. Maybe I can send someone else to the farmhouse to get my stuff. I can put off Jason until later if I need to... or I can ask him to come to Valhalla. I'll stay with you however long it takes."

My woman is so independent, I am moved that she has offered this. However, as much as I would love it if she _never_ left my side, something tells me it would make my girl restless and unhappy. Pulling her on to my lap, I kiss her gently. "As much as I would like to take you up on your offer, my love, I do not want you to feel trapped. Perhaps we can compromise. How far away can you get before you start to miss me?"

With a broad grin, she says, "About two feet, most of the time... but I think that's just me. The _Bond_ doesn't really start kicking up a fuss until I'm a couple of miles away."

"All right, then. As long as you stay within that range, we should be fine. We can go to your house in Bon Temps. I can pass the day there while you do what you need to do."

"But honey... none of the bedrooms at the farmhouse are light-tight. It just doesn't seem right that the Vampire King of this territory should be reduced to resting in a little hidey-hole in a closet, particularly since the Queen can't fit in there with him."

"Perhaps I can offer a solution," offers Bill, "I would be honored if the two of you would stay at my home."

Sookie shakes her head. "No offense, Bill, but the crawl space under your house isn't exactly an improvement. At least the hidey-hole is spider-free."

Giving her an amused look, my Lieutenant says, "Actually, Sookie, after Terry got finished repairing your farmhouse, I hired him to do some remodeling at my house. One of the bedrooms is already completed. You are more than welcome to stay there... and I promise you, it is spider-free."

Sookie still looks a bit dubious, so I speak up. "It certainly sounds more comfortable than that tiny space in the closet. That settles it. We shall stay at Bill's, and tomorrow you can carry on with your original plans."

Obviously pleased, Bill says, "Excellent! Shall I arrange for guards?"

"Since no one has any reason to suspect that I am staying with you, they are probably unnecessary. Still, since it appears that someone is after my throne, I suppose it would be foolish not to have a couple of guards... plus Sookie's Were, of course."

"I'll go take care of it now."

Just as he gets to his feet, Felicia appears in the open doorway. "Please forgive me for interrupting again, Master, but there is another call for the Mistress."

"_Another_ call?" Sookie asks, "Did someone call for me before? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Felicia looks at her Mistress and then at me, clearly unsure of what to say. Ignoring Sookie's question, I ask the bartender, "Is it the same man?"

"Yes, Sir."

For the umpteenth time tonight, I find myself irritated. Whoever this persistent man is, he had better have an excellent reason for calling my Bonded. "Wait a minute!" Sookie says indignantly, "What man? Why am I just now hearing about this?"

Setting my agitated wife on her feet, I rise from my chair. To the uncomfortable vampiress, I say coolly, "Thank you, Felicia. There seems to be something wrong with the phone on my desk. I will take the call in Pam's office."

With a relieved look, the vampiress bows slightly and then vanishes. In total disbelief, my spouse asks, "Eric Northman, you haven't been screening my calls, have you?"

I head for the door, fully expecting that Sookie will follow me. "You are a Queen now, Sookie," I explain patiently, "Your time and attention are much too precious to be wasted by unsolicited callers. Furthermore, I do not care for anonymous males to be phoning you, particularly in light of your recent experiences..."

From behind me, Bill says with amusement, "I hate to tell you this, Your Majesty, but I think you are wasting your breath."

Looking back over my shoulder, I see my Lieutenant has risen from his chair and is trying his best not to smile. Sookie is nowhere to be seen. What the...? Oh! Why, that little minx! Putting on a burst of speed, I dash down the hall and into Pam's office with Bill in hot pursuit. Sure enough, my tricky little Fairy is already standing next to Pam's desk with the telephone receiver in one hand and a triumphant smile across her face. Before she has time to speak, I cross the room and wrap my arms securely around her, thereby preventing any more unanticipated disappearances. Wriggling in my arms, she playfully swats my hand away from the receiver. A bit breathlessly, she says, "Hello. This is Sookie."

A man's voice whispers, "Why haven't you been answering your phone today, Sookie? It makes me angry when you ignore me."

Hearing those disrespectful words spoken to my Queen is enough to make my temper shoot straight through the roof. I start to snatch the phone away from her, but at the last second, I force myself to allow the conversation to continue. I very much want to find out the identity of this man, and I want to give him the opportunity to give himself away. Without the slightest hesitation, my equally irritated spouse lights into him, "Good! I'm pretty steamed myself! Do you think I _like_ getting calls from a crazy freak?"

Her words must have hit a nerve. The man yells, "I AM NOT CRAZY!"

"YES, YOU ARE!" Sookie yells back, "If you're calling me here, that means you _know_ that I'm married to a vampire. No one but a crazy person would..." As the real significance of her words hit her, she stops in mid sentence. Her anger is replaced by a jolt of fear. That does it! Taking the phone from her now willing hand, I place it to my ear.

The man is screaming, "YOU SILLY BITCH! DO YOU THINK I'M AFRAID OF A DEAD MAN?"

As calmly and coldly as I am able, I tell him, "You should be. _Nothing_ is going to keep me from finding you now."

For a moment, there is total silence... then, just as coldly, he whispers, "Good luck with that, vampire. You're going to need it." Click.

GRRR! For the second time tonight, I crush the receiver in my hand into tiny bits. Instead of chiding me for being destructive, Sookie turns around and hugs herself to me. Burying her face against my chest, she says, "He's not just some random creep, is he? It's someone we know."

"Yes, I am afraid that is the case."

From the doorway, Bill says quietly, "Would someone care to fill me in?"

I realize that I have never gotten around to telling either one of my Lieutenants about their Queen's disturbing calls. I quickly explain the situation, adding, "At first, Sookie believed it to be someone who dialed her cellphone number at random. Now that he has called her here, that theory is no longer valid. He knows _exactly_ who she is... and who I am."

My words serve to trigger Bill's protectiveness towards his former lover. The cool Southern Gentleman exterior he struggles so hard to maintain slips away, revealing the deadly predator that lies within. In a voice as cold as death, he states, "This man is clearly insane. We must find him and destroy him immediately."

Sookie turns to face him. "I appreciate the sentiment, Bill, but humans don't deal with insanity in the same way vampires do. This guy obviously needs some heavy-duty therapy and probably medication... and I wouldn't mind one bit if he was locked up while he was getting it... but he shouldn't be killed just for being crazy."

In his chilly voice, the vampire responds, "He frightened you. That is enough."

Quick as a wink, she fires back, "He didn't scare me! Well, okay, maybe he did a little... but only for a minute, when I realized he actually knows who we are. Now I'm mad at myself for being so stupid! I know he can't hurt me... no one can get near me with the two of you around."

"He might try to approach you during the daytime. Sookie, it is _imperative_ that you have a bodyguard with you at all times."

Holding up her hand, she says, "Stop right there, Bill. I've already had two lectures about guards tonight, and I seriously don't need a third. What we need to be discussing is what we're going to do about this character. We still have no idea who he is."

"Obviously you must not recognize his voice or you would have said so. As I understand it, the first calls came in on your cellphone. May I see it? Maybe we can trace the number."

"I don't know if you can," Sookie says doubtfully, "The number didn't show up on the display... but you are welcome to give it a shot." As she reaches into her bodice to retrieve the phone, a look of surprise crosses her face. "Ah... nuts," she says in disgust, "I must have left my phone in the dressing room at Emma's."

Glancing at my watch, I see that it is nearly time for the store to close. "I will call and ask her to bring it by here on her way home."

Since the land-line is now out of commission, I use my cellphone to make the call. After a couple of rings, the now-familiar voice of Angel answers. "Erotic Angel Boutique, Angel speaking."

"This is Eric Northman. My wife left her cellphone in the dressing room earlier. I would like for Emma to bring it by the club on her way home. May I speak to her?"

Apologetically, she says, "Um... I'm sorry, Mr. Northman, but Emma never came in. I would bring it myself, but...I'm not sure I can."

The worry in her voice is clear. I ask, "What is the problem?"

"You see, another girl opens the shop in the mornings, and Emma closes up in the evenings," she explains, "I don't have any keys, and I don't even know how to set the alarm. I've tried calling Emma, but it just keeps going to voice mail. I just can't go off and leave the place open."

A vague sense of uneasiness sweeps through me, even though I really have no reason to be worried. Despite appearances, Emma is one of the oldest vampires in the Shreveport area and fully capable of taking care of herself. Like me, she has saved enough over her long life to be quite wealthy. The clothing shop is nothing more than an enjoyable hobby to her. Undoubtedly she has met some attractive young human and decided to take the night off... except that I cannot imagine her forgetting to make arrangements for securing her store at closing time. After thinking it over, I tell the girl, "I am going to send someone over to assist you. His name is Bill Compton. In the meantime, call the person who opens the store in the mornings and get the code to the alarm. She might also know where a spare set of keys is kept."

"Oh! I should have thought of that! I guess I'm just a little rattled."

Without further conversation, I disconnect. Feeling my uneasiness, Sookie asks, "Honey, what's the problem?"

Quickly, I explain the situation. To Bill, I say, "I want you to go over and help the girl lock up. Take a good look around and see if there is any evidence of foul play. You should probably check out Emma's house, too. Pam knows where she lives, so call her for the address."

"Yes, Sir." Giving me a nod, he turns and heads for the door.

As soon as he is gone, Sookie asks worriedly, "Eric... you don't think the drainers got Emma, do you?"

"Not really. Nearly all the vampires that have been taken so far were very young and inexperienced. Emma is neither of those things. She is probably out kicking up her heals a bit and lost track of the time. I am merely being cautious."

Looking relieved, Sookie says, "That's good. I'm pretty fond of Emma, and I know Pam likes her a lot, too."

"I am sure she is fine. Now, the Sheriff of Area 4 should be here any minute. Since both of my Lieutenants are out, I suppose I will have to greet him myself. We can sit out front while we wait for him to turn up."

"Okay. I need to check on Amy, anyhow."

Leading her out into the long hallway, I give her bottom a fond pat followed by a little push. "Walk in front of me, Sookie. I want to see how your new dress looks from the back."

With a laugh, she says, "Uh huh. What you mean is, you want to look at my butt."

"I confess. I like to look at my wife's bottom. Are you going to deny me that pleasure?"

She rolls her eyes and gives an exaggerated sigh. "Jeez. The things I have to do to keep my husband happy." With that, she takes off down the hall, deliberately putting a little extra sway in her hips. Mm, mm, mmm. Just watching that curvaceous little bottom swishing back and forth under the thin fabric makes me heartily wish that I could put off my meeting until much, much later. Hm. Perhaps there is still time to get in some heavy-duty petting... By now, Sookie has nearly reached the end of the hall. I call out, "I have changed my mind, lover. Let us wait in my office."

She is just turning her head to answer me when she is nearly plowed down by the broad figure of the Area 4 Sheriff as he comes barreling around the corner. Fast as lightning, he reaches out to steady her. Unfortunately, my skittish fairy-wife's survival instincts are triggered by the large vampire's rapid movement. In the split-second before he grabs her upper arm, I catch a glimpse of that nearly imperceptible shimmer that signals an impending disappearance... but to my surprise, nothing happens. I cannot tell if it is because she has managed to stop herself, or because the vampire is preventing it. Fangs down and pupils dilated, Angus McPherson stares down at his Queen. If the situation were not so serious, his expression would be comical. Clearly, he is having trouble deciding whether to greet her or eat her. Sookie stammers, "Ah... hello, Sheriff. You're a little early."

Putting on a burst of speed, I hurry to my Bonded's side. Predictably, the hall is filled with the delectable scent of frightened fairy. In a no-nonsense tone, I order, "Angus, release your Queen immediately."

My sharp words snap him back to reality. The tall, burly vampire immediately drops his hand and takes a full step backward. Bowing deeply, he says, "Beg pardon, Your Majesties."

Trying desperately to act as if nothing has happened, Sookie says, "Don't be silly. It was just an accident. Now, I know y'all have business to conduct, and I have some paperwork to do. I'll send in some bloods in few minutes." Leaving me to deal with the current situation, she hurries back down the hall to Pam's office and firmly shuts the door. Our Bond tells me that my woman is mortified by her reaction, and she is using Pam's office to isolate herself until she regains control. To give myself some time to decide how I should handle this situation, I tell my Sheriff, "I suppose we should get started. Come into my office."

Once we are both seated, I contemplate the vampire on the other side of my desk. A Scottish Highlander by birth, Angus McPherson is somewhere in the neighborhood of three hundred years old. Only a couple of inches shorter than me, he is broad-shouldered and barrel-chested, with long, wavy reddish-gold hair that Sookie claims she would kill for. He is smart, tough, and an excellent fighter. So far, he has made an admirable Sheriff. Over the years that I have known him, he has proven himself trustworthy. Even so, I am reluctant to disclose too many details about Sookie's heritage until I have had a chance to talk to Niall. I begin by saying, "Clearly, your Queen is not entirely human. She also has a small amount of Fae blood."

He thinks this over. In his normal blunt manner, he replies, "I heard rumors."

"For obvious reasons, it is best if those rumors remain unconfirmed."

One of the things I admire about this vampire is his ability to get to the heart of the matter in as few words as possible. In comparison, he makes Bill seem positively chatty. Now he nods and replies, "No one will be hearing anything from me."

He sits back and crosses his arms, indicating that is the end of the subject as far as he is concerned. With a faint smile, I say, "Good. Now, what brings you here, Sheriff?"

Without further prompting, he gives me a concise rundown of the issues he wishes to discuss. Some of these topics are quite graphic, so it is just as well that Sookie is not present. I know for a fact she would find most of this distressing. If she asks, I will tell her about it... but I truly hope that she does not. A few minutes into the meeting, a knock comes on the door, and Amy comes in bearing glasses of warmed blood. The Sheriff looks her over with obvious interest until I inform him that she belongs to Pam. As soon as she serves us, I shoo her out of the office so we can get back to our very private discussion. Once I have given him the answers he came for, it my turn to tell him a few things. At the news of the possibility of a take-over attempt, his eyes begin to smolder. "Let' em come," he states emphatically, "We'll be ready."

I have just begun to lay out my plans for him and his Area, when the oddest sensation sweeps through my body... It almost feels as if the sun is about to rise, but it is still many hours until dawn. Could this possibly be coming from Sookie? Before I have a chance to examine this strange feeling, it is completely overshadowed by a blast of fear. There is no question that this _is_ coming straight from my Bonded. Jumping to my feet, I am about to go in search of her when she comes bursting through the door. Face white as a sheet, she gasps, "It's Bill! There's something wrong!"

"Is he injured?"

Sookie squeezes her eyes shut, focusing their blood tie. "Oh, God!" she wails, "I think he might be dead! I've got to go to him!"

I open my mouth to ask, "Where is he?" but it is a waste of breath. In a brilliant flash of white light, Sookie dematerializes into thin air, leaving nothing but a burst of Fae scent behind.

Jumping to his feet, my Sheriff gapes at the now empty spot. "A _small_ amount of Fairy blood?" he asks in astonishment.

There is no time to answer. My Bonded is calling me. Flashing past Angus, I shout, "Follow me."

Blasting out of the back door at a dead run, I cut across the parking lot and turn toward Emma's. It would be slightly faster to fly, but Angus does not have that ability, nor does he know where we are headed. Even though he is very swift, there is no way he can keep up with me, so I force myself to slow down. I have no idea what awaits us, and it is entirely possible I may be in need of his fighting skills. After running in a straight line for several blocks, we cross a couple of streets and then dash down an alley. I know this leads to the parking lot of the strip center that houses Emma's store. With my Sheriff close on my heels, I speed up to the corner of the building and then come to an abrupt halt.

Giving Angus a signal to hold back, I cautiously peer around the corner. To my surprise and relief, the parking lot is remarkably empty of drainers or anybody else. By this late hour, most of the cars are gone. Bill's Cadillac is parked in the fire lane near the front door of the Erotic Angel. A rather beat-up sub-compact is parked a couple of rows back. My eyes are drawn to the far end of the lot, where a dark blue Mercedes is parked in the very last space. The security light on that side of the lot is not working, so it is quite dark in that corner... except for a familiar golden glow coming from the far side of the car. Sookie!

Throwing caution to the wind, I break cover and dash across the lot. On the far side of the car, I find a remarkable tableau. The girl Angel is kneeling on the concrete, an enormous purse clutched under her arm. A much smaller object is firmly clasped in one hand. Her beautiful young face filled with wonder, her lips are moving as if in silent prayer. Next to her, the unmoving form of Bill Compton is stretched flat on the ground. Even to me, he looks very, very dead. Sookie is crouched over the body, one small hand resting on the vampire's forehead and the other over the center of his chest. The two of them are totally enveloped in her golden aura. Inside the magical cocoon, hundreds of tiny lights dance around the pair like multicolored fireflies.

Stepping up behind me, Angus gasps as he takes in the astonishing scene. Once he finds his voice, he whispers, "What... what is she doing?"

Having seen the Fairy Rhiannon do this very thing only two nights ago, I think I know the answer. I whisper back, "She is seeking out Bill's life force, trying to guide him back if possible."

In total disbelief, he says, "A _Fairy_ would use her magic to save a _vampire_?"

"Yes. Your Queen is a very special woman," I tell him proudly.

"Aye," he agrees softly. "Do you think she can do it, though? Even thought he hasn't started to crumble yet, he looks beyond saving to me."

"As magical as she is, I doubt it." I prepare myself to console my wife on the loss of her dark vampire, so I go over and kneel by her side. Suddenly, as if a light switch has been flipped off, the aura abruptly disappears. Sitting upright, Sookie's eyes snap open. Fragrant tears are rolling down her sweet face in torrents, but our Bond tells me they are tears of joy, not sorrow. My woman is totally elated. "Bill's not dead!" she cries, "I mean, he's not dead-dead. I think he's just... resting."

Over the last couple of years, I have spent an inordinate amount of time dreaming of ways to send this vampire to his final death. Why, then, do I feel such a huge sense of relief? Against all odds, I have come to feel a connection to this vampire, and now I know that I would mourn his loss. Careful to keep my voice neutral, I ask, "Are you sure?"

She nods. "Pretty sure."

From behind me, Angus asks, "Why? It is several hours until sunrise."

"I have no idea," Sookie answers, "Maybe Angel can tell us what happened."

Although clearly in shock, the girl pulls herself together enough to answer. "Well... Mr. Compton came in and introduced himself. I did just like you told me, Mr. Northman. I called the other girl and got the code to the alarm system and found out where the extra keys are kept. Mr. Compton helped me set the alarm and lock up. He insisted on walking me to my car, and that's when I noticed Emma's Mercedes was parked over here. I guess I didn't notice it when I came to work because the lot was so full. We walked over to check it out. The driver's door was unlocked, so he got in and looked around. He found Emma's purse lying on the seat. When he was getting out, he looked down and found this lying on the ground."

She holds out her hand. On her open palm sits a small burlap pouch bag tied at the neck with a bit of black string. I have seen something very similar to this before, not very long ago. As I recall, it had a bad odor and... it made me light-headed, as if the sun were about to rise.

My Sheriff, who is standing next to the girl, reaches down to take the small pouch from her hand. I issue a sharp warning. "No! Angus, do not touch it!"

He quickly draws back. Looking up at him, Angel says, "It's probably better if you don't. Mr. Compton looked at it first and then sniffed it... and he went down like a ton of bricks. I didn't know what to do! I know CPR, but what good would that do? I was just about to call 911 when Mrs. Northman appeared and took over."

Looking at Sookie with worshipful eyes, she asks, "What _are_ you? Are you an angel?"

Sookie snorts. "Not hardly... although I have a cousin who's trying to become one. What I am is part fairy."

"A fairy?" the girl says in confusion, "There's such a thing as fairies?"

I can hardly believe my normally discreet spouse just blurted it out like that! Before she can say more, I say sharply, "Sookie! Think about what you are saying."

"What? The cat's already out of the bag as far as Angus is concerned, and Angel won't remember any of this anyway."

"Are you kidding?" the girl exclaims, "I am _never_ going to forget this!"

Ignoring her, Sookie says to me, "Let's get Bill back to Fantasia, honey. We can drive him back in his car." Reaching into the front pocket of the vampire's pants, she fishes out his car keys and hands them to me. She hesitates for a moment and then reaches into the other pocket and draws out a neatly folded handkerchief.

Getting to my feet, I offer my hand to my Bonded. As she stands, I see that the asphalt has shredded her knees, but apparently she still has enough of my blood in her that the wounds are already beginning to heal. She walks over to the human and helps her to her feet, saying, "If you don't mind, I'd better take Emma's purse and that little bag with me."

The girl hands over the purse and then places the pouch on Sookie's upturned palm, which she has covered with Bill's handkerchief. Being careful not to touch the object, my clever wife wraps it up inside the white linen square. She says, "I'm sorry you had to get mixed up in this, Angel, and I really appreciate you sticking around to see about Bill. Not everyone would have. You're a good person."

Glancing down at the still form on the ground, the girl replies, "Mr. Compton seems like a nice man. I hope he's going to be okay."

"I hope so too. Now, we really need to get going. Eric?"

This is my cue. Stepping forward, I touch the girl lightly on the shoulder. "Look at me, Angel."

Sookie murmurs, "Go easy on her, will you? This is the second time tonight."

Capturing the young human's attention, I stare deeply into her eyes until I see them glaze over. "Angel, you will remember everything about this evening up until the time Bill arrived. He helped you lock up the store and then walked you to your car. You got in it and drove straight home. Is this how you remember it?"

"Ah… Yes, of course."

"Good girl. Now go home. Report for work tomorrow at your usual time." Without another word, she trots straight to her car and climbs in. The engine fires up, and soon she is on her way. By the gleam in Angus's eye, I imagine that this will not be the last young Angel sees of my Sheriff.

Hoisting Bill over my shoulder, I tell Sookie, "It will be much easier if I fly him back."

"Do you want me to drive his car back?"

"No, Angus can do it. You are glowing too much to risk anyone else seeing you. Do you think you can pop yourself back to my office?"

"Sure... but I may not be able to take the purse with me. I think it's too big." She gives me Emma's handbag and a quick peck on the cheek, and a second later she is gone. Tossing the purse and the keys to Angus, I instruct him, "Take Bill's car. Park in the back."

"Aye." He spins around and heads for the car. Holding Bill securely in place, I take to the air and make the short trip back to the club. As Fangtasia comes into sight, I see Pam's van pulling into her usual parking space near the back door. I land nearby just as she is climbing out of her car. Seeing the limp body over my shoulder, she cries, "Eric? Is that _Bill_? What is wrong?"

Peppering me with questions, she follows me through the back door and down the hallway to my office. Of course, Sookie is already there anxiously awaiting my arrival. Once she is through the door, Pam steps around me. The instant she lays her eyes on her mistress, she stops dead in her tracks. This is the first time she has ever had occasion to see her Mistress this far into Fairy-mode, and she blurts out an astonished, "Sookie, are you _glowing_?"

"Later," Sookie replies tersely, "Eric, lay him on the sofa." As requested, I place my burden on my couch. Pulling her gaze away from her Queen, my child kneels at Bill's side and lays her hand on his brow. She growls, "Would someone _please _tell me what the _hell_ is going on?"

Without wasting words, I tell her what transpired. My normally emotionless child is visibly shaken by the news of Emma's abduction. After issuing the warning, "Whatever you do, don't touch it or smell it," Sookie carefully unwraps the bundle and shows it to her.

"What _is_ it?" Pam asks curiously.

Before either of us can answer, Angus comes striding through the door. Pam leaps to her feet, her obvious concern for her fallen counterpart instantly replaced by her normal bored expression."Hello, Sheriff," she drawls, "I understand you arrived just in time for all the excitement."

With a frown, Angus says, "Aye. Has there been any change in Bill?"

Sookie replies, "Not yet. We were just bringing Pam up to speed." Walking over to my desk, she places the mysterious object in the center of my blotter. "To answer your question, Pam, I have no idea what it is. Eric, have you ever seen anything like it?"

"A few weeks back, someone left one very similar to it on the hood of my car," I answer, "It smelled bad and made me slightly dizzy. I threw it away."

"Eric!" Pam exclaims, "Something made you _dizzy_ and you _threw it away_? Are you _kidding_ me?"

Giving my disrespectful child a glare, I growl, "I had several extremely important issues on my mind at the time." Specifically, I was wracking my brain trying to figure out how to keep my persistent former lover away from my innocent new wife. The night I found my "gift," I had been on my way to the country to meet with Sabriel... but I wisely keep that detail to myself. I continue, "Besides, the reaction did not occur for a minute or two after I had disposed of it, and by then I was miles away. 'Dizzy' is not the best way to describe it, really. It was more like the lethargy that sets in just before sunrise." Sitting down in my chair, I pick up a pen and poke at the pouch with the tip. "I wonder what is inside it?"

"If Angel could touch it without any effects, so should I," proclaims Sookie, "I'll open it and see what's in there."

Almost without conscious thought, my hand flashes out and grasps her wrist just before her fingers touch the fabric. She gives me a startled look. "Honey, whatever this is, I'll bet it only works on vampires."

"There is no use taking chances. What if there is iron or lemon inside?"

"You've already put the barrier cream on my hands twice tonight. I should be covered, don't you think?"

From the doorway, a husky feminine voice asks curiously, "What's up with Bill? He looks like shit."

Turning her head, Pam gives her pet a cool look. "Oh... Amy. Why aren't you working?"

"The bar just closed for the night, thank God. I swear, I'm practically dead on my feet… Oh. Sorry." Without waiting for an invitation, the girl wanders over to my desk to see what the four of us are staring at. "Hey, where did you guys get the gris-gris?"

Pam says carefully, "Amy dear... do you know what this is?"

"Well, sure. I told you I used to work in a voodoo shop. That's a gris-gris." Reaching across the desk, she plucks the pouch off the blotter and takes a closer look. "I guess you might call these charms. They're made up for all sorts of purposes... like to get someone to fall in love with you, or to have good luck gambling... stuff like that."

Now she has our undivided attention. Glancing around, she seems to realize this. Flushing with pleasure, she continues, "These can also be used for left-handed purposes... you know, black magic. The lady I worked for sold tons of them. My favorite was the one she made for a customer's cheating husband. Supposedly, it kept his dick from getting hard."

"What is inside the bag?" I ask curiously.

"Each one is different. Let's take a look." Untying the black twine, she opens the bag and pours the contents on to her palm. Cautiously, Pam and Angus back well away from it. For once, I am glad I have no need to breathe. Amy grins. "Don't worry. Once the bag's opened, the magic runs out... if you believe in that sort of thing."

"Why? Don't you?" Sookie asks.

"Nah. I thought it was all bullshit. Well, I should say, I didn't believe in it _then_. That was before the Great Revelation. If I had known then what I know now, I might have paid more attention. It would have been a much easier way of making a living than being a fucking waitress, I'll tell you that."

"Let's hope you know more about voodoo than you do about serving drinks," Pam says sourly, "Can you tell us what the ingredients are?"

Taking a closer look at the girl's palm, Sookie says, "Huh. This looks like what I might find in my dustpan after sweeping the kitchen floor."

Using one long, black-lacquered nail, Amy pokes around in the dusty mess. All that is easily identifiable is a nickel-sized white stone with gray veins, a small bone, and what looks like a piece of root, all covered in grit and grime. She says, "I can't tell you exactly what all this is. In general, there are an odd number of ingredients, always at least three but never more than thirteen. Each one is chosen for a special property. For example, this bone supposedly imparts a particular characteristic of the animal it came from. The color and type of stone means something, but this is one I don't know. This here is obviously some sort of root, but it doesn't look like any of the ones we sold. The rest of this is probably goofer dust."

"Goofer dust?"

"That's what they call dirt that has been gathered in a graveyard, which is then mixed with other stuff like snakeskin powder, red pepper, crushed herbs, salts, special oils... like that. "

"It sounds to me like you paid a lot more attention than you thought you did," Sookie says kindly, "Can you remember any ingredients that might be harmful to vampires?"

"Not that I know of. Why?" The girl stares at Sookie blankly for a moment and then glances over at Bill, unmistakably putting two and two together. "Oh, man! You think something in this bag did that to Bill?"

Pam replies, "That's what we're trying to figure out. So what else can you tell us about this thing?"

"There isn't much else that I know about them... except that the color of the bag the practitioner chooses is significant, too. The ones we sold to the tourists were made from colored flannel. Red was by far most popular, 'cause those usually had to do with sex or love. That's why I think whoever made this one didn't know what they were doing."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because they used burlap. Besides being such a blah color, it's too messy. See? Some of the powders have seeped through the weave."

Sookie mutters, "Or maybe the person making it knew _exactly_ what they were doing. Maybe magic isn't the only thing at work here."

Hurrying over to the sofa, she perches next to Bill's unmoving form. Taking one of his hands in her own, she closely examines his fingertips. "Amy, run get me a wet rag, please."

The girl opens her mouth to object, but then obviously reconsiders. With a heavy sigh, she trudges off to do Sookie's bidding. Pam calls after her, "That's not running, Amy. Get a move on."

In response, the girl picks up the pace and before long she is back with a damp bar towel. She gives it to Sookie, who uses it to thoroughly scrub Bill's hands. Instead of backing away, Amy takes a step closer to my wife and takes a long, deep breath. She says blissfully, "Wow, Sookie. That perfume you wear is _amazing_. Do you think I could borrow some?"

Pam says sharply, "She's not wearing any perfume, you dolt. That's her natural smell. Now come over here and give her some room to work."

The irritation in her voice is clear. Amy slinks over and gives her a kiss. Looking down at her petite blond owner, she coos, "Where have you been? I missed you."

Clearly not expecting such sweet words, Pam blinks. "Did you, now?" she asks softly.

I can hardly believe that any child of mine would be naïve enough to believe such a blatant lie. Stifling a sigh, I tune them out and focus my attention on Sookie. Now finished washing the powder off Bill's fingers, she sets aside the towel. Holding the vampire's lifeless hand in one of hers, she uses the other to stroke his forearm. Blue eyes aglow, she focuses on his slack, pale face. Within seconds, a very unusual sensation comes floating across the Bond. I can only describe it as an intense yearning... but even that is not quite right. I suspect my Fairy is using her gifts to wish the vampire awake. There is no golden aura this time, but the magic is strong enough to intensify Sookie's glow enough for Amy to see it. Surprisingly, the human does not seem nearly as shocked by this as I would have expected. She merely mutters to herself, "Wow. That is _way_ cool. What in the hell _is_ she?"

In less than a minute, Bill's eyes flutter open. Not yet completely conscious, he stares at the ceiling with glazed eyes. Placing her palm gently on his cheek, Sookie asks softly, "Bill? Are you okay?" At the sound of her voice, he slowly rolls his head in her direction. As their eyes meet, a look of complete adoration comes over his face. In this unguarded moment, I feel the force of his love and devotion for my woman pouring through their strange tie. His first words come out in a hoarse whisper. "You are so beautiful, Sookie. You look like an angel."

A silvery laugh of pure relief tumbles out of Sookie. "Enough with the compliments. You scared the crap out of me, Bill Compton."

"I did? Why?" For the first time, he seems to realize where he is. In confusion, he says, "Sookie... why am I laying on Eric's sofa?"

"You passed out... or something. Don't you remember?"

"The last thing I remember is finding some strange object under Emma's car. I picked it up and smelled it... and the next thing I knew, I felt you calling to me. I was compelled to come to you, even though the sun was up... but it isn't, is it?"

"No, it's still night-time. According to Amy, that burlap pouch you picked up is some kind of voodoo thing. Something in it caused your body to think the sun is up. I felt it when it took you under. I thought at first you were finally dead." Leaning forward, she kisses him on the forehead, "I am _so_ glad you're not."

In response, he gives her one of those rare smiles that women of all types find so irresistible... the very smile that used to make me long for a nice, sharp stake. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Angus stealing a glance at me, obviously trying to gauge my reaction to this tender scene. I suppose he thinks it strange that I am not angered by their obvious affection for one another; but in all honesty, their relationship no longer bothers me... at least, most of the time. Just now, all I feel is an enormous sense of relief. Sookie has been through quite enough trauma lately, and losing one of our inner circle might have been more than even she could bear.

Strolling over to the sofa, Pam gives the reclining vampire a good once-over. "I declare, Bill, you will do absolutely anything to get out of babysitting," she says sarcastically.

With equal sarcasm, Bill says, "I feel fine, Pam. Thanks for asking."

"Well, you look like shit. Your hair is a train wreck." Sticking her hand in one of those concealed pockets she always seems to have, she produces a tiny comb. In the mysterious way of women, Sookie lets Pam take her place at Bill's side without a word being said. While coaxing his thick dark hair back into its normally neat state, my child says in a much softer tone, "How _are_ you feeling?"

"Honestly? Sapped of energy and fairly dizzy."

"Shall I send Amy for some TruBlood? Or maybe the real thing? One of the waitresses is probably still here."

"Not now, thank you. My stomach is somewhat unsettled."

Sookie has taken the chair closest to Bill's head. "So... I guess it's pretty clear that Emma has been abducted," she says, "What are we going to do about it?"

"What is there to do?" Pam answers sadly, "If her car has been there all day, she must have been captured last night... which means she's been drained by now."

"We don't know the drainers got her," Sookie says stubbornly, "Maybe she's been kidnapped by someone else, and we should be out looking for her."

Speaking up, I say, "As much as I hate to say it, my love, Pam is probably right."

"Eric, you said it yourself... all the other vampires that have been drained were young and inexperienced. Plus, they were captured with silver nets, not drugged with whatever the heck this is."

"Not all of them were young. Remember Constance deHaan? She was older than Emma and quite fierce. I was astonished that one such as she could have been trapped by clumsy humans with nothing but silver nets... but this could explain it. No matter how old and strong, an unconscious vampire would be easy to capture."

"Thank God it doesn't always work!" Sookie exclaims, "_You_ could have been captured."

"As much as I hate to admit it, it may have just been pure luck that I was not. As I recall, I picked up the bag I found by the string, so none of the powder got on me. I must have inhaled a few of the particles when I smelled it, though, which could explain the delayed reaction."

For the first time, Angus speaks. "It gives me the willies to know there is such a substance. Not one of us is safe now."

With a groan, Bill struggles to sit upright. Pam tries to help, but he waves her away. "It appears that someone is targeting old vampires, probably because their blood is extremely valuable," he says, "Since the method of capture is different, it may or may not be the same organization. Either way, they _must_ be stopped."

Trying my best not to think about how close I came to disaster, I say, "I agree wholeheartedly. Perhaps one question we should be asking ourselves is... how do they know which vampires to target? A vampire's age is not common knowledge."

"Ha. Practically everyone in Louisiana knows how old _you_ are," says Sookie, "Granted, you are more high-profile than Emma."

"Maybe some human has gotten his hands on a copy of Bill's database," Pam suggests.

Bill shakes his head. "Anything is possible, but I doubt it. I have gone to great lengths to make sure it does not get into unauthorized hands. Chances are it is someone with a close connection to the vampire world, or who knows someone who is connected. It is not out of the question that this person might have known the vampires personally."

Pam says, "These days, lots of humans work for vampires and get to know all about them and their friends. It could be anybody."

From the corner of the room where she is lurking, Amy suddenly speaks up. "Not everybody practices voodoo, though. That world is really fairly small."

"Good point," admits Sookie. Rising from her chair, she walks over to my desk. "I want another look at the gris-gris," she says, glancing around, "Where did it go?"

Casually, Amy says, "Oh. I guess I have it." She reaches into a pocket, pulls it out, and tosses it to Sookie. Reflexively, Sookie reaches out and catches it before I can react. I am half-way expecting her to fall to the ground, but she seems completely unaffected.

Grinning, she says, "Well. Either the magic _has_ run out, or the secret ingredient just doesn't work on Fai... " Remembering at the last minute that there is an uninformed human amongst us, she stops herself. "Ah... it must only work on vampires. Amy, is there any way of identifying who made this?"

"There really isn't anything distinctive about it, so I don't think so."

"Even if we can't figure out who made it, we need to find out what the ingredient is that causes this reaction so we can warn the other vampires," Sookie says seriously, Taking a tentative sniff, she makes a face. "Phew! It does have a funky odor to it. It's _very_ distinctive. Amy, do you remember smelling anything like this in your shop?"

Walking over to the desk, the girl leans over and smells it. "No... but some of the herbs and roots are regional. Maybe whatever it is only grows in Louisiana."

"It's got to be pretty rare or vampires would already know all about it," Sookie says thoughtfully, "I wish I knew more about voodoo. I don't even know anybody who practices it."

"Didn't you tell me one of your friends is a witch?" Amy asks, "There is some cross-over between the two groups. Even though they go about things differently, they use some of the same ingredients. Maybe your friend can give you some advice."

Sookie says, "It's too late to call her now. I'll do it tomorrow when I'm in Bon Temps."

For the next half-hour, we continue to come up with ideas on how to deal with this unsettling development. My Bonded is growing weary, so eventually I bring the meeting to a close by saying, "There is nothing more we can do about this tonight. You all have your orders. Angus, let me know if you have any results."

Angus bows to me, gives Pam and Bill a friendly nod, and ignores the human entirely. At first, I think he is going to ignore Sookie as well, but I could not have been more wrong. Striding across the room, he abruptly stops in front of her. For a few beats, he stares down at her without speaking. Finally, he says, "My Queen, it has been an honor to be in your presence this night. I swear a solemn oath that your secret is safe with me. If ever I can be of service, please do not hesitate to call upon me."

He follows this up with a low bow. I am absolutely astonished by this courtly behavior. For the normally taciturn vampire to give such a flowery speech is nothing short of amazing. Sookie has been around him enough to know this. Giving him one of her best smiles, she graciously replies, "Thank you, Angus. That means a lot to me. Now, I need to get something from the storeroom, so I'll let you out the back door."

With her newest conquest trailing in her wake, she glides out of the room. As soon as they are gone, Pam turns to Bill and says, "Unbelievable. That girl could charm the devil himself."

"In all the years I've known Angus, I do not believe I have ever heard him speak so many words all at once," Bill observes, "I imagine he just used up his allotment for the entire week."

Pam grins. "Maybe even _two_ weeks." Rising to her feet, she looks down at her fellow Lieutenant and says "Listen, Bill, you have been through an ordeal. Maybe you should stay in town tonight instead of driving all the way back to Bon Temps. You are welcome to come home with me."

This invitation is fairly surprising. As far as I know, the only vampire Pam has asked to stay at her home since Chow's untimely death has been Robert. Bill answers politely, "Thank you for the invitation, but Eric and Sookie are staying at my house tonight. Another time, perhaps."

"Eric is staying at your house? Whatever for?"

He quickly explains the situation. By the time he is done, Sookie is back. In her hand is a small plastic bag like the ones the bartenders use to store surplus fruit garnishes. I think they are called "Ziplocs." Picking up the gris-gris, my resourceful wife plops it in the bag and then seals it shut."What are we going to do with this?"she asks.

Taking the Ziploc from her hand, I open the seldom-used bottom drawer of my desk and place the bag inside. After making sure the desk is securely locked, I remove the key and put it in my pocket. Getting to my feet, I say, "It is a long drive to Bon Temps. Let us get started."

"Honey, Bill has been through a lot tonight. Maybe he isn't up to having house guests. I can go to Bon Temps later in the week."

Immediately, Bill says, "Nonsense. I am fine." Despite his words, he gets to his feet somewhat clumsily. Swaying a bit, he puts one hand to his head. "Well, I thought I was fine. Apparently I am still a little unsteady."

"Maybe you should _all_ stay in town tonight," Pam suggests.

Bill shakes his head, "To be honest, I would like to go home... that is, if Eric does not mind driving."

"Actually, that will not be necessary. I hired a limousine for the evening, which should be waiting out back. I will have our cars delivered to your house tomorrow before sundown."

With that, we all file out of my office. Without a word, Pam takes Bill's arm to steady him. The staff has long since departed, so I set the alarm and lock the back door on the way out. The limousine is parked near the door. The driver jumps out and quickly opens the passenger door. Bill climbs in first, followed by Sookie and then me. As I slide into the car, I notice Pam watching us with the oddest expression on her face. If I did not know better, I would think she is longing to be included in this little sleep-over at Bill's... although I imagine she would be less than thrilled once she got there. I gather there is only one light-tight bedroom available, and according to Robert, the other accommodations are somewhat rustic.

To my knowledge, my child has never slept in anything but a very comfortable bed (except for the night she was made, of course.) I have half a mind to roll down the window and invite her to join us, just to see what would happen. I suspect that along with spiders, there might be the odd mouse living in the crawl space under Bill's house, and my child has a definite aversion to rodents. However, I have every intention of making love to my wife before dawn, and I have no wish to be interrupted by a frightened and irritated vampiress demanding to share our bed. Pam will just have to satisfy herself with her pet for company.

On the way to Bon Temps, Bill props himself into the corner of the rear-facing seat and closes his eyes. The first thing Sookie does is kick off her new high heels and begin to rub her feet. For some mysterious reason, every pair of new shoes I buy for her seems to result in this same behavior. "Sookie, perhaps we should have your shoes custom-made. The ready-made ones never seem to fit."

"They fit fine. They just aren't very sensible. No amount of vampire blood can overcome the agony of 5-inch heels."

"But they make your legs look fantastic."

"Gran always said a woman has to suffer for her beauty. Now I know what she meant," she says ruefully, "I don't suppose you could develop a sudden passion for tennis shoes?"

"Ah... sorry, no. Let us compromise. You wear the shoes I like, and I will happily message your feet afterward."

"Okay, deal."

Swinging her legs across my lap, I make good on my promise. As I knead the soreness out of her adorable little feet, she lets out a sigh of pure bliss. For several miles, the three of us relax in the relative peace and quiet of the car. By the look on her face, I can tell that Sookie is turning something over in her mind. Eventually, she says, "Eric, can I ask you something?"

"Anything you like, Dear One."

"Why do humans drain vampires completely? I mean, isn't that like killing the goose that laid the golden egg?"

"Sookie, even _I _know that geese do not lay eggs of gold."

Bill chuckles. "The ones in Aesop's fables do. The story goes like this: a farmer has a goose that lays one golden egg every day. He becomes convinced that the goose must be full of gold. He kills the goose to get the gold, only to find there isn't any. I used to tell the story to my children to teach them that short-sighted actions motivated by greed can wind up ruining the profitability of an asset.

"Good grief, Bill, I hope you used smaller words!" Sookie says with a grin, "What I mean is, I just can't figure out why the drainers always kill the vampires they catch, and especially the old ones like Emma. Even if you have a way of finding out who they are, vampires that old aren't exactly plentiful. Why don't they just keep the vampire captive and harvest some blood every day? As long as you kept the vampire supplied with Tru Blood, wouldn't you end up getting lots more "V" in the long run?"

Bill grimaces. "Like milking a cow, so to speak."

The very idea sends shivers down my spine. "What a truly horrible notion. I am thankful you are not a drainer, my love. I suppose the answer to your question is that keeping any vampire captive, and especially an old one, is an extremely dangerous proposition. Vampires are strong, resourceful, and tricky. If the captive should happen to escape... well, it would not be pretty. I doubt the drainers think it worth the risk."

"So you really think there's no chance that Emma is being held prisoner?"

"If I thought there was the slightest chance, every vampire in the area would be out looking for her right now."

"Emma was my friend," Sookie says with feeling, "We just _have_ to catch the bastards who are responsible."

"That goes without saying. Now there is something I want to ask _you_. When we do catch them, what do you think should be done with them? Remember the men we caught that tried to take Felicia? You insisted I give them to the police."

"Oh, God. You don't think one of them could be responsible for taking Emma, do you?"

I have worked this conversation in this direction for a reason. Even though it might upset my mate, this is my chance to reveal something I concealed from her weeks ago. "Well... it is entirely possible that _one_ of them might be. I believe the other two met with unfortunate accidents soon after being released from jail."

Shock followed by anger surges through our Bond. Jerking her foot out of my hands, she removes her legs from my lap and sits upright. "Unfortunate accidents, my eye!" she fumes, "Eric, you promised me you wouldn't hurt them!"

Bill says mildly, "Eric, if the goal was to keep her calm, perhaps this was not the best time to mention this."

Completely ignoring him, I face my irritated spouse. Looking her in the eye, I say calmly, "I did no such thing. I told you I would turn them over to the police, and I did. If the so-called 'authorities' had done more than slap them on the wrist, it would not have been necessary for me to take action. My only regret is that one of them escaped."

With a deep frown, Sookie crosses her arms across her chest and says nothing.

"Sookie, you know I do not believe in killing humans indiscriminately," Bill says quietly, "But in this case, I believe Eric did the right thing. Would you rather they still be free to take more of our kind?"

Sighing deeply, Sookie says, "No, of course not. I understand perfectly well why Eric thought it was necessary. I'm just mad that he hid it from me."

With my most sincere smile, I tell her, "That was the bad old Eric. The good new Eric tells his wife everything."

Giving me a skeptical look, my wife says, "Uh-huh. Next you'll be trying to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge."

Putting my hand over my heart, I try to look wounded. "Why, Mrs. Northman, you cut me to the quick."

"Huh. Good thing you're a vampire and heal in a hurry," Sookie says mercilessly... but then, one corner of her mouth twitches up and I know I've been forgiven. Pulling her into my arms, I give her a tender kiss. Mmm, she feels so good! I give her another one with a little more passion behind it, and then another. Things are just starting to get interesting when she sits back. A bit breathlessly, she says, "Hoo. Maybe we'd better save this for later."

"Why? It has been _hours_ since I've kissed you," I complain while trying to tug her back into position.

Shoving against my chest with both hands, she just laughs. "You can wait a little while longer, Mr. Impatient. Think of it as penance for being so sneaky. We're almost to Bon Temps, and I want to stop at the store and pick up a couple of things before we go to Bill's house. If I know him, there isn't a scrap of human food in the place."

"That's not true," says our host, "There's some of that coffee you like in the freezer. There were some Lean Cuisines in there up until last week, but I threw them away."

Curiously, his words seem to evoke a complicated jumble of emotions in my Bonded, none of them good. By the look on Bill's face, he was clearly not expecting this reaction; but unlike me, I think he knows what caused it. He tries to catch her gaze, but she purposefully avoids meeting his eyes by looking out the window. "Coffee is good start," she says lightly, "but I'll need something a little more substantial for breakfast. Eric, would you please tell the driver to stop at the Quick Stop on Main Street?"

"Of course."

Picking up the car phone, I give the driver his instructions. A few minutes later, we pull into the well-lit parking lot of the convenience store. Without meeting my eye, Sookie asks me, "Do I look okay to go in?"

"Yes. You look acceptably human."

"Thank the good Lord for small favors," she mutters while slipping on her shoes.

The driver opens her door and then helps her out. I start to climb out after her, but she says quickly, "I'll just be a minute. Why don't you stay here with Bill?"

This is her polite way of telling me she needs a few minutes to herself. The front of the store has enormous glass windows, so I can keep my eye on her from here. "Very well. Take your time, my love."

She turns and heads for the door. Ir. Once inside, she stops to exchange a few words with the clerk and then begins her shopping. As I watch the top of her blond head bobbing up and down the aisles, I ask Bill, "What was all that about?"

"Ah... Sookie doesn't like Lean Cuisines."

Raising one eyebrow, I cross my arms and wait. After a beat, he adds, "Selah did."

Ah. Whatever "lean cuisines" are, apparently it was Bill's former pet that left them in the freezer. It seems Sookie still harbors some resentment towards the first human female to take her place in Bill's bed. Women being what they are, this does not particularly surprise me, but it does make me wonder what other emotions will be stirred by our staying in her former lover's home. It honestly never crossed my mind that she might find it awkward, and I doubt Bill did either. This is confirmed when he says, "I assure you, when I made the invitation, it never occurred to me that Sookie might be unsettled by staying in my home. It is not too late to change your mind. You can drop me off and still have plenty of time to get to Valhalla before dawn."

"No. This is a hurdle that will have to be crossed sooner or later. We might as well get it behind us now."

After a brief pause, he says carefully, "You know, under normal circumstances, I doubt she ever gives our former relationship a second thought... but as you said, the vampire blood in her system is playing havoc with her emotions."

"Yes, it is."

"Your Bonded was merely caught off guard. Now that she has had time to think it over, being in my home will not bother her at all."

"Absolutely," I agree, "She will be fine. I am not worried in the slightest."

Of course, both of us are lying.

**Sookie's POV:**

Glad to have a minute to get my crazy emotions under control, I hurried into the Quick Stop. The clerk was sitting behind the counter, kicked back in a chair and playing a hand-held video game. He was a guy that I had known most of my life but hadn't seen in ages. Like practically everyone in Bon Temps, he had considered me a little weird and a little slow, but at least he had always been kind to me. I always figured it was because he had taken his own share of grief for being different. In a culture than prized tall men, he had never grown much past five feet. Glancing up to see who was coming through the door, he said, "Hey, Sookie. Long time, no see."

"Hey, Shorty. I didn't know you worked here."

"Yeah, got laid off a couple months ago," he replied, "This job'll keep me in beans until I find something better. How about you? Didn't I hear you ran off to Shreveport with the vampires?"

"Well, I married one, if that's what you mean."

Giving me a closer look, he gives an appreciative wolf whistle. "Whee-whew! I got to say, vampire or not, married life sure seems to agree with you. Girl, you are looking _good_."

"Thanks. Listen, I better get going. My husband is waiting on me."

A little nervously, Shorty asked, "Uh... he's here?"

"Yep, right outside."

Rising from his chair, the little man cautiously peered outside. He had to stand on his tiptoes to see over the stacks of beer cases stacked in the window. Eyes nearly bulging out of his head, he exclaimed, "Dang, Sookie! That's a frickin' limousine!"

Chuckling at his reaction, I said, "Yeah, it is."

"I guess that means he's rich, huh?"

I knew if I told Shorty the truth, he wouldn't believe it anyway. Most of the time, I had trouble believing it myself. "Ah... let's just say he's comfortable," I said vaguely. Just to tease him a little, I added, "You want to come outside and meet him?"

"What? Uh... no. I would, you know, but I really shouldn't leave my post..."

"Right. I can see you're busy," I said with just a hint of sarcasm, "Well, I don't want to keep him waiting. I'll just go grab a few things."

Picking up a little green shopping basket, I went to get stuff for breakfast. I grabbed a box of Raisin Bran, a container of milk, and some Diet Cokes. Succumbing to temptation, I added a pack of those little cake-like donuts covered in powdered sugar. They probably had enough preservatives in them to make me glow in the dark (like I really needed help in that department) but I didn't care. I hadn't had any junk food in so long I figured I could splurge a little. I also picked up some toothpaste and a couple of new toothbrushes. Even though it wasn't strictly necessary, Eric made a habit out of brushing his teeth anyway. He claimed to like the minty-fresh taste. Somehow, I always found the sight of him scrubbing away at his fangs totally endearing.

While I made my way around the store, I tried to figure out why on earth I had gotten so bent out of shape at the mention a couple of frozen dinners. I was very happily married and Bonded to my true soul mate. Although I still loved Bill dearly, it was no longer in a romantic way. Up until a few minutes ago, I hadn't thought about Selah in a long time, and honestly, I doubted Bill had either. Why, then, had I felt like crying when Bill brought up those stupid Lean Cuisines? Maybe it was because I had never really come to terms with that whole period of my life. Looking back, I could see that I had still been in love with Bill for a long time after we had broken up, but my pride wouldn't let me admit it even to myself. Seeing him with Selah had hurt me deeply, but instead of dealing with it, I pretended it didn't matter. Thanks to the effects of the vampire blood in my system, all the jealousy, hurt, resentment and anger that I had buried so deeply had finally come spewing out.

Stupid me. In my current condition, I should have realized that staying in my former lover's home might bring up all sorts of memories and emotions. Part of me wanted to chicken out and ask Eric to take me home to Valhalla. The other part of me knew that this was necessary for me truly let go of the past. Since both the Viking and Bill could feel my emotions, they would know that I was upset... but being vampire _and_ male, they probably wouldn't have a clue why. Trying to explain it would be _beyond_ embarrassing... but one thing all our recent ordeals had taught me was that both of my vampires loved me, and would do whatever they could to see me through whatever came up. Compared to everything else we had been through recently, this was really pretty minor. In fact, now that I was mentally prepared, it probably wouldn't be a big deal at all. I really shouldn't be so worried. It took me a minute to realize that I _wasn't_ all that worried... but my vampires were.

Oh crap. The last thing I wanted to do was cause either one of them anymore stress. I knew that if I could manage to chill out, they would, too... but that was certainly easier said than done. Dang it! If I could sooth other people's bad feelings, why couldn't I do something about my own? Wait a minute. Who said I _couldn't?_ When some disturbing memory came up, maybe I could just wish like crazy that it didn't bother me. That ought to work, right? Yeah, right.

Suddenly realizing that I had been in the store way longer than I intended, I quickly picked up the last few items and headed for the front. Shorty was just beginning to ring up my purchases when the front doorbell chimed. He glanced up to see who was coming in, and instantly, the color drained right out of his face. Even though I already knew who it was, I looked anyway. Sure enough, the huge figure of the Viking was filling the doorway. He was casually dressed in a Rolling Stones t-shirt and a pair of jeans, and not a fang was showing, but somehow he still manged to look completely intimidating. Giving him a smile, I said, "Sorry I'm taking so long, honey."

In three long strides, he was standing at my side. Startled, Shorty took a huge step backwards, tripping and nearly falling over his chair in the process. Shaking his head, Eric just sighed. Looking down at me, he said, "I forgot to give you money."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his money clip. As usual, there was enough cash in it to choke a horse. Peeling off couple of twenties, he laid the bills on the counter. Shorty looked down at the money and then up at Eric. I could tell he was trying to get up the nerve to get close enough to the vampire to pick it up. It normally annoyed the heck out of me when people acted like scared rabbits around vampires, but for some reason I felt sorry for this one. "Shorty, this is my husband, Eric Northman," I said gently, "Eric, this is a friend of mine, Shorty Ables."

The clerk managed to squeak out, "Er... pleased to meet you."

Sensing that I wanted him to be on his best behavior, Eric gave the terrified clerk a charming, fang-free smile. He said mildly, "You can keep the change, if you like."

"Ah, that's okay." Gathering up his nerve, Shorty sidled cautiously back up to the counter. With a shaking hand, he picked the bills up and made change from the register. By the time he had placed all my items into plastic bags, he had finally convinced himself that the vampire had no interest in a late night snack. In a more normal tone of voice, he said, "Good to see you, Sookie. I'm glad that you're doing so well."

"Thanks, Shorty. See you later."

Eric gathered up the bags and followed me back to the limo. We climbed in, and soon we were on our way. Giving my husband a peck on the cheek, I said, "Thanks for being sweet, sugar. Shorty is a nice guy. I think you were his first vampire."

"I confess, I was sorely tempted to lean over the counter and yell 'BOO!' just to see what he would do."

"I'm glad you didn't. He probably would've had a heart attack."

By now, it was the wee hours of the morning, and the streets of Bon Temps were totally deserted. As we passed by Merlotte's, I saw that Sam's truck was parked in its usual spot in next to his trailer. The little blue car parked on the other side of the truck it told me his girlfriend was staying over. Even though I thought she was a total bitch, if she made Sam happy, I was willing to let bygones be bygones. The next time I went in to visit Sam, I resolved to be extra nice to her... except the last time I tried that, it hadn't worked too well. Maybe I should just call ahead and make sure she wouldn't be there.

Just thinking about our last encounter made me tense, which in turn made my vampires even more on edge than they already were. The closer we got to Bill's house, the worse it got. That was the downside of any Bond, and particularly a three-way connection. If we were all feeling the same way at the same time, even a minor emotion would become amplified. By the time the limousine pulled up in the Compton driveway, you could cut the tension with a knife. I tried to wish it away with absolutely no success. Hmpf. So much for that idea.

While waiting for the driver to come around and open the door, I took a deep cleansing breath and looked out the window. Although my night vision was much more acute than usual, the big old house seemed unusually dark. It took me a moment to realize that not a light was burning. When I lived next door, Bill's porch lights had always been left on all night, as well as a lamp or two inside the house. Curiously, I asked, "Bill, why are all your lights off? Is there something wrong with the electricity?"

"No," he replied evenly, "Since you moved away, there doesn't seem to be any need to keep them on."

I knew then that the only reason he had routinely kept them burning was for my benefit, even during the times I wasn't speaking to him. Uh-oh. For some reason, that thought made me very, very sad, and before I knew it, I felt moisture spring into my eyes. Bill quickly added, "Don't be sad, Sookie. Just think how much money I am saving on electricity."

"This sounds crazy, but I hate to think about you living out here all alone."

"Don't give it a second thought. Since I took the job as Eric's Lieutenant, I am hardly ever here anymore. I have even considered buying a house in Shreveport."

After tipping the limousine driver and sending him on his way, Eric and I followed our host to the front porch and waited while he unlocked the door. I couldn't help but remember that the last time the three of us had been in this house together, my two vampires were doing their best to kill each other. While that memory probably should have caused me distress, quite unexpectedly it did the opposite. Somehow, it made me realize just how far we had come since that fateful night. Against all odds, the three of us had finally come to a happy place in our relationship. I would do _anything_ to keep it that way. I made up my mind right then and there this little slumber party was _not_ going to be unpleasant on account of my wild-ass emotions. I _was_ going to control myself. Furthermore, I promised myself that any remaining bad memories in this house were going to be chased out this very night and replaced with good ones.

As soon as we stepped through the door, Bill reached over and flipped on the entry hall lights. The sudden brightness was uncomfortable enough to make me blink. It made me remember my vow to be kinder to my vampire's eyes. Knowing that he had an abundance of candles and old hurricane lamps on hand, I said, "Bill, I have an idea. Just for tonight, let's pretend we _don't_ have any electricity. Let's light some candles and lamps, just like you did in the old days."

Both vampires were thoroughly surprised by my suggestion. After a moment, Bill said, "Actually, that does sound nice." Instantly, the room was plunged into darkness again. A minute later, a match flared and was put to the wick of a large oil-burning lamp. Once Bill had adjusted the flame, he tossed a spare pack of matches to Eric. The two of them made their way from room to room, and soon the house was aglow with lovely soft light. While they were busy with that chore, I picked up a candle and started toward the kitchen. "Where are you going?" Eric asked immediately.

"To the kitchen, to put my stuff in the fridge."

Bill said quickly, "Please, allow me to do that for you."

Almost simultaneously, the Viking said, "Sookie, let Bill do it. I can finish this by myself."

Waves of anxiety were pouring off both of them. I guess they thought just being _near_ the freezer might set me off again. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Look. We can spend all night walking on eggshells, or we can just get this out in the open right now. I know you two are worried that I'm going to have a meltdown or something. There's no use in pretending that being in this house doesn't bring up lots of memories for all of us. As hard as I try, I may not be able to control how I react to all of them. That's okay. I am plenty strong enough to face whatever comes up and get past it. My main fear is that I might hurt or offend one or both of you in the process."

The two vampires looked at each other and then at me. Eric said seriously, "I promise you, I will not be offended in the slightest. Bill?"

"No, of course not. It just distresses us to see you unhappy, Sookie."

"... And _I'm_ unhappy when _you're_ unhappy... but now that we've had this little talk, maybe we can all get off this emotional merry-go-round and relax. I tell you what… you boys finish up lighting the lamps and I'll go get us all something to drink."

With that, I marched off towards the kitchen and stowed my food in the refrigerator. (Pretending to have no electric lights was one thing. Giving up refrigerators and air-conditioning was something else entirely.) Several generations of live Comptons had lived in this house before Bill moved back in, so there was an abundant supply of dishes in the cupboards. Taking out three glasses, I filled two with Tru Blood and put them in the microwave. I poured some milk into the third glass and then went hunting for a tray. Once the timer dinged, I loaded the tray with the drinks and my bag of doughnuts. I carried it back to the parlor, only to find it deserted. I heard voices coming from the library, so I headed in that direction.

Before I even got to there, I knew that my little speech had done us all good. The tension and anxiety had receded, leaving us all in much better moods. Stopping in the open doorway, I glanced around. I had always liked this room, and now the soft light from the candles was making it seem cozier than ever. Eric was busy checking out the titles of the books, and our host had settled into his favorite chair. Setting the tray down on a pie-crust table, I served the vampires their bloods. Taking my milk and donuts with me, I curled up on the settee across from Bill.

For a while, the ticking of the big old grandfather clock was the only sound in the room. It wasn't an awkward silence, either, like the kind where no one can think of anything to say. It was the comfortable, peaceful kind. Once I finished my snack, I was the first to break the silence. Pointing at the chess set that was sitting on the low table between us, I asked Bill, "How about a game?"

Looking surprised, he replied, "All right. You can be white."

Looking up from the open book in his hand, Eric asked, "Sookie... you can play chess? Since when?"

"Niall taught me. I'm not that good yet... but I'm learning."

The Viking's eyes lit up, and he gave me a big smile. "This is excellent news! I _love_ playing chess."

"I won't be much of an opponent. You've had a thousand years to practice."

"Not really. The game isn't nearly that old. Maybe... five hundred years?"

"Oh, well. That makes a _huge_ difference," I said sarcastically, "I guess we can still play, but you'll have to give up some of your pieces to make it even. Niall usually gives up his queen."

"Give up my Queen? Never! Without the Queen, the King is useless," he quipped.

I chuckled. "Very clever. Just for that, you'll have to give up a queen _and_ a knight."

Making a sad face, Eric said, "Poor old King. Without his Queen and Knight, he will be _very_ lonely."

Laughing, I said, "That's the most pitiful face I've ever seen. Come sit over here, King, and give the Queen some pointers."

"Wait a minute!" Bill exclaimed, "If Eric's helping you, I want my queen back."

"No way, Buddy. Now let's get started." Reaching out, I made the first move. Bill was a skilled player, but between the loss of his queen and the Viking whispering suggestions in my ear, I was eventually able to beat him. Gleefully, I called out, "Checkmate!"

With a rueful smile, Bill said, "Next time we play, I will know better than to give up any pieces." Rising from his chair, he picked up a small lamp and said, "Now, since the daytime guards are unfamiliar with this property, I asked them to arrive a little early. It is quite pleasant outside. I think I will wait for them on the front porch. Would anyone care to join me?"

Eric stood and helped me up, and the three of us strolled out to the porch. As soon as we stepped outside, Bill said, "Sookie, I added something out here with you in mind." He gestured toward the seating area at the far end. Hanging from shiny new chains was a wooden porch swing.

"Oh, how cool!" I went straight over and checked it out. Unlike my old swing, which had been painted about a hundred times, this one was smooth, naturally finished teak. Sitting down, I wriggled my butt around a little. "Wow, Bill, this thing is really comfortable. The angles are all just right."

"I thought you might like it." Placing the lamp on the porch rail, he pulled up an old wicker chair and sat down. Eric joined me on the swing, draping one arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. As we rocked back and forth, I relaxed against his big body. For a time, the three of us sat listening to the sounds of the Louisiana night. It had been a long, long day for me and I was tired, but I was much too contented where I was to get up and go inside. After a little while, Eric asked Bill to tell him the history of the house. I knew most of it already, but I listened anyway. Bill's soft lilting words flowed over me like a cool breeze. Soon, the combination of the gentle rocking and the low voices of the two vampires sent me to sleep.

The next thing I knew, I was being lifted into my husband's arms. I drowsed against his chest as he carried me upstairs. Lamp in hand, Bill showed him the way. Just as Eric was lowering me on the bed, a loud tap-tap-tap sounded. Bill murmured, "That must be the guards. I'll see to it."

In a low voice, Eric said, "I want to have a few words with them myself." Bending down, he kissed me on the forehead and whispered, "I will be right back."

Bill set the lamp on the nightstand and then he and the Viking headed downstairs. Shutting my eyes, I tried to get back to sleep, but nature had other ideas. Reluctantly, I sat up, rolled out of bed, and stumbled toward the bathroom. I was halfway there before I realized that I was in Bill's bedroom. I don't know why I had assumed that Eric and I would be staying in a guest room. It only made sense that the owner of the house would have his room made light-tight first. Technically speaking, Bill and I had never slepttogether in this room, but we did have lots and lots of sex in it. At any other time, just being in this room might have triggered another unwanted reaction, but at that point I was really too sleepy to care.

Once in the bathroom, I discovered that Bill had carried up my little sack of toiletries and left it laying on the vanity. After taking care of my human needs, I took out my purchases and washed my face and brushed my teeth. Yawning, I headed back to the bedroom. Still half asleep, I wriggled out of my new dress and tossed it on a nearby chair. Completely on autopilot, I walked over to the highboy on the far wall, opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a nightgown. It wasn't until I began to pull it over my head that it hit me… This nightgown was mine. I had known where to find it because I had put it there. Awake now, I opened the drawer again and looked inside. Bill had obviously kept all my things exactly where they were. Somehow, instead of making me the least bit sad, I felt strangely satisfied. However petty, I thought to myself _Take that, Selah, you smug little bitch. He tossed your damned old Lean Cuisines, but he kept all my stuff. I hope you knew my clothes were still in that drawer and that it made you miserable._

Sliding the drawer shut, I headed back to bed. After extinguishing the lamp, I pulled back the down comforter and climbed in. With a sigh, I settled between the freshly laundered cotton sheets. Mmmm. They smelled exactly like I remembered. Bill always asked the woman that cleaned for him to dry them on the old-fashioned clothes line out back. He said it made them smell like sunshine, and they did. They didn't hold even the faintest trace of their owner's scent... but the pillow bunched under my cheek did. Only the vaguest hint of my dark vampire's unique aroma wafted up to my nose, but the combination of familiar smells seemed to trigger vivid memories of our time together. One after another, they began to roll through my head like scenes from an old home movie.

In the past, mostly what I remembered from those days was the bad stuff. Now it seemed all I could think about were all the happy times. Looking back, I could see that in many ways, we had been remarkably well-suited. Bill wasn't as lively and full of mischief as the Viking, but I had enjoyed his company anyway. His cool, even temperament kept my own volatile nature in balance. Neither one of us craved excitement (although it tended to come looking for us anyway.) We both liked to read, go to movies, and take long walks in the woods. We both loved living in the country on our own land. With all of its flaws, we liked our home town and were quite content with the slower way of life it offered.

As I lay there in my former lover's bed, I recalled one night in particular. We had gone for a long walk in the woods, but it started to rain and both of us got drenched. By the time we got back to the house, I was chilled to the bone. Bill had stripped me down in the foyer, carried me up here and given me a hot shower. After drying me off, he tucked me under this very same down comforter. Closing my eyes, I could picture him as he lay across the foot of the bed and read to me aloud from a book we had been reading together.

Even though I felt slightly guilty doing it, I allowed myself to think about what my dark vampire had looked like naked. Bill might not have the golden perfection of my Viking, but he was extremely well-built and great to look at. That night, my first lover had waited until I was sufficiently warm, and then he crawled under the covers and made love to me very sweetly. He hadn't had a thousand years to perfect his technique, but he wasn't a slouch in the love-making department, either. Afterward, we lay together and listened to the comforting sound of the rain beating against the windows. Until now, I hadn't realized how much I missed hearing that sound.

Suddenly, I realized that tears were running down my face. I knew I wasn't crying for myself this time, but for Bill. There was no denying that he had made some terrible mistakes, but even so, there was no question that the love we shared had been very real. He had loved me then and he loved me still, and probably always would. Even though he had obviously accepted my relationship with Eric, I knew that on some deep level, he still wished I was his. I began to worry about how difficult the rest of this night might be for him. After all, he could feel my emotions. Even though we had never discussed it, I had figured out long ago that he could probably tell when I was making love to Eric. In the past, I dealt with that knowledge like I did so many other things... by simply shoving it right out of my mind.

Now that I _was_ thinking about it, I felt horrible. As newlyweds, Eric and I spent lots and lots of time having sex. It must have been quite painful for Bill to be around us. It dawned on me that he had usually solved the problem by removing himself from our vicinity... that is, until lately. He had stayed with us on more than one occasion, quite voluntarily. Maybe he had finally just gotten used to it. This was different, though. Knowing his former rival was making love to me in the same bed we once shared was bound to be rough. I was head-over-heels in love and happily married to the vampire of my dreams, but even so, I could barely stand the thought of my first love screwing that awful Selah in it.

I was still deep in thought when I heard the door swing open and then the sound of the new locks being set. The vampire moved so silently that the next thing I heard was water running in the next room. A couple of minutes later, I felt the edge of the mattress dip and a squeaky-clean Viking slid into place next to me. "Hi, baby," I said quietly, "Did you get the guards all sorted out?"

"Yes, I did." Running his hand down my body, he asked curiously, "What is this?"

"A nightgown, silly."

"I can see that. I mean _why_ are you wearing it?"

"Um... 'cause it's time for bed?"

"There is still a little time before dawn. Let me help you take it off."

I caught his roaming hand with mine. "Ah... Maybe I'd better leave it on."

"Why? As attractive as it is, it will just get in the way."

"I don't know. I guess… Well, you _do_ know this is Bill's bed, right?"

"Ah. I see. You do not want to make love to me in the same bed that you had sex with him."

"That's not it at all. Well... Not exactly. Doesn't it bother _you_?"

"Not in the slightest. In fact, I was rather looking forward to it."

I guess I should have known he would feel that way. "Honey... just this once... do you think we can just snuggle or something? I swear, first thing tomorrow night, I'll take you over to my house and wear you out."

Eric thought it over for a moment. Finally, he sighed. "If that is what you truly want, so be it."

I could hardly believe my ears. Had my over-sexed Viking _really_ given up so easily? Part of me was relieved, because I could quit worrying about hurting Bill any more than I already had. The other part of me was wondering why my mate had not tried just a tad bit harder. Hmpf. Giving me a chaste kiss, Eric said softly, "Sleep well, my love." Even though it was still a little while until sun-up, he rolled on to his back, arranged his pillow, and shut his eyes.

"Thanks for being so understanding, baby. I love you."

A faint smile crossed his gorgeous lips, but otherwise he remained perfectly still. I punched my pillow, rearranged the covers, and tried to get comfortable. Closing my eyes, I tried my best to get back to sleep. Unfortunately, all I could think about was the body laying next to mine... the big, extremely masculine, _naked _body. To make matters worse, I could _smell_ him: an achingly familiar combination of herbal shampoo, expensive soap, and his own yummy natural scent. Mmm. I took a deep breath and held it in, and tried my best not to think about how wonderful his skin would feel... or about how warm the area between my legs was getting. I failed miserably on both counts.

Soon all I could think about was touching him. Inching my hand over, I slowly ran my fingertips over the contours of his arm. Instantly, a little stream of pleasure flowed back and forth across the Bond. Hm. Even if I had nixed the lovemaking, surely a little cuddling would be okay. Scooching over, I whispered, "Can I lay with you?"

Without saying a word, my vampire tucked me into the crook of his arm. I snuggled against his body with a sigh of contentment. Purely out of habit, my hand ran across his muscular chest and then wandered down a little lower, ever so lightly skimming over the hard ripples of his upper stomach. Oh, wow. He just felt so darned _good!_ Without any conscious direction from my brain, my hand continued to gradually move in a southerly direction.

Although it hadn't been my intention, the outer edge of my hand brushed against the velvety-soft tip of the Gracious Plenty. At the unexpected contact, my hand jumped and so did the G.P. I hadn't really intended to get my vampire stirred up, but obviously I was too late. The fact that I had run into it at belly-button level told me that my lover was already rock-hard and ready for action. Besides the G.P. (which obviously had a mind of its own), the Viking lay still as a stone. Obviously he was determined to honor my wishes; but without closing our Bond, he couldn't hide his emotions. My vampire was absolutely _burning_ for me to change my mind.

Bill or no Bill, how could I possibly deny my Bonded something he wanted so badly? I thought for a moment and came up with what I thought was the perfect solution. Reaching a bit lower, I lightly ran one finger down his erection and across the twin mounds underneath. The vampire hissed, but in a good way. "Are you just trying to torture me?" he gasped, "How much self-restraint do you think I have?"

"Shhh." Kissing my way down his body, I shifted myself into a better position for the task at hand. I wrapped my fingers around his hard length and gave the tip a gentle kiss. "Just because I have weird hang-ups, you shouldn't have to suffer. Let me take care of you."

"I thought you didn't want to have sex in Bill's bed."

"Oh, but this isn't _really_ having sex," I murmured teasingly, "I distinctly remember President Clinton saying so." With that, I slid my mouth around him and got down to business. With a low moan, my grateful lover wove his fingers through my hair and gently urged me on. To make up for forgoing the "main event," I used all my best tricks to make it as enjoyable as possible... and by his reaction, there was no doubt I was succeeding. Before long, his whole body was quivering and he was giving out little gasps of sheer pleasure. There was only one problem. In spite of my best efforts, the closer to completion he got, the more aroused I got. By the time he finally came, I was dripping wet and absolutely aching for him to be inside me.

Eyes glowing, he pulled me up his body until we were face to face. After kissing me deeply, he rolled me on to my back and began to slide down the bed. Before he could get very far, I stopped him. "What are you doing?"

"It is my turn to not have sex with you."

"No, baby."

"Why not? I can _feel_ how aroused you are." How on earth was I going to explain this so he would understand? I was struggling with my reply when my extremely intelligent mate said, "Ah. I think I see. This isn't really about you at all, is it? This is about Bill."

Back in Las Vegas, I had finally confessed to my Bonded that my blood tie with Bill was still intact. Since that time, the subject was rarely if ever brought up, except in the most oblique way. It seemed that there was no avoiding it now, though. I replied, "Well... yes. You know he can feel my emotions."

"Meaning he will know it when we are making love?"

Nodding, I said, "Uh huh. I just thought it would be unnecessarily cruel to subject him to it tonight."

Instead of getting mad or jealous, my husband just chuckled. "Sookie. Haven't you learned by now that vampires do not view sex in the same way as humans?"

"I don't care. Vampire or not, Bill loves me. It is _bound_ to hurt him."

The Viking sighed. "My love, the invitation to stay came from Bill himself, without any prompting from me. He had to know what he was facing. I suspect he has come to terms with this long ago."

"Maybe so," I admitted, "Or maybe he's learned to shut down our connection."

"I would be astonished if that were the case. He is much too young to have that sort of control. Besides, wouldn't you be able to tell?"

Shaking my head, I said, "Probably not. _Our_ Bond is so much stronger that when you and I are this close, I can't feel him at all."

That got me a rather smug grin. "As it should be. However, that gives me an idea. With your permission, I will close our Bond just long enough for you to reach out to Bill and discover the truth of the matter."

The very idea sent a shock through my system. "Won't that damage it even more?"

"I won't close it completely, just veil it enough so that you can feel him."

"Well... Okay. It should only take a second, anyhow."

Taking both of my hands in his, he said, "All right. Here we go."

He closed his eyes and a look of intense concentration crossed his face. Soon, my Bonded's emotions receded to a faint echo, leaving me reeling with the sudden loss. Quickly, I focused in on Bill. After only a second or two, I had my answer. I gasped, "Okay. Enough."

Instantly, my Bonded's emotions filled me again. Before I had time to tell him anything, my vampire gathered me into his arms and crushed his lips to mine in an ardent kiss. "I _loathe _that empty feeling," he murmured against my mouth.

"I know. It's awful when you're not there."

"When we made our first bond, you hated it," he reminded me, "I always liked it, from the very first night."

"What can I say? You grew on me."

"Of course I did. We are fated, " he stated with great satisfaction, "Now tell me... what did you discover?"

"Er... the tie is open."

"... and?"

"He's... well, he's not upset. He's just a little tense."

"Ah." Rolling over and covering my body with his own, my vampire lowered his head to my ear and whispered in his sorcerer's voice, "Tell me the truth, Beloved. Was it tension, or... anticipation?"

"I... I don't know."

"Liar." Nudging my legs open with one knee, he slipped in between them. He rubbed his body against mine, deliberately brushing the tip of his erection across my thoroughly swollen nub. Nibbling on my ear lobe, Eric breathed, "I think the vampire downstairs is waiting to feel your pleasure, Beloved."

Oh... god. I was so hot, I thought I might burst into flames any minute, but... I managed to gasp, "Doesn't that bother you?"

He chuckled in delight. "Why would it? _I _will be the one giving it to you." Positioning himself at my hot, slick entrance, he asked, "So, my lovely wife, what shall it be? Your choice."

Instead of a verbal answer, I thrust my hips upwards, impaling myself on his hardness. We both let out moans of utter bliss. Slowly, sensuously, the Viking began to thrust into me... and that was the very last thought I had of Bill. My beautiful golden vampire made love to me with quiet intensity. By the time he was through, he had given me two amazing orgasms. He would probably have tried for a third, but by then dawn was nearly upon us. It was just as well. I was too limp to move as it was. I lay sprawled across his chest like a blond Raggedy Ann doll. When I gathered enough brain cells together to form a coherent sentence, I panted breathlessly, "Wow. That... was... impressive."

Laughter rumbled deep in his chest. "Why, Mrs. Northman, was that a compliment? Aren't you afraid that it might feed my massive ego?"

"I'll just have to risk it." My Viking lovingly stroked my back as I lay there waiting for my heart to slow to a more reasonable beat. "Eric?"

"Hm?"

"Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Hm. No, you have not. I will take that as my reward for a job well done. Will you tell me in Sylvan?"

"_Rwyf wrth fy modd i chi._"

My head was resting on his chest, so I couldn't see his face, but I knew he was smiling. He whispered, "I love you, too, my angel."

A moment later, the sun rose and sent the vampire to his rest, and his Bonded was not far behind... as it should be.

_Author's Note: Gris-gris is pronounced gree-gree._


	49. Chapter 49

_Author's Notes:__ This chapter is slightly shorter than usual. There is an Eric POV that should go with it, but I have been struggling with it for weeks. (I think the heat has fried my brain.) Although it is getting closer to completion, I decided to post this much so you all don't give up on me._

_Thanks to everyone for the lovely reviews from last chapter, and all the PM's wishing me well. The story is just shy of five thousand reviews! I can hardly believe how generous my readers are. I treasure each and every one of those reviews. They make all the hard work worthwhile._

_Recap of chapter 48:__ The chapter begins at the vampire hotel in Shreveport. After dinner, Eric takes Sookie to buy some new clothes at the Erotic Angel boutique. The store is owned by one of the older vampires in Area 5, Emma, who is uncharacteristically absent. They are greeted by her new assistant, Angel. Sookie is still full of vampire blood which is causing her to be more impulsive than usual. Between the vampire blood in her system and her more frequent use of magic, Sookie is finding it difficult to keep her fairy nature from rising to the surface, to the point that even humans are beginning to notice. She and Eric agree they need to discuss this problem with Niall at the upcoming dinner party.._

_While at the store, Sookie gets a call from Claudine. Not realizing that Eric can hear their conversation, she teases Sookie about Rhys. After the call, Eric slyly insists that Sookie invite Rhys to the upcoming party. Sookie accidentally leaves her cell phone in the dressing room._

_Upon arriving at Fangtasia, they find that Pam has gone out, leaving Bill in charge of Amy. Pam has decreed that Amy should be trained as a waitress, and Sookie steps in to help. Eric and Bill retreat to the office to discuss business. Felicia informs Eric that a woman has called numerous times, claiming to have information about Sookie. He finally takes the call, only to be told by the anonymous female that Sookie is pregnant by some unknown male. After a brief bout of jealousy, Eric realizes this is nonsense. Sookie tells him about Amelia's pregnancy. Bill thinks she should stay away from BonTemps until they can determine who is out to get her and why. After some discussion, Eric and Sookie decide to stay at Bill's house for the day._

_Soon thereafter, Sookie gets another call from "the creep," this time on Fangtasia's phone line. They now know this caller is not only unbalanced, but someone who knows who they are. Realizing that Sookie left her cell phone at the boutique, Eric calls to have it delivered to them. Angel informs him that Emma is still missing. Eric sends Bill to check out the situation. Eric has a meeting with Angus McPherson, Sheriff of Area 4, during which Sookie bursts in, announces that Bill is possibly dead, and dematerializes. Eric and Angus rush to the scene, where they find Sookie working her magic trying to save Bill. They soon discover he is not dead but rendered unconscious by a small burlap object similar to the one Eric found on his car weeks earlier._

_Once back at Fangtasia, Amy informs them that the object is a voodoo gris-gris. Before leaving for the night, Eric locks the gris-gris in his desk drawer. Eric, Bill, and Sookie go to Bon Temps, and spend an unexpectedly pleasant evening together before retiring for the day._

**Chapter 49**

**Sookie's POV: Compton Home, Bon Temps, La.**

It was only a few minutes after 11 a.m. when my eyes flew open. Even though I had only slept a few hours, I felt bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I was really looking forward to my day in Bon Temp, so I gave the Viking a kiss, wriggled my way out of his grasp and jumped out of bed. With a spring in my step, I went straight to the shower. While scrubbing myself with some of Bill's heavenly-smelling soap, I made a mental list of all the things I wanted to do while I was in Bon Temps.

It was such a relief to know that I could do whatever I wanted, and my vampire would be comfortingly nearby! My only frustration was that once again, I hadn't brought a change of clothes with me. Traipsing around Bon Temps in my Fangtasia-wear would be way too embarrassing. I thought about popping to Valhalla to dress, but I knew from experience it was definitely past the boundaries of the Bond. I was absolutely determined that, come hell or high water, I wasn't going to stretch it the least little bit until Eric was completely over his Bonding Sickness. I would just have to scrounge something up to wear at Bill's.

Once I finished my shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and went to look in my drawer in the highboy. Inside I found two more nightgowns and a couple of sets of fancy underwear (Bill was definitely a sexy-lingerie kind of guy). The only thing in the drawer that hadn't come from Victoria's Secret was a pair of cut-offs so short they would make Daisy Duke blush. As I recalled, Bill had been awfully fond of those particular shorts. I smiled, thinking of one memorable evening that had started with me wearing them... and that had ended with me not wearing anything. Boys being boys, I was willing to bet the Viking would have exactly the same reaction to them. Oddly enough, I hadn't left a top to go with them, so I slid open the top drawer and borrowed one of Bill's t-shirts. I pulled on my clothes, ran a brush through my hair, and called it good.

After giving my resting vampire another kiss, I unlocked the door and padded quietly out of the room. I had been too out of it last night to notice, but now as I passed some of the other bedrooms I saw evidence of remodeling. Clearly Bill was in the process of making his home suitable for undead guests. Up until recently, he had gone out of his way to avoid the company of other vampires, and I was happy to see that his ideas on the subject had changed.

Before going to his rest, Bill had drawn the heavy drapes against the coming daylight, so most of the house was dark. Pushing through the swinging door into the kitchen, I was pleased to see that he had left the blinds raised for me. Bright rays of sunshine beamed cheerfully through the tall kitchen windows. My thoughtful host had also retrieved the bag of Community coffee from the freezer and placed it next to the coffeemaker. Propped in front of the bright red bag was my cell phone, along with a key and a note that read,

_Dear Sookie,_

_I thought you might need your phone today. We will have the number changed tonight. Enjoy your day in Bon Temps._

_Bill_

_P.S. The key is for the front door._

While my coffee was brewing, I stood at the windows and peered out, just in time to see one of the daytime guards patrolling the backyard. I tapped on the glass to get his attention and then gave him a friendly smile and a wave. After returning the gesture, he continued on his rounds. Once the coffee was ready, I poured two mugs and carried them out to the front porch. As I figured he would be, Cooper was kicked back in one of the wicker chairs, patiently waiting for me to make an appearance. When I stepped though the door, he jumped to his feet and bowed. "Good morning, Your Majesty."

"Cut it out, Coop. I haven't had my coffee yet." Handing him one of the mugs, I settled into the new swing and took my first sip of the dark brew. Mmmm. Nothing like coffee and chicory to get the day rolling.

Grinning, my Were took my offering and returned to his seat. For a few minutes, we sat in companionable silence, sipping our coffee and enjoying the brilliant day. After he was sure I had enough caffeine in me to be sociable, he asked, "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Eric and I are having a dinner party this Sunday, and I need to get some tablecloths and stuff from the farmhouse. Also, my brother Jason is meeting me at the house for a late lunch. It's pretty slim pickings over there, so I need to run into town and pick up some food."

"Sounds good." He dug out a set of car keys and tossed them to me. "Eric said to give these to you. Bill's car will be delivered later this afternoon."

One of the daytime guards had brought the Corvette from Valhalla. It was parked on the gravel drive next to Cooper's Trans Am and another car I didn't recognize. Looking down at the keys in my hand, I said, "Um... can we just take your car? Driving Eric's makes me nervous. I'm always afraid something is going to happen to it."

"Sookie, that's crazy. It's just a car. If something happens to it, you can get it repaired... or buy a new one."

"Eric is very fond of that particular car. Come to think about it, so am I... but with any luck, he won't be driving it too much longer. I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm giving him a new car for his Coronation. A red Ferrari. Do you think he'll like it?"

"Are you kidding? Dead or alive, any male on the planet would love a car like that."

"Well, not all of them. Sir Robert wouldn't have it on a bet. He thinks limousines are the only suitable way to travel."

"Not me," he said with a wolfish grin, "There's nothing I like better than fast cars and faster women."

"That's exactly why I'm getting Eric the Ferrari, to make up for him having to give up the second half of that combination."

"Trust me. The King is more than happy with the woman he has."

Now it was my turn to smile. "Since he's stuck with me for the next several centuries, I certainly hope so. Well, I have a lot to do before dark, so we better get going soon... but I think I'd better eat something first. I'm going inside for a bowl of cereal. Want to join me?"

Because of their high metabolisms, Werewolves burn lots of calories and always seem to be hungry. Cooper willingly followed me into the house and had a second breakfast. After gulping down my bowl of Raisin Bran, I got up and said, "I'll be right back. I'm going to pop upstairs and get some money and some shoes. "

In spite of my warning, I think it startled him a little when I dematerialized. However, I wasn't about to waste any of my precious day by walking up and down stairs if I didn't have to. Once in the bedroom, I found the little pile of stuff on the dresser where Eric had emptied his pockets. I laid the keys to his car where he'd be sure to see them, and then liberated some cash and a credit card for my shopping expedition. He always carried a small tube of my special cream with him, so I carefully rubbed some into my skin.

Next, I deliberated what to do about shoes. All I had to wear were the extremely high-heeled pumps from the night before, and I wasn't about to parade around Bon Temps looking like a three-dollar hooker. Eric's flip-flops were so huge I could use them as water-skis, so those were out. After thinking it over, I went to Bill's closet and dug out a pair of his thongs. They were still a couple of sizes too big, but they would have to do. Just as I was slipping them on, my cell phone began to ring. I very nearly answered it, but then I remembered to check the display first. Ugh. "Caller Unknown" again. Was this guy never going to give up? With an Eric-like growl, I viciously shoved the phone back in the pocket of my shorts.

After brushing my teeth and giving my hair another swipe with the brush, I went over to the bed and stared down at the Viking. Although I was in a hurry to get going, I couldn't help take a minute to admire him. When I had gotten out of bed, the sheet had slipped so far down it barely covered the Gracious Plenty, leaving his perfectly sculptured upper-body exposed. Mm mm mmmm. He looked so danged good, I had to resist a serious urge to crawl back in bed and rub myself all over him... but I had stuff to do. Sighing, I pulled the sheet up to his shoulders and softly touched my lips to his. "Rest well, baby. I'll be back later."

A second later, I popped back to the kitchen. Much to my surprise and delight, I found my Were washing our few dishes. Setting the last cup on the drainboard, he dried his hands and asked, "Ready to go?"

"Yep. Let's go to Wal-Mart. I can get everything I need there."

"Wal-Mart it is. Nice shoes, by the way."

"Yeah, I'm definitely making a fashion statement today. I wish I had thought far enough ahead to have you bring me some stuff from Valhalla. Shoes are the first thing on my list when we get to town."

While I locked the front door, Cooper went to tell one of the other guards where we were going. I walked over to his car and opened the passenger door. A small electronic device was lying on the seat, so I picked it up before I sat down. When Cooper got in, he glanced over and saw it in my hand. "Oh, sorry. You can stick that in the glove box if you want."

"This is an iPod, isn't it? I've seen them advertised on TV."

"Yep. I love mine. It holds tons of songs, and it's so small you can take it anywhere. Now I can listen to music while I work out or jog."

"How do you get the music on here?"

He explained about downloads and then showed me how to work the click-wheel. I scrolled through a couple of his playlists, and was really surprised at some of the music he had downloaded. I couldn't resist teasing him a little. "_Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats? Music of the Night? I Could Have Danced All Night?_"

I swear, my big, burly, manly-man Were blushed like a schoolgirl. "So I like musicals. Shoot me."

"I _never_ could have guessed that about you. Boy, you can learn a lot about a person from these playlists, can't you?"

"Up until this minute, I never realized how personal they are," he replied with a rueful smile.

Firing up the engine, he put the car into gear and off we went. When we passed by Merlotte's, I thought about stopping in and saying hello to Sam, but Traci's car was still there. For the first time in months I could go wherever I wanted in Bon Temps without the discomfort of the Bond tugging at me, and I was determined to enjoy every minute of it. A potential run-in with Sam's bitchy girlfriend didn't sound like much fun to me, so we kept going. Even though it was a little out-of-the-way, I got Cooper to buzz through downtown just so I could see the familiar buildings. On the south side of the square, we had to wait while old Mrs. Perkins toddled across the street. Watching her as she slowly made her way past us, he said, "She sure is gussied up. Where do you think she's going?"

"To the beauty shop. She always looks like that, though, even if she's just going to the grocery store. Back when she was raised, a lady didn't set foot out of the house without being well dressed and fully accessorized."

"Everyone was a lot more concerned about their appearance in those days," he agreed, "Sometimes I think maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. It seems like people respected themselves and each other more back then."

Looking down at my borrowed t-shirt and too-short cut-offs, I said, "I guess we've gone a bit overboard in the 'anything goes' department. This isn't exactly queenly attire, is it?"

"You look okay to me," he said stoutly.

"That's sweet, Coop, but the truth is, I look more like an escapee from a low-rent trailer park than the Vampire Queen of Louisiana. I tell you what... I think I'd like to make a quick stop before we go to Wal-Mart."

I gave him directions to Tara's Togs. We were nearly there when my phone rang again. Somehow, I had a premonition it was the creep again. I looked at the display, and sure enough, it read "Caller Unknown." Man, this guy was really getting to be a pest! Sighing heavily, I put the phone away without answering. Clearly curious, Cooper glanced over at me, but thankfully he didn't ask any questions. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin my day by talking about it.

As we drove into the parking lot of the strip center that housed Tara's Togs, someone was just pulling out of a space right in front of the door. Cooper snagged it before anyone else could get it. Since he was so close to the front door, I nearly suggested that he could just wait in the car... but then I remembered the incident at the florist shop just before my wedding. I decided to keep my mouth shut and let him do his job. Like a good little queen, I waited patiently for my bodyguard to get me out of the car and then escort me inside.

It had been a while since I had been in my friend's shop, and I could see at a glance that nearly everything in the store had been rearranged. Tara was up on a ladder, fiddling with the window display lights. When she first looked down and recognized me, surprise flashed across her face, quickly followed by a big smile of welcome. "Sookie! Come on in! It's so good to see you. How have you been?"

"Great! How 'bout you?"

"Fantastic." Climbing down, she came over and gave me a hug. She had never met Cooper before, so I made the introductions. He shook her hand and then said, "If you don't mind, ma'am, I'll have a quick look around."

With a frown, Tara asked worriedly, "Why? Sookie, are you expecting trouble again?"

"No, everything's fine," I assured her, "Cooper just likes to be thorough."

We watched him as he made a circuit around the store. When he got back to the front, he said, "Everything seems fine. I imagine you ladies have some catching up to do. I'll just wait here."

Pulling his iPod out of his blazer pocket, he sat in the chair that Tara kept near the door for bored husbands. Soon he was listening to tunes and giving us a little privacy at the same time.

Turning to me, Tara carefully looked me up and down. "Sookie, you look _wonderful_... except for this outfit. Girl, has your vampire gone broke, or what?"

I laughed. "No, we unexpectedly ended up spending the night at Bill's, and this was all I could dredge up. I figured you could fix me up. I need to hurry, though. I have a lot to do while I'm in town, and shopping for clothes isn't on my list."

"You definitely came to the right place. I just got a new shipment of summer clothes. Come with me."

Taking my hand, she quickly took me around and showed me some of the new merchandise. Tara filled me in on what was happening around town while I shopped. A new restaurant had opened, one of the cool old houses on Elm Street had caught on fire and partly burned, and one of the local high school cheerleaders had turned up pregnant. This last item was only newsworthy because the father turned out to be the boy's baseball coach. Rolling my eyes, I said, "Let me guess. Half the town wants to string him up, and the other half wants to shove the whole thing under the rug."

With a snort, Tara replied, "Considering that the baseball team is just about to win the state championship for the very first time, I'd say it's more like a twenty-eighty split. Never let it be said that the folks of Bon Temps don't have their priorities straight."

"Oh, absolutely. So, anything else going on I should know about?"

Suddenly, there was an awkward silence. I glanced over at my friend and saw her nervously twirling a strand of hair around and around one finger. She had done that since we were kids, and it meant that there was something she wanted to tell me but didn't know how. "Tara. Whatever it is, for heaven's sake, spit it out."

Knowing perfectly well that I could dig it out of her head anyhow, she blurted, "There's a rumor going around town that you're pregnant... and it's common knowledge that vampires can't have babies. Everybody is speculating on who could be dumb enough to screw a vampire's wife."

Shocked and disappointed, I exclaimed, "Tara! How could you of all people possibly believe that I would be fooling around on my husband like that?"

"I didn't say I believed it! For one thing, you're still alive."

"If you didn't think I was screwing around, then how in the blue blazes did you think I could have gotten pregnant? Did a star suddenly appear in the sky?"

"Sookie, settle down," Tara said soothingly, "I know Eric loves you and wants you to be happy. On the outside chance that you _were_ pregnant, I thought maybe he had agreed to artificial insemination or something. Then when you came in looking all aglow, I thought maybe... "

I took a quick peek in her head and was happy to find that really _was_ what she thought. Taking a deep breath, I said, "No, honey, I'm definitely _not_ pregnant. Frankly, I can't imagine the Viking agreeing to artificial insemination, and even if he did, I don't think raising a human baby around vampires would be such a hot idea."

"Frankly, I'm glad to hear you say so," she said with relief, "So, how do you think such a crazy rumor got started?"

"I think somebody saw me in Wal-Mart buying a test kit for Amelia, who actually _is_ pregnant. She and Tray are getting married right away."

"No kidding! That's great! I think they make a wonderful couple. When people find out about it, maybe it'll take the heat off you."

"Maybe so," I agreed doubtfully, "I sure wish I knew who was behind the rumors, though."

"I heard it from Sue Ellen Brown, who heard it from her sister-in-law. There's no telling who _she_ got it from. You know how fast gossip spreads in this town."

I sighed. "Yeah, I know. Tara... do you think you could do a little digging, and see if you can find out who started it?"

"A little detective work, eh? Sure, I'm game. I'll call you if I find out anything concrete."

While we were talking, I managed to find several cute summer outfits, a pair of sandals, and best of all, a new purse. I got Tara to cut the tags off a pair of capri pants and a top so I could wear them out, and then handed her my old clothes and Bill's flip-flops to pack up with my other purchases. As I emerged from the dressing room in my new duds, my friend looked me over with a practiced eye. "Girl! Those pants look _fabulous _on you. The only thing you need to be the perfect lady-about-town is some make-up. Come over here and let me fix you up. I swear, it'll just take a minute."

She pulled me over to the fancy new perfume and make-up counter she had just added, and proceeded to do the world's fastest make-over. I liked the mineral powder products she used so well that I ended up buying some of them, too. Taking everything to the front counter, she rang it up and gave me a total, which was about ten times more than I had ever spent in her store before. As I handed her Eric's credit card, it occurred to me that for the first time in my life, I had gone into a store just because I wanted to and bought exactly what I wanted without waiting for it to go on sale. In fact, I hadn't even bothered to look at the price tags! However, the real shocker was that I didn't feel guilty about it at all. After all, I was Eric Northman's wife and Queen. No matter where I was, I needed to look nice when I was in public.

After promising to get together for lunch soon, Tara and I said our goodbyes. Cooper toted the bags out to the car, and soon we were on our way. I used the time to call Juanita and tell her that Eric and I had spent another night away from home, and she would not need to fix me any dinner. I also asked her to pack up some fresh clothes for Eric and have one of the guards deliver them to Bill's. We talked briefly about the upcoming dinner party, but by then Cooper was pulling into the Wal-Mart parking lot, so I said a hasty goodbye and shoved my phone into my new handbag.

The lot was nearly full, but once again we lucked out and found a spot not too far from the door. That was where my luck ended. The greeter at the front door turned out to be one of my teachers from high-school, who had retired a year or two after I graduated. When I was in her class, I knew she was certain I was mildly retarded... she projected that thought loud and clear. She also projected lots of other stuff, too, which was why I tried not to hate her too much. The poor woman had led a very hard life, including losing her whole family in a horrible car wreck. She kept a little flask of whiskey in her bottom drawer, and got herself through the day by taking small snorts when she thought no one was looking. After she retired from teaching, she had taken the part-time job at Wal-Mart just to keep from being so lonely.

As she pushed the shopping cart toward me, she exclaimed, "Why, Sookie Stackhouse! I haven't seen you in ages. You been getting along all right?"

"I'm fine, Mrs. Atwood, but my name is Sookie Northman now. I got married a couple of months ago."

"My goodness, I hadn't heard. I've been out of town for some time taking care of my sister. Today is my first day back at work." Looking up at my Were, she thought _Sookie Stackhouse was the last girl in the world I expected to get married! How did someone as dumb as she is attract a man like this? Although I suppose she __is__ much prettier than I remember... Still, I hope they don't have children. It would be a shame to mess up an obviously superior gene pool with whatever is wrong with her..._ That isn't what came out of her mouth, of course. Instead, she gushed, "So you must be Mr. Northman. You know, our Sookie was quite the wallflower when she was in school. I am so happy to see that she has blossomed."

Before I could correct her, Cooper spoke up. "I'm afraid I'm not lucky enough to be Mrs. Northman's husband. My name is John Cooper, and I'm her personal bodyguard."

Startled, Mrs. Atwood thought _Bodyguard? Why would someone as dull as Sookie need a bodyguard? "Keeper" is more like it. _"Oh, I _do_ beg your pardon!" she twittered, "Sookie dear, are you in some kind of trouble?"

I couldn't resist saying, "Not yet, but the day is young. Now, if you'll excuse us, Mrs. Atwood, I've got lots of shopping to do. Cooper, get the cart, please."

"Yes, ma'am," he said. Grabbing the handle, he meekly followed behind me until we reached the grocery section. I had already worked out in my head exactly what I wanted, so we practically flew up and down the aisles. I stopped at the deli counter to get several items, and while the lady was dishing everything up, Cooper asked, "Sookie, who the heck was the old biddy at the front door?"

"She taught me biology in high school."

"I can't believe she called you a wallflower to your face. Didn't she like you?"

I smiled ruefully. "Let's just say I wasn't her best student. My telepathy made it really hard to concentrate in class, and I'm afraid I didn't do very well."

"Why didn't you just pick a smart person and pull the answers to the tests out of their head?"

"For one thing, I didn't have as much control over my telepathy as I do now. Besides, I didn't want to be a cheater. Even if I couldn't pay attention in class, I studied hard at home, so I knew usually _knew_ the answers... but with everyone else's thoughts buzzing around in my head, I'd get confused and write down the wrong thing."

"Sounds like school was tough for you academically," he said sympathetically, "...but as beautiful as you are, I bet you had a pack of boys trailing after you."

"Thanks for the compliment... but most of the boys around here thought I was just too weird to mess with. I did get asked out a few times after high school, but... well, you know yourself what young men are usually thinking about when they take a girl on a date. I didn't like it much."

Giving me a shark-like grin, he said, "What do you mean?_ I _never had anything but the purest thoughts about any of _my_ dates."

"Yeah, right... John. Isn't it funny that I've known you all this time, and I never knew your first name?"

"Actually, John is my middle name," he admitted reluctantly, "My first name is... Cornelius."

"_Cornelius? _Oh, man. No wonder you go by Cooper._"_

"It's a family name."

"It would almost have to be. Hand me that loaf of french bread, would you... _Cornelius_?"

My teasing earned me a mock-growl, but he did as I asked. As soon as I was done gathering up the stuff I needed for lunch, we made a quick trip through the pharmacy section so I could grab a few things, and then we scooted over to the electronics department. I needed to pick up a couple of phones to replace the ones Eric had crushed the night before. After studying the different models, I made my choice and piled four of them in the cart. Everything considered, I figured it wouldn't hurt to keep some spares on hand. Cooper asked, "Do we have time for me to pick up a new set of earphones for my iPod?"

"They sell iPods here? Really?"

"I think so. Let's see."

We wandered around until we found them, locked in a glass display case. "Are you going to get one?"Cooper asked.

"Well... I was thinking about buying one for Eric. He absolutely loves gadgets, but he doesn't have an iPod. I think it would be fun to surprise him with one."

Sounding slightly surprised, the Were asked, "The Boss likes music? What kinds?"

"Rock and roll, of course, and... " I trailed off. Beyond that, I had absolutely no idea. Once again, I realized how little I really knew about my spouse. "This sounds crazy, but I don't know. We've been so distracted by other stuff, we've never gotten around to talking about it."

"Well, now is your chance. In fact, I think you should buy two. That way, both of you can download your favorite music and then switch units. I bet you'd learn a lot about each other that way."

I thought it over. It was almost like a game, and the Viking loved games as much as he did gadgets. "Actually, that sounds like fun. We could limit it to a certain number of songs, so that we'd really have to think about it..."

"You'll have to take a vow to be honest, though. If you leave out the embarrassing stuff, you'll be missing the point."

Laughing, I said, "You're right. I have a couple of favorites that _are_ pretty embarrassing. If we do this, I guess I'd better be prepared to take some serious teasing."

"...but Eric's bound to have some, too, don't you think?"

"Well... nothing as embarrassing as _Jellicle Cats_."

Cooper just grinned. "You never know... the Boss might be a big fan of musicals."

"Somehow, I doubt it. Okay, I'm going to buy two, but we need a clerk to open this case. I think I saw one a couple of aisles over. You stay here with the cart, and I'll run get him."

Whirling around, I started off on my mission. Cooper called out, "No! Sookie, I should go with you."

Looking back, I said, "Don't be silly! Who would be stupid enough to try something in the middle of Wal-Mart? I'll be right ba... Ooof!"

Not looking where I was going, I had smacked right into a tall man coming out of the aisle. The impact startled both of us. Simultaneously, we gasped, "Oh! Sorry!"... and then the man said, "Uh... Sookie?"

I looked up at his face and nearly had the shock of my life. Instead of a total stranger, it was someone I knew... intimately. Without warning, I felt myself blushing from head to toe. Before I could find my voice, Cooper appeared at my side, fairly bristling with aggression. "Sookie, are you all right?"

Laying my hand on his arm, I said shakily, "It's okay, Coop. It was just an accident."

"Actually, Sookie and I are old friends," the man said mildly, "My name is Preston Pardloe. And you are...?"

Even though Weres didn't have the same aversion to shaking hands that vampires did, curiously he did not offer Cooper his hand. My Were stared at him for a long beat before answering, "I'm John Cooper, Mrs. Northman's bodyguard."

Raising one eyebrow, Preston looked down at me. "_Mrs._ Northman? You're married now? When did this happen?"

"Ah... February." I felt myself blushing again. Our brief encounter had been on Christmas Eve.

Lightly, he said, "Hm. It must have been love at first sight."

"Not really. We've known each other a long time."

Cooper shifted his eyes from Preston to me and then back, clearly reading between the lines. My blush deepened. "Cooper, why don't you go get the clerk?" I suggested, "I'll wait for you here."

"... but.."

"Please? I'll be fine."

"Yes, ma'am." He reluctantly stepped away. Once he was out of earshot, Preston said, "Sookie, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you. You are even more spectacular than I remember."

"Ah... thanks. You're looking good, too."

Lowering his voice another notch, he continued, "You don't know how many times I've thought about you. The night we spent together was... pure magic. I wanted to call you afterward, but..."

Unwilling to meet his eyes, I settled my gaze at chest level. This proved to be a mistake in itself, because the top three buttons of his collar were open. Somehow, just a glimpse of the very masculine hair peeking out of the top of the "v" was enough to bring every vivid detail of our single night together rushing back into my head. Closing my eyes, I said quickly, "You don't have to explain. I didn't really expect you to call."

That was the honest truth. Although our time together had initially cheered me up enough to get me through a very difficult Christmas, it wasn't long until it started to bug me that yet another lover had come and gone without a backwards glance. Eventually I convinced myself that the very erotic interlude had been a dream and then firmly shoved the memory of it out of my head. It was only a couple of weeks later that the Viking reappeared in my life, and he had filled practically every waking (and dreaming!) thought since then.

In spite of my words, the big Were persisted. "Please let me finish. I didn't call at first because I didn't want to get you involved in my problems. By the time I got them straightened out, I figured you'd be too mad to talk to me anyway. I finally got up enough nerve to go by your house a couple of times when I was passing through town... but nobody was ever home. It looked like maybe you had moved away."

Although it shouldn't have mattered one way or the other, I took a peek in Preston's head to see if he was telling the truth. I shouldn't have bothered. Weres are extremely hard to read, and his brain patterns were even murkier than most. The most I could tell was that he really was glad to see me. Elated, in fact. Well, well, well. Apparently I hadn't been as forgettable as I thought. For the first time, I allowed myself to look directly at his face. Although I hadn't seen them in months, his big tawny eyes seemed so familiar to me... except that in my memory, they hadn't had those brilliant green flecks in them. Nevertheless, they were beautiful eyes, full of light and good humor and kindness. Now that I had the nerve to really look at him, I realized that it was no wonder my libido had overcome my common sense. With his long dark hair, strong handsome face, and big muscular body, this Were was pretty darn irresistible.

Staring down into my eyes, he said softly, "I asked at the bar up the road from your house if they knew where you had gone. The waitress said you'd run off to Shreveport to hang out with a bunch of vampires."

"Well... that's true enough I guess. My husband is a vampire."

Given the relations between the two races, I was prepared for some serious disapproval from the Were, but it never came. In fact, Preston didn't even seem all that surprised. Reaching out with one long finger, he lightly touched the huge yellow diamond at my throat. "A vampire, huh? Well, obviously he is able to take care of you financially."

"Financially and every other way. My husband is a very special man, and I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have him."

Dropping his hand to his side, he said, "Wait a minute. Northman. Shreveport. You don't mean Eric Northman, do you?"

"Yes. Eric's my husband. Do you know him?"

"Not personally... but of course, I know who he is and what position he holds. So that makes you someone very important in this territory, doesn't it?"

"Well,_ he_ is, anyway."

Giving me a searching look, he said quietly, "Does he make you happy, Sookie?"

"I've never been happier in my whole life."

Sighing deeply, he reached out and ran one finger gently down the side of my face. "As long as you're happy and healthy, I guess I can live with missing out on my big chance. Maybe we can still be friends, though."

Knowing that it was unlikely I would ever see him again, I said lightly, "Sure. A person can never have enough friends. Listen, Preston, it's been really great running into you, but my brother is coming for lunch soon. I need to get a move on."

"Oh! Of course." He held out his hand. Rather hesitantly, I put my hand in his, but all he did was shake it. With a smile lighting his eyes, he said softly, "Goodbye, Sookie Stackhouse Northman. Maybe we'll run into each other again sometime."

"Bye, Preston."

Leaving him standing there, I turned around and walked back to Cooper, who had backed off enough to give me some privacy but never once let me out of his sight. Nevertheless, he had somehow managed to snare a clerk in the meantime. The young man had already unlocked the glass display case and was visibly fidgeting at the delay. Once I got closer, though, he took one good look at me and just about fell all over himself trying to help me. After looking over the choices and asking a few questions, I made my selections. The clerk gladly dug out the appropriate boxes and then pointed out some accessories. I grabbed a couple of extras and threw it all in the cart. I thanked the clerk, who gave me a bashful smile and said, "You're welcome, ma'am! Any time!"

As we walked toward the check-out lines at the front of the store, Cooper asked, "Old boyfriend, I take it?"

Of course, I knew he wasn't referring to the clerk. "Preston? Er... not really. He's just... an acquaintance."

Giving me a sharp look, he said, "Really. He certainly wasn't looking at you like just an acquaintance."

"Cooper! It's really none of your business!"

"Actually, it _is _my business," he responded calmly, "A big part of my job is to assess individuals who seek access to you and determine if they pose any threat."

"Come on. An old boyfriend isn't exactly a threat."

Quick as a flash, he fired back, "I thought you said he wasn't a boyfriend."

By then, we had reached the checkout line. Having recently been reminded of what snoops people could be, I told him, "This isn't the best place to discuss this."

Nothing more was said until the last package had been stowed in the trunk of the Trans Am. As the Were opened my door, he looked down at me and said, "Look... I'm not prying into your private life for fun. It doesn't matter to me _what_ you did or _who_ you did before you got married... unless they might be a threat to you now. The Boss called me just before dawn this morning and filled me in on a few things... like the jerk that's been calling you. He says it's someone you know. Sounds to me like a jilted lover might be a good possibility."

Automatically, I protested, "It's not Preston."

"How do you know? Eric said the guy always whispers, so you can't identify him by his voice."

"Well, for one thing, I never gave Preston my cell phone number."

Shaking his head, Cooper said, "There are any number of ways he could have gotten it. Look, Sookie... forgive me for being blunt, but there's something about that guy that's not quite right."

"What do you mean by that?"

"For one thing, he didn't smell right."

I grinned and wiggled my eyebrows. "That's funny, he smelled pretty darn good to me. The cologne he was wearing was yummy."

"I'm not talking about his cologne," he growled, "Sookie, how well do you know this guy, really?"

I could tell he wasn't going to let this go. "Look... I hardly know him at all, okay? The only thing I know is that he's from the Baton Rouge area. He told me what pack he belonged to, but I can't remember which one."

"So what's he doing in Bon Temps?"

"I never got around to asking him. He's probably here visiting friends or something."

"Does Eric know him?"

"NO! Er... no, they don't know each other, and if I'm lucky, they never will. Between you and me, I only had one... date with Preston. Eric and I were definitely _not_ together at the time, but..."

Cooper finished my sentence for me. "... but you figured if you told Eric about it, he would be furious anyway. Honestly, you're probably right. Vampires are so territorial, I bet the Boss automatically despises any male that even _thought_ about dating you, much less one that actually did."

"Yup, that's it in a nut shell. As much as I hate to upset him, I guess I'm going to have to tell him about it anyway. I'm done keeping secrets."

Cooper frowned. "Ordinarily, I'm all for honesty in a marriage, but... Eric's still not in the best mood. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I know... but waiting can be dangerous, too. I'll just have to play it by ear."

Before we could continue the conversation, my phone rang. I looked at the display and was happy to see that this time it was Amelia. "Hey! I was just about to call you! How are you feeling today?"

"Like crap, but that's not why I'm calling," she said hurriedly, "Listen, Sookie, I just heard something I thought you should know. Apparently there's a rumor going around town that you're..."

I cut in, "Pregnant. I know, I already heard about it from Tara."

"I guess someone must have seen you buying the test for me. Tray's been doing his best to get it straightened out, but on the off-chance someone mentions it to Eric first..."

"Too late. Some woman called Fangtasia last night and told him all about it."

She gasped, "Oh, shit! How did he take it? Not too badly, I guess, or I wouldn't be talking to you now."

"I am happy to report that the only casualty was a telephone. Still, he and Bill are worried that someone in Bon Temps is trying to get me hurt. Does Tray have any idea who started the rumor?"

"I don't think so, but I'll see if he can find out. So... you said _you_ were just about to call _me_. What's up?"

"We had a little incident in Shreveport last night, and I thought you might be able to help." I told her all about Bill's run-in with the gris-gris, ending with, "I could kick myself for not bringing it with me so you could see it."

Amelia said, "Oh, honey, this isn't a good day anyway. I'm too barfy to be any good to anybody. I'm laying in the middle of the bathroom floor with a cold rag on my head as we speak. Tray is so worried, he called Octavia in New Orleans. She's FedEx-ing me some stuff for the morning sickness, so hopefully I'll be back on my feet in a day or two. In the meantime, I'll give Octavia another call. I think she knows something about voodoo."

"That would be great. I hope you're feeling better soon."

"Me, too," she replied weakly, "This absolutely sucks. I... oh. Oh, dear. Gotta go."

The next thing I heard was a loud "crack" as the phone tumbled to the floor, followed by the unmistakable sounds of retching. Shaking my head in sympathy, I disconnected. Since I still had a few minutes before we reached the farmhouse, I used the time to call Chef Sinclair. I told him a little about what I had in mind for the party. To my delight, he "got it" immediately. Now that he knew what direction to go in, he promised to come up with a couple of menus for me to choose from. I remembered to caution him about using the proper cookware, and he was astute enough not to ask me any questions. Promising he would get back to me by the next day, he said his goodbyes and hung up.

Once we got to the house, I instructed Cooper to pull around to the back door. We rolled to a stop, I got out and looked around. In the afternoon sunlight, the old place looked shabbier than ever, reminding me that I was going to have to decide what to do with it soon. Out of habit, I started to reach into my purse for my keys, but then remembered that I had left them at Valhalla. Instead of walking all the way to the front porch to retrieve the hidden spare key, I saved time by popping into the kitchen and unlocked the back door from the inside.

Without me having to ask, Cooper helped me unload the groceries. Knowing I was short on time, I had chosen food that didn't need much preparation. After stashing the cold stuff in the refrigerator, I rustled up Gran's old wicker picnic basket and placed the non-perishable items inside. Turning to Cooper, I said, "My brother won't be here for a couple of hours. I'd like to get the stuff I want to take to Valhalla packed up before he gets here. There are some boxes on the back porch. Would you bring a few of them into the dining room for me?"

With a nod, he went to get them while I started rounding up everything I wanted to take with me. As I searched through various drawers and closets and cupboards, I stacked my choices on the dining room table. Eying the growing mound, Cooper said, "Wow. _How_ many people are coming to this party?"

"Only seven or maybe eight."

Incredulously, he asked, "You need all this stuff for eight people?"

"Well... I may not end up using everything, but at least it will be there if I need it. If I forget something, I won't have another chance to come get it before the party."

"Why not? Bon Temps isn't all that far from Valhalla."

I explained about my promise to Eric to stay close to him for the next few days. "Now that I know where everything is kept, I would be happy to fetch whatever you need," Cooper offered, "... but if you don't mind my asking, why not just move all of your things to Valhalla? You've got plenty of storage space there."

Setting one of the boxes on a chair, I started to pack everything up. Never one to stand around when there was work to be done, Cooper slipped out of his sports coat, rolled up his shirt sleeves and pitched in. While we worked, I tried to explain. "I don't know. Practically everything in this house was here long before I was ever born. This sounds crazy, but I almost feel like I'm just borrowing it and need to bring it back."

With a smile, Cooper said, "I think it's cool that you have all this family stuff. I'm a military brat, and so were both of my parents. We don't have a house that's been in the family a long time or any heirlooms, either."

"Maybe that's it," I said thoughtfully, "It seems like all this stuff belongs to my family, not just to me. I'm not going to have any kids of my own, but Jason is. I guess I feel like I need to leave most of this here for his children."

"Sookie, please don't take this the wrong way, but the mother of Jason's baby is from Hotshot. That means the child will be raised out there. Do you really think Crystal's going to teach the kid to appreciate fine linens and china?"

"Well... maybe not. But maybe _I_ will. I'm really looking forward to being an aunt. Besides, it's possible Jason will eventually remarry and have more children with someone who _isn't_ from Hotshot."

Cooper said bitterly, "Trust me, it isn't all that easy for a were-animal of any kind to find an all-human mate... at least, one that will stick around."

"Uh-oh. That sounds like the voice of experience talking."

"Unfortunately, it is. I was married to an all-human girl for several years. She knew what I was before we got married, but in the end she claimed she just couldn't stand the reality."

"She left you because you're a Werewolf?" I asked incredulously.

Without looking up from his work, he replied, "Yup, according to the "Dear John" letter she left me. She wrote that she just couldn't live with my 'savage nature' and all my 'nasty wolf habits' any longer. She needed to be with a 'real man' so that she could feel normal again."

"Cooper! How awful!"

"Let me tell you, it knocked me for a loop. Right up until the day she left, _I_ thought we were perfectly happy. She always seemed so understanding about the wolf thing, and encouraged me to go out hunting even when it wasn't a full moon... It wasn't until later I discovered the _real_ reason she wanted me out of the house. While I was out hunting bunnies, she was busy screwing the guy she eventually ran off with."

Sympathetically, I said, "I don't think her running off had anything to do with your being two-natured, Coop. She was just looking for a way to justify her own bad behavior."

"Yeah, all three of my sisters said the same thing. My mom was ready to go track her down and shred her, but my dad managed to calm her down. Good thing, too. My mother is pretty ferocious when she gets her fur up. "

"Obviously you have a big family who loves and supports you. Believe me, that's infinitely better than having an old family home filled with stuff."

"I _am_ lucky. My family is great. I wish I'd have listened to my parents when they warned me about marrying outside the species... but..." He paused, and then swallowed painfully. "... I really loved her."

"How long ago was this?" I asked quietly.

He sighed heavily before replying, "About eighteen months. The irony is, I resigned from my career in the military to make her happy. I was already a soldier when we got married... but then the war started. After a couple of years, she said she was sick of living alone while I was deployed. I felt bad about quitting, but my marriage was really important to me, so I did... and a few months later, she left. Then I had no wife _and_ no career."

"Wow. I never knew you were in the military."

"Yep, a little over ten years. Went in when I turned 19, got out when I was 29."

I did the math in my head. "So that makes you... 31? Funny, you don't look that old."

"Old! You're married to a guy who's over a thousand, and you're calling _me_ old?"

"Come on, you know what I mean!"After adding a few more items to my box, I said, " So you mentioned you were deployed. I guess that means you were sent overseas. What did you do there?"

"Oh... this and that," he said evasively.

"Don't want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

"Pretty bad?"

For a long time, the big Were stared down at the china platter in his hands. Finally, he said, "Yep."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "It was my job."

I was silent for a moment, thinking of all he must have been through, and how hard it must have been to readjust to coming home. Quietly, I said, "I imagine after all that, civilian life must seem sort of boring."

For the first time, Cooper lifted his head and looked directly at me. His eyes looked nearly as old as the Viking's, but a ghost of a smile flitted across his lips. "Not since I took this job."

Although his last words had been spoken lightly, I still felt just awful. Our conversation had made me realize how self-absorbed I had been these last few months. Cooper had been with me through some of the most significant events of my life, and yet I had never bothered to find out much about _his_ life until today. It just about killed me to know how much sadness and pain he kept buried under that calm exterior. Impulsively, I walked over to him and held out my hand, palm up. Even though he was clearly a little surprised by my gesture, he gently laid his over-sized hand in mine. In Sylvan, I said formally, "I am happy that you are with us, John Cooper. You are kind and brave and loyal, and there is no one I would rather have looking out for me. It hurts me to see the burden you carry in your heart, and I wish to lighten it if I can. Will you let me try?"

Obviously stunned by my unexpected offer, he stared at me for a moment before replying in English, "Ah... yes, ma'am."

"Good." Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and began to gather my energy. I started to stroke his forearm, but as soon as I touched him, I knew this was not going to be as easy as it had been with Claude. Clearly, Werewolves' energy paths were much different from Fairies. For this to work, I needed a more direct way in. Letting go of Cooper's hand, I rapidly unbuttoned his shirt. I placed one hand on the side of his face and the other on the center of his broad, muscular chest. After being with Eric for so long now, the heat coming from the big Were's skin and the strong heartbeat under my palm felt a little strange... but nice. On the surface, he appeared as unruffled as ever, but his big body was practically humming with tension. I murmured soothingly, "John... you need to relax. I promise, I won't hurt you."

Unable to speak, he just nodded. I tilted my head back and gazed up into his lovely golden-brown eyes. Completely mesmerized, he stared back. With a light sweeping motion, I began to stroke his chest. It took him a couple of minutes to begin to relax, but once he did, it was almost if he had opened a door and invited me inside. With very little effort, my energy slipped in and began to weave through his system. With Claude, being inside him had seemed... strangely familiar. Instinctively, I had known where to go and what to do, but maybe that was because he was both Fairy and my kin.

Merging myself with the Were was an entirely different experience. It was totally unfamiliar and a little scary, and yet very exciting. After a little exploration, I came across one large dark mass and then a series of smaller ones very close to his heart. I started on the largest one first, bathing it with layer upon layer of golden light, until it shrank to a fraction of its original size. I knew that I didn't have enough skill or knowledge to remove it entirely, so I moved on. I expected the smaller areas to be easier, but that was not always the case. Some of them turned out to be nearly impossible to dissolve, while others disappeared almost immediately. I was concentrating on one particularly stubborn spot when, totally without warning, I was snapped out of my Were's body and back into my own.

Completely disoriented, it took me a couple of seconds to pull myself together. Cooper's strong arms supported me as I sagged against his body. As I gradually came back to my senses, I began to realize what had caused the disruption. For once in his life, my brother Jason had shown up at least an hour early. He must have used his key to let himself in the front door. Cooper and I had been so wrapped up in what we were doing, both of us had been caught totally off guard.

As if from a distance, I heard my brother's voice exclaiming, "Sookie? What the _fuck _is goin' on here?"

My first instinct was to explain that in spite of what it might look like, I was _not_ cheating on my husband... but then it dawned on me that was the least of my worries. Resting my head against Cooper's bare chest, I whispered, "I'm glowing, aren't I?"

The awe in his voice plain, he replied, "Oh, yeah. Like a roman candle."

Well, fuck me.

When I agreed to have lunch with my brother, I knew he was bound to have plenty of questions about our Fae bloodline. I was prepared to give him just enough information to satisfy his curiosity without revealing too much about our relatives or the extent of my gifts... but Jason had just caught me in full-out Fairy-mode, golden aura and all. In other words, I hadn't just _let_ the cat out of the bag, I had swung it 'round and smacked my brother up side the head with it. Clearly, the vampire blood in my system was still making me reckless, impulsive, and apparently stupid as well. If I had the brains God gave a turnip, I would have waited until after my brother's visit to work on Cooper. Now I had no choice but to tell Jason a lot more of the truth than I had intended.

First things first, though. Looking up at my Were, I murmured, "I'm sorry. I didn't get to finish. "

With a look of total adoration, he answered, "Are you kidding? I feel better than I have in years. Are _you_ okay?"

"Yes. You can let me go now."

Somewhat reluctantly, Cooper let his arms fall to his sides. Slowly, I turned to face my brother, whose eyes were still wide with astonishment. "Hey, Jason. You're a little early."

"Sookie, what the _hell_?"

As calmly as I could, I said, "Obviously, we have a lot to talk about. Let's get the food and get going. Once we get set up, I'll tell you all about it, okay?"

"Uh... okay, I guess." Silently following me to the kitchen, Jason stood in the doorway and watched as I scurried around making my last-minute preparations. I knew he was about to bust with unanswered questions, but somehow he managed to contain himself.

Still, I could feel his eyes on me as I worked. Trying my best to focus on the task at hand, I shoved the last few items into the picnic hamper, then got the cold stuff out of the fridge and packed it in the small ice chest. Shutting the lid, I motioned my brother over and handed it to him. Last but not least, I dug my cell phone out of my new purse and slipped it in a pocket of my new lime-green capris. I called out, "Cooper? Can you come here, please?"

From the other room came a respectful, "Yes, ma'am."

"Ah, Sook... he's not coming with us, is he?" Jason complained, "Don't you think it would be better to have our conversation without a big nosy Werewolf hanging around?"

"Sorry, bro, but I promised Eric I'd keep a guard with me at all times."

"On our own land? What the hell's gonna happen to you all the way out here? Besides, I'm a were-animal, too.On the off-chance that something happens, I can take care of you myself."

From the doorway came a snort of disbelief. Jason whipped his head around, and the two men glared at each other. Before the growling could get started, I said sharply, "Cut it out, both of you! Jason, I'm sure you're perfectly capable of taking care of me, but that's not the point. I promised my husband I would keep Cooper with me, and that's exactly what I'm going to do." Pointing to the hamper and quilt, I said, "Will you please carry those, Cooper?"

Without waiting for an answer, I whirled around and marched out the back door . By the time I hit the path that led to our usual picnic spot, my brother caught up with me, but wisely he said nothing. It was an absolutely gorgeous afternoon, sunny and warm, with just enough breeze to keep the bugs at bay. Sunlight filtered down through the overhead branches, making lacy patterns on the ground in front of me. The last time Jason and I had been on our way to a picnic on this particular path, Gran had been with us. As if Jason was reading _my_ thoughts for a change, he said, "Remember the last time we went on a picnic? Gran made me tote that big-assed watermelon all the way to the clearing, and then it rained before we got a chance to eat it... and she made me tote the heavy sucker all the way back."

As suddenly as it had come, my irritation melted away, and I found myself smiling at the memory. "Gran always claimed the big watermelons were sweeter. Remember how long it took her to pick one? She wasn't satisfied 'til she thumped and rolled every one in the bin."

Jason snorted. "Hmpf. I never could figure out why she didn't just cut it up and put it in a bowl, instead of making me haul the whole damned thing through the woods."

"According to her, that took all the fun out of it."

As always, talking about our Gran made both of us relax. Trying to keep the conversation on family topics, I asked, "How's Crystal coming along? Isn't she way over-due by now?"

"Yeah, she is," he replied, "According to Dr. Ludwig, were-panthers take a little longer to gestate than humans... but even so, she says if Crystal doesn't go into labor in the next couple of days, she's going to have to induce labor."

"Oh, wow. Is Crystal worried?"

"Nah. I think she's so tired of being pregnant, she'd do anything to get the show on the road."

Somewhat reluctant to bring up a sore subject, I asked hesitantly "How are you two getting along?"

"Pretty good, lately. I want to be on her good side so I can be a part of the baby's life. She's trying to be nice to me so I'll give her money."

Jason and his wife had been living apart since that horrible day last fall, when Crystal had been caught in bed with another man by me and Calvin Norris. Even though I despised my sister-in-law, I felt compelled to ask, "Do you think there's any chance of you two getting back together?"

I fully expected the answer to be no. My brother wasn't the kind of man to easily forget his wife's unfaithfulness, much less forgive her for it, so I was totally shocked when he shrugged and said, "I don't know. I guess we'll have to see what happens once the baby is born. I'm still not a hundred percent certain it's mine, although Crystal swears on a stack of bibles it is."

"How are you ever going to know for sure? It's not like you can take a were-baby to one of those "Who's the Daddy?" clinics for DNA testing. Calvin would have a fit."

"Surely the Supernaturals have their own tests for this kinda thing. I was thinking you could ask Dr. Ludwig about it."

"Me? Why me? It's _your_ baby."

"I can't say two words to that woman without getting my head bitten off. I noticed she was pretty nice to you the other night. I guess maybe she's scared of that vampire of yours."

Ha! More like a certain Fairy Prince... but all I said was, "Well, Eric _is_ the Vampire King of this territory. Most Supernaturals respect that position."

"Yeah, I guess it's a bigger deal than I thought," he admitted reluctantly, "Even Calvin seems to go out of his way to keep on Eric's good side, and he usually don't kow-tow to nobody. According to him, that husband of yours is a serious bad-ass and not to be fucked with."

Huh. Obviously Jason had done a little investigating. Curious how the other Supernatural leaders in the area viewed Eric, I said, "Really. What else did Calvin say?"

"That if you look up the word _ruthless _in the dictionary, Eric's picture would be next to it."

"Ha. I never knew Calvin had such a dry sense of humor. In fact, I never knew he had _any_ sense of humor."

"Oh, I don't think he was tryin' to be funny. He also told me Eric never forgets and he never forgives. He goes after his enemies with everything he's got, and once he finally catches up with them, he shows no mercy. The best thing they can hope for is that he kills them outright."

Wincing, I said, "Wow. Calvin doesn't believe in sugar-coating things, does he?"

"No, he's pretty much a tell-it-like-it-is kinda guy. Is it true, Sookie? Eric never forgives anybody, no matter what?"

"Well... he's forgiven me for a couple of things... but honestly, he's not big on forgiveness as a general rule."

"So he really is a hard-ass."

"Look, I know it sounds awful by human standards, but that's what it takes to be a vampire king. In fact, you could use those same words to describe _all_ Supernatural rulers to some degree, including Calvin himself. They _have_ to be tough to keep everyone in line. That doesn't mean they don't have good qualities, too. Didn't Calvin have anything _good_ to say about Eric?"

Jason shrugged. "Well... he said that Eric's pretty smart for a vampire... and now that he's king, he's bound to be pretty rich. After seeing that enormous house of yours, I'd say that much is true."

That made it sound like Eric had 'inherited' his wealth along with the title. "For your information, Eric gave me that house _before_ he became king," I said proudly, "Robert says the Viking's always had a knack for making money."

"Who the heck is Robert?"

The Knight was such a huge part of our lives now that it didn't seem possible that Jason didn't even know who he was. "Robert is our bro... er, he's Eric's best friend. Didn't you meet him at the house the other night? He came in not long after you did."

"Snotty vampire in an expensive suit? Foreign accent?"

"Robert is not snotty at all! He's very courteous to everyone. Even our housekeeper loves him."

Huffily, Jason said, "Well, he never said two words to me. I guess he thought I wasn't important enough to take the time to introduce himself to me."

"Or maybe he was focused on other stuff, like trying to save my life," I said tartly, "Whether you know it or not, nearly half of the blood I got came from him. Do you have any idea how amazing that is? It's very rare for a vampire to willingly share his blood for any reason, especially one as old as Robert. If he hadn't, I might not be alive right now."

"Good grief, Sookie!' he exclaimed, "Don't get your panties in such a twist! You'd think I had offered to stake the guy. I just think he should have talked to me, is all."

By that time, we had nearly reached our destination. Our traditional spot was in the same clearing as the entrance to the Portal, but since this particular "doorway" wasn't used much anymore, I wasn't too worried about inadvertently running into any Fairies. I stepped boldly into the clearing... and just about got the shock of my life. At the precise place where the two worlds met, the air was quivering like it did just before or after someone passed through it. Holy crap! Instantly, I stepped in front of my brother and said, "Jason, I'm sick of this spot. Let's try somewhere else for a change."

"I can't believe you just said that! Our family has _always_ used this spot. I like it here."

Before I could stop him, he pushed past me and headed straight towards the doorway into the other world... and then walked through it with absolutely no reaction whatsoever. A couple of yards on the other side, he stopped and stamped around in a circle. "This spot looks good," he declared, "No ants or rocks or nothin'."

Slowly, I let out the breath I was holding. "Ah... okay."

Clearly, my brother didn't have enough Fae in him to either see or feel the still-vibrating membrane. I was interested to see if the Werewolf could detect it. To give Jason and me a chance to talk, he had deliberately lagged behind a few paces. As soon as he stepped up beside me, I said, "Coop, would you put the hamper over by Jason?"

"Sure." He walked toward my brother without slowing, but as he passed through the disturbance in the air, his shoulders twitched. Once he set the hamper and quilt on the ground, he quickly brushed a hand over his face as if wiping away an invisible spider web. It was clear the Were had felt the strong current of magic. His head swiveled around and his eyes locked on mine. Although he had the sense not to say anything, he quizzically raised one eyebrow. I could only imagine how surprised he would be if I told him that he was only a few feet from the entrance to the mystical Fairy Realm! While Jason was busy spreading out the quilt, I gave my baffled bodyguard a mysterious smile and a wink. In response, he just shook his head and grinned.

I wondered why it was a Were-wolf could sense the energy, but a were-panther couldn't. Briefly closing my eyes, I realized that even from where I was standing, I could feel the subtle energy pulsing all around me. Quite suddenly, I found myself longing to be back in the Portal. During my short time in that lovely, peaceful, soothing land, I had gotten attached to my great-grandfather, and I truly missed seeing him every day. For a moment, I thought about coming up with some excuse to ditch my brother and going for a short visit. Given his family's connection to the Brigants, I could probably even take Cooper with me. He might be stuck in his wolf form while we were there, but I bet he wouldn't mind a bit.

Given the difference in time between the two worlds, I figured I could check on Faeryn, serve Niall his afternoon tea, get Claudine to teach me how to tone down the glow-thing, and still be back by sunset... but then I remembered my promise to Eric. I had made a solemn promise to the Viking that I wouldn't go back to the Portal until he was comfortable with the idea. Sighing, I reminded myself that it would only be a few more days until I could see my family and friends again.

With an effort, I shrugged off the unexpected feeling of homesickness. Giving the entrance a wide berth, I strolled around to the quilt and sat down. Opening the basket and the cooler, I pulled out plates and utensils and then set out the food. I had brought enough for an army: two rotisserie chickens, potato salad, marinated green beans, fat green olives stuffed with jalapenos, two kinds of cheese, and a fresh loaf of crusty french bread. There was even a large container of Jason's favorite dessert, banana pudding.

Looking down at the feast, Cooper said politely, "If there's nothing else I can do, I'll think I'll check out the woods around here. You can call me if you need anything."

"Not until you've had something to eat," I said firmly.

The big Were eyed the food hungrily but shook his head. "You already fed me once today. I'll catch a bite after sunset."

"Don't be silly. You're a growing boy. If you're going to chase around after me, you need to keep up your strength," I handed him up a heaping plate, a fork, and a napkin.

"Wow, this looks great," he said appreciatively, "There's a good place for me to sit under those trees over there. It should give you two a little privacy."

"Okay, Coop. Thanks."

He took his plate and retreated to the far edge of the clearing. Turning to Jason, I handed him his plate and said, "Okay, now we can talk all we want. Let's start by seeing if you can keep from pissing me off for five minutes."

"Aw, sis, I ain't tryin' to piss you off. You never used to be this touchy."

With a sigh, I said, "All right. I admit I'm a bit more temperamental than usual. It's one of the side effects of the transfusion."

"So what about this glow thing you have going on? Is that a side effect of the vamp blood, too?"

"Um. Only indirectly."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I bet this has to do with the Fairy in our blood, don't it?" he guessed shrewdly.

Reluctantly, I nodded. Jason continued, "You know what I think? I think you was tryin' to blow smoke up my skirt the other night. You acted like the Fairy magic you got wasn't much of nothin'. I don't know what you were doing with the Werewolf when I came in a while ago, but that golden-halo-thingy you was throwin' off looked like some pretty serious magic to me."

I honestly didn't know what to say to that. To give myself some time to form a reply, I took a bite of chicken and nearly groaned with pleasure. Between the shopping and the packing and the hike through the woods, I was absolutely famished. Glancing over, I was astonished to see that my normally ravenous brother was only picking at his food. Swallowing, I asked, "Aren't you hungry?"

"Not really. I've been off my feed the last few days. No changing the subject, sis. Why did you lie to me?"

"First of all, I didn't lie. I told you the main thing I can do with my magic is help people feel better, and it is. That's what I was doing for Cooper when you came in. Sometimes when I do it, it produces that aura you saw. My skin glows a little bit afterward, but it usually doesn't last very long. It's already starting to disappear, see?"

With a little smirk, Jason said, "So you think you can make people feel better, huh? Care to give me a little demonstration?"

"Jason, there's nothing wrong with you. I can't fix it if it isn't broken."

Something dark flashed in my brother's eyes. "Little sister, there isn't a person alive that doesn't have _something_ that eats at 'em."

I guessed that was true enough. Still, I hesitated. "Here's the thing. You've always _hated_ me getting into your head. If I do any serious healing on you, it'll be even worse. I'll know all kinds of things about you...things you might not want your sister to know."

Looking a bit startled, he said, "Oh. I guess that _might_ be uncomfortable for both of us. For example, I bet you'd be shocked to find out who all I've slept with around town."

"Ha! I think I'd be more shocked to find there was someone in town you _hadn't_ slept with!"

"Very funny. Still, I get your point. I guess I'd better pass."

Thinking quickly, I said, "There is something else I can do, though. It doesn't really fix anything... but it'll make you feel good for a while, and it's not invasive at all."

"All right, that sounds good. What do I do?"

"Just give me your hand and close your eyes."

Setting his plate on the blanket, he leaned forward and laid his hand in mine. I stroked his forearm with my free hand, sending a current of "happy magic" through his system. Since I didn't want to wear myself out needlessly, I was careful to only give him a small dose. As soon as I felt his body begin to relax, I stopped. Instead of opening his eyes right away, he plopped over on the quilt and rolled on his back, his arms outstretched and a blissful smile on his face. After a couple of minutes, he began to laugh. "Oh, man! What a rush! If you could bottle this, you'd be a gazillionaire."

I wasn't about to tell him that thanks to Eric, I already was. Instead, I just grinned. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Opening his eyes, he rolled his head towards me. "Cool? That doesn't begin to describe it. It's... it's... magical!" That started him laughing again. When he finally managed to get himself under control, he said, "Seriously, sis... that is some great freakin' magic! I understand why you wouldn't want to tell most people about it, but I'm your brother. Why did you think you had to hide it from me?"

Sighing, I replied, "Honestly, I thought it might... upset you."

"Why would you think that? I think it's _awesome_ that my baby sister can do something this cool." About that time, his eyes shifted to his uneaten plate of food. "You know, that looks pretty good, after all. I think I'll have a few bites."

Sitting up, he grabbed his plate and dug in. By the way he was shoveling down the food, it was clear that my magic was also good for the appetite. Nothing more was said until he had devoured nearly every scrap, including the entire container of banana pudding. With a satisfied sigh, he lay back on the quilt and stared up at the sky. "That was really good grub, sis. I haven't eaten like that in weeks. Thanks."

"You're very welcome."

Rolling on his side, he propped his head on his hand. Still smiling, he asked, "So how did all this get started? You haven't always been able to do it, or I would have known. What happened?"

Now it was my turn to smile. "Eric happened."

"Eric? What does _he_ have to do with this?"

"In my opinion, everything. You see, it's extremely rare for humans with as little Fairy blood as we have to get any magic at all.. but every so often, someone lucks out and gets some anyway... like me."

"Okay. It sounds like you inherited one of them reclusive genes. Eric didn't have nothin' to do with that."

Suppressing a smile, I said, "I think you mean "recessive gene"... but let me finish. Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn't have started to develop my gifts until I was thirty, and even then they might not have amounted to much... but several months ago, a really bad vampire tried to enslave me by forming a blood tie with me. Eric saved me by stepping in and doing it himself."

Instead of asking me to explain blood ties, Jason's first response was an incredulous, "There's a vampire worse than Eric?"

That earned him a withering look. "Look, do you want to hear this or not?"

"I'm all ears."

"Okay then. As I was saying... even though I didn't realize it at the time, I'm absolutely certain that creating a magical tie with a vampire as old and powerful as Eric is what awakened my gifts and ultimately made them stronger."

"I think I get it now. You didn't mind being enslaved by Eric as long as you got magic out of the deal."

"Jason! Eric did _not_ enslave me!"

"Sure he did," he said calmly, "Blood bonds are made so the vampire can control the human."

Shocked, I asked, "You already know about blood bonds? How? Did Calvin tell you about that, too?"

"When you told me you was marryin' a vampire, I figured I better learn more about 'em. You can find out all kinds of stuff if you ask around."

"Well, here's something I bet you don't know, Mr. Smarty-Pants... Eric never once tried to take advantage of that bond."

Jason reached over and took my hand again. Looking into my eyes, he said gently, "Sook, please don't get mad again... but are you _sure_ about that? Maybe Eric used his vamp powers to make you fall in love with him."

I wanted to get mad, but I couldn't. Up until recently, I had wondered the same thing myself... but now I knew differently. Shaking my head, I replied firmly, "I'm _positive_ that's not what happened. The truth is, I fell in love with him when he was hiding out at my house that time, but then... well, let's just say it just took us a long time to come to an understanding. I love Eric of my own free will, and he loves me right back. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Everybody says that vampires aren't capable of love. Since we're being honest with each other, I'll admit that I truly believed that Eric only tricked you into believing he loved you. but then..." Shaking his head, he trailed off without finishing.

"...and then?" I prompted.

"Then you got sick," he said slowly, "That night at Valhalla, I saw how he was with you. He treated you like you were made of spun glass. The very idea that you might die was tearing him to pieces. That wasn't an act. That vampire really _does_ love you."

For my brother, this was a huge step forward in his thinking. I said softly, "Yeah, he does. I tried to tell you before, most of what you think you know about vampires is probably wrong."

"Maybe so. I'm beginning to think I've been wrong about a lot of stuff." He was silent for a long moment, staring off into space. Finally, he said, "You said you're convinced this blood tie you made with Eric is responsible for kick-starting your magic and making it stronger. So what happens if the bond gets broken? Will your magic go away?"

I shrugged. "Fortunately, I'll never have to find out. Our Bond is unbreakable."

"What do you mean, unbreakable?" he asked with a frown, "That's not what I heard."

"It might be possible to dissolve ordinary blood ties, but Second Bonds are different."

"A _second_ bond? What the heck is that?"

"Ha! I thought you knew everything! A Second Bond is basically the vampire equivalent of marriage, but even more binding."

Scowling, my brother said, "Nobody ever said nothin' to me about a Second Bond."

"Well, they're pretty rare... so rare that most vampires aren't all that clear on how they work. The connection is very mystical and way, way more intense than our first bond was. As corny as it sounds, our souls are literally entwined now. In fact, I can't be away from my Bonded for very long without getting really sick."

"No shit? You get sick if you're not with him?"

I nodded. "Yep. Not long ago, I went to New York for a few days without him, and I got so sick I nearly died before we figured out what was wrong. That's why Eric insisted on spending the night at Bill's last night, so I could spend the day in Bon Temps without me being uncomfortable."

"Oh, man!" Jason exclaimed, "If you can't even be away from him for a short time, what happens if he dies? Er, I mean _finally_ dies."

The very idea of being without my Bonded sent a cold chill up my spine. With a shiver, I replied truthfully, "There's no way I could survive Eric's true death, or he mine. If one of us dies, we both die."

Open-mouthed, Jason gaped at me. There was no doubt that my answer had shocked him to his core. Eventually, he found his voice. "I had _no_ idea. Now I see why Eric wants you to have a guard all the time... but I gotta say, I'm not too fond of that one." He jerked his chin in Cooper's direction. "Are you sure he's up to snuff?"

Although I hadn't been able to complete my "healing," I had been inside the Were long enough to know all kinds of things about him. I said, "Trust me. That man is _more_ than capable of looking after me. He's about as highly trained as it's possible to get, plus he's extremely loyal to me."

"Okay, maybe you're covered, but what about Eric? I've noticed he don't always have guards."

"Jason, are you feeling all right? Maybe I over-did the happy magic a little. For a minute there, you actually sounded concerned about Eric's safety."

"Now that I know what's _really_ going on, you bet I am!" he said forcefully, "I know I haven't always acted like it, but I love you, sis. Practically everybody I ever loved has been taken away from me way too soon. If anything happens to you, I don't know what I'd do."

There was no doubt at all he was being totally sincere. "That's real sweet, Jason, but you don't have to sound so worried. Nothing's going to happen to me, or Eric either. You don't get to be a thousand years old without having some amazing survival skills."

"Even so, all vampires are vulnerable during the daytime. I know Eric's houses have high-dollar security systems, but what about Bill's?

"Relax. We didn't decide to stay at Bill's until the last minute. No one knows we're here."

"You don't know that," he insisted, "You were just in town. What if someone followed you back here?"

"Cooper would have noticed. Besides, I would _never_ go off and leave Eric unprotected during the daytime. There are armed guards roaming the grounds."

"Oh. Well, then, I guess there's nothing to worry about."

"Of course there isn't." Right up until that moment, I was confident that was true, but my brother's unexpected concern had infected me with a vague sense of uneasiness. I reached out through the Bond to see if anything was wrong, and was comforted to find the ordinary hum of Eric in his resting state. While I was at it, I decided to check in on Bill, too. Since our bond was not nearly as strong, I had to really concentrate... but just as I was "connecting" with him, Jason caused me to lose my focus. "Hey! Earth to Sookie!" he said sharply.

"Huh?...What?"

"Where did you drift off to? For a minute there, it was like the lights were on, but nobody was home."

"Ah... just checking on Eric."

Puzzled, Jason asked, "What do you mean, checkin' on him? You can tell how he is from here?"

Sometimes my brother could be as thick as two bricks sewn together. "Well, duh! Didn't I just explain that we have a deep connection?"

"But ain't he... uh, _dead_ right now?"

"I admit, it's a little harder when he's resting or if he's too far away, but most of the time I can tell how he's feeling and vice-versa."

Eyes wide, he said, "Wow. That _is_ intense. But ain't it a little... invasive? You've always been so independent, how do you stand it?"

"It took a little getting used to, but now I love it."

Suddenly, my cell phone began to ring. Digging it out, I glanced at the display, only to find that once again, it was an unknown caller. Hell's Bells! That made the third time in one day! Thoroughly irritated, I shoved the phone back in my pocket.

"Ain't you gonna answer it?" asked Jason curiously.

"No. I've got some whack-job calling me. It's probably him."

"Oh? How long has this been going on?"

"A few days. At first I thought it was just random, but last night he called me at Fangtasia, so that means it's someone who knows us."

"Really. Do you have any idea who it might be?"

"Nope. He always whispers so I can't recognize his voice." Unable to stop myself, I shivered again. "Jason, I think whoever it is might really be crazy."

I was half-way expecting him to make light of the whole thing. Instead, he frowned and said, "Maybe you should double up on your guards for a while."

After enough rings, my phone switched the unanswered call to voice-mail. Coincidentally, almost the minute mine stopped ringing, Jason's phone started to chirp. As he fumbled to get it out of his pocket, he muttered, "I swear I liked it better before cell phones. Back then, a person could enjoy a quiet picnic in the woods without somebody callin' every five seconds." Putting the phone to his ear, he growled, "Stackhouse here... Oh. Hi." By the way his body stiffened, I gathered he wasn't exactly thrilled by this call. "Uh, can you hold on a sec?" Glancing at me, he mouthed, "Sorry. I gotta take this."

Obviously wanting a little privacy, he scrambled to his feet and moved to the far side of the clearing. While he paced around and talked, I made use of the time by packing away the remnants of our lunch. Even though I really wasn't trying to eavesdrop, thanks to the vampire blood in my system, I could hear most of his side of the conversation anyway. He said, "...I _told_ you I had some personal errands to run today... No, I haven't. Why?... Oh, man. You specifically said you weren't going to do that."

Jason came to a sudden stop, his body tight as a piano string. The answer to his last question seemed to make him pretty agitated. I was tempted to take a little peek in his head and see if I could tell what was bugging him, but I managed to rein myself in. It was just plain wrong to spy on a family member, and besides, were-panther thought patterns are particularly hard to decipher. It didn't seem worth the trouble when I could merely ask him. After a moment, Jason lowered his voice a notch and said, "I don't think that's such a great idea. In fact, maybe we need to re-think this whole thing... Look. I think we should talk this over face to face. We can meet at my place later."

Oh, boy. I'd heard him use that same line plenty of times. Obviously my brother was having woman troubles... again. Now I was glad I hadn't used the energy to try to listen in on his thoughts. After a few more words, he hung up. As he walked back to the quilt, I could tell the little dose of magic I had given him had already worn off. Once again, his face had that hard, closed-off look.

"Girlfriend problems?" I guessed.

"No, business," he replied tersely.

"Oh. Everything okay? You look kind of upset."

"Yeah, I just heard something that pisses me off royally, but I'm pretty sure there's not a damned thing I can do about it."

"I'm sorry. You want to tell me about it?"

"Let's just say I'm finding out that the guy that got me this job wasn't exactly truthful about a lot of stuff," he said bitterly, "Now I think I made a big mistake when I took it. You have no idea how much I wish I was back working on the road crew."

"If this job doesn't suit you, you can always quit."

"Believe me, I'd like to... but it's not as easy as it sounds." Almost as if to himself, he added, "I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place."

I felt sorry for him. I knew better than anybody that well-paying jobs weren't thick on the ground around these parts. With all the added expenses of a baby just around the corner, no wonder my brother was reluctant to quit, even if he hated what he was doing. I said slowly, "You know, Eric owns a lot of different businesses. Maybe I could ask him..."

With a snort, Jason said, "Yeah, right. Eric hates me. He thinks I'm dumber than dirt and he don't trust me as far as he can throw me. Do you _really_ think he's going to give me a job?"

"He might, if I ask him to."

"If you beg him, you mean. Thanks for offering, sis, but I'm not going to accept charity, even from you."

"So... what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I'll think of something. In the meantime, let's talk about something else."

Reaching into the basket, I pulled out a small cardboard box that had seen better days. With a smile, I said, "How about a game of dominoes?"

Our family had always been big on games and played them on every possible occasion. Since dominoes were easily portable and wouldn't blow away if it got windy, they had always been the game of choice for picnics. Jason readily agreed, so we spent the next thirty minutes playing. My brother was on a lucky streak and beat me soundly. When he reached 250 points, he exclaimed, "Hoo baby, I'm hot today! Too bad we wasn't playing for money. Do you want to start another game?"

"As much as I'd like to, I still need to finish packing up some stuff at the house. I guess I'd better get going."

To my surprise, he said, "Okay. How 'bout I help?"

Not about to turn down such an unexpected offer, I said, "Thanks. That would be great!" Getting to my feet, I motioned to Cooper. Between the three of us, everything was packed up and ready to go in no time. On the hike back to the house, Cooper once again fell far enough behind us to give us privacy, but he needn't have bothered. Jason hardly said two words the whole way. I had the feeling he was thinking about his job again, so I just stayed quiet and enjoyed the walk through the woods.

We were about three-quarters of the way back to the house when the silence was broken by the ringing of his phone. Swearing softly, he pulled it out. I noticed that this time he, too, looked at the display before answering. "Crystal? What's up?... _What!_ You are?" He stopped dead in his tracks, the color draining from his face. "How long ago?... How come it took you so long to call me?... No, I'm at Gran's. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Shutting the phone, he absently put it back in his pocket. For a moment, he stood utterly still, an expression of pure terror on his now-pasty face. I cried, "Tell me what's going on! Crystal's about to have her baby, isn't she?"

He nodded numbly. Gleefully, I clapped my hands together and whooped, "All _right_! How's she doing? How far along is she? Is Dr. Ludwig there yet?" It was traditional for all Hot Shot babies to be born at home, but Calvin had agreed to allow Dr. Ludwig to preside over the birth because of Crystal's past problems.

As if in a fog, my brother stuttered, "...Uh... uh... what did you say?"

Whacking him on the arm, I cried, "Jason! Snap out of it! You're gonna be a daddy! Let's get moving!"

Grabbing him by the arm, I started pulling him towards the house. It wasn't until we were several yards further down the path that he seemed to come to his senses. "Oh, shit! I'm gonna be a daddy!" he shouted, "Come on, Sookie!" With that, he broke into a dead run. My brother had always been fast as lightning, and normally I wouldn't have been able to keep up... but I was full of ancient vampire blood. I picked up the pace and stayed right behind him. Once we reached the house, he dumped the cooler near the back porch. Cooper was not far behind us, so I yelled, "We're headed for Hotshot. I'll ride with Jason. Follow us in your car."

"What about all your stuff?"

"Forget it! We'll get it later."

Grabbing my hand, Jason said, "Come on! We've got to go!" He pulled me down the driveway, only letting go when we got to his truck. Running to opposite sides, we jerked the doors open and jumped in. I barely got my door shut before he fired up the engine, jerked the truck into gear and stomped on the gas. The wheels spun furiously, spraying gravel in all directions. By the time we hit the end of the drive we were already going so fast that we fish-tailed as we turned on to the main road.

Jason jerked the wheel to compensate. As the car swerved, something solid slid out from under my seat and hit my ankles. Reaching down, I picked up the object. Made from narrow metal pipe, wire, and duct-tape, it looked like a home-made version of a small cross-bow. "What's this?" I asked curiously.

Jason glanced over to see what I was talking about. He only took eyes off the road for a split-second, but it was just long enough to cause him to swerve on to the shoulder. I yelled and grabbed the dashboard as he fought to keep us from going in the ditch. Once he got the truck under control, he said, "Sorry about that. I guess I'm just a little nervous. Just throw that thing in the back seat."

"What is it?"

"Uh... just something I made to shoot varmints with."

"Huh. Does it work?"

"Yeah, it does," he said grimly, "Just put it down, okay?"

"Okay," As I reached over the seat and dropped it on the floorboard, I looked out the back window. I was glad to see that Cooper's white Trans Am was only a couple of car lengths behind us. I figured I was in for a lecture about putting myself at risk by riding with my brother. To Jason, I said, "Listen, I know you're anxious to get there, but maybe you'd better take it easy. You don't want your baby to be an orphan before it's even born."

"If you'd keep from distracting me, we'd be just fine." Grasping the steering wheel tightly, he shoved the accelerator even further towards the floor. At that point, I shut up and hung on for dear life. Hotshot was only about ten miles from Bon Temps, and with any luck, we'd make it that far in one piece. However, it turned out that my brother's erratic driving wasn't my only problem. We weren't quite half-way there when I realized I was starting to miss my vampire something awful. Oh, no! The Bond! I began to curse myself up, down, and sideways. What was I thinking! I should have _known_ Hotshot was too far! Quickly, I said, "Jason, pull over. I can't go with you."

"What? Why not?"

"I need to go back. I promised Eric I wouldn't go this far today."

"That's bullshit!" he practically yelled, "My baby is about to be born! You're my only family. I can't get through this without you!"

"Jason, I love you and I _want_ to be there for you, but I _promised_! Now pull over."

"No! Eric's not even awake! You're coming with me!"

I could tell by the stubborn set of his jaw that his mind was made up. There was no way I was going persuade him to let me out... but that wasn't about to stop me from keeping my promise to my Bonded. As calmly as I could, I said, "Jason, I never did get around to telling you about some of the other Fairy magic I can do. I guess I'm just going to have to show you. "

"Sookie, what the hell are you talking about? Do you think this is really the time for this?"

"Unless you're going to pull over, this is the perfect time. I don't want it to startle you into having a wreck, though, so hold on tight to the wheel and don't take your eyes off the road. I'm going back to Eric. I'll see you in Hotshot right after dark. Call me if anything happens before then, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, I popped myself out of the truck and into Cooper's Trans Am. It was a little scary because I had never attempted to transport myself into a moving target before... but it worked just fine. My ever-calm Were barely even flinched when I appeared in the seat beside him. All he said was, "Too far for the Bond?"

A little breathless, I said, "Yep."

"I thought it might be. Still, given the circumstances, I bet Eric would understand if you wanted to go."

"He probably would, but that's not the point. I made a solemn vow not to stretch our Bond anymore, and I meant it. As much as I love my brother, my husband's mental health is more important. Take me back to Eric."

"Okay, then. Back to Eric we go." Without any more conversation, my bodyguard deftly turned the car around and headed back to Bon Temps.


	50. Chapter 50

_Author's Notes: First, let me apologize for the length of time between updates. Over the last few months, I've been going through a bit of a rough patch in real life. I want to thank all of you that sent me private messages checking on me. Knowing that people are still interested in my story even after months of waiting is a real morale boost. In fact, those messages were just about all that has kept me even semi-sane through all of this. The good news is that sunny days and calm seas are on the horizon, and I'm looking forward to smoother sailing in the near future. When that happy day arrives, I'm going to do nothing but write and write and write for weeks!_

_****I also want to mention that it has been a very long time since I have read the real books. A lot of the details have slipped from my memory, but I'm truly afraid if I go back to check, this story will never get finished. Consequently, please forgive any conflicts with canon. (For example, one reader reminded me that Fang 1 was the license plate on the bad nest's car in Book 1.) I can't remember if Jason has ever met Claudine (at least as of the end of book 8, when PSSOM begins). I also can't remember what Calvin Norris' "title" is. Panthers don't travel in packs, but for lack of a better term I called him a packmaster anywy._

_Recap of chapter 49: Since Sookie has things to do in Bon Temps the next day, she and Eric accepted Bill's invitation to stay at his house. She gets up early and has Cooper drive her into town for some shopping. She stops at Tara's Togs where she catches up on the latest local gossip, as well as buying some new clothes. She then goes to Wal-Mart to buy picnic supplies. While looking for an iPod for Eric, she "accidentally" runs in to an old acquaintance: her one-time lover, Preston Perdue (whom she still doesn't realize is really Rhys the Fairy.) Cooper also meets him and knows there is something not quite right about him, but he isn't sure what._

_Once back at the farmhouse, Cooper helps Sookie pack the things she wants to take to Valhalla for her dinner party. He reveals some painful things about his past. Jason arrives early and finds her "healing" Cooper. They go on a picnic, during which she finally admits to her brother that she does have some magic of her own. She even gives him a small demonstration. Jason is alarmed to discover that if Eric is sent to his final death, Sookie will probably die, too. They are on their way back to the house when he receives a call from his estranged wife Crystal, who informs him she is in labor. He and Sookie run to his truck and speed off towards Hotshot, but Sookie soon realizes it's too far. To keep from stretching the Bond, she "pops" out of the truck and into Cooper's car. The chapter ends with them heading back to Bon Temps._

**Eric's POV: Compton House, Bon Temps **

The instant I awaken, I immediately know three things: one, that the sun has released me earlier than usual; two, that I feel more like myself than I have in weeks; and three, that my Bonded is actually here in the room with me for a change. Opening my eyes, I roll my head in her direction. Dressed in a very elegant summer outfit and a bejeweled pair of sandals, Sookie appears to be doing her level best to wear a track in Bill's oriental carpet.

As she paces back and forth, excitement and anxiety flood through our Bond in equal proportions. The instant she realizes I am awake, she whirls around to face me. Although by all rights I should still be dead to the world, she cries, "It's about time! I thought you'd _never_ wake up!" Running to the bed, she grabs my hand and tugs with all her might... which has the same result as if a gnat were pulling at me. "Come on, get up!"

"Sookie, what is wrong? Is the house on fire?"

"No! Nothing's wrong! We just need to get going!"

"Going _where_? Dear One, you need to slow down and tell me what is happening."

Taking a deep breath, she explains, "We need to get to Hotshot right away. Jason's baby is about to be born! I'm going to be an Aunt!"

"Why Hotshot?" I ask curiously, "Is it not customary for children to be born in hospitals these days? I believe the closest one to Hotshot is in Grainger."

"Crystal hates hospitals. Besides, apparently it's tradition for were-panthers to be born at home. Normally Calvin Norris' aunt acts as midwife, but because Crystal has had so many problems, Dr. Ludwig is going to be there, too. Now will you _please_ get up!

The very _last_ thing I want to do is pay a visit to Hotshot and its ill-bred population of flea-bitten were-panthers, but I know my wife well enough to realize there is no way around it. However, there is no point in getting in a hurry. Fluffing a couple of pillows, I prop myself comfortably against Bill's heavy oak headboard. "Sookie. Settle down. Even if I was ready to go this instant, you know I cannot leave the house until sundown. If you are so anxious to go, have Cooper and one of the other guards take you. I will follow you at first dark."

"I can't. Hotshot is too far. It will stretch our Bond."

"Is that why you haven't gone already?"

She nods. "Jason and I were over at Gran's when he got the call. I tried to go with him, but it was too far. Cooper had to bring me back."

I know how much she has looked forward to the birth of this baby. The fact that she kept her promise to me instead of dashing off to Hotshot is extremely satisfying. With the sexiest smile I can muster, I demand, "Come kiss me, Sookie."

Crossing her arms, she says firmly, "Nuh uh. If I do, one thing will lead to another and I won't get to Hotshot for hours."

Lowering my voice an octave, I offer, "What if I promise to be good?"

"That's only half of the problem. Remember last night? Obviously I have no self-restraint when it comes to you."

Grinning broadly now, I reply, "As it should be. However, I will be strong for both of us. No matter how much you beg, I will not allow you to ravish me."

"Ha! I bet this is the first time in history a vampire has ever said that! All right, I guess one kiss won't hurt."

She comes to the bed and leans over just far enough to give me a chaste kiss. In a thoughtful voice, I say, "Mm. Very nice, but if I am to make do with only kisses, you are going to have to do better than that." Dragging her on to my lap, I give her a serious, no-holds-barred kiss. At first, she tries to hold back, but soon she relaxes into my arms and gets into the spirit of the moment. When my lips finally release hers, she gasps, "Wow. Is this your idea of _not_ getting me stirred up?"

"Think of it as an appetizer for later in the evening." Dipping my head, I begin to snuffle her neck. Her sweet scent invades my senses, making me slightly giddy. Ever so lightly, I graze my fangs across the delicate skin, causing my reluctant lover to giggle and shiver in delight. Nibbling on her ear, I whisper, "Speaking of appetizers... I am hungry, my love. May I?"

"Of course, baby."

She willingly cocks her head to one side, providing me easier access. Instead of diving right in, I tease her by licking and nibbling a bit more, until she is breathless with anticipation. Once my fangs finally penetrate her skin, we both moan with pleasure. Sookie lays quietly in my arms as I feed, her love for me surging through our Bond. As her incomparable blood pours into my mouth, the erection I developed the moment I took her in my arms begins to throb unmercifully. My body is screaming for me to make love to my Fairy, NOW! The longer we are together, the harder it is for me to control this reaction. It is not just the Fae content of my beloved's blood, or her fantastic scent, or even the feel of her perfectly-formed body pressed against mine that causes it, but rather the deep sense of intimacy the act of feeding provides. My woman absolutely revels in providing me with what I need to thrive, and for reasons I do not fully understand myself, I find her deep satisfaction to be a huge turn-on.

I know my little Fairy-wife worries that I will someday grow weary of drinking only from her, but that is an impossibility. I am hopelessly, outrageously addicted to the taste of her, and every drop of her blood that I consume only serves to bind us closer together. I will never, ever be able to get enough of her. As I greedily swallow each marvelous mouthful of the life-giving elixir, my love and desire for her flows through the bond, instantly igniting my lover's passion. Just a sip or two more will send her tumbling over that golden edge, which will in turn trigger my own release... but I stop short before either of us reaches completion. Retracting my fangs, I seal the punctures with a swirl of my tongue. Sookie says raggedly, "Hey! Why did you stop?"

"You know I always keep my promises to you."

"Eric Northman, you are _deliberately_ leaving me all hot and bothered! You are one bad, bad vampire."

"Oh?" I reply innocently, "I thought I was being good." Giving my now frustrated little lover one last kiss, I lift her off my lap and set her to one side. I pull back the sheet and get out of bed, moving slowly enough to make certain she gets a good look. Her gaze travels greedily down my body, coming to rest on the undeniable evidence of my arousal. Taking myself in hand, I give the rock-hard shaft a couple of long, sure strokes. Sookie's eyes go soft, and quite unconsciously she licks her lips. "See something you like?" I ask with a lazy smile.

Swallowing hard, she lies blatantly. "Nope. Not a thing. You better go get in the shower."

"Your wish is my command, my Queen." Turning around, I saunter towards the bathroom, giving my wife the perfect view of the part of me she claims to like best. I smile to myself as I feel her desire rocketing up another notch or two. As if she cannot quite help herself, she climbs out of bed and trails after me. Turning on the shower, I wait a minute for the water to heat and then step into the glass enclosure. Crossing her arms, Sookie rests one curvy hip against the vanity. She watches intently as I take my time soaping myself. By the time I get to my still-rigid cock, her cheeks are flushed a delicious shade of pink. Taking myself in hand, I begin to pump my fist up and down the hard length in slow, even strokes. Instantly, a blast of pure lust shoots through our Bond. Ha! Any minute now my reluctant little lover is going to change her mind and _beg_ me to take her. Before those much-anticipated words can spill out of her lips, however, our erotic game is interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone.

Without taking her eyes off me, she absentmindedly puts the blasted thing to her ear. Her voice husky, she answers, "Hello?"A moment later, a smile curves her lips. "Robert!" she purrs, "How are you? Is your trip going well?... Mm-hm, I'm absolutely fine, except for the usual side-effects... Actually, he's already up. Yes, I know it's early... No, believe it or not, we weren't. He's in the shower... Um, okay. Hold on just a sec..."

With the phone still pressed to her ear, she slides out of the room. Hmm. Obviously my brother thought to take advantage of the time difference and have a private word with Sookie while I was still at rest. If it was any other vampire but Robert, I would not be inclined to take that very well, but I trust both of my nestmates implicitly. However, I would like to know what those two are up to. Unfortunately, even _I_ cannot hear their conversation with the shower running... but I _can_ feel my Bonded's emotions. At first, she is quite excited, but then a sharp spike of disappointment travels across our Bond. Although this negative emotion begins to fade within moments, I suspect that the chance of my woman begging me for sex before first dark has just fallen to near zero. With an exasperated sigh, I turn the water temperature to cold and finish my shower. I am nearly done drying myself when Sookie reappears in the doorway holding a stack of fresh clothes for me in one hand and her phone in the other. Setting the garments on the edge of the tub, she hands me the phone. "Robert wants to talk to you."

Placing the instrument to my ear, I play-growl, "You old dog, why are you phoning my woman before sundown?"

"None of your business," the Knight replies jovially, "What are you doing up so early, anyway? Am I going to have to move to another time zone so I can have a private word with _my sister_ without a large nosy Viking hanging on every word?"

"It is not _my_ fault I am already awake. There is no resting when my Bonded is anxious about something. Her brother's child is about to be born, and she is terrified we are going to be late for the blessed event."

"Yes, Sookie was exceedingly clear that I must keep this conversation brief, so I will get to the point. She relayed to me the events of last night. Can this horrible news possibly be true? Someone has discovered a substance that can render a vampire unconscious?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Bill will be sending out alerts tonight." Briefly, I tell my brother what little we know of mysterious gris-gris, but before we can discuss it in any depth, Sookie tugs at my arm.

"_Honey!_ It's almost dark and you're still not dressed! Can't you call Robert back later?"

On the other end of the line, the Knight chuckles. "You had best do as the little one says, _mon frère_. I hope you enjoy your evening amongst the very interesting denizens of Hotshot. I myself have tickets to the latest hit on Broadway."

This time, the growl I gave him is a real one. "Go ahead. Rub it in."

He just laughs. "_Au revoir, mon ami._ Kiss the little one for me."

After saying goodbye, I hand Sookie's phone to her and then quickly pull on the clothes she provided. As I begin to slip my personal items into my pockets, Sookie hands me a credit card and some cash. "My purse is still at Valhalla, so I borrowed some money to go shopping," she explains, "I hope you don't mind."

"If I didn't object to your hijacking my safe, why would I object to a few hundred more?" I tease her gently... but immediately wish I could take back every word. A look of distress clouds her lovely features, and mortification surges through the Bond. She stammers, "Oh! I never said I was sorry for opening your safe without your permission! Eric, I am so, _so _sorry!"

Clearly she is not nearly as comfortable with using our shared funds as I thought. My careless words may have undone all the progress we have made in that direction. Inwardly cursing myself in three separate languages, I quickly sweep her into my arms and try to undo the damage. "No, Beloved, it is _I_ who should apologize. I only meant to tease you a little, but it was thoughtless and wrong."

"But I..."

Laying my fingers over her luscious lips, I say firmly, "Hush. If I did not want you to have access to that money, I never would have shared the combination to the safe with you. If you had taken every last dime, it would have been your right to do so. I meant what I said, Sookie. All that I have is yours."

"But I used your money to help someone I know you hate. And honestly, I really didn't need any more clothes. You've already bought me so many nice things..."

"Little love, I am delighted to see you buying things for yourself. I thoroughly approve of the outfit you have on. It is very chic and it suits you. As for using the funds from the safe ... although I wish you had called Cataliades and let him handle it, I am actually quite pleased that you got Claude out of jail using _our_ money."

Thoroughly confused, Sookie asks, "You are? Why? You _despise_ Claude!"

"That is true. However, it pleases me to no end that he is now unquestionably in my debt." That knowledge will eat at him, causing him more long-term misery than a physical wound ever could. The very thought makes me smile. Giving my sweet girl an extra tender kiss, I ask, "So, do we understand one another? From this day forward, you have my permission to spend our money as you see fit without asking me a thing. If you somehow manage to spend it all, I will simply go out and make more. I am quite good at making money."

I must have finally said the right thing, because I feel the tension flowing out of her. Kissing me back, she whispers, "Have I ever told you what a great husband you are?"

"Even when I am thoughtless and say the wrong thing?"

"Yep, even then."

"I am glad to hear it. Now, Mrs. Northman, it is nearly dark. If you are determined to get to Hotshot as soon as possible, I suppose we should get going."

Taking her arm, I escort her downstairs. When we reach the foyer, Sookie says, "I guess Bill's not up yet. Maybe I should leave him a note."

"If I am not mistaken, that will not be necessary. Listen."

From under the stairs comes the faint sound of metal scraping followed by an almost imperceptible squeak. A narrow, cleverly concealed door swings open and our host steps into the foyer. Obviously surprised, Sookie's mouth drops open. Could it be that Bill never shared the location of his resting place with her until now? How very interesting. I have to admit, this vampire is a constant source of surprises. I take a closer look at my Lieutenant. Something seems different about him tonight. Perhaps it is his clothing... or I should say, his lack of clothing. Just now he is wearing nothing but a loose pair of gym shorts, leaving his broad shoulders and well-muscled chest on display. He must have hurried upstairs the minute he awakened, because even his dark hair is tousled. I have known Bill for many years, I cannot recall ever having seen him less than fully dressed and impeccably groomed. I have to hand it to Lorena. For all her other faults, she never made anything less than physically perfect vampires. In addition to Bill's unusually casual attire, I am astonished to see how relaxed and happy he looks. Giving us a warm smile, he says. "Good evening, Your Majesties. Sookie, you look radiant. I trust you enjoyed your day?"

"It was great. I'd tell you about it, but we've got to get to Hotshot. Jason's baby is about to be born."

"Hotshot? Eric, perhaps I should accompany you."

"Thank you, but no. I want you to concentrate on spreading the word about the gris-gris. Have you noticed any after-effects of your contact with it?"

"No, I seem to be back to normal. I will put out an alert right away. Also, Sookie, why don't you leave your phone with me? I'll see to having the number changed."

Reaching into her new handbag, she produces the phone and turns it over to Bill with a heavy sigh. "I hate to do it, but the crazy guy just won't give up."

"Did he call again today?" I ask with a scowl.

"Yes, several times. At least, I guess it was him. I didn't answer."

"Don't worry, Sookie, we'll find him eventually," Bill assures her, "Until then, at least he can't bother you anymore."

I still find it hard to believe that someone is crazy enough to harass _my_ wife and expect to get away with it. As angry as this situation makes me, Bill is correct. Sooner or later, we _will_ discover who this is. If he is extremely lucky, whoever finds him will kill him before either Robert or I get our hands on him. Now I am glad that when I showed Sookie my car collection, I never got around to mentioning that I own the entire block of warehouses. She might have insisted on seeing the adjoining building, and I have never gotten around to having the playroom dismantled. For that one room alone, I am certain she would demand I get rid of the entire building. Considering her lack of control of her magic, she might even burn it down herself, and that would be highly inconvenient. Fangtasia's basement does not hold the proper equipment, nor does it afford the kind of privacy I prefer for the types of activities I have in mind for this stalker. It will make what we did to the vampire from Magnolia look like child's play.

After issuing a few more orders and then thanking our host for his hospitality, Sookie and I step outside. It is another lovely Louisiana night, clear and mild, and I wish we had no pressing plans for the evening. Unexpectedly, I have enjoyed our visit to Bon Temps and would not mind staying a few more hours. I would like to take my Bonded on a long walk through the woods and then spend some time at her old farmhouse. Clearly she enjoys spending some of her days in her hometown, and the demands of the Bond aside, I am just happier when she is not too far from me while I am resting. I think it is time that I make good on my promise to have her family home remodeled. At the very least, we need to have a suitable light-tight and secure resting chamber constructed there, along with a decent bathroom. Perhaps if Jason's baby is born soon enough, we will have enough time left to stop by the farmhouse on our way home and discuss our plans for the job.

Once I get Sookie settled into the car, I step away and have a few quiet words with one of my guards. A few minutes later, I slide into the driver's seat and fire up the 'Vette's powerful engine. After a couple of miles on the road, Sookie says something I thought I would _never_ hear. "Baby, can't you make this thing go any faster?"

With a huge grin, I reply, "Oh, absolutely. Hold on."

I floor the accelerator, and the car leaps forward with a happy growl. Driving down winding country roads at high speeds is one of my favorite pastimes, and being able to do it with Sookie's full blessing is an unexpected treat. It is too bad the trip to Hotshot is such a brief one. I glance over at Sookie to see if she is enjoying herself as much as I am. Her body language tells me the answer is a resounding "no." Her body is stiff as a board, with one hand braced against the dashboard and the other clutching the door handle so hard that the knuckles are white. Her eyes are squeezed tightly shut, and her lips are moving but no sound is coming out.

"Sookie, what are you doing?" I ask curiously.

"Praying."

"Ah. You must be praying for your brother's child to be born healthy and strong."

"No. I'm praying we get there in one piece."

Chuckling, I reassure her, "Relax. We are nearly there."

Unfortunately, I am forced to slow down because of the increasingly poor condition of the road. The closer we get to Hotshot, the more uneven and full of potholes it becomes. This makes for a rather bone-jarring ride in the low-slung Corvette. If I had known last night we would be making this journey, I would have instructed the guards to bring Sookie's SUV instead. After this little jaunt, not only will the 'Vette need an alignment, no doubt Sookie will need a trip to the chiropractor as well. I have just about made up my mind to get out and carry the damned thing the rest of the way, when I detect that faint surge of magical energy which indicates we are nearing our destination. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sookie shiver. She says nothing, but her apprehension floods the Bond. "You are uneasy, my love. Would you like to tell me why?"

"I hate sounding like a snob, but Hotshot gives me the creeps. It's not just the people, either. There's something about the crossroads... Every time I come out here, I've felt this strange surge of energy, but tonight it's ten times worse. I always thought I was imagining things, but now..."

"It is not your imagination. There is definitely power here. All magical creatures can feel it to varying degrees. I believe the Fae are particularly sensitive to such things."

Frowning, she says, "Huh. Do you know what the source of the energy is?"

"Not really. Some say crossroads like this mark the place where this world meets the next."

"I think I could tell if this was an entrance to the Portal."

With a mysterious smile, I tell her, "Not the Fairy world, Sookie. The underworld. According to many traditions, if you visit a crossroads such as this one at midnight on enough occasions, eventually you will meet up with the Devil."

"Let's make sure we're out of here by midnight, then," she says with a shudder.

"You have nothing to worry about. I am here to protect you."

"Even _you_ can't protect me from the Devil."

Leaning close, I whisper, "Do not be so sure. There are those that would swear I _am_ the Devil."

With a return to her normal humor, she says, "Well, that's just silly! Who could possibly think someone as sweet and cuddly as you could be the Devil?"

Before I can think of a suitable response to such an outrageous statement, we round the last bend in the road and find ourselves at the intersection in question. Rolling to a stop, I take a look around. It has been some time since I had occasion to visit this god-forsaken hamlet. Between the springtime plants and shrubs that are in bloom around the houses and the dark green crops that are growing in the surrounding fields, the place is not nearly as dismal as usual. A couple of outdoor security lights on tall poles strive to shove back the darkness. At least two vehicles are parked in every yard, but several that look as if they may actually run are clustered around the house situated furthest from the crossroads. Jason's truck is among them, as well as a sleek black limousine I presume belongs to Dr. Ludwig.

As I drive slowly past the house, I am surprised to see a number of people gathered in the front yard. A couple of folding tables are set up near the dilapidated front porch, their surfaces crowded with mismatched containers of human food. A large galvanized washtub filled with bottles and ice rests on the ground nearby. Some of the people are sitting in lawn chairs, chatting and eating. Others are milling around drinking beer. A fairly attractive man and woman are sitting on the front steps, casually blocking access to the house. Everyone, including the few children present, stop what they are doing to stare at the Corvette as it rumbles past. Their expressions run the gamut from distrust to outright hostility.

Parking on the far side of Ludwig's limousine, I turn off the engine. Taking a deep breath, Sookie opens her own door and climbs out. I am half-way expecting her to dash to the house without me, but she surprises me by waiting for me to join her. Oddly enough, now that we are here, she seems curiously reluctant to go inside. Placing my hand on the small of her back, I lean down and breathe into her ear, "You do not have to do this, you know. Say the word and we're out of here."

"This baby will be my blood kin," she says quietly, "I _need_ to do this."

Squaring her shoulders as if preparing to go into battle, she steps forward. By the time we make our way to the front yard, several of the males have congregated on the path to the house, effectively blocking our way. The largest of the group (who is still shorter than me by several inches) steps forward. Staring up at me with his strangely-colored eyes, he spits out, "What in the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Fighting a strong impulse to bare my fangs, I give him an ice-cold glare instead. Like a mother bear defending her cub, Sookie narrows her eyes and says in a no-nonsense voice, "Cut it out, Harley. You know who I am and why I'm here."

Without taking his eyes off me, he tells her, "You're welcome, Sookie. The vamp ain't."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the woman on the steps rise to her feet and hurry inside the house. Sookie says heatedly, "Eric is my husband and will be this child's uncle. He has every right to be here."

_Uncle? _Me? For the very first time, it dawns on me that this child will be my niece or nephew by law, if not by blood. Eric Northman, Viking Vampire King of Louisiana and Arkansas, uncle to an inbred were-panther from Hotshot. What a thoroughly revolting development this is! However, voicing this opinion would be disrespectful to my Bonded, so I manage to keep my mouth firmly shut.

With an angry snort, the man tells Sookie, "Husband or not, he's still a vamp. Do we look stupid enough to let a bloodsucker attend a birth?"

I start to reply in the affirmative, but Sookie jumps in first. "Of course, we won't be present for the actual birth," she says smoothly, "We're just here to lend our support to Jason."

Suddenly, a booming voice says with authority, "Let them pass. _Now_."

All heads swivel towards the porch where the wiry figure of Calvin Norris now stands. The man barring our way argues, "Calvin, we can't run the risk. It's too dangerous to let a vamp near our young."

Norris turns his unblinking gaze on the man. "Harley, if you question my orders again, the vampire is going to be the least of your worries. Now stand aside and let them pass."

The man drops his eyes to the ground and steps back. Instantly, his group of supporters melts away like snowflakes on a hot summer day. Looking out over the crowd, their pack-master says in a harsh tone, "You all know who this vampire is, and the position he holds in this territory. His wife is blood-sister to one of our own. You _will_ be respectful and courteous to both of them. If anybody has any objections, speak now."

No one so much as twitches. "Good," Norris says in satisfaction. Before he has a chance to say anything else, a prolonged wail comes from inside the house, followed by a stream of curses that would make a vampire blush. Strangely, no one seems to pay this the slightest attention. Making no reference to the racket, Norris looks at us and says formally, "Eric and Sookie Northman, you are both welcome. Please come inside."

Although my Bonded's face does not show it, her anxiety level has now risen another notch or two. Taking my hand, she marches towards the house. The front porch is crowded with plastic lawn furniture, pot plants, and a large variety of whimsical ornamental items. There is not enough room for three people to comfortably carry on a conversation, so Sookie and I stop at the bottom step. For a beat, Norris stares down at my Bonded. The neutral expression on his face remains the same, but his inhuman eyes grow slightly rounder as he registers the subtle yet unmistakable changes in her. Careful not to irritate me by allowing his gaze to remain too long on my woman, he quickly shifts his eyes to mine.

Although Vampire Kings are head-and-shoulders above mere packmasters in the Supernatural pecking order, protocol demands I treat Norris as an equal while in his home territory. The two of us acknowledge each other with a cool nod, and then he courteously steps to one side so we can enter the home first. As Sookie brushes past him, his nostrils twitch and his eyes begin to glow. As ruler of a clan of were-animals, he surely knows Fairies exist, but I have no idea if he has enough experience with them to recognize their scent. I am going to have to watch him very carefully until I can determine if he knows what Sookie is.

Keeping a firm grip on my hand, Sookie starts to step over the threshold. At the last minute she hesitates, clearly thinking I need an invitation from the owner of the house before I can enter. "As packmaster, Norris can issue invitations to any of these dwellings," I murmur in her ear.

My mate nods her understanding and quickly passes though the door, pulling me in behind her. We step directly into a small living area, which is separated from an even smaller dining room by waist-high, built-in book shelves. The place is positively overflowing with mismatched furniture. Nearly every available seat is filled by a female of the clan, most of whom stare at me with undisguised hostility. This effort is completely lost on me, however, as I am too busy marveling at the décor to care.

In all my days, I have never seen anything like it. It is nearly impossible to tell what color the walls are painted, since they are completely covered in either framed jig-saw puzzles or oil paintings that look as if they were done by someone with limited vision. The subject of each of these priceless gems is angels. Angels flying, angels praying over children, angels lounging in gardens... One particularly hideous painting depicts a pair of fat, naked baby angels who appear to be wrestling. To make matters worse, a veritable army of ceramic angel figurines blankets every shelf, ledge, or tabletop in the place. Several candles in angel-adorned holders are burning, probably in an attempt to cover up the all-pervasive smell of cat. I swear, I do not know whether to laugh or cry.

Stepping in behind us, Norris shuts the door. Boldly meeting my eyes, he says coolly, "I apologize for the misunderstanding outside."

"Think nothing of it," I answer just as coolly.

Sensing the tension, Sookie immediately goes into Southern Belle mode. "Thank you for having us, Calvin," she says warmly, "I haven't seen you in ages. How have you been?"

Relaxing just a fraction, he replies, "Fine, thank you for asking. Jason has been really anxious for you to get here. You'd better go in right away."

Without bothering to introduce us to the other occupants of the room, Norris turns to the door to his left. Opening it, he stands aside and gestures for us to enter. Once Sookie and I pass inside, the packleader silently closes the door behind us. I suspect he is staying behind to warn the women in the front room to be polite to me. I take a quick look around the former bedroom-turned-birthing chamber. Unlike the rest of the house, it is clutter-free and scrupulously clean. One wall holds a sink and an old Hoosier cabinet. A short, trim, gray-haired woman is gathering surgical supplies from the drawers of the cabinet and arranging them on a small rolling cart. A few uncomfortable-looking kitchen chairs are neatly lined up along the far wall. One of them is occupied by Jason Stackhouse, who is leaning forward with his face buried in his hands. He is so engrossed in his own thoughts, he does not even register our entrance.

Carefully aligned in the center of the room is an old but serviceable hospital bed. The only thing out-of-place in the orderly room is an ordinary kitchen knife lying on the floor directly under the bed. The mother-to-be lies in a cluster of pillows, covered to the waist with a pristine white sheet. Instead of a nightgown, she is wearing a cut-off t-shirt which barely manages to cover the bottoms of her swollen breasts. Her perfectly enormous stomach is completely exposed and, to my inexperienced eye, looks as if it might explode at any second. She is hooked up to the only modern-looking piece of equipment in the room, which appears to be monitoring her heart-rate and that of the baby inside her. Even though she has clearly not been running, she seems to be having trouble catching her breath. Eyes squeezed tightly shut, she is huffing and puffing like a steam-powered train.

A small step-ladder has been placed next to the bed. Dressed in blue surgical scrubs and a pair of neon-orange Crocs, Dr. Ludwig is perched on the top step sipping a beer. As Sookie and I enter, the healer glances up and exclaims, "Northman! _Please_ tell me you brought a decent bottle of scotch with you!"

Immediately, Jason's head pops up and he leaps to his feet. The relief in his voice plain, he cries, "Sookie! Thank God! I thought you'd _never_ get here!"

Crystal, whose normally too-thin face is bloated, blotchy, and beet-red, opens her eyes and yells, "What the fuck is that fanger doing here? Are you all fucking _retarded_? That dead fucker is liable to fucking eat my baby!"

I can only conclude that childbirth must cut off blood-flow to the brain, thereby limiting vocabulary and making intelligent speech impossible. "I assure you, Crystal, I have no desire to eat you _or_ your offspring," I say coldly.

Before she can frame another eloquent reply, the girl clutches her stomach. "Oh, fuck! Here comes another one!"

Taking another sip of beer, Dr. Ludwig calmly orders the girl, "Once again, now. Breathe, Crystal, breathe."

Obediently, the girl pants, "He he he, phew! He he he, phew!"

"Slower," the doctor advises, "Like this... he... he... he... pheeeeew."

"Fuck you!" Crystal snarls, "_You_ breathe! I'm fuckin' dying here!" Sweat streaming down her face, she starts to wail as the contraction increases in intensity. Jason rushes over to her side and tries to take her hand. She screams, "_You_! You fucking did this to me, you cocksucker! _Get the fuck away from me_!"

Looking up from her task, the gray-haired woman says sharply, "Hush, Crystal. The cub's daddy has a right and a duty to be here when he's born."

"His duty is to keep her calm, not irritate her further," Ludwig says, "In any event, I need to check her progress, and he doesn't need be here for that." Looking at Jason, she orders, "Take a break, daddy. Your sister can take your place for a while."

Shocked, Sookie stammers, "Er... are you sure? I don't know a thing about having babies!"

"Then it's time you learned," the tiny healer replies firmly. "All males, out."

Trying his best not to look relieved, Jason loses no time in leaving the room. Knowing an opportunity when I see one, I tell Sookie, "I will keep an eye on your brother."

Before she can voice an objection, I make my escape. As I emerge from the birthing chamber, I see no sign of Calvin Norris. He has probably managed to come up with some pressing reason to be outside in the fresh air instead of being cooped up with the hens. Instead of going out to join him, Stackhouse has slumped into a chair in the over-crowded room. I foolishly told Sookie I would stay with him, which means I am trapped inside, too. At least the women seem somewhat less hostile now, probably as a result of a few stern words from their leader.

Sighing inwardly, I look around for a place to sit. Unfortunately, the only seat available is in the middle of a quilt-covered three-seat sofa, between a slender, dark-haired woman of about thirty-five or forty and a much older female of indeterminate age. I cannot tell what color her hair is, because it is rolled up in spongy pink curlers and covered with a scarf, but she has the golden-green eyes of the purebred were-panther. Curler-woman obligingly scoots over and pats the cushion beside her. "Why don't you have a seat?" she suggests politely. Sensing my reluctance, she grins. "Come on, honey. _We_ won't bite."

This serves to break the tension in the room, at least slightly. The other females titter at the old woman's little joke. Crossing the tiny room in two strides, I inch between her knees and the coffee table, trying my best not to dislodge any tiny statues in the process. Once I am firmly wedged between the two women, the one with the curlers gives me a good once-over. "My goodness, you _are_ a long drink of water, aren't you?" she says appreciatively, "Our males don't get very tall."

Knowing that Sookie would want me to, I turn on the charm. Giving the older woman a fang-free smile, I say, "My people were all quite tall, especially for those days."

"Oh? How long ago was that?"

The female on my left says sharply, "Aunt Merlene! Shush! Don't be asking such personal questions."

Ignoring her, I tell Merlene, "I do not mind telling you that was well over a thousand years ago."

"Ha! That only makes you a couple of years older than me." She gives me another grin and a broad wink. In spite of myself, I find myself laughing.

One of the women from across the room says, "Don't mind Merlene. She's never known when to keep her mouth shut."

Merlene smirks. "I'm old now. I figure I can say and do what I want."

Under her breath, the woman to my left mutters, "Huh. Age has nothing to do with it."

"There's nothing wrong with my hearing, Maryelizabeth. _Your_ problem is that you've never had any spunk. If you did, you would have left outta this place years ago and seen some of the outside world." To me, she explains, "I'm just visiting. I live in Austin, Texas. "

This is a surprise. I had the idea that were-panthers never left the area. Reading this in my face, she says, "Yes, a few of us had the sense to escape this backwoods dump. I stayed here until I had my cubs, then I took 'em and high-tailed it to Texas. I'm not sayin' it was easy. I never finished high school, so work was hard to come by. I scrubbed floors night and day to put food on the table, but it was sure worth it. One of my sons is a doctor now. The other one owns an advertising agency."

Curiosity getting the better of me, I ask her, "What about their children, though? Without purebred mates, they are not able to pass on your genetic heritage, correct?"

"Unlike most of the folks in this burg, I thought a happy, successful life was more important than passing on few genes. As it turns out, though, we may be in for a surprise in that department."

"Oh?"

"Yes, indeed. Both of my daughter-in-laws are two-natured. One's a full-blooded Werewolf, the other one's a true shapeshifter. I've got five grandkids!" she exclaimed proudly.

"How interesting. Both parents are shifters, yet not of the same species. Are the firstborns still capable of shifting, and if so, into what?"

With a twinkle in her eye, she replies, "We don't know yet. The oldest one is just about to hit puberty. If he can shift, he could turn out to be a panther _or_ a wolf.

Voicing the serious prejudice against "mixed" breeding common to most Supernatural creatures, one of the other women mutters, "More likely an abomination."

Feeling strangely protective of the old woman at my side, I turn my head and give the speaker an icy glare. She is one of the darker, scrawnier members of this pack, a sure sign of inbreeding. I doubt her own powers are what they should be. Frostily, I say, "Perhaps this woman's grandchild will be something unique in the Supernatural world. Something special."

"No matter what he turns out to be, he's special to me," Merlene says serenely.

Her voice is nearly drowned out by another round of wailing from inside the birthing chamber. Jason starts to rise, but the woman in the chair next to his grabs his arm and pulls him back down. "Settle down, honey," she advises him, "Crystal has always been a drama queen. She's just carrying on like that now because she likes the attention. Save your sympathy for the actual delivery. That's when it _really_ hurts."

For obvious reasons, I know very little about childbirth, but I am aware that in these modern times, humans have many medications available for pain. Although I do not really care if the girl is hurting or not, her caterwauling is setting my teeth on edge. Leaning towards Merlene, I ask quietly, "Why let her suffer? Surely they can do something to make her comfortable."

Eyes twinkling, she answers, "Of course they can! Didn't you see the knife under the bed?"

"Yes. I thought perhaps someone dropped it."

"For such an old guy, you don't know much, do you? _Everybody_ knows that if you put a knife under the birthing bed, it helps cut through the pain."

"That's utterly ridiculous."

"Of course it is, but it's tradition," she says with a chuckle. "The real answer is, most were-panthers don't tolerate human pain medication too well. It can have unpredictable side-effects. Besides that, anything they give Crystal will pass into her cub. It isn't worth the risk."

Another ear-splitting scream emanates from the next room. "Are you certain she is just trying for attention? That certainly sounds like true pain to me."

"Well, you should know!" she replies playfully, "Seriously though, Crystal _is_ somewhat of a drama queen, but it doesn't mean she isn't in a lot of pain. That's one thing all females have in common. No matter what species, childbirth is dangerous, messy, and hurts like hell."

One thing is for certain. After this experience, Sookie's secret yearning for a child is certain to disappear. Surely no one in their right mind would willingly go through such an ordeal. Unwittingly, I must have spoken that last thought out loud, because Merlene laughs. "Good thing for you most women don't feel that way, or your food source would dry up in no time. It's probably hard for you to imagine, but for a mortal woman, there is _nothing_ more rewarding than creating a new life."

Somehow, this conversation is beginning to make me uncomfortable. I am just about to change the subject when the bedroom door opens and Sookie slips out. She looks nearly as grateful to escape Crystal's presence as I was. Anxiously, her brother asks her, "Is it time?"

"Not yet." Addressing the women in the room, she says, "Dr. Ludwig says it's going to be awhile. Dawn, Crystal is asking for you. If the rest of y'all want to go get something to eat, now's the time to do it."

There is a scramble for the door. Less than a minute later, the room has cleared out except for Sookie, Jason and me. Sinking into the recently-vacated chair next to her brother, she takes his hand and squeezes it. Affectionately, she asks, "Hey, big guy. How are _you_ doing?"

"I'm as nervous as a whore in church. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Buck up, Jason," says his sister without a shred of sympathy, "_You're_ not the one in labor."

Shaking his head, he replies, "You don't understand, sis. No matter what Crystal's put me through, it's really hard to see her in so much pain for something I did." Giving his sister a pitiful look, he begs, "Sookie, can't _you_ do something to help her? I bet that fairy magic of yours could get her through this."

Hurriedly, Sookie whispers, "Shhh! Jason, keep your voice down! Nobody, and I mean _nobody_ can know about that!"

Springing to his feet, he exclaims, "But Sook, what good is it to have that kind of magic if you don't use it to help people? It isn't like you to be selfish."

Blinking, she sits back and stares up at him with wounded eyes. His words have hurt her, and that I will not tolerate. In the blink of an eye, I am across the room with a terrified were-panther dangling from one hand. "_Do not speak to __your__sister in that fashion!_" I hiss, giving him a little shake for emphasis, "You young idiot, who have you told about Sookie's magic?"

"Eric, stop!" my Bonded cries in distress. "He didn't tell anybody, did you, Jason?"

Unable to speak, he rapidly shakes his head from side to side. In no uncertain terms, I warn him, "If I _ever_ find out that you have put your sister in danger by revealing this information, I will kill you. Do you understand?"

This time, his chin goes vigorously up and down. Tugging on my arm, Sookie says sternly, "Let him go, Eric. I mean it."

Reluctantly, I comply. Rubbing his neck, Jason asks crossly, "What's wrong with you, man? You should know by now I ain't gonna do anythin' to hurt my sister. We're all family now, right? You gotta learn to trust me."

"So far, you have done very little to earn my trust."

"That's not true," he protests, "I came running when Sook was sick, remember? Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but we do have one thing in common. We both love my sister, and we want her to be happy. I'm willing to put aside our differences and try to get along if you are."

If this imbecile thinks for one moment I am going to forgive and forget so easily, he is even more stupid than I originally thought; however, I do not wish to upset Sookie any further. Before I can think of a suitably evasive reply, my woman lays her tiny hand on my forearm. Gazing up into my eyes, she says softly, "If the two of you could really learn to get along, I'd be the happiest woman in Louisiana. Could you at least try? For me?"

How can I refuse her when she asks so sweetly? Sighing, I reply honestly, "For you, I will try."

"Thank you, honey. It means a lot to me."

"You are welcome. Now, my love, you need to eat something. Is the food here edible, or shall I send for something?"

"The food here will be just fine. Jason, let's go grab a bite while we can."

Being more than happy to escape the claustrophobic confines of this angel-infested residence, I hurry my Bonded to the door before she changes her mind. Outside, the party is still in progress. Someone has hooked up a boom box (no doubt to cover the sound of Crystal screaming) and a few people are dancing to the country music pouring from the speakers. The women from inside are still clustered around the food tables filling their plates. Everyone else is lounging around the yard, drinking and chatting. Norris is nowhere to be seen. I wonder where he has gotten off to.

Without waiting for his sister, Jason makes a bee-line for the food. Even though I know she is hungry, Sookie hangs back. She glances around the yard, clearly trying to decide what to do. Sensing that my patience is wearing thin, she does not want to risk another confrontation with any of the were-panthers. She is determined to be a part of the new baby's life, which will be easier to do if she maintains good relations with these people. I suspect most of them would be happy to include her in tonight's festivities... that is, if she did not have a large, intimidating vampire at her side. For her sake, it would be best if I made myself scarce for a time. Touching her lightly on the shoulder, I tell her, "I need to make a few calls that require privacy. Will you be all right if I disappear for a moment or two?"

"Sure, honey. Take your time. I'll have a bite to eat while you're gone."

"Enjoy your food. I will be nearby if you need me."

Moving rapidly across the yard, I fade into the copse of trees to the east of the house. From here, I can carry on a conversation in relative privacy but still keep an eye on my wife. Just as I reach into my pocket for my phone, a vampire silently oozes out of the shadows right into my path. Dressed all in black, the dark-haired, dark-eyed male is a few inches shorter than me and wiry instead of broad. Still, the way he carries himself leaves no doubt that he is extremely lethal... which is exactly why I hired him. "I see you found the place, Joseph," I say to my Royal Guard, "Has anyone noticed your presence?"

"No, sir. As per your instructions, we parked at least a mile away and ran the rest of the way, being careful to stay downwind."

"Good. You know how reclusive this group is. The Queen's sister-in-law is about to give birth, and my presence alone is making everyone skittish."

"Yes, sir. I imagine having a pack of unknown vampires hanging around would only add to the general tension."

"I could care less if the were-panthers are tense. I do not want the Queen to be uncomfortable." Truth be told, I feel somewhat foolish bringing guards with me at all. This is entirely a social call, and other than the usual low-level animosity and posturing, I am not expecting any serious trouble from the were-panthers. Even if I was, I am more than capable of handling such a rag-tag bunch on my own. However, until some of the other threats to this kingdom are resolved, it is only prudent to take suitable precautions. "I need to make a few phone calls," I tell him, "Although I am certain the Queen is perfectly safe, I want you to keep an eye on her."

"Yes, sir."

With that, I melt even further into the shadows. Even though I know Joseph is watching over Sookie, a small part of my brain constantly monitors the Bond for the slightest hint of distress. Sookie has been tense since we arrived, but once she has eaten something she finally begins to relax and even begins to enjoy herself. In turn, I begin to relax myself. By the time the most pressing calls are completed, I am once again in an excellent mood. Making my way back to the edge of the trees, I rejoin my guard. Standing side-by-side, we watch Sookie as she interacts with the other party-goers.

As I suspected, now that she is alone, the were-panthers feel free to approach her. One or two at a time, they drift over and speak to her. She greets each one with a friendly smile and a kind word, her warmth and charm instantly putting them at ease. At the moment, she looks as human as she ever does anymore, but still they are clearly fascinated by her. To my eyes, she looks like exactly what she is, a queen among peasants. It is not only her golden beauty or chic clothes and expensive jewelry that sets her apart from them, but the innate goodness and grace that shines from every pore.

With a hint of pride in his voice, Joseph comments, "The were-panthers seem to find our Queen just as charming as we vampires do."

"Sookie _is_ the ultimate Southern Belle," I agree, "It is fascinating to watch her gather them into her net, is it not?"

Suddenly, the guard's body stiffens. "We do not seem to be the only ones watching her. Look. There... by the corner of the house."

My eyes travel to the far side of the house. Sure enough, I can make out the figure of a man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He studies Sookie intently from his position deep in the shadows,

"That's Norris, isn't it?" Joseph asks in a low voice, "Why is he watching her like that?"

"He is trying to figure out what she is," I answer tersely.

With a frown, my guard says, "Surely a back-woods were-panther like Norris hasn't been around enough Fairies to know... " He stops mid-sentence, realizing his mistake. He stammers, "Er... I beg pardon, your Majesty... I didn't mean to imply..."

I am not particularly surprised that Joseph knows what his Mistress is. The vampires that guard me are in close contact with their Queen on a regular basis, and none of them are stupid. "How many of the others know?"I inquire evenly.

The guard hesitates, clearly unwilling to betray his fellow men-at-arms. I cross my arms and give him a steely look, silently letting him know that I _will_ have an answer. After a moment under my cold glare, he blurts out, "All of them. At first, it was mere speculation, but when the Queen returned from her trip... I'm sorry, sir. There's no mistaking that smell."

He eyes me warily, waiting to see how I react. Fortunately for everyone concerned, the vampire members of my Royal Guards were specifically chosen for their loyalty and their discretion as well as their fighting abilities. During one of our recent conversations, Robert urged me to let them in on our secret, and after a great deal of thought, I had already decided to take his advice. With a slight smile, I let my nervous guard off the hook. "Relax, Joseph. I was going to tell you soon, anyway."

"Please know that not one of us would ever betray you _or_ the Queen," he declares stoutly.

"As always, I appreciate your loyalty." I can practically feel the questions burning on the tip of his tongue, but he is much too well-trained to voice them. "I can see you have questions. Feel free to speak."

"Excuse me for being blunt, sir, but exactly how Fae is she?"

Now it is my turn to hesitate. While I had already planned to tell our vampire guards that Sookie is part-Fae, I had not yet decided whether to tell them everything... but in my absence, the Royal Guards are responsible for my Bonded's safety. How can I expect them to adequately protect her, if they do not know the entire truth? Making a quick decision, I answer, "Technically speaking, Sookie was born one-eighth Fae and seven-eighths human... but as you can see, there is more to it than just percentages."

"I'll say! By her smell, I would have guessed she was at least half."

"Due to a number of factors, the Fae component in her blood has increased significantly since we have been together," I explain, "No one is certain how strong it will eventually get."

"But if that is the case, how do you keep from draining her?"

"The change happened gradually enough that I was able to build up somewhat of an immunity to it. I believe our Bond also plays a role."

He digests that for a moment before asking, "Does she have any magic?"

"Yes, indeed. Her gifts are developing quite nicely. My advice is to never get her angry. A couple of days ago, she set Bobby Burnham's hair on fire."

This ultra-intense, completely serious vampire is not prone to levity, but now he throws his head back and laughs out loud, albeit quietly. "I would have paid a month's wages to see that!"

"I confess, I am sorry I missed it, too. Perhaps we can arrange for a repeat performance."

Reining himself in, he turns his eyes back to Sookie. "Our Queen is more special than any of us guessed," he says seriously, "If any of the other Kings discover this, surely they will try to steal her for themselves, Bond or no Bond. "

"The vampires are not the only ones we have to worry about. A certain faction of Fae would love to get their hands on her as well."

"Why would the Fairies want her? Just to cause you grief?"

"No, as a political pawn to cause their Prince grief. Sookie is his great-grandaughter."

His head whips around. Eyes practically bulging out of his head, he stares at me in total awe. "_You have Twice-Bonded the great-granddaughter of the Fae Prince_?"

"I have."

"But... but... _how_? How on Earth did you manage it? Even for you, that is an incredible feat!"

"Apparently, I am totally irresistible to females of _all _species," I say with a careless grin, "Although my critics would argue that since we are a Fated pair, Sookie would have fallen in love with me even if I was three feet tall and bald."

Chuckling, he says, "The Fates can be cold bitches, but even they would not have been so cruel. As far as I can see, they saw the opportunity to make the perfect pair and took it... but I'll wager there is at least one person who feels differently. I would _love_ to have been a fly on the wall when the Prince found out that a daughter of his house had been Twice-Bonded to a vampire! He must have been simply furious! Even _he_ is not magical enough to break that sort of tie, and now he cannot risk killing you without harming her. Well played, your Majesty."

"Everything considered, Niall has taken it better than you might imagine. For a Fairy, he is uncommonly level-headed. I think perhaps he realizes our union was meant to be."

"Well, at least he can take comfort in the fact that you aren't some run-of-the-mill vampire, but a very powerful King."

"I think he takes more comfort in the fact that my ancient blood will prolong her natural lifespan considerably. Now, I must caution you. Sookie's true heritage is known by a very limited number of people. I am only sharing this information so you can do your job properly."

For a moment, he is silent, thinking it through. Finally, he says shrewdly, "You are worried that you won't be able to keep who and what she is a secret much longer."

"Unfortunately, that is correct."

Once again, my guard turns his gaze back to his Queen. She is currently chatting with a young couple with a small child. The pint-sized were-panther is toddling around on its chubby little legs, staggers straight into Sookie's knees, then falls backwards and begins to squall. Immediately, Sookie scoops it up and hugs it to her, her musical laughter wafting across the breeze. Just the sound of it is soothing to a vampire's ears. It must be to the infant's, as well, because it abruptly stops crying and begins to chortle. Joseph says softly, "I can hardly believe such a creature of the light is ours. _No one_ can be allowed to take her from us."

"Believe me, I have no intention of allowing that to happen. I know I can count on you and the other Royal Guards to help keep her safe."

"It is our duty_ and_ our privilege to serve both of you. Now we will be more vigilant than ever," Joseph vows fervently.

Suddenly, a movement on the far side of the house catches my eye. Calvin Norris steps out of the shadows and strides purposefully across the yard, clearly heading straight for Sookie. The guard at my side tenses, preparing to spring into action. "Hold off," I command quietly, "He means her no harm."

Together we watch as Norris joins the small group, inserting himself between the other male and Sookie. Within a moment or two, the others drift away. Once they are alone, the packmaster takes a step closer to my Bonded. Even though he is not actually touching her, Joseph bristles. "How can you stand for that filthy animal to be so close to her?"

Abruptly, I hold up my hand to silence him. I strain to hear their conversation, but even I cannot make out their words from this distance. I can, however, feel Sookie's emotions. Although she seems to respect Norris, I now realize that much of her nervousness this night stems from contact with him in particular. I definitely want to know why. Furthermore, Joseph is right. I really do not care for the were-panther or any other male to be so close to my woman. I am just about to remedy the situation, when out of the darkness behind us, a feminine voice drawls, "Well, if it isn't Big, Bad, and Blond. Whatever are you doing skulking out here in the woods while that lowly were-panther is making time with your wife?""

Instantly, Joseph moves to insert his body between me and the potential threat. Recognizing the voice, I hurriedly grasp his wrist and jerk him to my side before he can get past me, and none too soon, either. "Are you insane, Claudine?" I ask in exasperation, "Don't you know better than to sneak up on two vampires in the woods late at night?"

Sookie's cousin steps out from behind the trunk of a large oak tree. My startled guard gives an unprofessional but perfectly understandable gasp. In his defense, it is not every night a vampire is voluntarily confronted by a full-blooded Fairy, particularly one as visually stunning as this one. Tonight the tall, raven-haired bombshell is clad in

a low-cut beaded evening gown that clings to every lush curve. Within seconds, her delectable scent permeates the cool night air. Automatically, I tighten my grip on the guard.

In response to my admonition, the Fairy rolls her eyes and drawls, "Oh, come on, Eric. I knew it was you. What other self-respecting vampire would come anywhere near this rat-hole?"

"The real question is, what are _you_ doing here? You are not exactly dressed for a night out in Hotshot."

Jerking her chin at Joseph, she says, "Get rid of fang-boy, and I'll tell you."

"You may speak freely. My Royal Guards are completely loyal to Sookie and me, and Joseph here already knows the truth of her heritage."

Alarmed, she cries, "You _told_ him? Are _you_ insane?"

"For Sookie's safety, I deemed it necessary to inform our personal guards of the situation. People are beginning to notice the changes in her, especially since her return from her stay with Niall. The blood transfusion only made things worse. Come. See for yourself."

Claudine cautiously creeps forward just enough to get a clear look at Sookie, who is still deep in conversation with Norris. "Look how raptly he stares at her," I point out, "Even though she looks fairly human right now, he knows there is something different about her. He will probably not rest until he finds out what she is."

"Ha! You silly vampire, he's been looking at her like that ever since he met her!" Glancing over, she catches my deep frown. "Oh ho! Don't tell me you didn't know that panther-man has a thing for Sookie!"

"He... what?"

Smirking, she says, "Calvin Norris fell for her like a ton of bricks the very first time he laid eyes on her. He offered to be her man, in all respects. As I recall, he told her she would be a great breeder..."

From between clenched teeth, I growl, "He did _not_."

"Oh, yes," she gleefully assures me, "He thought Sookie could give him many fine sons, even though they wouldn't be panthers. Although he might have been in for a bit of a surprise in that department. "

I can hardly believe my ears. What nerve! How could a lowly were-panther like Norris even _dream_ that Sookie would consider such an absurd offer? The very idea is sickening. To make matters worse, I had to find out about this obscene proposal from _Claudine_, who is obviously relishing my discomfort. Briefly, I entertain the idea of releasing Joseph. He is probably not fast enough to catch her, and for Sookie's sake, I would have to stop him before he did too much damage... but at least it would wipe that smug look off the Fairy's face.

Feeling my anger, Sookie whips her head around and peers in my direction. Even with her enhanced vision, the three of us are standing too deep in the shadows for her to see us... but I have no trouble seeing the look of distress on her lovely face, as can Claudine. The Fairy seems to realize that in provoking me, she has upset her beloved cousin. In an obvious attempt to undo the damage, she hurriedly adds, "Fortunately, by then you had managed to seduce Sookie. Her heart was already engaged, so there was really no danger of her accepting his offer. Besides, the Prince would _never_ have allowed such an unsuitable match."

Like Claudine, I have no wish for my Bonded to be upset, so I do my best to rein in my temper. "While interesting, this conversation is off-topic," I reply coldly, "We _should_ be discussing Sookie's inability to conceal her Fairy nature. Until you teach her how to appear human when necessary, she is in more danger than ever."

Now Claudine is the one frowning. "Honestly, Eric, it never occurred to me this might become a problem. Full-blooded Fae are born with the ability. I'm not certain I know _how to_ teach her. For her own safety, perhaps I should take her back to the Portal and..."

Her suggestion is met with two sets of bared fangs and deep growls. Hastily retreating several paces, she holds up her hands and says sourly, "Okay, okay. You've made your point. You vampires are all so touchy."

"Know this. My Bonded is not going anywhere without me. Period."

With a gusty sigh, she responds, "Knowing Sookie, she would probably refuse to leave you anyway. I will tell the Prince of this development as soon as possible. I am certain he will know what to do."

"Excellent idea. Now, you never answered my original question. What are you doing here?"

As if it should be perfectly obvious to everyone, she replies, "Niall sent me to see the new baby, of course."

"Why? He cares nothing for Jason because he is not magical enough. His offspring will have even less Brigant blood."

Shrugging one elegant shoulder, Sookie's cousin explains, "As long as the child has even a drop of the Royal bloodline, it is possible that he could be the next Prince." Rather sadly, she adds, "I admit, the chances against it _are_ astronomical, but still... there is hope."

"But why is it so important for you to see the child now?" I ask, "Surely it will be many years before he exhibits any aptitude for the role."

"Fairies are not like humans. He will either be born a Prince... or not."

I wait for her to elaborate, but she says nothing more. Fairies being extremely secretive by nature, I am astonished she has shared this much. Still, I push my luck a bit farther. "And you can tell this how?"

Claudine's eyes shift to Joseph. Somewhat vaguely, she responds, "There are certain... signs."

Now I wish I had sent the guard away as requested. I have the distinct feeling she would be more forthcoming if we were alone. Shaking my head, I mutter, "The next Fairy Prince, born and raised in Hotshot. Hell will freeze over any second now."

A smile twists the Fairy's lips. "Do you really think the current Prince would allow his successor to be raised by a pack of feral cats? Of course not! The child will be taken to the Realm to be reared."

"And his parents? What of them? Even Jason Stackhouse might object to his only child being removed from his care."

Claudine's eyes meet mine. Hard as diamonds, they are filled with an implacable resolve. With a slight shock, I realize that the lovely exterior of this Fairy hides a will very nearly as steely as her grandfather's. Mercilessly, she replies, "Whether they object or not, the next Prince of the Fae _will _be raised among his own kind. It is our way. Now, do you have any idea how much longer it will be until the birth?"

I glance at my watch. "I believe it will be at least another hour or so."

"Oh. Well, no use hanging around this god-forsaken spot any more than necessary. Tell Sookie I'll be back later." Without further ado, she disappears in a flash of multicolored light.

After a moment of stunned silence, Joseph asks, "Who was _that_?

Finally letting him go, I answer, "That was the Lady Claudine, Niall's granddaughter. I should mention that the Queen is very fond of her cousin and will be quite put out if she gets drained... particularly by one of our own guards. I know it is difficult, but I expect you all to exercise restraint around Sookie's family members."

"Ah... yes, sir. We will do our best."

The two of us turn our attention back to the yard. Heads bent together, Sookie and Norris are still deeply engrossed in conversation. He is in no way touching her, yet his posture seems annoyingly possessive. The way his nasty yellow-green eyes caress my Bonded's face makes me long to pluck them from his head and grind them under my boot. The mere fact that he is close enough to breathe in her scent raises my hackles. Eying the were-panther with distaste, Joseph asks, "What about _him_? Shall I dispose of him for you?"

However politically incorrect, just now my guard's offer is extremely tempting... but if Sookie were to have even the slightest inkling I had a hand in it... No, it is definitely not worth the risk. Shaking my head, I regretfully reply, "Not at this time. Perhaps later. For now, though, I think the packmaster has enjoyed the Queen's company long enough."

Leaving my guard safely concealed in the trees, I head over to reclaim my mate. I deliberately move at vampire speed, crossing the distance to the front yard in a flash. Even to a were-panther's eyes, it will seem as if I appeared out of nowhere. This ability never fails to irritate were-animals of all kinds, probably because it is a clear demonstration that we vampires are their superiors in every respect. This seems like the perfect time to remind the packmaster of that fact. Also, as an added benefit, it never fails to impress Sookie.

Immediately sensing my presence, my Bonded turns toward me with a welcoming smile on her face. Norris steps up to her side as if ready to throw his body between us if necessary. The protective gesture on his part triggers my own possessive streak, severely testing my resolution to keep my temper under control tonight. It is all I can do not to bare my fangs and hiss. Immediately, a hint of worry spring's into Sookie's eyes. Taking a full step away from the were-panther, she says brightly, "Hi, honey! Finished with your calls?"

"For now."

"Is everything... okay?"

"Of course," I lie smoothly, "I just received an unpleasant piece of information, and I am trying to decide what to do about it. Please, do not allow me to interrupt your conversation." With supreme effort, I give her a fang-free smile, but apparently it is not as warm as I intended. Instantly, flat-out alarm joins the worry in my Bonded's eyes.

Taking a step closer to Sookie, Norris says coolly, "You aren't interrupting anything."

From my superior height, I stare down at the man standing so protectively at my woman's side. He returns my gaze unflinchingly, clearly not realizing how close he is to death. "Oh?" I reply frostily, "By the way you two were huddled together, I thought perhaps it was something too intimate for others to hear... the topic of _breeding_, perhaps?"

"How did you know?" Sookie asks in surprise, "Oh... I guess you heard."

Honestly, I chose those words to let them both know I am aware of his offer to "be her man, in all respects." I had no idea that actually _was_ the topic! Quickly searching my memory banks, I try to recapture the last few words of their interrupted conversation. A second later, Sookie's last words float back into my head: _It may seem normal to __you, Calvin__, but to me it seems unnatural. Surely no husband goes along with this willingly._

At the time, I assumed they were discussing the were-panthers' strange tradition of requiring the husband to be present for the birth. Now the true meaning of her words occurs to me. Obviously Norris has offered to provide my wife with the child I cannot give her. Instantly, my temper surges out of control. _How dare he! _How _dare_ this ignorant, back-woods, in-bred... _short_ peasant even dream of impregnating such a superior female with his vile offspring, not even taking into account that said female is MINE! It was bad enough when he did it when he thought Sookie was unclaimed. Now she is the Twice-Bonded of the Vampire King of this territory. There is no question that he _mus_t die for such a serious transgression! It only remains to be decided how this will occur. Shall I shred him on the spot, or shall I take him to the warehouse and take my time?

Sookie sways slightly as the force of my dark emotions slams into her. Her lovely eyes go round with shock and the color begins to leech out of her face. She knows something bad is about to happen, but instead of retreating a safe distance, she hurries over, slips her arm around my waist, and hugs herself to my side. Her Fairy scent intensifies as she slips her hand beneath my shirt and begins to rub the small of my back. Immediately her soothing magic begins to seep into my system, calming me by slow degrees. In her honeyed accent, she says quickly, "Calvin, could you excuse us, please? I need a minute alone with my husband."

Instead of obeying her, Norris frowns and stays put. He clearly realizes I am extremely angry and very, very dangerous. Strangely enough, he shows no fear. Is he insane? Does he think I will allow him to offer stud service to my wife with no repercussions? Never breaking eye contact with me, he says tersely, "Sookie, you'd better step back."

At that precise moment, the front door flies open with a bang and Crystal's sister runs out on to the porch. Frantically looking around, she spies Norris. "Uncle Calvin, you need to get Jason," she says with urgency, "There's trouble."

Almost before the last syllable leaves her mouth, the packmaster begins to move. Without so much as a backward glance at Sookie and me, he runs over to the side of the house and shouts, "Jason! Come _now_!"

A few seconds later, Sookie's brother comes bolting out of the shadows, tugging at his zipper. "What's the matter, man? I was in the middle of taking a leak."

"Crystal's having trouble. You need to get in there."

Jason groans, "Oh, _no_!" before running for the house. Catching sight of Sookie, he yells, "Come on, Sook. I need you."

She calls back, "Go on. I'll be there in a minute."

Before following Jason into the house, Norris stands on the top step of the porch and orders, "All guardians into the house, _now_."

Immediately, the women who were present in the house earlier drop whatever they are doing and rush back inside. Instead of joining them, Sookie grabs my hand and tows me around to the far side of the house. She does not stop until we are completely out of view. Fists planted on her hips, she looks me square in the eye and demands, "Would you care to tell me what the heck _that_ was all about?"

Still seething, I ask, "Did you really think I would allow him to get away with it?"

"Get away with _what_? What on earth are you talking about?"

"No man offers stud service to my wife and lives."

"Stud service... to me? Why would you think...?" She stops, thinking back. "Oh. I think I see. You missed a critical part of the conversation. We were talking about _Jason_."

"Jason? What does your brother have to do with this situation?"

"Here's the thing. Crystal has never been able to carry a baby to term before now. If this child survives, it means Jason is a proven breeder. Since it's pretty obvious that he and Crystal aren't going to stay together in a monogamous relationship, Calvin wants him to... well, as you put it, provide stud service for some of the other females." This last part is said with a combination of embarrassment and distaste, leaving no doubt in my mind that she is being totally truthful.

Suddenly feeling a bit foolish, I say defensively, "Be that as it may, do not deny that Norris has offered to give you children. I know this to be a fact, even though you did not see fit to tell me about it yourself."

Narrowing her eyes, she retorts, "I'm not denying it. I just don't see that it is any of your business."

"Not my business? _Everything_ having to do with you is my business!"

"Not if it happened before I was officially yours. When Calvin made me that offer, he had no idea I even knew you."

"It does not matter. One such as he had no business offering himself to a woman like you. The very idea is ludicrous."

"One such as he? You mean, a man with a steady job with benefits, who owns his own home, and is the leader of his community? Funny, _I_ didn't think it was ludicrous at all."

"Do _not_ tell me you even considered it."

"Why not? It wasn't like I had any better offers on the table," she says bitterly.

Remembering Claudine's words, I fire back, "It was only a matter of time. We were having sex. You loved me. You _were_ already mine."

"You weren't in your right mind. I knew any day you would wake up and leave me, and that's exactly what you did."

She says this quite coldly, but the sharp spike of pain shooting through our Bond is a reminder of how deeply my abrupt departure had hurt her. Now I feel not only foolish but regretful. While I am trying to figure out the right words to smooth things over, she says flatly, "We can talk about this later. My brother needs me right now." Turning on her heel, she marches away without so much as a backwards glance. Shaking my head, I trail after her, not altogether sure how or why I managed to lose control of this situation.

Once inside the house, Sookie heads straight for the bedroom. The "guardians" have reassembled in exactly the same positions as before, but the previously relaxed atmosphere is now charged with a mixture of anxiety and pent-up energy. Somehow, I get the impression that if the room were larger, every one of them would be up and pacing. Ignoring them, I follow my wife but stop abruptly when I reach the doorway. I am completely unprepared for the chaos within.

From her perch atop the stepladder, Ludwig is barking out orders like a Field Marshall. Everyone else in the room is scrambling to do her bidding. The only one not in motion is Crystal, whose screams have intensified to the point that there is no longer any doubt that she is indeed in excruciating agony. A bright red plume of blood is saturating the towels now bunched between her legs. Before I can stop myself, my fangs extend to their full length. Of course, Dr. Ludwig chooses that very moment to look in my direction. Without missing a beat, she cries, "Northman! Make yourself useful! There's a cooler of blood in the trunk of my car. Bring it in right away. I may need to use all of it, so no snacking."

I am unaccustomed to being ordered about by _anyone_, much less someone only three and a half feet tall... but I see this as an opportunity to get back in my wife's good graces. Hurrying out to the limousine, I order the driver to open the trunk. It contains an astonishing array of medical supplies, including a white Styrofoam cooler clearly marked "Donor blood. O Positive." Tucking it under my arm, I dash back inside. By the time I return, the change in the room is remarkable. Crystal is still screaming, but everyone else has stopped moving. The gray-haired woman has rolled her cart full of neatly arranged surgical instruments to the bedside and is calmly awaiting instruction from the doctor. Norris and Jason are standing on the other side of the bed, anxiously looking on. Somewhat incongruously, each of them has donned what appears to be ordinary kitchen aprons, as well as gloves and thin cotton surgical masks. Sookie is sitting on the edge of one of the wooden chairs, anxiously twisting her hands in her lap.

Someone has repositioned Ludwig's ladder as close to the bed as it will go. Also masked and gloved, the doctor holds a razor-sharp scalpel at the ready. Although I have only been gone a short time, she exclaims, "Northman! What took you so long! Give the blood to Gladys and get over here."

Completely taken aback by this invitation, I stay frozen in place. "Crystal is allergic to the anesthesia," Ludwig explains impatiently, "I need you to glamour her while I do the c-section."

Before I can respond, Norris cries, "Are you seriously inviting a _vampire_ to attend a very bloody surgery and birth? You must be out of your mind. Once the bloodlust hits him, none of us would be safe."

Sookie starts to defend me, but Ludwig beats her to it. "We're not talking about an ordinary vampire, you fool," she snaps, "Northman is a king, and his will is far stronger than you can imagine. I trust him."

Eyes flashing, Norris growls, "Then _you_ are the fool. I refuse to take the risk, and that is final." His muscles begin to ripple aggressively.

From behind her mask, Ludwig snarls, "Get a grip on yourself, Norris! I'll have no cats in my operating room! If you can't control yourself, you'll have to leave."

He snarls back, "The vampire is the one that must leave!"

Although I am glad to hear that Ludwig has such a high opinion of my self-control, whether or not I am capable of such restraint is beside the point. In all my long years on this earth, I have never witnessed a birth, and I have zero desire to do so now. With a chilly smile, I say, "Clearly I am not welcome. Sookie, I will wait outside."

Setting the cooler of blood on the floor, I step outside and close the door. Immediately, I find myself surrounded by female bodies, which gently but firmly maneuver me away from the birthing chamber. Now Norris' earlier words make sense. These women are not just here to act as witnesses but also as guards for the mother as she lies helpless giving birth. Before they can move me out of hearing range, I stand firm. I hold up my hand in warning, letting them know that no amount of shoving will budge me one more inch. To my surprise, they do not persist. With sour amusement, I realize that they are just as anxious to hear what is happening in the next room as I am.

From behind the door, the healer's voice says clearly, "All right, the vampire's out. That only leaves me one option. It's up to you now, missy. Come over here and get busy."

Clearly surprised, Sookie replies, "Who, me? I can't..."

Ludwig cuts her off. "Nonsense! We don't have time to play coy. If we don't get that baby out of her soon, we'll lose them both. Are you going to use your gifts to help this poor child or not?"

"I... I... okay, I'll try." Then, after a brief pause, "Crystal, sweetie, give me your hand. That's a good girl. Now, look at me and try to relax." She begins to murmur to the girl in Sylvan, the beautiful syllables flowing out like warm honey. Within moments, the screaming stops. Looking down, I notice a soft golden glow seeping under the door. Of course, I am not the only one who notices it. Crystal's sister gasps. "What _is_ that?" she whispers in astonishment.

Another woman murmurs, "It's so beautiful! I've never seen anything like it."

Everyone except Merlene seems transfixed by the magical glow. Standing slightly to my right, she slowly raises her eyes to mine. Her mouth silently forms the question, "Fairy light?"

After a brief hesitation, I nod. Smiling in satisfaction, she nods back. Out loud, she says authoritatively, "Ladies, Crystal is in excellent hands. I think Mr. Northman means her no harm. Let's all relax and find a seat. It shouldn't be much longer now."

After a bit of rustling around, they do as she suggests. Instead of squeezing myself between the females on the sofa again, I cross my arms and lean against the only empty bit of wall space in the room. Nearly as soon as everyone is settled, a low moan followed closely by a loud thump comes from the next room. To no one in particular, Maryelizabeth whispers, "Oh, dear! What was _that_?"

Of course, I know the sound of a limp body hitting the floor when I hear one. With a grin, I tell her, "If I am not mistaken, that was the father-to-be fainting."

The glow from under the door begins to recede. Ludwig's voice shouts, "Leave him! Concentrate on the girl!" The glow resumes. After only another minute or two, the doctor orders, "Take him, Norris. Gladys, you cut the cord. I've got to work on the mother, or we're going to lose her."

The living room falls silent, none of the guardians daring to as much as breathe... and then, from the birthing room comes a lusty cry. Breaths are let out in a collective sigh of relief. Immediately, all the hens start cackling at once. "It's a boy!" "Do you think he'll be able to change?" "Change? Are you kidding? I'll be happy if he has all his fingers and toes!"

Tuning out the excited babble, I try to follow the proceedings in the next room. As far as I can tell, Ludwig has her hands full trying to get Crystal's bleeding stopped. After a long struggle she finally manages, saying tiredly, "There! She's going to live... but Calvin, she is never going to be able to have any more cubs."

"Frankly, I never thought she'd be able to carry this one to term. Thank you, doctor."

"You can thank me by helping Stackhouse pay my bill. Now tell, me... are you _positive_ there isn't any Scotch in the place?"

I never hear his reply, because my attention is diverted by a soft rapping on the front door. Maryelizabeth begins to rise, but since I am the standing right next to it, I say politely, "Please. Allow me." Opening the door, I am not altogether surprised to find Claudine standing on the porch, this time wearing a well-tailored navy business suit. With a wry smile, she asks, "This seems a little backwards, doesn't it? _You_ get to invite _me_ in for a change."

Standing aside, I allow her entrance. The guardians gape at her in surprise, but before anyone can say anything, Claudine gives a careless wave of her hand. By their identical blank expressions, I realize she has just enchanted the lot of them. She tells them, "Ladies, it's a bit claustrophobic in here. I think you all need some fresh air."

Dazed, they all get up and file out the front door in an orderly fashion. As soon as the last one is outside, Claudine closes the door firmly behind them.

"Very impressive," I comment dryly.

"Much better, don't you think? Too many indoor cats make me sneeze." Glancing around, she takes in the angel-inspired theme. With a delicate shudder, she makes a strangled sound half-way between a laugh and a cry. "Gah. They never can get it right, can they?" and then, "Where's Sookie?"

"There was some trouble. Ludwig brow-beat her into using her magic to assist with the birth."

"Oh, dear. So I take it the baby has arrived?"

"Yes, a few minutes ago."

"Boy or girl?"

"Ah... boy, I think. Healthy, as far as I can tell. No one has come out yet."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come on, vampire. Let's go see the new addition to the family."

She starts for the birthing room, but before she reaches the door, it swings open. Calvin Norris stands in the doorway, but I scarcely recognize him. His normally taciturn face is wreathed in smiles, transforming him into a passably attractive man. When he spies Claudine, his mouth drops open. He stares at her for a few beats, as if he cannot quite believe what he is seeing. Recovering himself, he steps into the living room and bows low. "Good evening, Your Grace."

Well, that answers one question. Obviously he knows exactly what and who Claudine is. She replies, "Good evening, Calvin. I hear a new member has been added to your pack tonight. Congratulations."

"Thank you. Crystal and Jason have given us a beautiful, healthy boy."

"May I see him?"

By the slightly puzzled look on his face, it is clear the packmaster is wondering why a royal Fairy is showing interest in a were-panther cub. Poking his head back into the birthing room, he says, "There is someone here who wants to see the baby. Can she come in?"

Out of view, Ludwig's voice snaps, "This girl just had major surgery, you dolt! No visitors! If you _must_ show off the baby, do it in the other room."

"Yes, ma'am," Norris responds politely, "Jason, will you bring him out here?"

"I cain't carry him!" the new father cries in alarm, "I'll drop him or somethin'! Here, Sookie, _you_ take him."

A moment later, my wife emerges from the room with a tiny bundle carefully cradled in her arms, her brother following protectively behind her. As I was afraid she might be after using such deep magic, Sookie is glowing with the lovely inner light of the true Fairy. Taking a good long look at her cousin, Claudine mutters under her breath, "Hoo, boy. You weren't kidding. The Prince needs to know about this right away."

With a brilliant smile of welcome, Sookie says, "Claudine! It's _so_ good to see you!" Then, her smile fading slightly, she asks, "Um... what are you doing here? Is there a problem?"

"No, I just came by to see the baby."

At this exchange, Jason finally tears his fascinated gaze away from his new son and glances at the visitor. His eyes widen in shock as he takes in the breathtaking Fairy standing next to me. "Oh, mama!" he breathes, "Where have _you_ been all my life?"

For a moment, I think he is going to start drooling, but then, a subtle transformation takes place. His entire demeanor changes from stunned to stud in the blink of an eye. With a very masculine roll of his broad shoulders, he gives the object of his obvious desire a slow, sexy grin. Highly amused, I watch in utter fascination as Jason Stackhouse does his level best to exert his "charm" on his own cousin. Dropping his voice an octave, he purrs, "Hey, pretty lady. My name is Jason, and you are...?"

Horrified, Sookie says sharply, "Jason! Cut it out! You can't... She's our... ah, she's my friend, and you're still married. You know... to your _wife..._ who just gave you a new _son_?"

Not offended in the slightest, Claudine gives a very feminine laugh. Tossing back her silky long hair with one hand, she eyes Jason speculatively. "Mmm. You _do_ have the charm thing down, don't you? Maybe there's more to you than I thought."

"Claudine! Don't encourage him!"

"Calm down, Sookie. In our world, there is no taboo against it."

"Well, that's just gross!"

"Not really," her cousin responds calmly, "Genetically speaking, there is nothing to worry about. Well, except for the were-panther thing. Come to think of it, I suppose it _would _be unsuitable."

Stackhouse is too busy ogling the Fairy to catch the meaning of their words, but his packmaster is paying closer attention. Calvin Norris' eyes dart rapidly between the three of them, the wheels in his head clearly spinning. His feline eyes go round with shock as the last cog falls into place. After witnessing Sookie using her magic to help Crystal, he knows without a doubt she is Fae. Now he realizes that she and her brother must be related to the royal family. Ergo, the new infant... his own great-nephew!... carries at least a small amount of royal Fae blood in his veins.

From the stunned expression on his face, this knowledge has shaken Norris to his very core. He probably has the same prejudice against "mixing races" as most other Supernatural creatures do... but Fairies are so incredibly magical that they fall into a slightly different category. I can tell his mind is reeling with possibilities, but in an impressive display of restraint, he manages to keep his thoughts to himself. I suspect the packmaster's plan to put Jason out to stud will be implemented without delay.

As for Jason, he is still gazing at Claudine like a cat studying a particularly plump mouse. Quite suddenly, he has his own moment of revelation. "You're a Fairy, ain't you?" he blurts out, "A real, living, breathing Fairy!"

"Good boy!" she says cheerfully, as if praising a dog, "That's exactly what I am. My name is Claudine."

"Are all Fairies as beautiful as you?" he asks in a reverent tone.

Visibly preening at his worshipful attention, she responds, "The Fae are known for being pleasing to the eye. You have a bit of our blood... I imagine females of all kinds find you quite attractive, don't they?"

Flashing a pair of deep dimples, he says, "I guess they do. So, Claudine, if you don't mind me askin', why are you here? Did you come to see Sookie?"

Her answer is typically Fae: true and yet, not entirely true. "I am always happy to see Sookie. I was in the area on business, and I wanted to see the newest member of her family. Is he as attractive as his father?"

Jason beams with pride. "My son is absolutely beautiful. Come see."

The Fairy glides over to Sookie, who carefully shifts her tiny burden so that her cousin can get a good look. As my Bonded stares down at the little bundle cradled so carefully in her arms, her face is filled with joy and wonder. The last time I saw her looking so radiantly happy was on our wedding day. Watching her with the baby does something strange to my insides. It awakens feelings that are so alien... so un-vampire-like... that I do not know what to make of them. Not daring to examine them too closely, I ruthlessly shove them aside and do my best to ignore them. Deliberately forcing my eyes away from my wife, I shift my gaze to Claudine. Although I find it nearly impossible to believe, she indicated that this baby could potentially be the next Prince. I have no idea what "signs" she is looking for, but if I watch closely enough, her reaction may tell me what I want to know.

For one long beat, the Fairy stares down at the infant in Sookie's arms. Eyes glowing with excitement, she whispers, "He _is_ beautiful! Look at his eyes! They are so blue!"

Sookie laughs. "Lots of babies have blue eyes at birth, Claudine. They may turn a different color in a couple of months."

"Not these eyes. I think they will stay this way. And his hair will always be as golden as it is now."

"I believe he is the largest baby ever born in Hotshot," Norris states proudly, "No wonder Crystal had so much trouble birthing him."

"I'll bet he takes after his old dad and becomes a star quarterback!" Jason vows happily.

For the next few minutes, the four of them discuss the infant's attributes with great delight. Somehow, the sight of the warm-blooded creatures gushing over the newest addition to their bloodline makes me feel... cold. I have never been more aware of the vast divide between vampire and the warm-blooded races. For the first time in many months, I feel alone and very, very old. What am I doing here, really? Obviously Sookie does not need me. She can celebrate the birth of this child with her real family. I would be much more comfortable waiting outside... in the dark... with others of my own kind. My Bonded is so preoccupied with the baby, she will probably not even notice I am gone.

Just as I begin to edge towards the door, Sookie lifts her head and looks at me. Her beautiful eyes shining, she says softly, "Come see our nephew, Eric. He is _perfect_."

"Ah... no. I just remembered a very important call I must make..." I take another step towards the door.

"Whatever it is, surely it can wait a few more minutes. Come see the baby first."

Drifting another few inches towards freedom, I reply vaguely, "Perhaps later."

Her voice gentle, my woman says the one thing sure to halt my progress. "Honey. _Please_?"

Our Bond tells me how much she yearns for me to share this very important moment in her life. As desperate as I am to escape, I am unable to resist the silent pleading in her eyes. Almost before I know it, I am standing at her side, staring down at the strange little creature in her arms. It has been many, many centuries since I have seen a newborn, and I have forgotten how tiny they are. As I recall, they are not generally very attractive, in spite of what the doting parents think... but I have to admit, this child is different. He is not in the least bit red or wrinkled or pinched-looking. His dewy, cream-colored skin is flawless and looks as soft as flower petals. I cannot see his eye color since they are closed, but his blond eyelashes are impossibly long and thick. In spite of myself, I lean in a bit closer. As if on cue, his large blue eyes pop open and he emits a soft little mew. "He _is_ attractive for an infant," I reluctantly admit, "In fact, he looks a little like you, Sookie."

"Really? _I _think he looks just like his daddy."

"Look at that strong jaw! That's _my_ jaw!" Jason proclaims proudly.

"There's no doubt about it, Jason," Norris says with a hint of relief, "No one can deny this cub is yours. As the father, it is your right to name him. Have you decided what you're going to call him?"

Jason thinks for a minute. "Well, Crystal thinks we should name him Alexander."

The instant the name falls from his lips, a voice from deep inside my brain shouts _NO! __Not__ Alexander! Let them name him __anything__ but that! _Almost simultaneously, a searing pain shoots across the Bond. My eyes go straight to Sookie. The expression on her lovely face remains carefully neutral, but the look in her eyes is one of utter detestation. I know she is remembering the extremely vivid dream we once shared, the one in which we had a beautiful, perfect son of our very own named Alexander. As totally irrational as it is, it seems neither of us can bear the thought of anyone else sharing our dream child's name.

In fact, I am just about to voice a strong objection, when Sookie looks up at me. With a shimmer of tears in her eyes, she shakes her head, silencing me. I long to wrap her up in my arms and comfort her, but I sense she does not wish the others to know how she really feels... so instead, I content myself with slipping my hand under the edge of her blouse and rubbing the small of her back, just as she did to me earlier. I have no soothing magic to send her, but I am hoping my touch will comfort her in some small way.

Thankfully, no one else seems to have noticed her distress. Staring at the baby, Norris repeats the name thoughtfully. "Alexander... That's a good, strong name for a leader, and I have the strangest feeling that this little man is going to be one someday."

"I certainly hope so," Claudine chimes in, although I know she is hoping for a title a great deal more exalted than "Packmaster of Hotshot." Looking down at the infant, she shakes her head. "I don't know, Jason. Somehow he doesn't look like an Alexander to me."

"Honestly? Me, neither," Jason admits, "I was only goin' to call him that to please Crystal. 'Alexander' sounds a little too snotty for me. You know what? He looks just like me, so what would be wrong with him having my name, too? Jason Stackhouse, Junior. We could call him J.J. for short. How does that grab you?"

"I for one think it's the perfect name," I say smoothly, hiding my relief, "Sookie?"

Clearing her throat, my spouse says huskily, "If that's what you really want to call him, Jason, I'm all for it."

"That's settled, then," Jason announces, "Everyone, meet my son... Jason Stackhouse, Junior."

"Hello, little J.J.," croons Claudine, "Now that we're on a first name basis, maybe you wouldn't object to me holding you." Glancing up at the beaming father, she asks, "Is that all right?"

"Uh... sure."

Carefully taking the baby from Sookie, she lifts him up and kisses him gently on the top of the head. She breathes in his scent deeply... and then, much to my amusement, has to stifle a sneeze. Once the urge has passed, she says to the baby, "You are gorgeous, little man. Let's see if the rest of you is just as perfect."

Without waiting for permission, the Fairy cradles the baby in one arm. The mysterious "sign" she is looking for must be hidden by the blanket, because she swiftly begins to unwrap him. Irreverently, I wonder if the next Prince is born with a spare digit or two. That speculation is quickly put to rest, since the Fairy barely glances at his hands or his feet. Her gaze is drawn straight to his undeniably male genitalia. Compared to the rest of him, they do seem disproportionately large. Surely not all male babies are this gifted at birth! Inadvertently, Claudine answers my unspoken question. Grinning broadly, she remarks, "Well! Definitely some Fae blood there!"

Sookie giggles weakly. Jason puffs out his chest and says, "You see? He _is_ a chip off the old block!"

Norris remains silent, merely shaking his head in wonder. Claudine gently rolls the baby towards her chest so that she can scrutinize his back. His round little bottom is smooth and nearly flawless, except for a small birthmark high on one cheek. How strange! Sookie has one in nearly the same spot. Come to think of it, the two marks are shaped very similarly, except that the baby's is pale with blurry edges. Sookie's is darker and more distinct. I glance over at my wife, to see if she has noticed this amazing coincidence.

Hm. By the way her eyes are fixated on the little mark, the answer is "yes." Claudine is staring at it as well. Without looking up, she says something to Sookie in Sylvan. Her cousin rapidly replies in the same language. They speak back and forth for a minute, and although I have no idea what is being said, the disappointment in both their voices is obvious. Ah ha! This mark must be the indicator the Fairy was looking for, but judging from their reaction to it, something about it is not quite right. Clearly, this baby is _not_ going to be the next Prince.

With a sigh, Claudine wraps the infant back in his soft blanket. Looking at Jason, she says quietly, "You have a fine son, Jason. Would you like me to give him my blessing?"

With a blank look, Jason asks, "Um... your blessing? Are you a preacher or somethin'?"

Norris quickly explains, "Having your child blessed by a Fairy is a great honor, Jason, not to mention extremely good luck."

"Oh! Well, okay then. Knock yourself out."

Turning to her cousin, Claudine says, "Sookie, why don't you join me? That way, the baby will be doubly blessed."

"Ah... I'm not sure I know how."

Eying her still-glowing cousin, Claudine snorts. "From the looks of things, that's never stopped you before. Just follow my lead. You take his head, I'll take the heart."

With a quick nod, Sookie does as she is told. Within seconds, a magnificent golden aura envelops the three of them. My hand still rests on Sookie's back, and so even though it is not intended for me, a small portion of their magic trickles into me through that slight contact. The feeling is nearly indescribable... warmth, life, love, joy, hope... their blessing contains all those things and more. Much too soon to suit me, the aura begins to recede, and the incredible experience is over. The minute Sookie removes her hand from the babe's brow, I slip my arms around her and pull her back against me, tenderly kissing the top of her head. My amazing little fairy-wife relaxes into my arms with a tired but contented sigh.

Kissing the baby one last time, Claudine murmurs, "Now, little J.J., that should give you a good start on a long and happy life." She slips him into his father's nervous arms. "He's a fine boy, Jason. Thank you for letting me see him."

"Ah, thanks for the blessin' and all. Come see me and J.J. again, anytime." He sounds quite hopeful.

Claudine laughs. "I doubt it. I don't have occasion to travel through these parts nearly as often as I once did."

About that time, the door to the birthing room is jerked open, and Ludwig marches out. "All right, people, you've had that baby out there long enough! He's a newborn, not an exhibit in a sideshow! He needs sleep! He..." Catching sight of Claudine, her rant comes to an abrupt halt. In a completely different tone, she says, "Your Grace! I had no idea you were here. Please forgive the interruption!"

With a haughty look, the Fairy replies, "Healer, has anyone ever told you that your bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired? However, you speak the truth. The babe does need his rest."

"We must present him to his pack first, but that will only take a minute," says Norris firmly, "Come on, Jason."

Walking as carefully as if he was holding the world's most fragile treasure, Jason slowly makes his way slowly towards the door. Ludwig calls after them, "At least have the sense to keep him covered!" As soon as the door closes behind them, she bows rather clumsily to Claudine, mumbling, "I must get back to my patient. Good evening!" and then scurries back into the bedroom, making sure the door is firmly closed behind her.

Claudine rolls her eyes. "I never have been able to stand any of that bunch. Unpleasant dispositions, the lot of them."

Sookie gulps. "There are _more_ of them?"

"Oh, yes, each one more surly than the last. Compared to some of her older siblings, this one is positively charming. Now, enough about Ludwig. We need to talk about _you."_

"I guess Eric told you I'm having trouble keeping the Fairy thing on the down-low."

Claudine eyes her cousin's glowing skin. "I'd say that was a bit of an understatement. I wish I could tell you what to do, but I have no idea how to begin to explain it. With full-blooded Fae, it's just... automatic. Have you tried wishing it away?"

"Uh huh. It doesn't put a dent in it."

"I see. This really _is_ a problem, isn't it?" Pinching her lip, she thinks for a moment. "Of course, it would be best if you came back to the Portal until you learn to control it, but your vampire seems to object to that plan."

"Even if he didn't, I wouldn't go anyway. Eric and I need to be together right now."

Claudine sighs heavily. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that. Very well, I will discuss this with the Prince right away. He will certainly know what to do."

"Until then, perhaps Sookie should refrain from using any magic," I suggest.

The dark-haired Fairy frowns. "Actually, this is the time she needs to be using it as much as possible, in the hopes it will continue to develop and get stronger. It would be better to limit her exposure to outsiders until the situation is resolved."

Immediately I see the wisdom in this. "That can be arranged," I assure her, "No one can get past the guards at Valhalla without my permission."

"Wait a minute!" Sookie protests, "It sounds like you two are planning on locking me in the basement or something."

Grinning, I wiggle my eyebrows at her. "Technically, since our bedroom is underground, it _could_ be considered a basement. I've always wanted an excuse to keep you chained to our bed. I-"

Claudine breaks in. "Wait a minute. Sookie, I saw your bedroom when you were ill. It was definitely on the second floor."

"That's really just a guest room. I've never even been in that bed before that night. Like Eric said, our real bedroom is downstairs." I note with pride that she does not disclose any details of our chamber's location, even to her cousin.

"You actually _sleep_ with the vampire _underground_?" the Fairy asks in unconcealed horror.

Instantly irritated, Sookie snaps, "Of _course_ I sleep with Eric. He's my _husband_."

"In this case, Dear One, I think your cousin is more disgusted by your sleeping underneath the earth than she is by your sleeping with a dead man. Rumor has it that most Fairies have a serious aversion to being underground."

Sookie snorts. "Oh, brother! That's probably just one of those silly myths that aren't true at all, like vampires and crosses. Right, Claudine?"

Eying me, the Fairy answers rather evasively, "Well, there may be a _bit_ of truth to it. Sookie, tell me... when you are under the earth, don't you feel like you're going to be crushed? Don't you find it hard to breathe?"

"No, not all. I feel just the same as I always do."

"Remarkable," Claudine says, "I suppose it's the human in you. Good thing, too, considering your choice of spouses. Now, back to the subject at hand... we have agreed that for the time being, Sookie will stay out of sight at Valhalla."

"We?You must have a mouse in your pocket, because_ I_ haven't agreed to anything!" Sookie responds forcefully, "If you think I'm staying home this week, you're nuts. I'm giving my first dinner party this weekend! I have stuff to do!"

Claudine looks at her cousin as if she's lost her mind. "_You_ have stuff to do? Surely you have servants for that sort of thing. If not, I'm certain the Prince will send you some house elves..."

Is she implying that I am not capable of providing my Bonded with the proper amount of household staff? "Sookie can have as many servants as she wants," I inform her frostily, "For some reason, she seems to dislike them."

"That's not true! I just like doing some things myself!" exclaims my irritated wife, "As for magic, I can survive perfectly well without any while I'm out of the house. I'll just have to practice more when I'm home." She has that stubborn look on her face that means there is no point in arguing.

Obviously Claudine recognizes that look, too. Rather crossly, she says, "Sookie, you are as hard-headed as your great-grandfather!"

"Thanks! I'll take that as a compliment."

Before the discussion can go any further, the front door opens and Norris steps inside. He holds the door open for Jason, who is stiffly holding his new son to his chest. The baby is crying, his high-pitched wail nearly piercing my eardrums. By the gods, how can something so tiny make such an infernal racket?

Jason's expression is one of utter terror. Looking at his sister with panicked eyes, he moans, "Sookie! What am I doing wrong? J.J. won't stop crying!"

"Calm down, daddy," Sookie says soothingly, "Let me have him." Taking the baby from her brother, she begins to sway back and forth, gently rocking her new nephew. Smiling down at the squalling infant, she coos, "I think you're trying to tell us you're hungry, aren't you, little guy? Come on, Jason, let's take him to his mama." The two of them disappear into the birthing room, shutting the door behind them. Within minutes, the house is once again blissfully quiet.

Looking nearly as relieved as I am, Claudine mutters, "How _do_ parents stand all that noise?"

Not having the slightest idea, I merely shrug. Norris replies with authority, "Trust me, it's different when they're yours."

Somehow, I find that very difficult to believe. Somewhat humorously, Claudine says, "Really? I find that very difficult to believe. It would drive me 'round the bend in no time. It doesn't seem to bother Sookie, though."

His face carefully neutral, the packmaster states, "Some woman are natural-born mothers, some aren't."

Although he wisely leaves the rest of his thoughts unspoken, I know what they are anyway: _Sookie would make the perfect mother, and it is a crime that she will never be one because her man is a cold-blooded dead thing incapable of creating life. _I _also_ know that he would dearly love to be the one to remedy that situation... which re-awakens my desire to shred him on the spot. No doubt feeling the sudden chill in the air, Claudine hastily changes the subject. "Now that I've seen the baby, I suppose I'd better get going. The Prince is waiting for a report."

I am surprised that she is being so blunt, but obviously she, too, realizes that Norris has put two and two together. Looking him directly in the eye, she says sternly, "In order to save one of your kin, Sookie has revealed more about herself and her family than was prudent. The Prince will _not_ be pleased if word of this gets out."

"I understand completely. No one will hear about it from me."

Claudine shifts her eyes to mine. "Who besides Calvin knows?"

"Crystal, the woman Gladys, and Jason witnessed it firsthand. The females in this room could hear what transpired and saw the glow from under the door, but only one of them had any idea what it was. Since you so cleverly sent them all outside, I imagine by now they have spread the story to the entire community."

She makes a sour face. "It won't take them long to figure it out. What do you think we should do?"

I take a moment to think it over before replying. As I see it, we have two choices. With the help of my guards, we can round everyone up and glamour the knowledge out of them, but there is no guarantee that will solve the problem long-term. Most were-animals can be successfully glamoured, but some are resistant. For a rare few, the condition is only temporary and their memories gradually return. A more permanent solution would be to kill the lot of them, packleader and all. Right now, that option seems quite attractive. Of course, Sookie would _not_ be pleased if Iam the one to do the deed. Hmm. I wonder if there is any possibility of getting Claudine to do it...

Obviously realizing what is on my mind, Calvin is quick to reassure the Fairy, "Any action on your part is completely unnecessary, Your Grace. This community protects its own. Sookie is family now. I give you my word as leader, no outsider will ever hear of any of this."

"As someone reminded me recently, it is not the end of the world if a few people realize that Sookie is part-Fae. The real danger comes if word of her family connection gets out.Norris here is the only one who knows of it," I point out slyly.

The Fairy narrows her eyes and gives him a cold, speculative look. She knows as well as I do that it is nearly impossible to glamour a packleader. "You have known me for many years, your Grace," he reminds her quickly, "You should know by now I am not one to give away secrets."

I would dearly love to know what dealings these two have had in the past... but right now, it is not relevant. Claudine says slowly, "I suppose that is true. Also, I know you care for Sookie, and I doubt you would do anything to harm her. If anyone finds out about this connection, it would put her at risk... and by extension, her brother and your new great-nephew as well. Trust me, you do _not_ want to bring that sort of trouble to your own doorstep."

"Jason doesn't know about any of this, does he?"

"No. He only knows he and his sister have a bit of Fae blood, but little more. Since Jason has no magic outside of a bit of charm, the Prince does not intend to pursue a relationship. Furthermore, Niall believes there is little to be gained by Jason being told the details of his heritage. Given the boy's character, it could ultimately lead to trouble."

The packleader is quiet for a moment, thinking this over. "I have to agree. Jason is still very immature. His thinking is not always clear and sometimes leads him to make extremely poor choices. Please tell the Prince that I have no intention of putting Sookie _or_ my community in danger by trusting Jason with _any_ unnecessary knowledge."

"I am glad to see we understand each other. I will pass your assurances on to Prince Niall." Turning to me, she says, "Tell Sookie I will find a solution to her problem and get back to her as soon as possible. Until then, try to keep her under wraps, will you?"

"I will, when I am available. Unfortunately, that leaves plenty of daylight hours where she is free to do as she likes." This sounds more bitter than I intended.

"Knowing Sookie, she'll be dashing out of Valhalla at the first ray of dawn, just to prove she can. Maybe your plan to chain her to your bed isn't so bad," she says teasingly.

At the mention of bed and chains, Norris' jaw clenches and a slow flush begins to creep up his thick neck. Obviously the visual of me chaining Sookie to our bed is not pleasing to him. To twist the knife a little further, I shake my head regretfully. "Those chains are for love-play only. We don't use them all that much anyway. Knowing that she can just pop her way out of them takes all the fun out of it."

Ha! Now Norris is positively glowering. Surprisingly, he is not the only one to take my words at face value. Astonished, Claudine gasps, "She _can_?"

Knowing how much her kind hate to be reminded of their weaknesses, I give the now-agitated Fairy a cheerful grin. "She can since I had to quit using ones made of iron... I certainly do not want to risk another bout of poisoning... but I really don't need chains, you know. I can merely wrap Sookie in my arms and hold tight. She cannot get away unless I allow it." If the vampire's intentions are to keep the Fairy from escaping, even while he is resting, she cannot... at least, in theory. I have never put this to the test, but Claudine does not have to know that.

"I should have known you couldn't resist bringing that up," she responds sourly, "I can't believe I'm saying this, vampire, but do what you have to do. I'll talk this over with the Prince as soon as possible and get back to you. Is there anything _else_ he should know?"

"Actually, there are several issues that I want to discuss with him, but they can wait until the dinner party on Sunday. That reminds me. Sookie would like to include another guest, a friend she made while visiting the Prince. I believe his name is Rhys. Perhaps you might extend the invitation for her?"

"Sookie... wants to invite Rhys... to your house?"

Assuming my most innocent look, I lie convincingly, "Yes. She wants to thank him for his friendship and support while she was away. Of course, he may be hesitant to accept an invitation to a vampire's home, but you may assure him that he will be perfectly safe for the duration of the party."

Wordlessly, she stares at me for several beats. Finally, one corner of her mouth twitches up. "Well, I'll say one thing. This dinner party is shaping up to be very interesting. Tell Sookie I'll pass along the invitation."

Without another word, she vanishes, leaving Norris and I alone in the room. Slowly, I turn to face him. He meets my gaze without flinching. Without witnesses, the thin veneer of civility between us has vanished. With utter contempt, I spit out, "Did you _really_ think Sookie would choose someone like you?"

"You knew all along she was Fae, didn't you?" he counters, "At least _I_ wanted her for the right reasons...because she is a good woman with a loving heart. _You_ only wanted her for her Fae blood."

"No doubt it pleases you to think so, but in reality, her blood had little to do with it. Sookie is the perfect female in every respect. She was _born_ to my mate. I simply recognized that fact and acted on it."

"She might be the perfect woman for you, but did you ever stop to think if _you_ were the right man for _her_?"

"Who do you think is more suitable? You? _I_ made her a Queen. Every vampire in this territory is bound to do her bidding. She lives in a beautiful mansion surrounded by beautiful things. She has more money than she can possibly spend in several lifetimes. What could _you_ have given her?"

"There is more to life than wealth and position. A woman like Sookie needs family around her, children of her own. You robbed her of that possibility."

The fact that his words hold a kernel of truth only makes me angrier. No doubt feeling my rising irritation, Sookie opens the door and peers out anxiously. Finding the two of us standing nearly toe-to-toe glaring at one another, her expression quickly turns to alarm. Quietly pulling the door shut behind her, she hurries across the room to my side. Laying a slender hand on my arm, she asks, "Honey, what is it?"

Looking down at her sweet, worried face, I notice at once how tired she looks. Not only has been a very long day for her, the magical energy required to aid Crystal has clearly taken its toll. My squabble with the panther will have to wait. Right now I need to care for my woman. Tucking her under my arm, I reply, "Nothing. A minor disagreement, not worthy of repeating. The packmaster and I will take it up at a later time." I can tell she is unconvinced, but for once, she just lets it go. With a weary sigh, she closes her eyes and lets her body relax against mine. Gently thumbing back a lock of hair that has escaped the confines of her braid, I say softly, "You look exhausted, my love. Let me take you home."

"I guess I am pretty tuckered out." Opening her eyes, she looks at the packmaster. "I think we're going to head home, Calvin. Will you tell Jason I said goodbye and to call me if he needs anything?"

"I will be happy to, but before you go... I want to thank you helping Crystal tonight. Everything considered, I know it was not an easy thing for you to do."

"Don't be silly. I can't think of a better use for my magic than helping my nephew be born. I'm just glad I could help."

Impulsively, she holds out one lightly-glowing hand, but he does not take it right away. Now that he understands who and what she really is, he seems a bit unsure of how to deal with her. After a brief hesitation, he gingerly clasps her slender fingers in his work-roughened hand. Clearing his throat, he says seriously, "Sookie, I want you to know that you are considered family now. We will keep your secrets, just as you keep ours. If you are ever in need, you will always find shelter here, and people who will stand up for you."

"Thank you, Calvin," she says with great sincerity, "That means a lot to me."

In a surprisingly genteel gesture, he bows over her hand. Luckily for him, he stops short of kissing it. Instead, he merely squeezes gently and then releases it. Nevertheless, it is all I can do to keep from growling my displeasure. Stepping back, he says, "I'd better see you out."

"That's not necessary," Sookie assures him, "We can see ourselves out. Except... maybe I should duck out the back door or something. If I don't, everybody out there is gonna know what I am."

I shake my head ruefully. "Dear One, I am afraid that ship has sailed... but Norris has assured Claudine and me that no one here will pass the information along. Since this community is well-known for its secrecy, we decided to take his word for it."

"Well, okay then. If you two aren't worried, I guess I'm not either."

Norris says, "The thing is, Sookie... some of the folks outside might try to touch you, even though they know your vampire won't like it. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

Thoroughly confused, Sookie asks, "Touch me? What for?"

"To really understand it, you have to know some of our history. You see, many centuries ago, the were-animals were being hunted to extinction..."

With a smile, Sookie cuts in. "Oh! I know this story! The Prince of the Fae offered them shelter in the Portal, right?"

He nods. "Most of my people took him up on the offer. Those that did thrived and multiplied. As you can see, those that refused didn't fare nearly as well. Since that time, the Fae haven't had much to do with most Earth-bound panthers. Many of my people have never even seen a Fairy, and especially not one looking like you do now."

"Okay, so I get that they might be inclined to gawk a little... but why would they want to _touch_ me?"

"Well... you see, even Supernatural creatures have superstitions," he says with a touch of embarrassment, "The Irish tell their children that if they can catch a leprechaun, he has to grant them three wishes. Some eastern peoples think that rubbing a Buddha's belly will bring wealth, good luck and prosperity. Among our kind, it is said to be extremely good luck to touch a Fairy... and a great honor if the Fairy chooses to touch you."

Sookie gives a short, bitter laugh. "Funny, when I was just a telepath, most people wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole." Looking up at me, she offers quietly, "Honey, maybe I can sneak out the back door and circle around to the car... or better yet, I can just pop from here to there. That will solve the problem."

The idea of my Bonded being pawed by were-panthers is totally abhorrent. Under normal circumstances, I would _never_ allow it. However, my little telepath has been treated with such disrespect for most of her life, even now her self-esteem is not what it should be. A healthy dose of adulation is just what she needs. For her sake, I am going to grit my fangs and bear it. "Queens do not slink out the back door, Sookie. We will walk to the car in the normal way. I assure you, no one will come to any harm."

A host of conflicting emotions tumble through the Bond, making it difficult to sort them out: disbelief, reluctance, and even a smidgeon of fear... but also, a glimmer of excitement. Before she can succumb to her misgivings, I take her arm and steer her firmly towards the door. Stepping on to the small front porch, we survey the scene outside. It seems Norris was worried for nothing. Now that the baby has been safely delivered and presented, the celebration has reached a fever pitch. In their enthusiasm, a few have changed into their animal forms and are weaving their way through the dancing bodies. In short, everyone is too busy partying to even notice us... that is, until we take the first step off the porch. At that very moment, the CD that was playing on the boom box ends. In the small gap before the machine rotates the next one into place, a child's thin voice rings out, "Look, mama! It's the Fairy!"

Instantly, the party comes to a screeching halt. Every pair of eyes in the entire yard swivels towards the house. Faces alight with curiosity and awe, they regard the Fairy in their midst. Almost as one, they begin to cluster around the steps, including those in panther form. Knowing that my guards might see this as a threat and make an untimely appearance, I look straight at the trees where Joseph is concealed and give a very distinct shake of my head... and then realize I have a bigger problem closer at hand.

As the panthers surge forward, alarm flashes through the Bond. Almost instinctively, I tighten my grasp on Sookie's arm, preventing her from popping away... but also inadvertently triggering another, totally unexpected reaction. Immediately, Sookie's glow begins to dim, much like a flashlight whose battery is running down. Oddly enough, the Fairy herself seems to be completely unaware of this. She mutters, "I can't do this."

Quickly recovering from my shock, I whisper back, "Look at yourself, Sookie."

"What?" She glances down. "Oh, wow. What the heck happened?"

"Some sort of protective mechanism must have kicked in."

Raising her chin, she says, "Well, good. I didn't want to do this, anyway."

That is not entirely true. I _feel_ her sharp disappointment. Leaning down, I murmur in her ear, "Are you sure? Right now, this is one of the few places it is safe for you to be yourself. I think you should take advantage of it."

Sookie glances up at me, clearly undecided. I give her an encouraging smile. "Go on, my love. Show them what you really are."

"I'm pretty tired, but I'll give it a try." With a little sigh, she closes her eyes and right away, I feel the magic swirling inside her. Soon, her skin is once again aglow. Naturally, this elicits some excited murmuring from her audience. Opening her eyes, Sookie inspects one glowing hand and says with relief, "Thank goodness. I would have felt pretty silly if it hadn't worked."

I smile to myself, knowing that what the were-panthers are seeing is only a mere glimpse of the Fairy in her true form. Robert and I were lucky enough see that shimmering, incredibly magical creature emerge once, and both of us were nearly struck dumb by the vision. If it had such a strong effect on two worldly, ancient vampires, there is no telling what it would do to this ignorant, unsophisticated bunch. Looking down at my gorgeous Fairy-wife, I ask, "Ready?"

She nods. "Let's do it." Wrapping her hand securely around my arm, she takes the last step to the ground and tries to head for our car, but the path is blocked by bodies.

From behind us, Norris says loudly, "Let them through. Everybody, mind your manners."

Obediently, the crowd parts, forming a kind of gauntlet for us to pass through. Moving at a sedate pace, we move forward, and as Norris predicted, several of his tribe want to touch the Fairy so badly they are willing to brave the Vampire King's wrath to do it. At least they are polite about it. Almost shyly, they reach out and gently brush their fingertips across her warm, glowing skin.

Each and every contact, however reverent, makes me cringe. However, I must admit the effect this is having on my Bonded is worth a little discomfort. After the first few touches, she relaxes and begins to thoroughly enjoy the experience. Instead of draining her "magical battery," now their admiration seems to be feeding it. By the time we reach the edge of the yard, a glimmer of multicolored sparkles dance in the air around her. Every eye in the place is glued to the amazing light-show, except for mine. Even though I truly do not anticipate the least bit of trouble, out of long habit I keep a very close watch on those around us. As we near the end of the path, it occurs to me that the one person I thought most likely to be first in line to touch the Fairy has not done so. Glancing around, I spy Merlene hovering on the outer fringes of the group. Meeting my eye, she gives me a saucy wink and a nod.

Acting on impulse, I stop our progress and motion the old woman forward. With a look of surprise on her worn face, she makes her way to the front. Once she presents herself, I make the introductions. "Sookie, I would like you to meet Merlene. She lives in Austin and is a very forward thinker."

Although I feel my Bonded's puzzlement at my unusual behavior, she never misses a beat. Smiling graciously, she says, "I'm so happy to meet you, Merlene."

I know quite well that my well-mannered Southern Belle was raised to shake hands when being introduced, but in deference to me, she does not. With a twinkle in my eye, I tell her, "Go ahead, my love. Shake hands with her."

I feel my Bonded's surprise but then a wave of understanding. By this community's standards, by offering to touch the older woman, she is honoring her as well as conferring good luck. It is my hope this will garner the unique old woman a little more respect from her peers. Immediately, my willing Fairy extends her glittering hand. For once, the normally bold panther-woman hesitates... but then gently takes the Fairy's sender hand into her own. "Thank you very much, ma'am."

Sookie laughs. "No need to be so formal, Merlene. Just call me Sookie."

"It's been a pleasure to meet you, Sookie... and King Eric." Eyes shining with pride, she gives us both a polite bob of her head before stepping back and allowing us to continue on our way.

When we finally come to the end of the gravel path, Norris motions for everyone to stay put. He alone escorts us out to our car. Before getting in, Sookie says, "Good night, Calvin. Take good care of J.J. I'll be back to see him soon."

"Good night, Sookie. We will look forward to your next visit."

Tossing the packleader one last cold glare, I slide into the driver's seat, start the engine, and then navigate the car back on to the pavement. My last sight of the packmaster is in my rear view mirror, standing with his legs apart and hands on his hips. He and I have unfinished business, and I vow to myself that one of these nights, I will be visiting him again... without Sookie. On that occasion, he will wish he had never laid eyes on me or my wife. For now, though, I make up my mind not to waste one more moment of my evening thinking about him.

To be perfectly honest, I am finding it difficult to think about anything just now that does not involve having immediate and prolonged sex with my Bonded. I once told Sookie I wanted to bite her and fuck her and rub myself all over her, and that is precisely what I want to do now. As on that long-ago occasion, the Corvette is filled with the intoxicating scent of Fairy. Even though I am somewhat immune to it now, I still find it completely impossible to keep my fangs from descending and my cock from becoming hard as a rock. To make matters worse, I can also smell the taint of were-panther on my mate's skin, which awakens my possessive instincts. It is all I can do to keep from finding a decent spot to pull off the road, snatching my woman out of the car, and replacing that god-awful stench with my own scent NOW.

However, I suspect that my well-bred lover might object to this plan. Having sex on the side of the road is probably one of those things Sookie's grandmother told her was unladylike. Unquestionably my Belle would prefer the privacy of our own driveway. Fortunately, Valhalla is not very far away. Surely I can control myself that long! In the meantime, maybe I can distract myself with a little conversation. I glance over at Sookie, who has already tilted her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. A faint smile hovers on her luscious lips. I cannot resist commenting, "That wasn't so bad, was it? Being adored can be quite pleasant."

Her eyes fly open. "What? Oh, that. Actually, it _was_ nice, but a little weird at the same time... but that's not what I was thinking about."

"Ah... I know. You were wondering how soon you can get me home and have your way with me."

She laughs softly. "I hate to burst your bubble, sweetie, but I was really thinking about the baby. Eric, watching him being born was absolutely amazing. I gotta say, seeing someone take his very first breath is nothing short of magical."

"Speaking of magic, you know you should not have let Ludwig guilt you into revealing yourself."

"What did you want me to do, let Crystal suffer? Oh... right. I guess it wouldn't have bothered _you_ much, but _I_ wouldn't have been able to live with myself."

"Truth be told, I would have been astonished if you had refused. You are too tenderhearted for your own good."

"Me? Tenderhearted? Not really... but I _do_ like using my magic to help people. It makes me feel really, really good." She sounds a bit surprised.

"You should be proud of your gifts. That particular kind of magic is very special, even by Supernatural standards."

"I guess it _is_ pretty special. Faeryn says it runs in the Brigant bloodline." She is quiet for a moment, then asks, "Eric, do you think little J.J. will get any magic?"

Chuckling, I answer, "I suspect the only gift he inherited from the Fae side is a rather impressive bit of anatomy. From the looks of things, I predict your nephew will someday be extremely popular with the panther ladies."

"Eric! I can_not_ believe you just said that!" In spite of her reprimand, I notice she cannot keep one corner of her mouth from twitching upward.

"I am only stating the obvious," I continue blithely, "It is common knowledge that were-panther males are not only short in stature but in other areas as well."

"Uh huh. Funny _I_ never heard that before. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were making that up just because you found out that Calvin was once interested in me... but I just know the King of Louisiana couldn't possibly be that petty."

"Me, petty? Never."

My disrespectful mate snorts. "Uh huh. Good thing for you I'll never find out if it's true or not."

"Actually, I would say it's a good thing for everyone concerned that you do not already know the answer."

"... but even if it is true, you know what they say," she says breezily, "Size doesn't really matter. It's technique that counts."

"They" being males of less than adequate size, I would imagine."

"Well, maybe they make up for it in other ways." She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

"Yes, I understand the sex toy industry is booming."

Instantly, a charming little blush rises to her cheeks. "I _meant_ by being sweet or nurturing or helpful around the house. I have a feeling that Calvin would have treated me like a queen."

"_I_ made you a real Queen!"

"Of course you did, baby. I'm just saying, Calvin has some good points..."

She is baiting me, and I know it. My only response is to roll my eyes and sigh, which makes her laugh. A few miles go by in silence. "Sookie... you really never seriously considered him, did you?"

She lets me stew for a minute or two before letting me off the hook. "No, sugar. I never seriously considered marrying anybody but you."

Bringing her hand to my lips, I kiss her open palm and then each fingertip. "Any regrets?"

"Not one. I love you, Eric Northman, and I can't imagine being married to anybody else... and for the record, I would have loved you even if you were packing a .22 instead of a .45."

"What...? Oh. Well, that is good to know, although I assure you, there is no question that_ I_ could definitely make up for it in technique... and without any battery-driven aids, I might add."

My spouse blushes again, but her angel's lips curve upward. "Oh, yes, you _definitely_ could."

After that, we lapse into silence again, but she leaves her soft little hand curled warmly in mine. After a few more miles pass, I say in a low voice, "Sookie... about my reaction earlier. I am sorry if I upset you."

Pulling her hand from mine, she hugs her arms across her chest as if chilled. "You were an inch away from killing him, Eric. I could _feel_ it."

"I admit that the thought of him having sex with you makes me want to tear him into tiny pieces."

"But he didn't actually _do_ it."

"Good thing for him he did not, or I might not have been able to stop myself."

"Honey, you can't go around shredding every man who ever thought about having sex with me."

"Norris wanted to do considerably more than that. He wanted to _impregnate_ you, Sookie." Even the words leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

She does not respond immediately. "I guess I know enough about vampires to understand why this gets under your skin," she says eventually, "If it makes you feel any better, I found the idea pretty repulsive, too. Still, it was a respectable offer by Calvin's standards, made before he knew you and I were an item. Once he found out I was yours, he's never so much as hinted at it again. I'd like to forget it ever happened, and I wish you would, too."

"_He_ hasn't forgotten it. If anything ever happens to me, he'll be sniffing around before the ashes blow away. "

"You'd better make sure nothing happens to you, then." Her lightly spoken words belying the tingle of fear creeping across our Bond.

Reaching across the console, I recapture her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. "Do not worry, Beloved. Nothing is going to happen to me."

"It better not. I'm just now getting you trained. Starting over again would be a real pain."

I give her a mock growl and she flashes me a disrespectful grin. I tell her, "So you think to start over, eh? Not with Norris, you won't. I plan on leaving strict instructions with Robert to take care of all my unfinished business, and the were-panther's name is now at the top of the list. Now tell me, Beloved, are there any _other_ names that should be added to that list?"

I say this in a joking manner, but of course, I am not.

Not having any idea that there is indeed such a list, Sookie quips, "You don't really expect me to give you names to add to your "hit" list, do you?"

"Names, plural? How many more proposals have you had?"

"Oh, hundreds. Enough to keep Robert busy for years."

She is only teasing. Nevertheless, in my mind's eye, I immediately picture a horde of handsome, warm-blooded, virile men lined up outside the gates of Valhalla, just waiting to have another chance with the merry widow. Grrrr.

"Sookie," I ask carefully, "_Have _there been any other proposals?"

Once again, she takes her time answering. "No, honey. There have been no other proposals." Pause. "Eric, is there _really_ a hit list?"

Now it is I who take my time responding. I can think of no way to get around such a direct question without lying. Finally, I reply, "Yes."

"I guess I should have known." With a deep sigh, Sookie turns her head away from me and stares out her window. She is not exactly angry with me, but a whole host of negative emotions I cannot quite get a handle on are roiling around inside her. The closer we get to home, the more out-of-sorts she gets. Nothing more is said until we near the front gates of Valhalla, when she suddenly announces, "Bill must be at the house."

Sure enough, when we finally round the last curve of the driveway, I find my Lieutenant's Cadillac parked in front of the house. Pulling up behind it, I park and then help Sookie out of the car. Although Bill is perfectly aware of the front door code, he has chosen to wait on the porch. As we come up the steps, he rises from one of the wicker chairs.

"Hello, Bill," I greet him. "Is there a problem?"

He does not answer right away, and I realize with amusement he is struggling to keep his fangs retracted. He may have a minor blood tie to Sookie, but this does not give him immunity to the Fairy smell. Eyes still a bit glazed, he finally answers, "No more than usual. A few things came up that we should discuss in person, plus a package came for you, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. How did it go in Hotshot?"

I prepare myself for an enthusiastic and lengthy description of the infant and his birth, but Sookie merely replies, "Fine. We now have a beautiful, healthy nephew named Jason Stackhouse, Jr."

"Congratulations, Sookie."

"Thank you. Now, if you boys will excuse me, I have some things to do."

Without another word, she heads towards the front door. No small talk, no invitation for our guest to come inside, no offer of warm blood... nothing. Clearly surprised by her totally uncharacteristic lack of hospitality, Bill blinks. Just before she disappears through the door, he calls out, "Ah, Sookie? I brought your phone back."

She pauses in the doorway long enough to say, "Thanks, Bill. You can give it to Eric." With that, she quietly but firmly closes the front door, leaving two astonished vampires standing on the porch.

"What in the world is wrong with Sookie?" asks Bill.

"I think something I said upset her," I admit, "Tell me, Bill, did you know that Calvin Norris once intended to make Sookie his?"

My Lieutenant starts to laugh... until he realizes that I am not smiling. His laughter is suddenly replaced with a frown. "You can't be serious."

"Believe it or not, I am." I give him an abbreviated version of the story and finish by stating, "I suppose I should have been less forthcoming about my list."

Shaking his head, he says, "Wives. They always demand the truth, but they don't always like it when they get it."

"Honestly, what did she expect?" I say rather indignantly, "What vampire worth his salt doesn't have such a list?"

"None that I know of. I certainly do. However, are you certain that was what upset her?"

"What else could it be?"

"Maybe Sookie realizes that Norris is unlikely to live long enough to be added to your list."

"So what? He is not human... or Fae or vampire, for that matter. I can tell she has no real affection for him. In fact, he seems to make her uncomfortable. I truly do not understand why she cares what becomes of him."

"Believe me, I understand your frustration. I often had difficulty understanding her myself. Any human-vampire relationship has this sort of trouble. Having a little Fae blood thrown into the mix is bound to make the situation worse."

"I knew when I married Sookie there would be a period of adjustment... but sometimes I feel as if we will _never_ understand each other."

With a snort, Bill says, "I have news for you, Eric. _All_ husbands feel that way at one time or other."

"When you were married, you and your wife were both human. Surely you never had such difficulty communicating."

"Ha! We _were_ both human, but I was still male and she was still female... which means we had plenty of disagreements. I freely admit I slept in the doghouse on more than one occasion."

"You _slept_ with your _dogs_?"

"No, it's just an expression. It means that sometimes my wife would be so put out with me that she would not let me sleep with her. I generally just stayed in another bedroom until things improved."

It never occurred to me that Sookie might refuse to have sex with me. This will never do! I have been anticipating making love to my gorgeous little Fairy-wife ever since first dark, and that was _before_ allowing her to be pawed by every were-panther in the parish! At this point, the vampire in me is demanding some serious claiming take place, and soon. "I must go after her and get this straightened out right away!"

Bill lays a delaying hand on my arm. "Ah... I wouldn't do that if I were you," he advises. "Sookie made it very plain that she wants some time alone. Let's conduct our business, and by the time we are through, she will have settled down."

After thinking it over, I decide there is wisdom in this plan. "Very well. Let's go to the library."

"Let me get your package first."

Scooping up a medium-sized brown package off the porch rail, he tucks it under his arm and follows me into the house. Once inside, I see that several shopping bags and a number of cardboard boxes have been stacked neatly in the foyer. I stop long enough to read the note that is stuck to one of the containers. It says:

_Dear Sookie,_

_I figured you might want your new clothes and things. I also brought your stuff from your farmhouse. If there is anything else you want, let me know and I'll drive over and get it for you tomorrow. I hope everything went well in Hotshot._

_Cooper_

Opening the top carton, I find a stack of beautifully embroidered table linens. Bill says, "I am glad to see Sookie bringing her family things here. You know this means she has accepted this place as her home, don't you?"

"It seems so. I feared moving her away from her family home would cause major problems, but she seems perfectly happy here."

Bill grins. "As my mother was fond of saying, count your blessings."

We continue our journey to the library. Once inside, I go straight to my desk and sink into my chair with a grateful sigh. Bill slides the package and Sookie's cell phone across the desk and then takes a seat opposite me. Glancing at the box, I say, "I am surprised this arrived so soon. It is a small gift I ordered for Sookie."

"Maybe you can use it to bribe your way out of the doghouse," Bill suggests with a barely concealed smile.

"Very funny." Pointing to Sookie's phone, I ask, "What is the new number?"

He tells me, and I quickly change it in my speed dial. Bill says, "By the way, I left the old number functional by transferring the SIMM card to an old phone of mine."

"Why?"

"I saw that Sookie had several voice mails she had not checked, so I decided to listen to them. Sure enough, most of them were from her stalker. None of the messages revealed anything new about him, but it occurred to me that if he continues to leave them, eventually he might slip up and give us some clue to his identity."

"Good thinking. This man is clearly insane and potentially dangerous. It goes without saying we must capture him as soon as possible."

For the next few minutes, we discuss various ideas about how to discover the caller's identity without making much progress. Abandoning that topic, we move on to Kingdom business. "Any sign of Emma?"

Bill grimaces. "None. Pam checked out her house with no luck. Area vampires have been alerted to look for her, but you and I both know it's probably a waste of time. I also posted warnings about the gris-gris, along with instructions to contact us immediately if one should be found. I also used the data base to track down Emma's progeny, but so far I haven't been successful in contacting her."

"Until we can determine if Emma is finally dead, I want her business to be maintained."

"I have already made arrangements. The day staff is accustomed to running the place without much input. The girl Angel seems competent enough to handle things at night with some extra help. One of the new Area vampires needed a job, so I sent her over."

"Good. Now, what else needs my attention?"

Without the constant noise and interruptions that I normally get at Fangtasia, we are able to work very efficiently, and a great deal is accomplished in a short amount of time. Even so, I cannot stop myself from constantly monitoring the Bond, to see how Sookie is fairing. From the far-off look Bill gets in his eyes every few minutes, I suspect he is doing the same. At this short distance, it is quite easy to track her movements. When she first went inside, she headed straight to the wet bar and then down to our chamber. Within a short time, her mood began to improve considerably. If I had to guess, I would say it was likely due to a large gin-and-tonic and a long bubble bath. I deliberately sent out little waves of longing, hoping she would come back upstairs and sit on my lap and be my loving companion again without a lot of fuss... but if course, that did not happen. Instead, she bypassed the library entirely by popping herself to the family room. Faint sounds from that part of the house let me know she was watching television, something she rarely does anymore.

In hopes of doing a bit of cuddling on the sofa while watching a movie (thus avoiding any more talking), I tried to hurry through signing the endless stack of the Royal Decrees that Bill has printed out in the other office. Unfortunately, by the time I am finished, my tired but restless mate has moved yet again. She has gone outside, first wandering around the pool, then over to the koi pond, and eventually goes as far as the rose garden. Unfortunately, her emotions deteriorate with every step she takes. By the time she reaches the arbor, she seems to be drowning in an ocean of pure sorrow.

Bill and I stand at the same time. Frowning, he says, "I don't know what's bothering her, but it's too serious to be about Norris. You should go to her."

His last words are spoken to empty space. I am already on the move, rushing out to see what is causing my woman such distress. I flash down the garden paths, slowing only when I reach the rose arbor. I find my dejected wife sitting on the wooden bench, staring at the fountain Robert sent us as a gift. She must have still been annoyed with me even after her bath, because instead of the sexy nightie I was hoping for, she donned pre-marriage clothing she knows I dislike: a Merlotte's t-shirt and a baggy pair of sleep shorts with cartoon cows printed on them. Although she sits still as a stone and she makes no sound, tears are streaming down her cheeks. She is so distraught, she does not even sense my presence.

Silently, I slip over and sit beside her. "Sookie, what is it?"

At first, she does not so much as look at me. In fact, she does not respond at all, and it takes me a moment to realize it is because that she simply cannot speak. Waves of raw emotion are choking her. I absolutely cannot bear to see her this way. In a low voice, I say, "Please, Beloved. You must tell me what is troubling you."

Still she says nothing. Taking her chin in my hand, I turn her face towards me. Her brimming eyes are filled with the deepest sorrow I have ever seen. In desperation, I plead with her. "Is this about my list? About Norris? If I promise not to kill him, will that make you feel better?"

She shakes her head helplessly and then buries her face in my chest. Wrapping her tightly in my arms, I hold her tight while her hot, fragrant tears soak my shirt. The fact that she never makes the slightest sound makes it all the more gut-wrenching. I rack my brain, trying to figure out the cause of this unbearable grief. It must have been triggered by something that happened tonight, but Bill is right... this has nothing to do with my "hit list" or with Norris. I rapidly replay the evening in my mind. Sookie seemed to be getting along with her brother for once, and she was quite happy to see Claudine. Revealing herself to the were-panthers had given her pleasure, not pain. Of course, most of the evening centered around the birth of Jason's baby. I remember the look of utter bliss as she cradled the tiny creature in her arms... and then the look of devastation when Jason proposed naming it Alexander.

Of course. The baby. My woman is grieving for the child we will never have.

I should have foreseen this and somehow been prepared for it. Now all I can do is hold her until the storm passes. While my poor wife is crying her heart out, my mind searches frantically for a way to fix this. All sorts of wild ideas float through my head, each one crazier than the last. My very first thought is that there is a newborn ready to hand. I could arrange for fatal accidents for the parents, leaving Sookie to raise her nephew. A good plan, except that if Sookie ever found out, she would despise me for it. Also, it would still not be her biological child. All right, then. We could find a sperm donor from my part of the world, with my general looks and brains... except that last requirement would be extremely difficult to fulfill, if not impossible. Besides, I have heard that artificial insemination does not work with Fairies. On to the next option... if we did manage to find a suitable father, could I actually allow Sookie to have sex with another man? Could I, if it meant fulfilling my Bonded's deep-seated need for a child of her own?

Probably not.

I run out of ideas about the same time Sookie's tears finally begin to subside. Reluctant to face me, she remains huddled against me, my now-damp shirt clutched in both hands. As her deep grief recedes, it is gradually replaced by embarrassment and guilt. Clearly she is ashamed of this outburst. Kissing the top of her head, I ask gently, "Better now?"

She nods into my chest. I ask, "Can we talk about this now?"

My miserable mate shakes her head in an emphatic "no." I give her another minute. A bit more firmly, I say, "You need to tell me, Sookie."

When she finally speaks, her voice is husky with emotion. "I'm really sorry. I didn't want you to feel any of this, but I promised you I wouldn't block our Bond. It's something personal and it really doesn't have anything to do with you, so I'd really rather not talk about it, okay?"

"Sookie. I would say it has everything to do with me and my inability to give you a child. Is this not so?"

For a moment, I think she is going to burst into tears again, but she merely lets out a ragged sigh and sits back. Taking my hands into hers, she finally looks at me. "I knew when I married you we would never have children. It was a conscious choice and one I would make again in a heartbeat. I swear, I don't even know where all this is coming from."

"Of course you do. Your best human friend is pregnant. You just watched your nephew being born and then held him in your arms. You may have made a rational, well-thought out choice with your head, my love, but this is coming from your heart."

"I'm sorry, Eric." The sadness in her eyes is enough to break my non-beating heart. Without conscious thought, I scoop her on to my lap and cuddle her against me. I have rarely felt as helpless as I do right at this moment. What good is all my wealth and power if I cannot give my woman the one thing she desires the most? Before I know it, I open my mouth and out spill words I _never_ thought I would say, "My love, if being a mother is necessary for you to be happy, I will find a way to get you a baby."

Sookie's head snaps up and she stares at me in total shock. Hope flares brightly inside her for a moment but then fades just as quickly. Looking deeply into my eyes, she says, "Eric, just that you offered means more to me than you will ever know. Before I answer, though, I have a question for you. Do you have the slightest interest in raising a child?"

Now I am the one taken aback. I was definitely not expecting this question. As much as I would like to, I cannot lie to her. "Quite honestly, no."

"I thought not. So, no. My answer is no."

"But Sookie, I cannot bear to see you unhappy. I-"

She cuts in. "Honey, the thing is... this isn't just about _me_ being happy. The _child_ would need to be happy, too. That means being loved and cared for by _both_ parents."

"Surely having you for a mother would make up for any lack of affection on my part."

"Even if that were true, how would we manage to get this baby? Even _if_ you could bring yourself to let me try artificial insemination... and _if_ I am still human enough for it to work... I still have this "essential spark" thingy to contend with. Supposedly, any child of mine has the potential to be born fully-Fae. No offense, but I don't think raising a Fairy baby in a vampire's nest would be such a hot idea, do you?"

That possibility had not occurred to me. In truth, it would probably be a disaster of epic proportions. As mildly as possible, I say, "Probably not. However, there seems to be a surplus of unwanted human children these days. They store them in orphanages, correct? We could go pick out one of those."

"Honey, you make it sound like going to the grocery store and picking out a head of lettuce. It's way more complicated than that. Anyway, isn't it still illegal for vampires to adopt human babies?"

"True. All right, then... I have a great deal of money. Surely we can buy one."

"Knowing you, you probably could... but there's an even bigger problem. There is no getting around the fact that an all-human child's lifespan would be considerably shorter than mine. I couldn't be happy knowing my child would grow old and die before me. So... I thank you from the bottom of my heart for offering, but my answer is definitely no."

"You have thought this through very carefully, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have... but like you said, sometimes my heart and my head aren't on speaking terms." Reaching up, she lovingly strokes my cheek. "Eric, I want you to know something. Even though I'll never be a mother, I still feel really, really blessed. I have you."

"Yes, you do. I will spend all my nights making you happy, Sookie. I swear it."

"You already do, sugar. You already do." Sliding her arms around my neck, she gives me the sweetest kiss imaginable.

"If I had known what was really bothering you, my love, I would have come to you much sooner. I truly thought you were upset with me because of my "hit list," as you so charmingly call it."

At my words, her whole body tenses. I steel myself for another round of tears, or arguing, or both... but it seems my mate wants that no more than I do. Bit by bit, she forces herself to relax. She even goes so far as to slide her hand inside my shirt, as if the contact with my bare skin grounds her in some way. Lightly stroking my chest, she says, "Honestly, I didn't _want_ you to come after me. I needed some time to think about a lot of stuff, starting with that stupid list. I know you wanted me to think you were kidding about adding Calvin's name to it, but you weren't, were you?"

"Ah... not really, no." This produces such a burst of anxiety in my Bonded that I hastily add, "But if it will keep you from getting upset again, I won't... at least, for this offense."

"That _would_ make me feel better... but there's more to it than that." She pauses, but her warm little hand continues to move back and forth across my skin in a soothing fashion. After a moment, she continues. "Finding out about that list made me realize that no matter how hard we try, we are _never_ going to view things the same way. In a normal couple that's par for the course, but you are vampire. People can get killed because of me, over stuff I consider insignificant. Don't you see what a bind that puts me in? I _want_ to tell you the truth about everything, but if I do, there may be repercussions I just can't live with."

I take a moment to think over her words. Very carefully, I ask, "Sookie... is there something you want to tell me?"

Taking a deep breath, she nods. "Yes. I thought about it long and hard, and I decided that being honest with my husband was my top priority."

"But you are afraid someone will be killed because of this information. I am not going to like this, am I?"

"Probably not."

"And yet, you are not trying to extract any promises of clemency in advance."

"No. See, after thinking it over, I realized that telling the truth doesn't mean I have no control over the situation. In this case, I decided that while I need to tell you what and why, who isn't really important. You can't hurt or kill somebody if you don't know who they are or where to find them. So here goes: On our honeymoon, I told you I had only slept with two other men besides you. That wasn't exactly true."

Normally, this statement would have sent my temper soaring, but just now I find it no more than seriously irritating. Could it be that I am finally mastering my dark emotions? Either that, or... my devious spouse has managed to out-maneuver me. That's it! Now that I am paying attention, I feel the tiny, almost imperceptible doses of her magic seeping into me. I thought she was stroking me to sooth herself, but in reality, she was busy slipping me a little Fae mickey! Tricky Fairy!

Never stopping that slow, circular motion over my heart, she says, "I didn't mean to lie to you, Eric, but I swear, I had forgotten all about it."

Knowing the type of woman Sookie is, I find that difficult to believe, and yet... due to her magic, I am calm enough to _feel_ that she is telling the truth. Gruffly, I say, "Go on. Tell me the rest of it."

"It was this past Christmas Eve, and I was all alone. God, I was so alone! I hadn't seen or heard from you in weeks. I couldn't even _feel_ you anymore. I figured you had broken the blood tie and moved on, and I would never see you again. I was pretty miserable."

Echoes of her remembered pain and loneliness ooze through the Bond. Guiltily, I realize that however noble my intentions had been for staying away from her, my actions had harmed her emotionally. She continues, "To make a long story short, I found a wounded man in my woods. He was being hunted. I took him in and hid him from his enemies. One thing led to another, and before I knew it... well, I let my loneliness overcome my common sense. He left the next morning and that was that."

"That was that? Are you implying that after having sex with you, this man made no attempt to see you again?"

Humiliation rolls through our Bond. With a sigh, she admits, "He never even asked for my phone number."

Inexplicably, I find myself feeling indignant on her behalf. "Then he was a fool. Who was this man and why was he being hunted in _your_ woods?"

Shaking her head, she says firmly, "I'm not going to tell you that. All I _am_ going to tell you is that he was a stranger to the area and had no idea who I was or that I had anything to do with you."

By the set of her jaw, I can tell that she is serious. No amount of pressure will get her to reveal any details that might allow me to track him. Still, if she thinks that will prevent me from finding out his identity anyway, she truly does not know me very well. My naïve girl truly believes this man was brought to her doorstep entirely by chance, but somehow, I find that highly unlikely. I have every intention of getting to the bottom of this entire affair. I am very good at ferreting out information, and someday, I _will_ find out who this man is... but that is for later. Right now, I have to decide how to respond to this unsettling information. As I mull it over, Sookie's anxious eyes never leave my face. Finally, I say, "You have no feelings for this man at all, do you? It truly was just one night of anonymous sex and nothing more?"

"No feelings at all, except that now I wish like heck I hadn't done it."

"Then I forgive you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really, and not just because your magic."

Instantly, her hand stills. "If you knew what I was doing, why didn't you stop me?"

"Why would I stop something that is beneficial for both of us? I will admit to having one or two minor flaws, but stupidity is not one of them."

Throwing both arms around my neck, she peppers my face with kisses while mumbling, "Oh, honey!... I was so afraid we were going to end up in another big fight... I'm so relieved you aren't mad at me... I love you so much!"

"I love you, too." I relax and try to enjoy her enthusiastic display of affection, but something is still bothering me. "Dear One... I have one final question. What prompted you to tell me about this now?"

Settling back into my arms, she replies, "Like I said, I had forgotten all about him, but I... uh... well, completely by accident, I ran into him recently. We talked for a minute, said goodbye, and that was it. It was pretty awkward, to tell you the truth. I doubt I'll ever see him again."

Suspiciously, I ask, "He made no attempt to interest you in another... encounter?"

"Nope. I told him right off that I am happily married and to whom. He was very polite about it and didn't make one snide remark about vampires. In fact, he seemed pretty impressed by your position. He wished me well and then we said goodbye. The whole conversation took less than five minutes."

Ha! That sentence told me a great deal more than Sookie ever intended. This man made no snide comments about vampires... therefore, he is not vampire. This is confirmed by the fact that my Bonded has not been out of my sight for the last several nights, so she had to have seen this man in the daytime. The odds are he is a Supernatural creature of some variety, though, because she said he was "impressed by my position." Sookie would never reveal my status to a mere human... plus, she mentioned that he was wounded when she met him, yet he recovered quickly enough to have sex with her within a very short amount of time. Werewolves in particular are known to be rapid healers. Since her return from the Portal, she has been accompanied everywhere by either her guard Cooper or that idiot Bobby, so one of them must have seen this man. A few pointed questions might yield some very interesting information.

As happy as I am that my mate has voluntarily chosen to tell me about this event, I still do not find the information pleasant. Now that her magic is no longer flowing through me, jealousy and possessiveness begin to creep back into my system. In fact, the more I think about this unnamed were-wolf enjoying the pleasures of my woman's body, the more agitated I get. My Bonded must certainly be feeling my darker emotions rising to the surface, but she does not seem to be alarmed by this in the slightest. Glancing down at her beautiful face, I find her watching me very intently. Her blue eyes are gleaming, not with fear but with... anticipation? Slowly, I say, "Sookie, I know you can feel the vampire in me coming out... and yet, you are not using your magic to stop it. May I ask why?"

Giving me the most sultry smile imaginable, she says, "Well, Eric, I have lots of flaws, but one of them isn't stupidity. Sometimes a splash of jealousy can lead to something we both need... like a nice, steamy round of claiming." Just in case I missed her blatant invitation, she wriggles her sexy round bottom across my lap for emphasis. Instantly, a mouth-watering cloud of aroused Fairy fills the air.

What is a vampire to do but please his Bonded?

Almost before her next breath, I have her bent over the wooden bench, her t-shirt and shorts in shreds on the ground. In the breath after that, my saucy little Fairy is filled with a fully-aroused Viking vampire and being claimed for all she is worth... and within two minutes flat, I drive us both to howling, earth-shattering climaxes. Of course, after all the delays, frustrations, and revelations of this night, once is not nearly enough. We make our way back to the house in stages, managing to christen several areas of the landscape along the way. When I finally get my fill, we have reached the rug in the middle of the family room floor. My totally exhausted but extremely satisfied lover is splayed out on the rug, arms and legs akimbo. She watches with sleepy eyes as I tenderly go about healing the multitude of bite marks and abrasions our passionate lovemaking has produced. Finally, I say, "There. I think that should do it."

"You missed the one behind my left knee," she helpfully reminds me. Rolling her over, I take care of the tiny punctures with a drop of my blood applied with a fingertip, followed by a loving kiss. Unable to resist, I continue to plant tiny kisses from her knee all the way up to her luscious little bottom. Catching sight of her birthmark, I swirl my tongue around it, and then nibble on it a bit for good measure. My victim giggles, "Cut it out, honey! That tickles!"

"My sweet little butterfly, tell me about your birthmark. It has something to do with the royal bloodline, does it not?"

"Oh... yes, it does. I've been told all Brigants have it in varying degrees."

Tracing the outline of the butterfly with a fingertip, I tell her, "Have you noticed? Since your time in the Portal, this has become darker and more distinct."

"That's just your imagination. Birthmarks fade with age, not the other way 'round."

"See for yourself."

Twisting her body around, she peers at the small mark as well as she is able. "Huh. It does look a little darker. How weird. You know, I was once told that the closer you are to the Prince, the more the birthmark looks like a real butterfly. Apparently Niall's is extremely realistic, almost like a tattoo."

"That's what Claudine was looking for on the infant, wasn't it? An extremely realistic butterfly?"

"Kind of. She told me that Fae Princes are born with an additional mark which appears as a golden ring or halo around the butterfly."

"Interesting. What happens if the current Prince dies before the next one is born?"

"Um, generally the current Prince designates someone beforehand, usually his closest blood-relative. Even then, I think that person has to be pretty strong to hold on to the position... just like in your day. If the Prince hasn't named a successor, or if that person doesn't want the job, the rest of the powerful Fae families go to war and duke it out for the title. You know, a real War of the Roses-type deal." Shaking her head and sighing heavily, she adds, "From what Claude told me, I guess that's almost inevitable now, unless Claudine manages to produce a Prince."

My poor little Fairy looks so crestfallen, I immediately wrap her up in my arms and kiss her. "Don't be sad, lover. Niall will probably live many more years. In the meantime, maybe Claude will man up and decide to take the job... or _really_ man up, have sex with a nice female Fairy, and produce the next Prince."

As intended, this earns me a smile. "Unlikely on both counts, but I sure hope so anyhow." Putting her hand to her mouth, she stifles a jaw-cracking yawn and then rubs her eyes.

"Are you tired, little one? It has been a very long day for you, hasn't it? I think it is high time all good Fairies were in bed."

Scooping her up, I carry her down to our chamber, give us both a quick shower, and then tuck her into bed. Turning off the lamp, I stretch out next to her. Surprised, she says, "Are you coming to bed already? There's at least another hour until sun-up."

"I want to hold you until you fall asleep. Judging from the number of yawns in the last few minutes, it shouldn't take long."

Turning on her side, my sleepy lover wriggles backwards until we are spooned together. Draping my arm across her shoulders, I hold her snugly against me. As we lay together in the soothing darkness, I listen to the comforting sound of her heartbeat. Within a minute or two, Sookie's breaths slow and become even, signaling her descent into sleep. My original plan was to wait until she drifted off, and then get up and go back to the library to catch up on some reading... but I am entirely too comfortable to move. Instead, I close my eyes and let my mind roam freely. It skips from topic to topic, examining problems, finding solutions to some and tucking others away until later. Eventually I get around to thinking about the events of the night again and the issue of children in particular. In spite of her brave words, I am not convinced this is the last time this issue will come up. I am glad we finally discussed it, because at least now I know how she really feels. I wish I could say the same about my own feelings on the subject.

When Sookie asked me earlier if I wanted to raise a child, I was absolutely truthful when I said no. What vampire in their right mind would even entertain such a ridiculous notion? The only reason I offered was to please my beloved wife. And yet... here in the dark, with my warm, magnificently-alive mate snuggled against me... I allow myself to think what it would be like to create a life with this woman. What would it be like to make another person, one with my eyes and her hair? Even if I _was _capable of fathering a child, would I? As I was so vividly reminded tonight, childbirth is both painful and dangerous. It would be outrageously foolish to risk losing the only woman I have ever loved just to produce offspring... but how could I ever deny her that gift?

So as not to wake her, I stealthily move my hand down my wife's body until my palm rests on her stomach. Ever so softly, I rub my fingers across her belly and try to imagine it swollen with child... _my_ child. Somehow I know pregnancy would suit my Sookie perfectly. She would no doubt be worried that I would not find her attractive, but nothing could be further from the truth. With our child inside her, she would be glowing with life and even more radiantly beautiful than she is now. It would be agonizing to watch her go through labor, but I know she would bear the pain gladly. For her, the reward at the end would be worth every minute of it. I can picture her joyful face when holding our baby in her arms for the first time... our very own unique, spectacular son, whom we would definitely name Alexander.

Unexpectedly, I experience my own deep sense of loss, knowing that this wonderful child of ours will never really exist. For reasons beyond my comprehension, I feel compelled to whisper into my sleeping wife's ear, "I would give you a son if I could... and I _would_ love and care for him, just as I do you."

Even in her sleep, it seems my magical girl hears these heart-felt words. A soft smile appears on her lips. Without opening her eyes, she murmurs dreamily, "You already did, once. His name was Alexander. Let me dream of him again, Eric. Our son can live in our dreams."

I hesitate. Just as I once caused my Bonded to dream of rising vampire, I have the ability to make her dream of our imaginary child... but is it wise to do so? In some strange way, it might satisfy her maternal instincts... or it could make her yearning infinitely worse. My head says "no"... but from somewhere deep inside my non-beating heart, the Bonded part of me whispers a very seductive "yes."

For once, I listen to my heart.

Cuddling my beautiful Fairy-wife even more snugly in my arms, I close my eyes and guide us both into a dream... _It begins on a lovely moon-lit night in early fall. The leaves in the woods around Valhalla are already turning vivid shades of red, gold, and brown. Sookie and I are taking a leisurely stroll around the lake. Always in a hurry, Alexander and his dog bound ahead of us on the trail..._

Author's notes: I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Next up: The Dinner Party.


	51. Chapter 51

_Author's notes: I know it has been several months since I last posted. For personal reasons, I had to take some time off from writing. I had so much going on in Real Life, I felt I had to let something go just to keep my sanity. BIG MISTAKE! HUGE! When I got past the "ordeal" and tried to get back to writing, I found myself with a roaring case of writer's block. I guess the Viking was mad at me for ignoring him for a month. Getting back in the groove was positively painful! I have made all my family and friends promise to NEVER let me go more than a couple of days without writing ever again!_

_Fortunately, just about the time I would convince myself that after all this time, nobody would still be interested in this story, someone would send me a PM of encouragement, or a new review would roll in. Those are really what kept me going, so thanks! _

_Anyway, the good news is that our favorite vampire finally quit pouting and started talking to me again. I will warn you all in advance, I had to ease my way back into the story. This chapter is primarily fluff. The other good news is that I very nearly have the next chapter finished as well. It was originally part of this one, but it was getting soooo long (40K words!) I decided to split them up. I should have it finished and posted within another couple of weeks at the most._

_Recap of Chapter 50: Sookie and Eric go to Hotshot for the birth of Jason's baby. Eric is unhappy to find out that Calvin Norris once offered to be Sookie's man and father her children. Realizing that they have already guessed what she is, Eric admits to his Royal Guards that Sookie is Niall's great-granddaughter. During a difficult delivery, Dr. Ludwig brow-beats Sookie into using her magic to help with the birth, which ultimately leads to Sookie revealing herself as a fairy to the were-panthers of Hotshot (although the only one who knows about her connection to Niall is Calvin.) Claudine shows up to see if by some miracle Jason's son J.J. is the next Prince of the Fae. It is revealed that the future Prince is born with a very distinct birthmark of a butterfly with a halo around it. Although a very beautiful child, J.J. does not bear this mark. Unbeknownst to Sookie, Eric very slyly gets Claudine to invite the Fairy Rhys (aka Preston) to the upcoming dinner party._

_On the ride home, Sookie and Eric get into a tiff over his "hit list" of people he intends to kill. Bill is waiting at Valhalla with a package and some documents. Obviously upset, she rather rudely leaves the two vampires on the porch. Bill advises Eric to give her time to settle down, but a little while later they both feel her serious distress. Finding her sobbing her heart out in the garden, Eric and his Bonded have a long overdue talk about their inability to have children. She also confesses about her one-night stand with Preston at Christmas, but does not reveal his name or any way for Eric to find him. Eric takes Sookie to their bedroom. Thinking that she is asleep, he examines his own feelings on the subject of children. She wakes up and begs him to allow her to dream of Alexander, their child from a previous shared dream. He complies, and the chapter ends with their mutual dream of their son._

**Sookie's POV: Valhalla**

Using such an enormous amount of magic had taken its toll. I was so exhausted by the events of the previous day, I slept long and deep. My vampire had given me such wonderful dreams that I was reluctant to abandon them. Once I finally came awake, I lay there for a long time with my eyes tightly closed, trying to recapture as many details of my vivid dreams as I could... until it began to seep into my conscience that something was not quite right. It took a moment for my sleep-logged brain to figure out what it was, but then my eyes flew open and my heart began to pound. There was no over-sized Viking draped over me! I was alone in bed! Bolting upright, I frantically looked around. There was no sign of Eric, not even one of his famous notes.

Knowing that only a truly catastrophic event could roust my vampire from his daytime rest, I started to go into a full-blown panic... until strong waves of calm tinged with amusement began to flow into me. Apparently my Bonded had sensed my alarm and was now reassuring me that he was fine. Even so, it took my heart a couple of minutes to stop pounding. When I finally settled down, I felt pretty silly. If I had just used our Bond in the first place, I would have known immediately that Eric was no further away than his library, and that he was already up because it was past sunset. Glancing at the bedside clock, I was shocked to find that I had been asleep for over 14 hours. Unbelievable!

After a much-needed visit to the bathroom, I pulled on a robe and padded upstairs. For once, Eric had left the door to our chamber standing open. Stepping into the library, I found him sitting at his desk staring at his computer screen. An untidy pile of newspapers with the _The Wall Street Journal_ on top lay on the floor next to his desk. He was shirtless and barefoot, clad only in a pair of navy blue sleep pants. His long blond hair was loose and flowing over those broad Viking shoulders, and for once it was slightly mussed. As usual, the vampire looked totally edible. Glancing up, he gave me a welcoming smile. "Good evening, Sleeping Beauty."

"Hi, honey. I can't believe I slept this late. Why didn't you wake me?"

With the cutest twinkle in his blue eyes, he replied, "For once, _you_ were sleeping like the dead. It would have been terribly impolite of me to disturb you. Besides, after all the magic you used yesterday, I thought you needed the rest."

Pushing back from his desk, he made a "come to me" gesture, so I went over and climbed in his lap. After a few kisses, he settled me comfortably in his arms. Glancing over at his computer screen, I saw that he had several windows open, most of them complicated-looking spreadsheets. "Whatcha doin'?" I asked curiously.

"Reading over some financial reports from Cataliades. Would you like for me to explain them to you?"

"Ah... no thanks," I said quickly.

"Does my angel need a cup of coffee first?"

"Ha! I'd need a whole pot of coffee plus an advanced degree in finance. How do you ever make sense of it all? Just looking at all those figures makes my head hurt."

He just grinned. "It _is_ a bit complicated, but I enjoy it. It keeps my mind busy."

"Speaking of busy, shouldn't we be getting ready to go to Fangtasia?"

"No. I have decided to work from home tonight."

"Why? We missed work last night because of Jason's baby, and there's so much to be done! I bet Pam is pulling her hair out."

"Let her. It will grow back. I want to spend the night at home with my Bonded."

"Right now, when we're so busy? Look, baby, if this is about the Fairy thing, I promise not to do any magic while we're out."

"Until the next 'emergency' arises, and then what? I know you... you would not be able to resist."

"So we _are_ staying home because of me."

"Well... yes and no. Niall called earlier, and we decided you should stay home for the next few days."

My spine stiffened immediately. "First off, why was he calling you and not me? Second, did you really think the two of you could decide to make me a prisoner and expect me to have nothing to say about it?"

I tried to get up, but the vampire just laughed and tightened his arms to keep me in place. "No, my independent little spitfire, I fully expected you to throw a fit."

"Then why in the blue blazes did you say it like that? Were you just trying to piss me off?"

With a wicked grin, he answered, "I could not help myself. Do you know how adorable you are when you get riled?"

"Grrr! I'll show you adorable!"

I punched him as hard as I could and then tried even harder to slip out of his embrace, which just made him laugh harder. Pinning my arms, he said, "Mmmm. I _love_ it when you wriggle like that. Wriggle some more, Sookie." There was no mistaking the tell-tale lump rising under my butt. The more I struggled, the harder it got.

Instantly, I was stone-still. "I will _not_, you bad vampire! Arrg!"

Still chuckling, Eric said, "All right. If you are determined to be a spoilsport, I might as well tell you what the Prince said. You are a practical woman, Sookie. Once you hear the facts, I have no doubt you will agree with our decision."

"Okay, then. You can start by telling me why my great-grandfather called you instead of me."

"He tried your old phone number several times during the day. Since he could not reach you, he phoned me at first dark."

"Oh." Truthfully, I hadn't had a chance to give my new number out to anyone. In fact, I didn't even know it myself yet. "So, what did he say?" I asked grudgingly.

"The Prince explained that since most part-Fairies come into their gifts very gradually, they have more time to learn self-control. Your magic has been greatly accelerated because of several factors: my blood, our Bond, _and_ your time in the Portal. The transfusion of pure vampire blood made matters infinitely worse."

"We already figured that much. What can he do about it?"

"He said that although he can take away your magic for a time, he is reluctant to do so. At this early stage, such an action could slow its development or even damage it permanently. We both thought the risk unacceptable. Do you agree?"

"Well... yes."

"I thought so. Unfortunately, short of removing your magic, there is little he can do. The good news is that given enough time and some effort on your part, the situation should resolve itself. As your body manufactures new blood, the effects of the vampire blood will diminish. In the meantime, he encourages you to practice your magic as much as possible, with an eye towards gaining greater self-control."

"Won't that make me glow even more?"

"Probably... which is why it is best if you stay at Valhalla for a few days."

"A few days! As much of your blood as I have in me, it might take weeks! Your Coronation is just around the corner!"

"Believe me, I am well aware of the time-frame. I have given this a great deal of thought. Since the unusual amount of vampire blood in your system is contributing to the overall problem, I think there _is_ a way to speed things up. Ludwig claims that as my Twice-Bonded, your body will manufacture enough blood to keep up with my demand. Therefore, the more frequently I drink, the faster your body will make new blood." His eyes gleamed at the prospect.

Just thinking about it made me get tingly all over... until I followed that idea to its logical conclusion. I blurted out, "Wait... if the point is to reduce the level of vampire blood in my system, I bet that means you aren't going to let me take any from you for a while, right?" Ah, geez. Even though I managed to keep the whine out of my voice, to my shame my Bonded could _feel_ my sharp disappointment. In fact, disappointment was too mild a word for it... it was a sort of crawling uneasiness laced with an undercurrent of panic, much like I imagined a heroin addict would feel when faced with an involuntary stint in re-hab.

"The thought of that displeases you," Putting his lips close to my ear, Eric whispered sexily, "Think of it as an incentive. The faster you learn control, the quicker you can get back to tasting me."

Honestly, as addicted as I was to his blood, it _was_ a hell of an incentive... but he didn't have to sound so danged smug about it! To regain a little dignity, I said coolly, "Hmph. Not being trapped at home is enough incentive for me. Besides, if I get too desperate for vintage vampire blood, I bet I could talk Robert into slipping me a drop or two. It isn't as old as yours, but it still has a pretty good kick to it... and it _is_ French."

That earned me a growl and sharp nip on my earlobe. "Ow! That hurt!"

"My blood is far better than Robert's," my vampire said frostily, "And I thought you liked our home. Is staying here a few days such a hardship?"

Uh oh. Even though he had to know I was just teasing, apparently my words had gotten under his skin. Immediately, I relaxed into his arms and snuggled against his broad chest. "Oh, honey. I _love_ our home, but I also know you have a kingdom to run. You can't stay home every night and babysit me... but if you go to Shreveport without me, won't it cause more problems with our Bond?"

Mollified, Eric rubbed his cheek against my hair. "Who said anything about me going to Shreveport? There are advantages to being King, my love. My work can be brought to me. As a matter of fact, I have several appointments this very evening that require a more private venue than my office at Fangtasia. Even had this issue not come up, I planned to conduct these particular meetings in the comfort and privacy of my library here. I also expect a delivery to be made here tonight. Furthermore, not only is it important for you to practice your magic, I know you have things to do to prepare for our upcoming dinner party. So you see, by staying home, we are killing several bodies with one fang."

Trying not to wince, I said, "Er... I think you mean several birds with one stone."

"No, I did not. We vampires have a few sayings of our own. "

Oh, boy. If that was a sample, I couldn't wait to hear some of the others. "Speaking of damaging the Bond, didn't Dr. Ludwig say we needed to exchange blood frequently?" I asked.

"I have already discussed this with her. She seems to think that as long as we stay close to one another and I feed from you at frequent intervals, we can go a couple of weeks without serious repercussions. She also recommends that we have sex as much as possible."

I had to admit, as far as prescriptions go, it sure beat the heck out of a shot in the butt and a round of antibiotics. Trying to ignore my now-throbbing girl parts, I crossed my legs and cleared my throat. "Well, in that case, I guess working at home for a few days will be okay. In fact, we'd better get busy. Let me up, baby."

Eric closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Instantly, the lump under my butt grew a little bigger and a lot harder. Even though I couldn't detect it, clearly my halfhearted attempt to hide the scent of my arousal had failed. His voice a sexy growl, he said, "Not so fast. As your Bonded, it is my duty to see that the doctor's orders are followed to the letter... starting now."

Pushing my hair aside, the Viking sucked on the tiny puncture on my earlobe and then slowly kissed and licked his way down my neck. At the same time, one large hand began to roam over my body, eventually snaking its way under the hem of my short satin robe and between my legs. Soon I was having trouble remembering my own name, much less why I had been irritated with him in the first place. Since we had never gotten around to having sex the night before, it only took a few flicks of my vampire's long, talented fingers to get me to the heart-pounding brink... and then he expertly held me there until I was nearly begging for release. "Are you ready, lover?" he whispered playfully into my ear. Beyond speech, all I could do was nod my head. "Then come for me, Sookie, NOW," he commanded.

Those words and one well-placed stroke in just the right spot, and I fragmented into a million pieces. Instantly, Eric sank his fangs into the curve of my shoulder and began to feed, each pull corresponding to a contraction. Even after the last wave of my orgasm faded away, though, he didn't stop. He wrapped me tightly in his arms and continued to drink. My mind and my body limp, I relaxed against his hard chest and enjoyed the euphoria of a deep feeding.

Suddenly, I heard a startled gasp from the other side of the room. Forcing my eyes open, I saw our housekeeper standing in the open doorway, coffee cup in one hand and a carafe in the other. Eyes wide with shock, she seemed rooted in place, her mouth forming a cartoon-like "O." Since I was once again respectably covered by my robe and both of Eric's hands were in plain view, I knew she hadn't arrived in time to see anything sexual. It was the sight of her employer having his dinner that had knocked her for a loop. Even though she had worked for Eric for a long time, obviously this was her first time to witness a vampire doing his thing.

Normally I would have been mortified to be caught in such an intimate moment. At the very least, I would have jumped to my feet and started stammering excuses to cover my embarrassment. This time, I didn't do either of those things. Of course, getting up would have been a little difficult, since the vampire still had his fangs firmly embedded in my neck, but the real reason was that I was just too blissed-out to move. With a languid hand, I reached up and affectionately stroked my vampire's jaw. "Baby, we have company," I said dreamily, "You need to stop now."

Eric must have been nearly finished anyway, because he only took one more swallow. After a quick swirl of the tongue to seal the punctures, he lifted his head and looked over at our still-immobile housekeeper. After his little Fairy-laced blood binge, he was in a _very_ good humor. Instead of chewing her out for interrupting his snack, he smiled at her... but since his enormous fangs were still in full view, it probably didn't do much to help the situation. "Ah, Juanita," he said jovially, "I see you have brought your Mistress her coffee. Bring it here and set it on the desk."

For a long moment, she remained frozen in place. When she finally managed to get a hold of herself, she began to apologize profusely. "Señor, please forgive me! I did not intend to intrude!... but I heard the Señora'_s_ voice and I know how much she enjoys her coffee when she rises. The door was open and I..."

With a careless wave of his hand, he stopped her. "No need to apologize. Come, bring Sookie her coffee."

To Juanita's credit, she only hesitated briefly before complying. After setting the carafe on the edge of the desk, she rather timidly handed me a large mug of steaming, fragrant coffee. Backing away, she cleared her throat and asked politely, "And for you, Señor ? May I get anything for you?"

The vampire chuckled. "No, I am pleasantly full, thank you. In fact, for the next week or two, I will not be drinking any bottled blood. The Queen will be providing for me. During that time, I want you to see that the she drinks plenty of fluids."

"Ah... yes, sir. What about food? Señora Sookie, may I fix you something to eat?"

"Absolutely. I'm starving! I know it's nighttime, but I'm hungry for breakfast. Do we have any eggs?"

"Of course! How would you like them prepared?"

"Scrambled and lots of them."

"I'll have them done in a jiffy." She turned and headed toward the door. Eric called after her, "Fix a steak to go with those eggs, Juanita. The Queen needs to keep up her strength."

"Si, Señor Eric. I'll be glad to." She bobbed her head and hurried to the kitchen.

As soon as she was out of earshot, I said, "You know, I never thought I would say this, but I _love_ having a housekeeper. Juanita is just awesome. I can't imagine what I would do without her."

"I admit, for a human I find her quite useful myself. She took excellent care of me while you were away, and I am afraid that was not an easy task at all."

"I can only imagine. She seems to take everything in stride, though. For example, I don't think she's ever seen a vampire feeding before. Even though it just about shocked the pants off her, she's still in there cooking me a steak. All I can say is, she really deserves that raise you gave her."

"Loyalty should always be rewarded. Which reminds me... I have a little something for you." With one long arm, he reached over to the corner of his desk, snared a cardboard box with a FedEx label on it and placed it in my lap.

"What's this?"

With an indulgent smile, he answered, "Open it and see."

The carton was still sealed shut with packing tape. Leaning over a bit, I slid open the right-hand desk drawer to get out Eric's letter opener, an ancient, extremely sharp dagger that any museum curator would drool over. Just as my fingers were about to touch the metal, the Viking's hand flashed out and caught my wrist. "Have you applied your barrier cream tonight?"

"Ah... no. I came straight up to find you."

"That handle is made from iron. Please allow me." With a quick slash of the knife, he slit the tape and pulled back the flaps of the carton. Inside was another box, but this one was beautifully gift-wrapped and tied with a wide satin ribbon.

"A present for me? What's the occasion?"

"I do not need a special occasion to give my Bonded gifts. Seeing your eyes light up is reason enough."

"Aw, honey, that is so sweet. I can't wait to see what it is." Untying the ribbon, I playfully looped it around the Viking's neck and then lifted the top off the box. Stacked inside was stationery of every conceivable type: letter paper and envelopes, note cards in two sizes, memo pads, and several other items whose use I could only guess at. Made of thick crème-colored paper, everything was embossed with Eric's Royal Seal, but with my name or initials instead of his. Completely shocked, all I could say was, "Holy cow! Look at all this!"

Blue eyes twinkling, my vampire said, "There's more. Open that smaller box, there."

Picking up the slender fabric-covered box, I snapped it open. Inside was a slender gold pen set with _Sookie Northman_ engraved on the sides. Before I could finish oo-ing and ah-ing over it, Eric pointed to yet another box. "And now this one..."

This box was made of inlaid wood fastened with a tiny brass lock. The equally tiny key was tied to it with a satin ribbon. Unlocking it, I lifted the lid and found red sealing wax and my very own royal seal. "For official correspondence," Eric explained, "There should be one more item. Look under the stationery."

I slipped my hand under the envelopes and felt around. There was something flat on the bottom of the box. I managed to grab it and pull it out. It was a thin book, covered in white fabric patterned with gold fleur-de-lis. At first, I thought it was one of those fancy day-calendars, but when I opened it, the pages were blank except for pale blue lines like in a spiral notebook. "Your current notebook is nearly out of pages," my vampire explained, "I thought it was time for a new one."

For a moment, I was speechless. Me, write in something as nice... as _permanent_ as this? Tracing my finger across the velvety-smooth paper, I wondered if I could ever bring myself to write on it. Eric said, "Sookie, you have the strangest expression on your face. Do you not like it?"

"Honey, I absolutely love it. It's beautiful! It's just... well, the thing about cheap notebooks is you don't feel bad about writing down any fool thing that pops into your head... or doodling in them... or ripping out a page for a grocery list. When you fill one up, you can toss it in the trash and trot on down to the drugstore and get another one for a dollar. What could I possibly have to say that would be worthy of a journal like this?"

"You can record our life together. Is that not worthy? When you are finished with this one, I will buy you more. In fact, I am going to order a dozen, so you will always have one waiting. No more trotting down to the drugstore for my Queen."

"But..."

"No buts. I want you to put your thoughts and ideas in this journal, in exactly the same way you have always done in your notebooks. Write in it, doodle in it, tear out pages by the handfuls... My only request is that you do not throw it away when it is full."

I stared down at the beautiful little book. "Even if I never write anything in it worth keeping, I could never throw it away. You gave it to me."

With a smile hovering on his gorgeous lips, Eric regarded me for a moment. Finally, he said, "Did you know that our brother Robert is overly fond of artists?"

I wasn't sure if he meant that Robert enjoyed being around creative people, or if he just really liked the taste of their blood. Either way, I wasn't really sure what it had to do with my journal. I answered vaguely, "Huh. I didn't know that."

"Oh, yes. He always has one or two of them hovering about. Years ago, one of them told me that he considered a clean, blank canvas exciting but also extremely intimidating. He claimed that for him, the first stroke of paint was by far the most difficult. This particular artist went on to become quite famous and his paintings hang in museums today." Picking up the box that held my new pens, he pulled one out and offered it to me. "Why don't you get that first stroke behind you? You can write in your name, just like you always do."

Taking the pen from his hand, I laid the book on his desk at just the right angle. I didn't want to spoil the pretty cover by writing on it, so I turned to the first page and wrote my name_. _I thought for a moment and then added a few other words. The finished product looked like this:

_Sookie Northman_

_April 19, 2006_

_This journal was given to me by my loving & thoughtful husband Eric Northman,_

_ who always knows just what I need and provides it._

As usual, my vampire was right. Once the very first dot of ink hit the paper, I claimed the notebook as my own. The feel of the high-quality pen gliding across the soft paper was utterly seductive. My mind was suddenly filled with all sorts of things I wanted to put in my journal: my trip to the Portal, Eric's car collection and our special date, the birth of my nephew... but the very first thing I was going to do was record the fantastic dreams my vampire had given me. Those dreams were much too precious to take the chance of forgetting the least little detail, and I wanted to get it all down while everything was still vivid in my memory.

Eric looked over my shoulder as I wrote. I could tell by the strong emotions flowing through our Bond that he found the inscription deeply gratifying. Still sitting on his lap, I twisted around and wrapped my arms around his neck. I gave him a kiss and then looked deeply into his eyes. "It's true, you know. You've always seen what I needed and provided it. I don't mean fun stuff like jewels and furs, but things I _really_ needed, like gravel for my driveway... or a warm winter coat... or dreams to fill the empty spots in my heart. I love you, Eric Northman. You really _are_ the best husband in the entire world."

Sapphire eyes aglow, he replied, "It gives me pleasure to see you using the things I have given you. I look forward to watching you fill the pages of this journal. Feel free to extol my virtues as often as you like."

"You say that like you'll be reading it yourself. Journals are supposed to be private, honey."

"You are my Bonded, Sookie. Of course I will be reading it."

I supposed the idea of "privacy" between a Twice-Bonded couple really was kind of silly. My vampire already knew everything I was feeling, which was much more intimate than anything I could write down. It wouldn't exactly be the end of the world if he did read my journal... still, it was the principle of the thing. With a mischievous grin, I said, "You think so, huh? Well, you'll have to find it first."

"Why, Mrs. Northman, that sounds like a challenge."

"It is. If you can find this journal, you have my permission to read it. I'll warn you, though. Growing up with a nosy brother like Jason taught me to be a world-class hider."

"Good, because I am a world-class hunter. If it is too easy to find, our game will not be nearly as fun.""

"Oh! That reminds me! I have a present for you, too. I'll be right back."

I jumped up and headed for the foyer, where Cooper had stacked all my boxes and bags from Bon Temps. Once I got to my pile-'o-stuff, it took me a minute to find Eric's present. Cooper had tucked the Wal-Mart sack way in the back, out of view of nosy Vikings. Pulling out the gift bag I purchased for the occasion, I quickly filled it with the two small plastic boxes and all the accessories, stuffed some colored tissue artfully in the top of the bag, and _voilà_! Instant gift!

Hurrying back to the library, I held the bag behind my back until I was standing in front of my vampire. Producing it with a flourish, I cried, "Happy No Particular Occasion Day!"

Chuckling at my silliness, Eric took the bag. Without removing the tissue paper, he plunged his hand inside, felt around, and by sheer luck, pulled out his iPod first. When he realized what it was, his handsome face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. "This is an iPod!"

"They come in other colors, but I know you like red," I said with a smile, "Keep looking. There's more."

One by one, he pulled out the other items and laid them in an arc on his desk. The very last thing out of the bag was the other iPod. He looked at it in puzzlement. "A second one... in pink?"

"Oh, absolutely," I said with the straightest face I could manage, "This way, the next time you wear those fabulous lycra pants of yours, you'll be color-coordinated."

Without missing a beat, he asked hopefully, "Oh? Are you taking me to another orgy?"

Of course, I knew he was just yanking my chain. Normally I would have had some snappy comeback, but just this once I decided to stroke his ego a little. Sternly, I said, "No way, buster! Your orgy days are over! You are MINE, and I don't share."

As intended, that answer pleased him to no end. With a satisfied smirk, he said, "As it should be. Now, tell me, Lover, what is the pink one really for?"

"It's for me. I need it for a little game I have in mind. Yesterday it occurred to me that I don't know the first thing about the kind of music that you like, or vice-versa. I propose that we each put fifty of our favorite songs on our iPods and then switch them. You have to be really honest about it, too. No fair leaving out anything embarrassing."

"I like the sound of this game, but it will be extremely difficult to limit myself to fifty songs. I have been listening to music for a _very _long time."

"How 'bout 100, then? Eric Northman's Top 100. That sounds like something Time-Warner should be selling on late-night infomercials."

Shaking his head, he replied, "Definitely not. My true musical preferences are very personal and not to be shared outside the confines of our nest."

I started to roll my eyes, but then realized he was completely serious. It was such a typical vampire attitude, I had to laugh. My Viking didn't mind posing nude for a calendar that literally anyone in the world could see, and it was perfectly okay with him for other vampires to watch us having sex... but letting anyone but his inner circle see a list of his favorite music was out of the question. "Don't worry, baby. This will just be for us."

"So how does one go about getting the music on to the device?"

"Cooper explained it to me, but he also said there were specific instructions in the box. We can do it later if you're too busy now."

"Work can wait a bit longer. I want to play with my gift. Come, let's see how this operates." The Viking pulled me back on to his lap, then opened the acrylic box and handed me the instructions. Between sips of coffee, I read them out loud while he performed the tasks necessary to get everything up and running. Once we accessed the iTunes store, he was both amazed and delighted with the extent of the selections available for download. He immediately added a bunch of money to his account. I didn't know what shocked me more, the amount or the fact that he had typed in his credit card information entirely from memory. "Good grief!" I blurted out, "You loaded a thousand dollars!"

"Yes, that should get me started."

"Get you started? Honey, that's enough to buy nearly 900 songs!"

"There are many tunes I want to download that will not necessarily be included on my top 100 list. I can think of twenty or thirty albums I want without even giving it much thought. That thousand dollars will be gone in a flash."

"Um... don't you already have a bunch of them on CD? I think you can load them into your computer then convert them without having to pay for them again."

"That sounds like far too much work. This is quicker, easier, and a great deal more enjoyable. Now, if our respective lists are to remain a secret until complete, you will need your own account. Here, let me set up one for you..."

"Okay, but don't bother putting more than a couple of hundred dollars in it. I don't even think I know 900 songs, much less like them enough to pay for them!"

"Sometimes I forget how very young you are." He typed for a minute and then said, "All right, my child bride, I have started you off with $500."

"That's still too much!"

"Think of it this way... we own a great deal of stock in the Apple Corporation. This is our way of contributing to the health of the company."

"If you say so. Now, I can tell you're burning to get started, and I want to play with my new gifts, too." Climbing off his lap, I picked up my new journal, my new pen, and my mug. After pouring myself more coffee, I curled up on the sofa, pulled a soft blanket over my legs, and opened my journal to the second page. I thought for a minute and then began to write. Eric plugged in his new earphones and got started on downloading the first of what was sure to be a massive digital library. I certainly hoped his new computer had plenty of hard drive.

It wasn't much longer until Juanita brought in my food. I ate a leisurely breakfast and then went back to writing. For the very first time in our married life, Eric and I enjoyed doing perfectly normal, stress-free, non-dangerous activities in the comfort of our own cozy library. It was simply fantastic! When I finally finished recording as many details of my wonderful dreams as I could remember, I added a few notes about the last couple of days and then closed the cover of my book with a contented sigh. I looked up to find my vampire watching me intently, a sexy little smile hovering on his perfect lips. "What?" I asked.

Instead of answering right away, he rose from his chair and strode across the room. After sliding the pocket doors shut, he came over and sat beside me. He took the journal out of my hand and set it on the coffee table. Pulling me into his embrace, he looked deeply into my eyes. "Have I told you lately how happy you make me?" he asked quietly, "I am never bored or lonely as long as you are with me. To me, that is nothing short of a miracle. I thank the gods every night for sending you to me."

"I could say exactly the same thing about you. I love you, Eric."

"I love you too, sweet wife." He gave me a tender kiss, followed by another, and then another. They were lazy, thorough kisses, each one conveying a deep sense of love and connectedness, along with just enough lust to get my motor racing. "I want to feel your skin next to mine," he said huskily, removing my robe and letting it fall to the floor. His sleep pants soon followed suit. Laying me gently back on the sofa, he covered my body with his and rubbed himself sensually against me. For a long time, we did nothing but pet and kiss until neither of us could stand not being joined for another instant. Wordlessly, my gorgeous husband slid himself inside me.

Considering that we had never gotten around to having sex the night before, I knew my vampire was more than ready for it. I expected a thorough pounding with a relatively quick finish, but instead, the Viking seemed determined to take his time. We made slow, tender, dreamy love, and even after things had reached a very successful conclusion, we lay cuddled under the soft cashmere throw, laughing and kissing and whispering silly but heart-felt words of love.

Even the ringing of Eric's cell phone was not enough to disturb the peaceful, contented atmosphere. First giving me an unhurried kiss, my husband rolled to his feet and walked over to his desk to answer the call. Not willing to let him out of my sight, I rolled on my stomach and peered over the arm of the sofa, happily admiring my Viking's magnificent backside as he talked. "Yes?... Oh, good... Yes, they should have moved it by now." Glancing at his watch, he continued, "Twenty minutes? Perfect. Wait for my call at the front gate. Be sure and bring it to the side door."

I waited until he ended the call before asking, "What was that all about?"

"The delivery I was expecting is about to arrive. Bill is bringing it with him. He'll be here shortly."

"What is it?"

Eyes twinkling, Eric replied mysteriously, "Wait and see." Sauntering back to the sofa, he stared down at my bare, upturned butt. "My, my, my. That _is_ a tempting sight. Lean a little further over the arm, Sookie, and let me nibble a bit."

Rolling over and sitting up, I said, "Hold your horses, big guy. If Bill's going to be here in twenty minutes, we need to shower and dress!"

"Why? I _love_ the way you smell! Like Fairy and sex and me." Nevertheless, he scooped me up and carried me downstairs. We were both bathed and dressed in record time. Taking my cell phone from its charger, Eric handed it to me. "I want you to be very careful to whom you give the new number, at least until we capture the caller."

"None of my friends would give out my number to a creep like that!"I protested.

"And yet he obtained it somehow."

"Well... all right. I'll think twice before giving it to anyone."

"Good girl." Glancing at his watch, Eric said, "Bill should be here any minute. Come with me."

He hustled me up upstairs and to the kitchen where Juanita was standing at the sink washing my breakfast dishes. Eric said, "Juanita, I am expecting some guests later. There is a new brand of bottled blood on the market that I want to serve them. I want you to drive into town and get some." He named a brand and told her where to buy it.

"Sí, Señor Eric. I will be happy to get it for you. I will go as soon as I am finished here."

"No. Leave the dishes for later. I want you to leave as soon as possible, so you can be back before they arrive."

"Ah... yes, sir." She obediently dried her hands, got her purse from the pantry, and headed down the hall to the side door.

Through our Bond came a burst of anticipation mixed with amusement. I glanced up at Eric, who was wearing a huge grin. "Come on," he said, "This is going to be fun."

He took off down the hall at a rapid pace. Wondering just what my mischievous vampire was up to, I hurried after him. We hadn't even made it out the door when I heard a burst of agitated Spanish. Poking my head outside, I saw our normally unflappable housekeeper running up and down the side driveway, clearly frantic about something. With his hands stuck oh-so-casually in his pockets, Eric asked calmly, "Is something wrong, Juanita?"

"_Sí, Patrón_! My car is missing!"

"Missing? Are you certain you parked it here?"

"Of course! I always park it here! Someone must have stolen it!"

"That is impossible. This is the most secure compound in Louisiana. You must have misplaced it."

Our frazzled housekeeper stared at the vampire like he had lost his mind. "_Misplaced_ it? No, Señor. I parked it right here!" Wringing her hands, she moaned, "Oh, this is terrible! The car was too old to insure against theft! I can't afford to buy a new one! What am I going to do?"

"Calm down, Juanita," her employer said soothingly, "I will help you find your car. Perhaps the guards at the front gate know something."

Pulling out his phone, he punched a number on his speed dial. A moment later, he asked, "Has anyone seen Juanita's car? She seems to have misplaced it... It is? Well, bring it to the house right away." Replacing the phone to his pocket, he said to Juanita, "Relax. Your car is up at the front gate. It will be here any minute."

The clearly bewildered housekeeper said, "At the front gate? But Señor, how did it get there? I know I parked it right here!"

"Have patience. I imagine the mystery will be cleared up soon enough." By now, of course, I had an inkling of what was going on. Sure enough, a minute later a brand-new, fire engine red Cadillac sedan came rolling up the drive with Bill behind the wheel. Eric said in satisfaction, "Ah. Here it is now."

"But... but... Mr. Eric, that's not mine!" Juanita cried, "My car is red but old and dented."

"That was your _old_ car. This is your new one. I told you a few days ago you would be receiving a bonus, and here it is."

For a moment, she stood stock still, her soft brown eyes round with shock. She looked at the car, then at Eric, then at the car again... and then she burst into tears. Along with the waterworks came a stream of rapid Spanish. With an amused smile, Eric replied in the same language. They went back and forth a couple of rounds, until Eric finally said in English, "Now, Juanita, dry those tears. Don't you want to take your new car out for a spin?"

Her face now wreathed in smiles, our housekeeper nodded enthusiastically. Bill slipped out of the driver's seat but left the engine running. Like the gentleman he was, he helped her into the car, leaned in to point out a few of its features, and then shut the door and stepped back. Putting the car in gear, Juanita gave us one last wave before heading for the front gate. Joining Eric and me, Bill said mildly, "Well, my King, that's one human you've made very, very happy."

Never one to be caught with his kindness showing, the vampire King replied coldly, "Her happiness is neither here nor there. Her old car was unreliable and an eyesore. Now it will no longer detract from the Royal Residence."

Strait-faced, Bill said, "Of course. Very practical."

"Now that chore is behind us, we can move on to more important matters. Let's go to the library and get busy, shall we?"

"Yes, sir."

While the boys were handling kingdom business, I decided to take care of a few chores of my own. I started by calling Jason to check on Crystal and little J.J. He reported that everyone was doing fine, but I could tell by his voice that he was absolutely exhausted. He surprised me by saying, "Sookie, I want to thank you for all your help last night. I don't know if Crystal or the baby would have made it if you hadn't been here."

"Thank Dr. Ludwig. She's the one who really saved them."

"Well, maybe so, but that's her job. You ought to see the bill she gave me! Anyway, I think things might have gone a lot different if you hadn't helped out. That magic of yours is pretty amazing. I still have trouble believing that my baby sister can do all that cool stuff."

"Sometimes I have trouble believing it myself. To tell you the truth, it takes a little getting used to. I haven't got everything completely under control yet, but I'm working on it."

"Well, you sure impressed the hell out of everyone out here. They can't quit talking about you."

"Only amongst themselves, I hope. Jason, you don't think anybody out there would let it slip to outsiders, do you?"

"Sookie, one thing I can honestly say about these folks is that they can keep a secret like nobody's business. No one here will breathe a word about what you are, and not just 'cause they're scared of your vampire."

"Calvin went out of his way to tell me that now I'm a blood relative to a born were-panther, I'm considered a part of the community."

"Ha! It's more like you're the new town mascot. Everybody out here seems to think you're their personal good luck charm."

"Ah... does that bother you?"

"Heck, no! Bein' the brother of the Good Fairy has advantages. Suddenly, everybody's treatin' me with a lot more respect."

"You know, Jason, maybe that's not the only reason. Maybe it's because you've shown them you're worthy of respect. You have a steady well-paying job, you've done right by Crystal in spite of the circumstances, and now you've fathered a healthy new member of the community."

"Yeah, maybe so. Everybody does seem pretty thrilled with the baby. I don't know why, but Calvin really seems to think J.J.'s gonna be leader someday. That would be somethin', wouldn't it?"

"That would be great. He's a wonderful baby, and I can't wait to see him again. I'll try to get back out there soon, okay?"

"Any time, sis. I'll be staying out here for a few more days so I can be with the baby. Just give me a call and let me know when you're comin' by."

"That reminds me. I had my cell phone number changed." I read it off to him.

"Is it because of those calls you've been gettin'?"

"Uh huh. Do me a favor and don't give my new number out to anyone, at least until we catch the guy, okay?"

Jason was silent for a minute and then said seriously, "You know, Sook, it's possible that this caller is dangerous. I know you're safe as long as you're with Eric, but maybe you should stay at home during the day for a while. That place of yours is like Fort Knox."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be careful, I promise."

We said our goodbyes and disconnected. Next, I made a quick call to Amelia to give her my new number, but it went straight to voicemail. I left her a message and moved on to the next person on my list. I checked in with Chef Sinclair to firm up all the details for the dinner party. Once that call was complete, I was thoroughly sick of talking on the phone, so I decided to unpack my boxes from the farmhouse. I carried the first one to the kitchen and had just started unloading it when Juanita returned from her maiden voyage. She was so happy, she was practically floating. It took a little while to get her to come down to Earth, but once she settled down, we got busy putting everything away.

Fortunately, finding places for all my things was easy as pie. After living my entire life in a house where every conceivable storage space was filled with generations of stuff, it still seemed strange to open a drawer or cupboard and find it empty. Valhalla had been built as a showplace and meant for entertaining on a grand scale, but back in those days, property taxes were based on the number of rooms. Closets were counted as rooms, so even fancy houses generally didn't have many closets, if any at all. Storage was mainly provided by armoires, sideboards, trunks, and other large pieces of furniture.

Luckily, during the mansion's remodeling, Eric had added plenty of closets, pantries, and other storage spaces. Thanks to his foresight, even with all the stuff I purchased in New York and my things from the farmhouse, so far I had only managed to fill a fraction of the available storage space. I commented on this to Juanita, who laughed and told me that stuff has a way of expanding when you're not looking. She swore that in two or three years I would be complaining about needing more room. It seemed hard to believe, but I figured she was probably right.

Even though it was a lot of work getting it all squared away, I thoroughly enjoyed myself doing it. It was strangely satisfying to see my great-grandmother's china stacked neatly in the butler's pantry, and great-aunt Edith's beautifully embroidered tablecloth covering the dining room table. Somehow, the addition of all my family's things made me feel like the house really _did_ belong to me. Come to think of it, though, maybe it was just another type of claiming.

While Juanita and I were busy buzzing around the house, Eric would occasionally wander out of the library, just to see what I was doing and to give me a kiss or two. Once, he came out to remind us that he was expecting visitors. He instructed Juanita to show them to the library when they arrived. Since I would be practicing my magic at some point, he made sure she was absolutely clear on which parts of the house were considered public and which were private and totally off-limits to any guests. As long as I stayed in our private rooms, I wouldn't have to worry about being seen by "unauthorized personnel."

Over the course of the evening, several vampires came and went, much like they routinely did at Fangtasia. To my surprise, I found I didn't even mind having a stream of visitors coming and going through my house. For most of my life, home was my only refuge from the constant barrage of other people's thoughts; consequently, I had never cared much for guests. However, since all of Eric's visitors were vampires, I couldn't "hear" them anyway, plus having people in it gave the big old house some life... in a manner of speaking.

I had to admit, Eric working from home was a wonderful idea. Since we first moved in, I hadn't had many chances to just putter around. If the Viking was home and awake, he always demanded my full attention. On the few occasions he _had_ gone off and left me by myself, I had been too weirded-out by being all alone in the enormous, unfamiliar house to enjoy it. This was a perfect balance as far as I was concerned. Since the Viking was busy doing his King thing, I felt free to run around the house playing Susie Homemaker to my heart's content. Having my Bonded just a few rooms away and available for kissing anytime made all the difference in the world.

Once we finished unpacking the boxes, Juanita and I sat down over iced tea and tuna sandwiches and discussed the upcoming dinner party. I had already selected the menu, but there were still plenty of decisions to be made. Fortunately for me, my housekeeper was pretty well versed on the subject. She prompted me to think about every tiny detail, particularly the all-important seating arrangement. We made a list of things I still needed, like candles and floral arrangements. Sitting back in my chair, I said, "Wow. I never realized how much time and effort went into a party like this... and it's only for seven people!"

"Seven or seventy, thorough preparation is the key to a successful party. If you are confident that everything is completely under control, you will be able to relax and enjoy your guests. If _you_ are having a good time, I promise you, so will they."

Honestly, I was already less nervous than I expected to be. Thanks to Juanita and Chef Sinclair, I had actually enjoyed the planning phase. They were both experienced with this sort of thing, and with their guidance, I was pretty confident I had covered all the bases. I was really looking forward to seeing my family and showing them my beautiful home. I even knew what I was going to wear, one of the elegant new outfits I had just bought at Tara's Toggs.

The only thing I was the teeniest bit worried about was the whole vampire-fairy thing. I knew everyone would be on their best behavior for my sake, but overcoming centuries of animosity and mistrust wasn't going to be easy for either side. I was hoping that this little soiree would provide an opportunity for the Fairies to see that there was more to a vampire than just a pair of fangs. Both the Viking and the Knight were sophisticated, well-read, well-traveled, and good conversationalists. The same could be said of the Fairies... but they could also be arrogant and irritating. I just prayed my nestmates could manage to keep their tempers in check and their fangs to themselves for a couple of hours. If only I could somehow make sure they were in a good mood _before_ the party... Huh. To the bottom of my list I added: _Give vampires happy magic right before guests arrive._

Satisfied that my list was complete, I sat back with a contented sigh and put down my pencil. I glanced up at the clock and realized it was way past time for Juanita to leave for the night. It worried me that she had to drive all the way back to Shreveport so late and offered to send a guard with her, but she hurriedly assured me that now she had a brand new car that wouldn't break down, she would be absolutely fine.

She had been gone less than five minutes when the doorbell rang. I hadn't gotten around to doing any magic yet, so I figured I looked normal enough to answer it myself. One of the Area 2 vampires that I knew slightly stood on the porch, so I invited him inside. This was his first visit to the Royal Residence, and he glanced around the foyer with obvious approval. We exchanged pleasantries and then I showed him to the library. Besides Bill and Eric, there were two other vampires present. From the open doorway, I said hello to them, too, and politely asked if anyone wanted any blood.

From behind his desk, Eric asked, "Where's Juanita?'

"She left a few minutes ago."

Glancing at his watch, he frowned. "I suppose it _is_ late."

Bill quickly rose to his feet. "I'll get the bloods, Sookie."

I started to protest that I was perfectly capable of getting a couple of bottles of blood all by myself, but then I realized Bill had that slightly strained look on his face that he always got when I was about to make some sort of vampire faux pas. Instead, I politely excused myself and left the room. Quickly joining me in the hallway, Bill took my arm and steered me right past the near-by wet bar and all the way back to the kitchen, which was out of vampire hearing range. "What the heck, Bill?" I asked softly. "All I did was offer refreshments to guests in my home."

"First, those vampires are not guests, they are here on business. Second, while it is perfectly acceptable for you to _offer_ refreshments, it is not acceptable for you to serve them. Vampire Queens do _not_ wait on underlings. You should have servants for that."

"I _do_ have a housekeeper, but she can't work 24 hours a day!"

"Sookie, I know Eric has not pushed the issue because he wanted you to have time to adjust to your new life... but it's time you faced facts. This may be your home, but it is also a Royal Residence. You are going to have many visitors from all walks of life, especially after the Coronation. From Princes to peasants, everyone will find it extremely peculiar that the King of this Territory has only one house servant. Unless you want them to think less of Eric, you need to hire more help."

He was right, of course. Truth be told, I had discovered that it wasn't just vampires who put a lot of stock in that sort of thing. The Fae were just as bad, if not worse. Any monarch that wasn't dripping in servants would be viewed with disdain and suspicion by the entire Supernatural community. By dragging my feet on hiring more help, I was doing a disservice to my Bonded _and_ our Kingdom. Somewhat guiltily, I said, "I _did_ hire more, but Eric scared them off while I was gone. I just haven't gotten around to replacing them yet. Finding humans who can deal with our lifestyle and be trusted not to reveal any details to outsiders isn't easy, particularly right now. How you guys ever did it before the Great Revelation is beyond me."

Bill shifted uncomfortably. "Strictly speaking, in the old days most vampires did not _hire_ their human servants. They..."

I held up one hand. "Stop right there. I'm probably better off not knowing the details."

"Well, you did ask."

"Look, Bill, the last thing I want to do is embarrass Eric... but Eric wants me to stay away from humans until I get the Fairy thing under control. How am I going to do that and interview domestic help?"

Looking thoughtful, the vampire said, "Hmm. Perhaps you should consider were-animals."

"I don't know," I said doubtfully, "I don't think even female Weres like being cooped-up with indoor jobs, plus aren't most of them too proud to be housemaids? Not to mention they seem to rub Eric the wrong way. Come to think of it, though, the were-_panthers_ know I'm part Fae and a bunch of them are unemployed. Do you think they're too proud for domestic work?"

"I doubt it... but I'd ask Eric first. He may not approve of indoor cats. They smell, you know."

"Oh, for Pete's sake. All right, then, do you have any better ideas?"

"Not really. I wish I could be of more help."

Lightly touching him on the back of the hand, I said, "You _do_ help me, all the time. I'll bet a Lieutenant isn't supposed to be serving underlings, either, but you jumped right in to keep me from looking bad."

"It is my duty to protect and care for you in every way."

"Never think for a minute I don't appreciate it. I always feel better knowing you have my back. It's a good thing you do, since I always seem to be making these kinds of mistakes."

"I think you have done remarkably well. The rules of the vampire world are arcane and not easily mastered."

"I'll say! Too bad there isn't an _Emily Post's Guide to Vampire Etiquette_. I could look up how to tell an underling when I see one."

"As long as you are talking about residents of this Kingdom, you do not need a book," he said seriously, "It is very simple. Any vampire other than Eric is technically your underling. Outside this territory, it gets a little more complicated."

I gave him a wicked grin. "So you're my underling, huh? I kind of like the sound of that."

"Always at your service, my Queen."

"Wait a minute. I serve you and Pam bloods all the time, and nobody ever batted an eyelash."

"Yes, because we are Lieutenants. You may also serve any of the Sheriffs if you wish, as a sign of respect and favor. Also, any visiting monarch and members of their personal retinue... or any other vampire of equal wealth, age, and power as Eric... but in that case, only if Eric himself asks you to."

"You mean like Luke."

Instantly, Bill's smile vanished. "Luke." He spat out the name as if it tasted like burned blood. "Take my advice, Sookie. Never even _think_ about serving him anything. Eric is _never_ going to forget that Luke helped you escape from Las Vegas after your fight.

Bill had never gotten around to asking me what had happened on Luke's jet, but I knew he was burning to know. Before he could work up the nerve to ask me, I steered the conversation back to the subject at hand, "So... what about Robert? He's old, wealthy and powerful."

"More to the point, he is your nestmate. Even if he were a fledgling, it is your duty to care for him."

This was said in Bill's normal cool tone, but his eyes and our blood tie told a different story. Before my dark vampire could veil his feelings from me, I felt a surge of disappointment and jealousy... and then, just as quickly it was gone. Turning his back to me, he removed the heated bottles of blood from the microwave and then arranged them carefully on a tray. He had cut himself off from me, and even though I knew why, it made me very sad. Clearly Bill felt that I had once again abandoned him for yet another older, wealthier, and more famous vampire. My decision to use Robert as a donor instead of him had hurt him more deeply than I had guessed, and then I had added salt to the wound by forming a nest with Robert and Eric without inviting him to join.

What Bill failed to realize, though, was that no one could _ever_ take his place in my heart. We had simply been through too much together. More importantly, we shared a blood bond. I was just now beginning to realize what a sacred thing that was. I loved my dark vampire, and it pained me to know how much I had hurt him. In a low voice, I said, "Bill, about the nest thing... I've wanted to talk to you about it, but we hardly ever have any time alone anymore."

Instead of looking at me, he studiously rearranged the glasses and napkins I had already put on the tray. "You owe me no explanations," he said finally.

"No, but I _want_ to tell you what happened. The whole thing was really spur-of-the moment. After the transfusion, Rhiannon left me some Fairy medicine that had a real kick to it, plus I was chock-full of vampire blood..."

"Which means you had absolutely no inhibitions, and Eric and Robert decided to take advantage of the situation."

"No, _I _talked _them_ into it. I figured it was my one shot to be a full-fledged member of the nest, so I took it."

"So you just suddenly awakened from your deathbed with a burning desire to join a vampire's nest?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not really... but Eric and Robert had just saved my life. Nearly every drop of blood in my body came from them. The whole experience forged this amazing connection between the three of us. Robert _felt_ like family to me. Making it official just felt... right."

"Well, I must compliment you on your choice of nestmates. Quite the illustrious pair. In fact, I think it's safe to say you now belong to the most exclusive nest on the planet. The Viking, the Knight, _and_ a Royal Fairy. _Very_ impressive."

Ignoring his sarcasm, I said evenly, "Impressive, yes, but not complete. Bill... would you please quit fiddling with that tray and look at me?"

Reluctantly, he turned to face me. Looking into his eyes, I said, "Even though you've never told me the details, I know you don't care for nests, but... it would make me really happy if you would join us."

His voice chiller than ever, he replied, "Be careful, Sookie. Only the Elder of a nest can issue invitations, and I doubt that will ever happen. I imagine it suits your nestmates just fine to have you all to themselves."

"That's not true. It may come as a shock to you, but Eric and Robert fully expect you and Pam to become a part of this nest. We thought about asking you to join the other night, but we all agreed neither of you was quite ready."

He was so surprised by my words that he let his tight block to our connection slip. Instantly, I was nearly overwhelmed with a veritable stew of strong emotions: shock, confusion, elation and... just before he managed to get a grip on himself and slam the barrier back up... fear.

Fear? What the heck? That was the _last_ reaction I had expected. All I could think was that his previous experiences with nests really _must_ have been bad. Impulsively, I laid my palm on his cheek. "Don't do that," I said gently, "Don't block me out. Tell me what's wrong."

Bill's eyes softened. "Sookie, I... just that you have asked is an honor, but..." Just then, the doorbell rang again. With unconcealed relief, he said hurriedly, "I'd better get that and then get back to the meeting. We'll have to discuss this later."

Grabbing the tray, he practically ran from the room. Totally shocked by his hasty retreat, I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. Clearly Robert was right: for reasons of his own, Bill _wasn't_ ready to join our nest... but I still had no idea why. Was it the idea of nests in general, or was it this one in particular? I really wished Bill would just come out and tell me what was bugging him for once. My dark vampire had never been good at sharing information even when we were lovers. Back then, I had been so inexperienced and intimidated that I never pushed him into revealing things that I wanted and sometimes needed to know... but I wasn't that naïve girl anymore, not by a long, long way. We _were_ going discuss this again, and soon, even if I had to pull rank to do it.

In the meantime, since it appeared that Bill had appointed himself the official greeter, I decided that I might as well get down to practicing my magic. It was too bad I hadn't talked to the Prince myself, because maybe he could have been a tad more specific about how to go about "gaining self-control." Faeryn was the obvious person to ask, but I certainly wasn't going to bother her with my problems while she was trying to recover from such a terrible ordeal. I still found it hard to believe anyone could torture someone as beautiful and gentle as Faeryn. I hoped I could persuade her to stay with me a few days after the dinner party. Now that I had a little more experience under my belt, maybe I could help her in some small way.

Since I had no one else I could ask for help, I was just going to have to try to figure it out for myself. Since my biggest problem was controlling my outward appearance, I decided that the first thing I needed was a mirror. There was a big one on the wall in the den, so I popped myself there. I stood in front of it and tried to get in touch with my Fairy side and then switch back to looking human as quickly as possible. Unsurprisingly, since I didn't have a clue what I was doing, I really didn't have much success. I could get the Fairy to come out just fine. Getting her to go back in was much harder. After more than an hour of practice, all I managed to do was make myself tired and glowier than ever. The upside was that our den now smelled really, really good.

Frustrated, I gave up. Eric was still busy in his library, so I decided to watch a little television. I curled up on the sofa and surfed through the channels. I finally found a movie that I had always wanted to see but had never managed to catch at the beginning. It had only been on for a little while when Eric came looking for me, Bill in tow. They were finally done with work for the evening, and even though neither one of them tended to watch much television, they seemed perfectly happy to join me. Eric snuggled up with me on the sofa and Bill settled into one of the big overstuffed chairs.

After a moment of staring at the action, the Viking asked, "Sookie, what _are_ you watching?"

"It's called _Highlander_. You'll like it. It's all about Immortals and has lots of sword fights and stuff."

"I had no idea you liked sword fighting."

Call me bad, but I just couldn't resist such a great opportunity to tease him. "I don't," I replied blithely, "I like Highlanders. All women find them _extremely_ sexy."

"Oh, is that so?" growled my mate.

"Absolutely. They're such _manly_ men."

Those expressive blond eyebrows came together in a serious frown. "Manly!"

"Yes, manly. And no woman can resist a Scottish accent... yum!"

"For your information, no doubt the reason you find Scotsmen so manly is that a great many of them had _Viking_ ancestors. And real Highlanders from the medieval period sounded nothing like that. Ask Angus McPhearson. He was born around that time."

"_Of course_ Angus's accent is sexier than the actor's," I agreed, "He's the real deal... and even you have to admit how manly _he_ is. In fact, I bet he could tell me what Highlanders really wear under their kilts... or maybe he could just show me..."

"Grrrr! Unless you want this kingdom to be short one Sheriff, you will stay away from Angus!" Eric's own accent had suddenly grown thicker as it was apt to do when he got bent out of shape.

Bill sighed heavily. "Sookie, quit teasing him," he ordered sternly, "We're missing the movie."

Laughing, I did my best to soothe my mate's ruffled feathers and then brought my vampires up to speed on the plot. Through the entire film, the Viking kept muttering rude remarks about Highlanders under his breath. Both he and Bill took great delight in making snarky comments about the sword fight sequences, but despite that (or maybe because of it) I really enjoyed the movie... all except for the scene where the Immortal Highlander's first wife died of old age. I had to admit, I got choked up thinking about how easily that could have been me. I wasn't the only one affected, either. Both vampires had fallen silent. Sadness was flowing through our three-way bond like a river. Bill had to clear his throat a couple of times, and Eric held me so tightly I had to make him ease up so I could breathe.

To break the tension, I went to the kitchen and made myself some popcorn. When I got back, the vampires were back to bantering and picking apart the movie. I couldn't help glancing over at Bill. He seemed completely comfortable staying with us now, just as if he was already a member of our nest. I just couldn't figure out why he was so reluctant to make it official. On the other hand, I wasn't sure why I cared so much. I couldn't explain it, but I had this weird feeling deep in my bones that having Bill join our nest was somehow necessary.

When the movie was over, Bill excused himself and went to his room to read. Eric swooped me up and carried me off to bed, where I finally got my thorough pounding from a very authentic, _very_ manly Viking vampire. Afterward, as I lay cuddled in his strong arms, he murmured something in his old language which sounded suspiciously like a prayer. When I asked for a translation, he hesitated a moment. When he finally spoke, his accent and voice were thick. "If you _had_ been entirely human, Sookie, I would have done everything in my power to convince you to let me turn you... but if you had refused, I _would_ have stayed with you as you grew old. I would have loved you until your final breath. I was just thanking the gods for sparing me from such agony."

"Oh, baby. Even the Fae don't live forever."

Holding me tightly against his chest, he fiercely proclaimed, "One way or another, Beloved, I _will_ find a way to make you immortal. I swear it."

I snuggled closer and kissed his chest. "Eric, if anybody can do it, it will be you. In the meantime, I plan on enjoying every minute of my life with you. Tonight was a great start. It was just about perfect."

"I thought so, too. I love you, Sookie."

"I love you, too."

The next couple of days were every bit as wonderful. I was afraid that Eric would become bored with staying home, but he actually seemed to enjoy it. Truthfully, he seemed happier and more content than I had ever seen him. Without the constant interruptions of Fangtasia, he got a great deal of work done in a short amount of time, leaving him plenty of free time to play with me. Besides having lots and lots of sex, we took long walks around the property, swam in the pool, went flying, took long drives in the country, read, and played chess (even though he sacrificed his queen and a knight, he always beat me anyway.) My gift to him had been a huge success. Eric had fallen in love with his iPod and spent lots of time downloading tunes. He even found a device that would allow him to plug it into our built-in sound system. Bobby had been dispatched to buy one, and Bill installed it later that night. To my delight, the Viking had even volunteered to make a playlist specifically for our party.

As for me, when I first found out I was under "house arrest" for the foreseeable future, I just knew I was going to feel trapped, bored, and antsy... until I remembered that I had just been whining to myself about not having any routine! After that, I settled down and enjoyed being a homebody. While the Master of the house was down for the day, I sunbathed, did a little needlework, worked on my magic, and wrote in my journal (which I went out of my way to hide before sunset.) I also made it a point to call Claude each day, who sounded almost pathetically glad to hear from me. Maybe it was because I was currently his only contact with the Fairy world. Once he got his magic back, he might well revert to his normal surly self, but until then, I was enjoying the opportunity to get to know him a little.

As for my creepy caller, changing my cell phone number had done the trick. I hadn't even realized how much those calls were freaking me out until they stopped. No matter what I had said to Bill and Eric on the subject, knowing that someone that crazy was after me was pretty unsettling. The last thing I wanted was to go through something like that again, so I vowed to myself to be very selective about giving out my number in the future.

To keep from feeling like too much of a slug, I helped Juanita with a few chores around the house. My interest in gardening was growing by leaps and bounds, and I even got up the nerve to dig around in the flower beds a little bit... but only after swearing Juanita and the gardeners to secrecy. The last thing I wanted was another lecture from the Viking on the evils of Queens doing domestic work... but as long as I was doing it because I enjoyed it and not because I had to, I figured it didn't really count. After my talk with Bill, I had made up my mind to hire more help, but since the whole point of me staying home was to avoid contact with strangers, I had to put that project on hold. Oddly enough, when I brought it up, Eric just smiled and said not to worry about it.

Amelia finally returned my call on Friday morning. She was happy to report that a couple of days after taking the potion that Octavia had sent , her morning sickness had all but disappeared. The other big news was that her dad had pulled a few strings and managed to book the cathedral in New Orleans for her wedding. The date was set for Saturday, May 20 at 8:30 pm. Since she still wanted me to be the Matron of Honor, she had deliberately chosen such a late service so that my vampires could attend. She was anxious to start searching for a wedding dress and was pretty disappointed to find that I couldn't leave Valhalla for the next couple of weeks. I promised her I'd work harder than ever to get myself under control as soon as possible.

On Friday night, Mr. Cataliades sent a courier with a whole briefcase full of papers for Eric and me to sign. One of the documents was the deed to the building behind Fangtasia. Now that the property was finally ours, I could hardly wait to get started on the expansion. Eric and I spent many hours discussing what was needed, but he stood firm on his decision that I was to oversee the project. I was excited but a little nervous at the same time. What if I screwed it up? What if the workmen wouldn't listen to me? I had never been in charge of anything, much less such a big project. When I voiced my doubts, the Viking just laughed and told me I was tenacious enough (by that I think he meant stubborn and bossy) to get everything just right.

I was so anxious to get started, I made Eric put in a call to the vampire architect that had drawn up the original plans for Fantasia. I was dismayed to learn he had been hired to design a vampire hotel in Tokyo and would be unavailable for months. The Viking just shrugged and said not to worry. He seemed confident that we could find someone else to do the job, even if it meant hiring a human. In the meantime, I pulled out my old notebook and went back to work on my plans. When we found the right architect, I wanted to be prepared as possible.

Saturday I bounced out of bed fairly early. I had ordered some especially fragrant blooming plants to go near the front steps of the house, and the head gardener Hector had gone to pick them up late Friday afternoon. I wanted to plant them myself, so I slipped on some shorts and a halter top and headed upstairs. Juanita had already made some coffee, so I grabbed a cup and a freshly baked cinnamon roll (double yum!) and went outside. The weather had been absolutely wonderful all week, with warm temperatures and clear skies, and it was another glorious day. I sat on the front steps to eat my breakfast and then got to work. As instructed, Hector had left my flowers in a wheelbarrow on the side driveway. The only things I had forgotten to ask for were gloves and a trowel. Without even giving it much thought, I wished I had them in my hand... and boom! Just like that, there they were. I couldn't help being proud of myself. Even if I wasn't having too much luck with controlling my appearance, apparently the practice was paying off in other ways. Too bad I couldn't brag to Eric about it!

Smiling to myself, I wheeled the plants around to the front and got to work. There was something about digging in the rich dirt I found soothing, and the sun felt good on my back. Since the beds were already prepared, it didn't take too much effort to get the plants tucked into the ground. I was about half-way finished when Juanita came outside with a glass of iced tea in her hand. As she came down the steps to bring it to me, she exclaimed, "Oh! The color is so unusual! And they smell _wonderful_!"

"Yes, they do smell good, don't they? I think my great-grandfather will like them. He's an avid gardener himself. I don't know too much about it yet, but I'm learning."

We chatted for a moment, and then she went back inside to start lunch. I had been simply ravenous the last few days, probably because Eric was drinking from me at every opportunity... and he made darned sure there were plenty of opportunities. Come to think about it, no wonder the vampire was so content! He was always half-way lit on Fairy-juice! He wasn't the only one to benefit, though. Besides the intense physical pleasure his bite gave me, for once in my life, I was eating like crazy but not gaining an ounce. Talk about a win-win situation!

With those pleasant thoughts tumbling around in my head, I got back to work. By the time I plopped the last plant into its new home and got everything watered in, my tummy was rumbling loudly enough to wake the vampire in his underground chamber. I was so hungry, I was tempted to leave the evidence of my "disobedience" right where it was and put it away after lunch, but if something happened and I got delayed or forgot about it, come first dark there _would_ be an ass-chewing... but not the good kind. It would certainly take less time if I could poof everything back to the gardening shed, but I had never tried to teleport anything as massive as a wheelbarrow. I decided it was worth a shot, so I gathered my energy, waved my hand, and... nothing. The darned thing didn't move an inch. I tried several more times with the same result. By then I was getting irritated, which meant I was running the risk of setting the stupid thing on fire; so I gave up, piled my tools and empty flats into the wheelbarrow, and then wheeled it to the shed the old-fashioned way.

After tucking it away, I hurried back to the house for lunch. I decided to wash up in the powder room before going to the kitchen. I saw in the mirror that I was all aglow from my unsuccessful attempts with the wheelbarrow, but it wasn't a big deal. Nearly everyone at Valhalla already knew about my secret and were no longer surprised to see me with my "Fairy" showing. The only ones not clued-in were the human gardeners. (Eric had warned me that glamouring them too often might damage them, so I made it a point to avoid them if I had my glow on.) It occurred to me that maybe one of the reasons I had been so happy the last few days was that I could relax and just be myself for a change. Grinning at my luminous reflection, I gave my hair a couple of swipes with a brush before heading to the kitchen.

At my request, Juanita was making her famous chicken salad. Because she refused to use canned chicken, it took a little longer to make, but the wait was always worth it. All the other ingredients were already chopped and she was almost done dicing the freshly-boiled chicken breasts, so it wouldn't be much longer until lunch was ready. I poured myself another glass of tea and filched a few cubes of apple to keep myself from starving in the meantime. I had just hiked myself on a bar stool and popped a bite of apple into my mouth when the doorbell rang. Juanita started to put her knife down, but I waved her off. Mouth full of apple, I mumbled, "Don't stop. I'll get it."

"Are you expecting visitors for lunch? I can throw in some extra apples and celery..."

"You might as well. It's probably Cooper, and you know he's always hungry."

Hopping off my stool, I strolled to the front door, tossing back another chunk of apple on the way. I opened the door, fully expecting to find my burly Were on the other side. Instead, there was a gray-haired human in a very expensive black suit. Like a complete idiot, I just stood there with apple in my mouth, gaping at my unexpected visitor. It was none other than Wilson, one of Sir Robert's butlers from New York. By the stunned look on his face, he was every bit as shocked to see me. Without even meaning to, I let my mental shields slip. He was thinking _My God! A Fairy! Master told me what to expect, but nothing could have prepared me for this stunning creature!... _closely followed by_... Where is this so-called housekeeper? She must be very ill-trained if she allows her Mistress to answer the door herself! I can see I have my work cut out for me._

I didn't know if I was more flattered or annoyed by his thoughts. Either way, it snapped me back to my senses enough to realize the butler wasn't my only unexpected guest. I didn't even need to see the black limousine and the big white transport truck parked in front of the house to know it, either. I _felt_ it. My brother Robert was home! Since the nesting ceremony, I had been able to "feel" the presence of French vampire if he was near, even though the sensation was not nearly as intense as the one I felt with Eric or Bill. Unfortunately, that was where the tie ended. Apparently nestmates do not share each other's emotions.

Finally recovering my manners, I swallowed my apple and said, "Wilson! It's good to see you again. I'm sorry if I seem surprised, but I wasn't expecting Robert until tonight."

"Completely understandable, Madam. The Master completed his business sooner than expected and was anxious to return to your nest. He asked me to give you this." He pulled an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to me.

Opening it, I read:

_**Ma belle petite sœur,**_

_**A little bird told me that you are in need of some competent, trustworthy domestic help. Considering your current situation, I thought Wilson would be the perfect gift.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Robert**_

_**P.S. I brought some of my things from New York. Wilson will handle everything. You are not to lift a finger!**_

I had to read it twice to make sure I hadn't misunderstood. Sure enough, apparently my nestmate thought he could give me a human being as a gift, much like he would a book or a set of tea towels. Unbelievable! Because Robert was usually so rational, sometimes it was easy to forget that he was, in fact, a vampire. Shaking my head, I muttered something unladylike under my breath. In his very proper English accent, Wilson asked solicitously, "Is there a problem, Madam?"

"Well, _you_ might think so. According to this letter, Robert seems to think he can give you to me as a gift. But you and I both know that's not possible, right?"

"If you say so, Ma'am."

"Vampires need to get it through their thick skulls that humans aren't property to be passed around!" I exclaimed heatedly, "Did Robert even _ask_ if you minded living in the middle of nowhere?"

"Please do not concern yourself on my account, Ma'am," he said serenely, "I am happy to go wherever Sir Robert needs me."

Suddenly, my earlier conversation with Bill on the subject of servants floated through my brain. Suspiciously, I asked, "Wilson... you didn't suddenly wake up one morning and feel an overwhelming desire to come live in Louisiana, did you?"

Eyes twinkling, he replied, "Sir Robert hasn't been up to any of his little tricks, if that is what is worrying you. I thought perhaps at my age a change of scenery might do me good. I might also mention that Stanton and I have agreed to switch locations every so often. However, if _you_ have any objections to us joining your household staff, I am certain other arrangements can be made."

I pinched my lower lip and thought it over. Valhalla was in dire need of domestic help. Was I really going to turn down this fully trained, intensely loyal, Supernatural-savvy butler just to make a point? It took me about ten seconds flat to decide that no, I certainly was not. With a silent vow to myself to have a serious chat with Robert about his attitude towards humans, I plastered a brilliant smile on my face and said, "Welcome to Louisiana, Wilson. Come on in and I'll show you around. Have you had any lunch? Juanita and I are just about to have some chicken salad. It won't take me a minute to set another place."

I didn't have to be a telepath to know that the very formal butler was appalled that I would even think about setting a table, much less eating with the help. Pinning his eyes with mine, I said firmly, "Look, Wilson, we'd better get something straight. This may be the Royal Residence, but it's also my home. I wasn't raised with servants. During the daylight hours, I don't see the point in putting on airs. If I want to sit in the kitchen and eat with you and Juanita, that's exactly what I'm going to do, and I don't expect you to tattle on me to Robert or Eric, either. Do we understand each other?"

"Of course, Madam," he answered faintly.

"Good! Now that we've got that out of the way, would you like something to eat?"

"I thank you, Ma'am, but I should see to getting Sir Robert situated."

"Oh! Of course. Do you need any help? I can call some of the guards up to the house."

"That will not be necessary. Master Robert brought some of his personal security forces with him."

Turning, he signaled to the vehicles in the drive. Immediately, doors flew open and men began to pour out. The first to emerge from the limousine was George, the Were who had acted as my bodyguard both in New York and New Orleans. He gave me a salute and a friendly grin before running around to the back of the transport truck to supervise the unloading. A minute later, two of the other guards brought a set of trestles into the foyer and politely asked where I wanted them to put the travel coffin. I pointed to the formal living room. "In there. The room is light-tight if you close the doors and shutters."

Close behind them, George and another guard wheeled in the gurney bearing the coffin. They stopped long enough for me to give George a big hug and to shake the other man's hand. Once they got Robert situated, they went back to the truck for the luggage. Wilson asked where to put Robert's things, so I led him upstairs and showed him the Knight's bedroom. He looked around the elegantly decorated room with obvious approval, until we got to the closet which already contained some of Robert's clothes. Although it was a huge walk-in closet with plenty of unused space, Wilson frowned and asked if there was anywhere else to put Robert's things. I thought that was a little odd, but told him he could put it anywhere he wanted except for Pam or Bill's room.

"Very well, Madam," said the butler, "Now, I believe our unexpected arrival interrupted your luncheon. Please go eat, and I will have this all sorted out in no time."

I started back down the stairs, taking the far staircase to give the men carrying in the luggage plenty of room. I had wondered why Robert had chosen such a huge transport truck to deliver him. A panel van would have been plenty big enough for just one travel coffin. Now it was abundantly clear. I had never seen so much luggage in my life! Not long after the first batch had disappeared up the stairs, Juanita came bustling up front to see what had become of me. "Robert arrived a little early," I explained, "He... ah... brought a few things with him."

We stood together in the foyer, watching in astonishment as a torrent of bags, boxes, suitcases, and trunks flowed into my house and up the stairs. Juanita whispered, "What do you suppose all that is? Surely no one has that many clothes."

Stifling a laugh, I replied, "Wow. Eric tried to warn me, but I thought he was kidding."

Shaking her head in wonder, the little housekeeper muttered under her breath, "I will _never_ get all that unpacked before nightfall."

"Don't worry about it. You see, Robert brought... Oh! Here he is now." Wilson had appeared on the upstairs landing, and like me, decided to take the opposite staircase to avoid all the traffic. I waved him over to make the introductions.

"Juanita, I'd like you to meet Wilson. He's been one of Robert's butlers for a long time, and now it looks like he's going to work for us. Wilson, this is our housekeeper, Juanita Escobar."

The very proper English butler and the small Mexican housekeeper eyed each other warily. They shook hands politely, but he was thinking _She is attractive enough, but the first issue I'll have to address is her attire. Those dungarees are totally unsuitable for any domestic in the Royal Residence, much less the head housekeeper._

Simultaneously, she was thinking _A butler! Why didn't somebody warn me? If he is going to work here, who will be in charge? He's good-looking, but judging from that suit, he's an uptight cabrón. If he thinks I am going to kowtow to him just because I'm Mexican and he's got that snobby English accent, he's got another think coming!_

Oh, Lord. I had no idea what "cabrón" meant, but I was willing to bet it wasn't complimentary. It honestly never occurred to me that Juanita might feel threatened by this guy, but I guess I could see why. I wasn't certain, but I seemed to recall that butlers were considered higher up in the domestic pecking order than housekeepers... at least, in places that even had butlers, like New York. Here in Shreveport, Louisiana, it looked like things might shake out a little differently. Clearly there was a turf war brewing, but short of tying them together at one wrist and giving them each a Bowie knife, I didn't have the vaguest idea how to handle it. Before I could open my mouth, Wilson made things even worse by saying, "The men have finished with Sir Robert's things. I need to direct them to my quarters so they can unload mine."

Where was my mind today? Obviously Eric had sucked my brains out right along with my blood. Wilson lived at Robert's home in New York, so I should have known he would do the same here. Totally unprepared, I stammered, "Um... I, uh... now let me see..."

Wilson said smoothly, "Master Eric mentioned that there were servants quarters available."

"Oh! Yes, of course there are. I'm sorry, I just wasn't thinking," I apologized... and then the full meaning of his words sunk in. "Do you mean to tell me that Eric knew about Robert's "gift" and didn't tell me?"

"Of course. He couldn't tell you or it would spoil the surprise."

Grrr! That vampire! Given our recent conversation about servants, I had naturally assumed that Bill was the "little bird" that Robert mentioned in his letter, when all along it was my dear husband. Now Eric's unconcerned attitude about my current inability to hire more help made perfect sense. It was just like him and Robert to hatch this plot, and then conveniently be dead to the world when the poop hit the fan. At the very least, one of them should have told Juanita, so she could have made sure Wilson's room was ready. She looked every bit as unprepared as I was. In fact, she didn't just look surprised, she looked... upset. Briefly, I tuned her in again. She was thinking, _I don't understand! Why does he get to live here? If they wanted live-in help, why didn't they ask me? I would have said yes in a heartbeat! Now this stranger is going to be living in this beautiful mansion while I live in a falling down house with bad plumbing and a leaky roof._

As if none of those things were twirling around in her head, Juanita pulled herself up to her full 5'1" height, squared her shoulders, and said calmly, "Miss Sookie, I will be glad to show Mr. Wilson to the servant's quarters. He can get settled in, and I will get started on unpacking Mr. Robert's things."

Frostily, Wilson said, "_You_ have dishes to wash. _I_ will see to unpacking my Master's things. He is very particular about how things are arranged."

Raising her chin, Juanita fired back, "Señor Robert has stayed here many times, and he is always very complementary about the way I care for him."

I suggested helpfully, "It looked to me like there is plenty of unpacking for the both of you. You two go unpack Robert, and _I'll_ do the dishes."

In the very same breath, they both said a horrified, "No!" Wilson quickly added, "Sir Robert would be most distressed to know you were performing such a menial task."

Suddenly, I was tired of the whole thing. Clearly I was going to have to take control of the situation whether I wanted to or not. Narrowing my eyes, I said coolly, "Not if he doesn't know about it, he won't. Remember what I said about tattling? Now, look. Here's what we're going to do. Juanita, you're going to clean up the kitchen while Wilson gets his stuff squared away. After that, you are going to help him unpack Robert's stuff. Since Wilson has worked for him for a long time and knows exactly how his Master likes things, he gets to be in charge of that project. In the meantime, I'm going to lie down with a cold rag on my head. You two have given me a headache."

Clearly surprised, they looked at each other and then back at me. With a new note of respect in his voice, Wilson said, "Yes, Madam."

Juanita nodded, "Hokay, Señora Sookie."

"Great! I'll see you guys later."

I wasn't fooled into thinking I had solved the problem permanently, but I figured this would give them a chance to duke it out in private. Shaking my head, I turned and started towards the library. I planned to change into a bathing suit, retrieve my journal from its current hiding place and write in it while catching a few rays out by the swimming pool... but then I decided to take a slight detour first. Instead of turning into the library, I continued down the hall until I reached the living room. I pulled one of the pocket doors open just enough for me to slip through, and then carefully shut it behind me. With the shutters closed, it was pitch dark in the room. Well, it _would_ have been pitch dark, if not for the lightly glowing Fairy in it. In any event, I still had enough vampire blood left in me that I could see well enough to keep from having to turn on any lights.

I made my way over to Robert's travel coffin. This was the first time I had ever seen it. Unsurprisingly, it was black with super-ornate hardware and what I assumed to be his family crest emblazoned on the top. Even though it was not too strong during the daylight hours, it was still very nice to be able to feel my nestmate's special energy again. Running my hands over the sleek wood, I whispered, "Robert, I'm really glad you're home, even if you _have_ managed to stir up a hornet's nest. You and I are _definitely_ going to have a long talk tonight."

The rest of the afternoon was spent by the pool. I was so engrossed in what I was writing that before I knew it, I barely had enough time to hide my journal and get cleaned up before first dark. I was about to step out of the shower when I felt my vampire come awake. Instead of turning off the water, I smiled to myself and let it run. A moment later, a deep voice asked, "Mind if I join you?"

After a _very_ enjoyable, quite lengthy shower, we finally got out and got dressed. While I was drying his hair, I said sternly, "You know, I really should be mad at you. You could have given me a head's-up about Wilson."

Two guileless sapphire eyes regarded me in the mirror. "Why? Did you not like your surprise?"

I had to restrain myself from bopping him on the head with his hairbrush. "Don't act so innocent! You had to know I wouldn't cotton to the idea of a human "gift!"

"I confess. I did know."

"And yet, you didn't stop him."

Eric's reflection grinned at me. "Why would I? _I _thought Wilson was the perfect gift, and besides... you always seem to think that Robert can do no wrong. I am looking forward to seeing _him_ on the receiving end of the Stackhouse temper for a change."

Ignoring the second half of his statement, I exclaimed, "Honey! It's just not right to give people as gifts!"

"And yet, you kept him."

"Well, only because he told me he wanted to stay."

"Admit it, Sookie. Ethics aside, Wilson is just what we needed."

"All right... maybe he is, but Juanita sure didn't think so. The two of them starting butting heads from the word go, plus I think it really hurt her feelings that he's going to live in, even though we've never asked her to do it."

"Until very recently, you barely accepted her working for us. I naturally assumed you would object to her living here."

"Well... she didn't exactly come out and tell me this, but her house isn't in very good shape. She's a widow, and trying to maintain it all by herself is too much for her. Eric... would it be okay if I asked her to live here, too? We have plenty of room."

Rising from the padded bench, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. "You are so tenderhearted, Sookie. Ask Juanita to live here if you it pleases you. Now, I am certain the Knight has risen, and I know you want to have a very important chat with him." His last sentence was said almost gleefully.

Taking my hand, he led me upstairs in search of Robert. There was no sign of him in the library, so we headed for the living room. The gorgeous dark-haired vampire was just sliding the pocket doors open. For someone who had been tossed around in a travel coffin all day, he looked amazingly well-groomed and wrinkle-free. Catching sight of us, his handsome face lit up in welcome. With a huge smile, he cried, "_Bonsoir, __mes congénères! _I am so glad to be home!" He opened his arms wide. "Come, little one, give me a hug. It seems years since I have seen your sweet face."

His obvious happiness in seeing us made my irritation with him melt clean away. Laughing, I ran to give him his hug. Picking me up, he swung me in a big circle before setting me down. Sea-green eyes alight, he looked down at me and asked, "Well? Did I manage to surprise you? Did you like my gift?"

Instead of launching into him as I had planned, I said mildly, "Wilson is wonderful, and I'm really glad he's here... but you _do_ realize that we outlawed slavery in these parts a long time ago? If you don't believe me, ask Bill."

He just looked confused, as if he couldn't quite grasp what that statement had to do with him. I tried again. "Look, Robert. Vampires can't "own" humans anymore."

"Ah. You think I do not pay him. Do not worry your head another moment. All of my servants are very well compensated."

"It's not just that. Is he free to quit if he wants?"

"Why would he want to quit? I treat him very well. He lives in beautiful homes, he travels the world in luxury..."

I persisted, "But _could_ he quit, if he wanted to ? My Gran used to say that a bird in a gilded cage is still in a cage."

He thought that over for a long time. "I suppose I see your point. I _would_ find it difficult to let him go, even if he was so inclined. He has been mine for a long time."

"That's what I thought. From now on when you hire human servants, I want you to keep that in mind, okay? No compelling them to work for you, and they can leave if they want."

"If it will make you happy, ma belle, I will try to mend my old-fashioned ways."

"It will make me very happy." I gave him another big hug and a kiss on the cheek to seal the deal.

"That's it? That's all you are going to say to him?" Eric asked incredulously.

Trying to keep a straight face, I said, "Yep. Not _all_ vampires require a two-by-four upside the head to get the point."

That comment got me the full Viking scowl. I burst into laughter, linked my arm through Robert's and said, "Come on, boys. It's a beautiful night. Let's go for a walk." I held out my hand to Eric, and after a dramatic sigh, he took it.

At long last, the day of our much-anticipated dinner party arrived. Even though I had stayed up until dawn having fun with my nestmates, I was so excited I couldn't sleep. Finally giving up, I wiggled my way out of the Viking's embrace and headed for the shower. After throwing on some shorts, I popped upstairs to the kitchen, only to scare the beejeebers out of Juanita. I hadn't expected her so early, or I would have walked in like a normal person. It turns out she and Wilson had come to a tentative truce. She would work the day shift and he would take over at 10:00 at night, unless we were having a function, and then it would be all hands on deck no matter what the hour. The one thing they both agreed on without reservation was that we still needed to hire some "under maids" but that would have to wait until I was ready.

This gave me the perfect opening to bring up the subject of her moving in. I said, "Juanita, that still means you are working lots of hours. When you add in your commute time, it's even worse. I know you have your own house and all, but would you consider living here? There's plenty of room."

To my surprise, she didn't say yes right away. She was thinking _How can I live in the same house with that impossible man! I might be tempted to strangle him in his sleep!_

Hastily, I added, "I know you'll have to think it over. Just let me know, okay?"

"Yes, Missus Sookie. I will. Now, what can I fix you for breakfast?"

Even after an enormous breakfast of blueberry pancakes, bacon, and lots of orange juice, I was still full of nervous energy. The caterers and the florist weren't scheduled to arrive until late afternoon, so until then I really had nothing to do. I tried to read for awhile, but just couldn't concentrate. Donning a swimsuit, I went out and swam laps until I was gasping for air. I was _still_ restless, so I got dressed again, walked down to Cooper's trailer and rousted him out. We sat outside on his picnic table under the shade of the tall trees and played bourée for a nickle a point. Since there were only two of us, we dealt a widow hand. The fast-paced card game kept my mind occupied, plus I managed to win five bucks and a quarter off him. To make up for it, I invited him up to the big house to eat a late lunch.

Juanita fed us cold steak sandwiches with homemade french fries. By then it was finally time to get the show on the road, and Cooper offered to stay and help set up. The catering van was the first to arrive. While Chef Sinclair and one assistant toted in all the kitchen stuff, the driver of the van and Cooper unloaded the big round table and chairs that I had requested. Like King Arthur, I figured having a round table would put everyone on equal footing. The two men wrestled the heavy table out to the back patio and set it up. Wanting to have it in just the perfect spot, I kept making them move it around, until Cooper frowned and said, "This is the third time we've had it in this same spot, Sookie. Let's leave it here."

By then, Wilson had turned up, immaculately clad and ready to work. Since Juanita was busy in the kitchen, I took him around and showed him where everything was kept and pointed out the table linens and china I wanted to use. Handing him the seating chart I had drawn out earlier, we went over the menu for both Fairies and vampires so he would know which dishes to put where. While he went off to see if he could borrow a rolling cart from the caterers, I went back outside to see how Hector and Cooper were coming along with their task. A couple of nights back, Eric had suggested rather wryly that we add some strands of "fairy-lights" around the terrace for dramatic effect. Hector had driven into Shreveport to pick them up at the same time he got my plants, and now he and Cooper were busy stringing them up. Hector had produced a ratty-looking boom-box tuned to the local AM radio station, so some old rock and roll was cheerfully thumping along in the background as they worked.

It wasn't long until the florist arrived with the flowers. I went around the house with her, pointing out where I wanted the various arrangements to go. Once everything was in place, she wished me good luck, thanked me for my business and left. By the time I got back to the patio, everything was nearly in place. I had to admit, it looked really nice. The table was perfectly set with crystal and china (not to mention the all-important cloth napkins!) At night, with all the candles lit and the tiny fairy-lights glowing, the setting would be truly romantic. Just as I was congratulating myself on how well it had all come together, I felt a cool breeze at my back. At the same time, the sun on the patio seemed to dim. Looking up, I saw a cloud had rolled in out of nowhere and covered the sun. Cooper, who had finally secured the last strand of lights and was climbing down from his ladder, noticed it at the same time. Seeing the look on my face, he said comfortingly, "Don't worry. I checked the forecast this morning, and we only have the same ten percent chance we've had for the last two weeks. We might get a few late-afternoon clouds, but they should clear off by nightfall."

I knew he was probably right, but what if it did rain? Good Lord, what a disaster that would be! Squeezing my eyes shut, I wished as hard as I could for clear skies, and then said a few heartfelt prayers for good measure. Glancing around, Cooper said, "Well, it looks like everything's done. This looks fantastic, the house is perfect, and the grounds are the best I've ever seen them. All you have to do is relax and enjoy yourself."

Forcing a smile, I said, "I know. I've just got first dinner party jitters."

"You'll do fine. Look, why don't you go on and get dressed? A long soak in the tub and a glass of white wine will settle those jitters."

"I guess you're right. Thanks for all your help, Coop."

"It was my pleasure. Call me if you need anything." Shouldering his ladder, he took off towards the gardener's shed, whistling "Paint it Black" as he went.

Since I wanted my relatives to feel safe to be themselves in my home, all humans were to be off the grounds before 8:00 except for Juanita, Wilson, and Chef Sinclair (who had finally confessed that, thanks to his vampire girlfriend, he already knew about the existence of Fairies). Hector picked up the box of unused lights and said, "Have a good party, Mrs. Northman. I'm going to put these away and give all the walkways one last sweep before heading home."

"Thanks for all your hard work, Hector. Everything looks amazing."

Once he was gone, I ducked into the kitchen to make sure everything was on track. Chef Sinclair had dinner well under way, and from the smell of things, the food was going to be scrumptious. After telling Juanita I was going down to dress, I made a short stop at the wet bar and then went to my room. My Were's advice turned out to be excellent. A long bubble bath and a glass of wine later, I was relaxed and ready to be the perfect hostess. I took my time getting dressed and doing my make-up. I even managed to wrestle my unruly locks into a tidy chignon. By the time I was tucking the last bobby pin into my hair, it was just before first dark. I was so busy thinking about what the evening might bring that I was a little startled to look up to find my vampire lounging in the doorway. I had no idea how long he had been there watching me. "Did I frighten you?" he asked with the cutest little grin on his face.

"Not really. I guess I was daydreaming." Giving my hair one last pat, I stood up and smoothed out the slacks of my new outfit. "What do you think? Do I look okay?"

"If you looked any better, I would not let you out of this bedroom for hours. Our guests would just have to wait."

"Thanks, honey." I went to my jewelry drawer and got out my diamond solitaire, but before I could put it on, Eric said, "Not that one. Wear the Sunrise Necklace. It will look spectacular with that outfit. In fact, allow me."

With nimble fingers, he deftly plucked it from its little compartment and securely fastened it around my neck. He couldn't resist kissing the nape of my neck and breathing in a deep lungful of my scent. Instantly, two bright, shiny fangs made an appearance. He lightly scraped them across the back of my neck, and I shivered in pleasure. Against my skin, he mumbled, "Why is it I am always hungry around you? I can never seem to get enough."

I playfully swatted him away from my neck. "No snacking before dinner! You'll ruin your appetite!"

"Whatever the Chef has concocted, it cannot hope to match your blood. Just one sip? Think of it as an appetizer."

"Hmm. I just love it when you beg. Okay, one little sip... but don't muss me, okay?"

"Very well. I promise."

As always, the Viking was good to his word. He only took a small sip and was even careful not to get me too worked up in the process (which I admit was a little disappointing.) He made sure to heal his marks, too, stating that he didn't want them to detract from my necklace. Glancing at the clock, I said, "You'd better start getting dressed. They are supposed to be here by 9:00, and it's nearly 8:00 now. Remember, you still have to set up the music."

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to stay and help me dress?"

"Spoiled baby. You managed to dress yourself for over a thousand years, I think you can handle one more night."

"You are a cruel woman, Mrs. Northman. Go on then, I will muddle through without you."

Blowing him a kiss, I popped myself upstairs. I wanted to make one more turn around the house just to make sure everything was perfect, so I materialized in the foyer. Already fully dressed in a finely tailored blue suit, Robert was making his way downstairs when I popped into view. Even though he was too calm and collected to jump or gasp, I could tell that I had startled him. He jerked to a stop and blinked a couple of times before recovering himself. Then with a broad smile, he continued down the steps. "_Bonsoir, ma belle_. You look ravishing this evening."

"Thanks, Robert. You didn't have to hurry. They won't be here until 9:00."

"I wanted to give you something before your guests arrived." He pulled a black velvet box out of his coat pocket and handed it to me.

I opened it and gasped. Nestled in the box were an exquisite bracelet and a set of earrings. Obviously designed to match my necklace, they were fashioned from gold and set with sparkling yellow and white diamonds. "Oh, Robert! These are beautiful!"

"Do you like them? I made them myself."

"They are perfect! I can't believe you went to all this trouble for me!"

"I wanted you to have something I made with my own hands. I am glad you like them, little sister. Let me help you put them on."

He slipped the plain diamonds out of my earlobes and replaced them with the new ones and then fastened the bracelet around my wrist. "Much better. Now you are perfectly matched."

"You are absolutely, positively the best nestmate in the world. Thank you so much!" I gave him a big hug and kiss. Standing back, I said, "I do have one tiny complaint, though."

"Oh?"

"This is supposed to be an informal family dinner. We're eating outside. You need to lose the suit."

"But this is my most casual suit!"

"This is Louisiana, honey. There is no such thing as a casual suit. Now indulge me. Run upstairs and put on some slacks and a less starched shirt. No tie, either."

He started to grumble until I added, "They call those power suits for a reason. You look totally formidable in it. I think a certain half-Fairy would find you much more approachable if you'd change into something less formal."

That did it. Without any more argument, he obediently turned and started back up the stairs. Smiling to myself, I went back to the kitchen. Everything was well in hand, so I went to the patio for one last look. The outdoor lights had come on at dark, and Wilson was just lighting the candles. The pool looked beautiful, the underwater lights making it sparkle like a big blue gem. As I stood there admiring everything, a pair of muscular arms slipped around my waist. "Everything looks perfect, Sookie. I am very proud of you for arranging all this," Eric murmured in my ear.

"Thanks, honey. You know, I think Juanita was right. Preparation is the key. I really feel like everything is going to go just right." While I was saying this, I was stroking his arm, thereby completing the last task on my list. As I sent the subtle but potent waves of magic through him, he sighed happily. "I suppose I should see to the music now," he said in a dreamy tone.

"Okay, baby. Oh, dang! I forgot about the hurricane lamps on the front porch," I called out, "Wilson, I'll go light those. I want to see how the house looks from the outside, anyway."

"Yes, madam."

While Eric went gliding off to get the music going, I headed for the entry hall. Pulling open the door, I was surprised to find Hector running up the front steps carrying an enormous arrangement of flowers in a crystal vase. I didn't realize it, but my calm, perfectly organized evening was about to go to hell in a hand basket. Without the slightest premonition that those flowers were trouble with a capital T, I opened the door wider and motioned him inside. Smiling, I asked, "Where did these come from? I didn't order them."

"They were delivered just as I was leaving," he panted, "It was a different florist than the one that was here earlier. Since no unauthorized strangers are allowed in the compound, I thought I'd better bring them to you myself. I think there's a card."

The arrangement looked extremely familiar, big orange lilies with lovely black spots, with a sprinkling of other flowers mixed in, just like... oh, crap!... _exactly_ like the ones I had received in Las Vegas. The ones that no one would admit to having sent. Quickly, I searched for the card. The envelope was larger than an ordinary florist's card, but on the front was written SOOKIE in the very same block letters I had seen before. Hector was saying something about the flowers, but I wasn't really listening. "This is a beautiful arrangement," he said, "I wonder where they found these this time of year? Tiger lilies usually don't start blooming until later in the summer. I guess they must be your favorite, since we planted so many. The hundred we got right before you went to Las Vegas should be in bloom by July. Do you know that some people believe that smelling tiger lilies will give you freckles?"

While he prattled on, I pulled a piece of note paper from the envelope. With a feeling of dread, I unfolded it and read:

_**Dearest Sookie,**_

_**Please forgive me for losing my temper. I beg you to give me another chance. PLEASE! Stop punishing me like this! ANSWER YOUR PHONE! I can't live without at least hearing your voice...**_

There was more, but I didn't read it. The note fell from my fingers and went fluttering across the foyer, propelled by the sudden gust of wind that blew through the still-open front door. I stood stock still, my mind racing. There was no way around it... that note made it clear that whoever sent me the flowers in Vegas was _also_ the crazy jerk that had been calling me! But who? Who could it be? I was so absorbed in my thoughts, I barely registered the peal of thunder when it rolled through the air or the flash of lightning that was right on its heels, until Hector groaned, "Oh no! It's going to rain! Take the flowers, Miss Sookie, and I'll run around back and help them move everything inside."

With his words, the first few drops began to fall. Hector tried to thrust the flowers into my arms, but I just stood there, frozen in place. "Miss Sookie? Are you all right?"

Without even realizing I was doing it, I took the vase into my hands and stared down at the handsome orange-and-black flowers. In a far-away voice, I asked, "What did you say these flowers are called?"

"Why, they are tiger lilies, of course."

In that instant, all the random, unexplained events of the last few months flashed through my mind like so many pieces of a puzzle, magically re-arranging themselves into a coherent whole. Who had sent me the mysterious flower arrangement in Vegas? Who had sent me a hundred lilies before I ever left for that trip? Who was crazy enough to antagonize a thousand-year-old Vampire King by making nasty calls to his wife? Whose mother was known to be crazier than a bedbug, and could have easily passed that strain of madness to her son? Who, when in his alternate form, would consider a slaughtered deer a suitable gift to lay at the feet of his intended mate?

A fucking Were-Tiger, that's who!

The rage that tore through my body was so terrible that for a moment, I went completely numb. The beautiful crystal vase slipped from my nerveless fingers and fell to the floor, instantly shattering into a thousand pieces and sending flowers and water in all directions. In the wake of the numbness, a surge of pure adrenaline shot through my system, jerking me out of my immobile state. Completely mindless in my anger, I ran out the open front door, down the front steps, and into the pouring rain. I pounded down the drive to the first bend and then veered off across the grass, heading toward a long, curving bed of perennials. Behind me, I could hear poor Hector huffing and puffing as he tried to keep up, no doubt wondering if I had suddenly gone insane. If so, he would have been right.

While I ran, my magic was raging inside me, a burning force that was demanding to be let out. I wanted so badly to incinerate every last one of those horrible plants, those AWFUL FUCKING TIGER LILIES that had NO RIGHT to be growing in the soil of our beloved Valhalla. I came to a screeching halt a few feet from the first clump of lilies and held out my hands... but just before I let loose the first blast of magic, a tiny, irritatingly calm voice in the back of my head reminded me that Hector was not only human, he had no idea there was such a thing as Fairies. I guess my "self-control" practice had actually done some good, because at the very last second, I was able to stop myself from letting go... but as Gran always said, there's more than one way to skin a cat, so I scrambled over the wet grass and plunged straight into the flower bed. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed a double fistful of the leafy green stalks and began to pull with all my might.


	52. Chapter 52

_Author's Notes: First, I want to thank Charlaine Harris for creating the SVM universe. Book 12 just came out, and although I can't read it (to do so interferes with writing this story) a friend of mine always tells me what happens. Like many of you, I was a tad bit disappointed with the direction the "real" story has taken. All I can say is... thank goodness for fan fiction! I can write an HEA for my favorite pair.  
_

_****I want to thank everyone for such nice reviews for the last chapter. I know I promised to have this posted in two weeks, but I was waylaid by the dreaded summer cold. I kept trying to get the chapter right, but the proper words just wouldn't take shape. In fact, it still isn't quite right, but I decided to post anyway._

_*****There is a fairly graphic lemon scene in this chapter. This isn't just gratuitous. The transfusion of vampire blood has made Sookie very uninhibited, and Eric has enjoyed this very much. This scene reassures him that even though her blood is nearly back to normal, she is just as adventurous. Although he is a dominant alpha male through and through, he finds her being so bold to be a huge-turn on. My husband wasn't sure I should leave this scene in as written, because some of you might not like it. However, I decided to leave it, sort of as a test case. As a new writer, I am still exploring boundaries. What do my readers like, and what do they consider too much? Please help me out by leaving some comments._

_Recap of Chapter 51: Eric and Niall decide that Sookie should stay at Valhalla until she gains control of her appearance, so she and Eric spend several days at home. They both enjoy this time a great deal. Eric gives Juanita a new car to reward her for her loyal service. Bill and Sookie discuss the need for more servants at Valhalla. On Saturday, Robert arrives early, bringing Sookie a "gift": his butler, Wilson. Juanita and Wilson are less than thrilled with each other._

_The day of the long-awaited family dinner party finally rolls around. Sookie spends the day preparing, and is confident everything is going to go well. Eric rises at first dark and is very pleased with everything. Shortly before her guests are to arrive, Sookie receives a flower arrangement exactly like the one she got in Las Vegas, along with a note. She suddenly realizes that her creepy caller is Quinn, who has clearly gone crazy. Completely furious, she dashes out into the pouring rain and tries to destroy the tiger lily plants that he sent her several months back._

**Eric's POV: The Family Dinner Party, Sunday night, Valhalla**

Sunday night I awaken imbued with a feeling of deep contentment. For a vampire, this particular emotion is so rare, so... exotic, that for a long moment, I lie very still and savor it. This warm, altogether unusual feeling grows stronger each night that my Bonded and I stay cocooned together at Valhalla. I can only speculate that by spending so much time together in such a relaxed atmosphere (not to mention the frequent feedings and constant sex), our Bond has not only healed, but grown stronger and more resilient than ever. Sookie is happy, therefore I am happy. To be perfectly honest with myself, though, it isn't only her happiness I feel. I have enjoyed every minute of the last few nights myself. I have owned many, many houses over the centuries; but until now, never one that I could truly call a home. This place and this woman make me happier than I have ever been; in truth, happier than I could have ever imagined myself being.

Lying with my eyes closed, I hear the cause of my contentment puttering around in our dressing room, humming to herself in that charmingly off-key way of hers. Knowing our guests will be arriving soon, I fully expected her to be upstairs fretting over last-minute details. Silently getting out of bed and gliding into the next room, I find my wife sitting in front of her mirror fiddling with her hair. Dressed in a chic new outfit, she has already applied her make-up, and is now twisting her golden locks into a sleek coiffure that exposes her neck. Her sweet Fairy scent perfumes the small room, and it is all I can do to keep from drooling.

After pushing the last hairpin into place, Sookie looks up and catches me admiring her. Although I did not intend to startle her, I certainly do not mind reaping the benefits. The tiny burst of frightened Fairy-scent wafting my way is delightful. We greet each other, and she asks my opinion of her new outfit. Even though I did not buy it for her myself, I like it a great deal. It is very elegant yet casual enough for a "family dinner." Robert asked me to make sure Sookie wears her canary diamond tonight, so he can give his new sister the matching bracelet and earrings he made for her. Not wanting to spoil his surprise, I casually suggest that the Sunrise Necklace would look better than the diamond solitaire she has selected. As I help her put it on, I simply cannot resist bending down to kiss the nape of her neck and taking in a deep lungful of her lovely scent. As always, it never fails to arouse both my lust and my hunger.

My Bonded is clearly too nervous and preoccupied to enjoy love-making just now, but I manage to bargain with her for a little sip to tide me over. Over the last several days, I have consumed far more of her blood than I actually require, but it seems the more I have, the more I crave. It is mixed blessing that the vampire blood from the transfusion is almost out of her system. Once it is gone, I will no longer have the excuse to be such a glutton. On the other hand, while the blend of vampire, human, and Fairy blood has been interesting, it is not as spectacular as the unadulterated version. In fact, the Fae component in Sookie's newly-manufactured blood is more pronounced than ever, probably due to her increased use of magic. Taking more than a mouthful or two gives me quite a buzz. Also, I seriously miss giving my Bonded my blood, an activity we can resume as soon as her blood-content is back to normal. With any luck, another couple of days should do it.

Once I am done with my little snack, my lovely fairy-wife slips on her new sandals and pops upstairs, leaving me alone to dress. While in the shower, I think about the evening ahead. Sookie has designed this party to be "a relaxed family dinner," but of course it is much more than that. Whether she realizes it or not, this is a momentous occasion in the Supernatural world, as it is the very first time a Vampire King has ever entertained a Fae Prince for purely social reasons. It may also turn out to be important for another, albeit much more personal reason: there is at least a small chance I will finally meet the Fairy that tried to seduce my wife.

Several times over the last few nights, I came close to confessing to Sookie that I asked Claudine to invite this Rhys, but in the end I did not. For one thing, I truly doubt he will have enough nerve to come, and for another... even though I believe Sookie when she says she did not have sex with this man, that does not mean she has no feelings for him. The vampire in me wants... no, _needs_ to see (and feel) her unguarded reaction when she first lays eyes on him. That very first moment should tell me everything I need to know. Since I have vowed to my wife no Fairy will come to harm during this event, I sternly remind myself no matter how strongly I am tempted, I must _not_ kill him tonight. Instead, I will play the perfect host, and sometime during the evening, either Robert or I will trick him into revealing where he can be found _after_ the party.

After my shower, I take more care in selecting my clothes than I usually do, telling myself it has nothing whatsoever to do with Rhys, and everything to do with a Vampire King's need to appear equal to the Fae Prince in every respect. Since Sookie made it clear to everyone the dress for this event should be casual, I finally decide on a pair of Armani slacks, a silk shirt, and a pair of Italian loafers. It will be interesting to see if Niall follows his great-granddaughter's instructions. I have known him for many years but have never once seen him in anything less formal than a three-piece suit. Once I am dressed, I check my appearance in the mirror, debating with myself over how best to wear my hair- until I realize what I am doing. Irritated, I give it a quick brush and call it good.

Heading upstairs, I take extra care to make sure the entrance to our hidden chamber is completely invisible. I promised my Bonded I would get the music for the evening set up right away, so I stop at my desk and retrieve my iPod. When Sookie first gave it to me, I had no idea how much I would enjoy the little device. In the last few days, I have spent many pleasurable hours searching for my favorite music. Some of my true favorites are old and obscure and not digitized for the masses, but when I have time, I may dig some old recordings out of storage and do it myself; or more likely, get Bill to do it. It turns out he is something of an audiophile, and was more than happy to wire an iPod docking station into our existing sound system. I was glad for him to do it, too, because the "control room" that houses the wired-in sound system and many of the other electronic components of Valhalla is not much more than a glorified closet. Crowded from floor to ceiling with wires and equipment, the narrow space is a serious challenge for someone of my size. This was a design flaw on my part, and some further remodeling will have to be done soon to make everything more accessible.

The small control room is located towards the back of the house. On my way there, I take note of how nice Valhalla looks this evening. Fresh flowers and softly glowing candles have been strategically placed throughout the house, lending a great deal of warmth and charm to the big rooms. I make a quick detour so I can see what Sookie has done with the back terrace. I find my surprisingly calm mate outside watching the butler light a host of hurricane lamps and candles. Glancing around with approval, I finally see why my wife insisted on this venue. It is utterly charming, much more conducive to relaxation than the rather stiff formal dining room. The newly installed twinkle lights add a touch of magic to the atmosphere.

Sookie has done a wonderful job planning this event, and is clearly ready to start entertaining on a grander scale. I am very proud of her, and decide to take the time to tell her so. Slipping my arms around her, I whisper my little words of praise into her ear. She relaxes against me, and for a moment we stand together admiring her handiwork. As she listens to my compliments, she smiles and strokes my arm lovingly. Even though I am well aware she is surreptitiously slipping me some of her soothing magic, I say nothing about it. No doubt she is giving me a little as a precautionary measure. Considering how irritating her Fae relatives can be, it is probably not such a bad idea. Besides, it feels much too good to stop her.

Once she has given me a sufficient amount, she gives me a kiss and then dashes off towards the front of the house to take care of some last-minute details. Sighing happily, I practically float to the control room. Once there, I carefully insert myself into the crowded space, trying not to entangle myself or dislodge anything in the process. After snapping my iPod into the new docking station, I pick up the remote control that goes with it and try to figure out how to select the proper play list. Suddenly, I am both surprised and dismayed to hear an ominous rumble of thunder, almost instantly followed by a jolt of negative emotion coming from Sookie. My first thought is this unanticipated threat of rain has seriously upset my mate, but then, a searing blast of white-hot rage sweeps through our Bond. A second later, the sound of glass shattering reaches my ears. Dropping the remote, I hurriedly extract myself from the tiny closet and head for the front of the house at a dead run.

By the time I reach the foyer, Sookie is already gone. I pause just long enough to take in the scene. Fragments of a crystal vase lie amidst a jumble of broken flowers, and the front door is standing wide open. Outside, an unexpected spring cloudburst is pelting the ground with heavy drops. Robert suddenly appears at the top of the staircase, no doubt drawn by the sound of breaking glass. Not bothering to stop for explanations, I run out the door and down the front steps, allowing my instincts to guide me towards my Bonded. I sense that she is only a short distance from the house, and with my superior speed I should be able to catch her before she gets very far.

Once I hit the pavement, I turn left and blaze down the driveway. As I round the first bend, I catch sight of Sookie dashing across an expanse of lawn, headed straight towards a long, curved flower bed. The gardener Hector is trailing behind her, trying in vain to keep up. Chest heaving, he finally gives up and watches as his Mistress jerks to a halt just a few feet shy of the bed. She thrusts her hands out in that gesture that generally results in a conflagration of some sort, but apparently she changes her mind at the last second. Instead, she jumps over a row of short yellow flowers and plows into a huge drift of waist-high green plants towards the back of the bed. With raindrops and tears running down her face, she grabs a clump with both hands and attempts to tug it up by the roots.

The emotions swirling through our Bond are black enough to do any vampire proud. Without the slightest clue as to what could have possibly provoked such bizarre behavior, I rush forward, grab my hysterical spouse around the waist, and lift her bodily out of the flower bed. "Sookie! What on earth are you doing?"

She struggles to get loose, crying, "Let me go! I've got to get them out of here! _He_ sent them!"

"Someone sent you these plants?"

"Yes! He sent me the flowers in Vegas, too, and the ones just now!"

"Sookie, love, you aren't making any sense. Calm down and tell me _who_ sent them." I forcibly turn her around so I can see her face, wondering if I should use my influence as her Bonded to calm her down.

Blue eyes blazing with anger, she yells, "QUINN! FUCKING QUINN sent them to me! Don't you see? These are _tiger lilies!_"

Staring down at her, I rather stupidly repeat, "Quinn? Quinn sent you some plants? Is that all?"

"Of course that's not all!" Sookie shouts. "He's been _here_, at our house! He must have been the one that was prowling around the grounds the night we went swimming with Pam! _He_ left the dead deer at the back gate!"

Of course, I already _know_ the Were-Tiger was once here. I knew it the minute I smelled the white tigers at Sandy's Coronation. Now it occurs to me that I never shared that bit of information with Sookie, just as she has apparently forgotten to tell me anything about a dead deer. Before I can ask for details, she cries, "Eric... _Quinn _is the creep who's been calling me!"

An ice-cold chill starts at the base of my spine and crawls up to my skull. Squeezing my eyes tightly shut, I struggle to contain the dark vampire emotions rising inside me. "Sookie, are you _certain?_"

"I'm _positive_. That's why he always whispered, so I wouldn't recognize his voice." She briefly explains about the note that came with the flowers, adding, "He's gone crazy, just like his mother. He_ hates_ vampires. I think me rejecting him for you might have driven him over the edge. He's obsessed with getting me back, and he's never gonna stop. He's gonna keep after me until he gets me."

Leaning into me, she buries her head in my chest and begins to cry again. This time, they are not only tears of anger but of fear. When I first discovered the Tiger was actively trying to spirit Sookie away from me, I was furious... but that emotion pales in comparison to what I feel now. Knowing Quinn has actually managed to frighten my wife sends my temper soaring nearly out of control. Now I understand what sent my woman careening into a muddy flower bed, an overwhelming if irrational desire to do something... _anything_ to gain some control over this maddening situation. My own anger and utter frustration at being unable to lay my hands on the Tiger this very minute is perilously close to driving _me_ over the edge of reason. If not for the soothing Fairy magic still circulating in my system, I might well be knee-deep in mud pulling up the rest of those damned lilies, followed by a few full-grown trees for good measure.

Wrapping my arms around my sobbing wife, I hold her tightly as we both try to regain control of our stampeding emotions. As difficult as it is, I _must_ think this through with some degree of rationality. Clearly Sookie is right: Quinn is unbalanced and therefore unpredictable and extremely dangerous. He _must_ be destroyed as soon as possible, but I have to catch him first, and that is proving to be easier said than done. Since the Coronation, my minions have been beating the bushes for him, but no one has seen hide nor hair of him since that time. Having more important issues to deal with over the last few weeks, I relegated the issue to the back burner, confident that sooner or later he would surface. Now finding him has become not just a desire, but a necessity.

Robert, who naturally followed me in my mad dash to catch my Bonded, is standing a few feet away, silently listening to every word. One glance tells me he is very nearly as enraged by this news as I am. Still, he has always been better at keeping his temper in check. After a moment, he steps up behind Sookie and wraps his arms around her too, cocooning her between us. Sea-green eyes blazing with suppressed anger, he stares at me over Sookie's head and says in my language, "There is no question that Quinn must die in the most prolonged and painful way the pair of us can devise, but we can plan our tiger hunt later. Right now, you must calm yourself lest your emotions damage the little one."

Knowing he is right, I make a more serious effort to calm down. Meanwhile, Robert tries his best to soothe Sookie. Switching to French, he begins crooning to her, letting the flowing cadence of his words calm her by degrees. Once her tears begin to subside, he switches to English. "Be angry at Quinn all you want, _ma sœur_, but the last thing you need to do is fear him. Do you trust me?"

Still unable to speak, Sookie nods her head up and down. Robert says, "Good. Then believe me when I tell you that the Viking and I will keep you safe."

"You can't be with me during the daytime," she mutters.

"If you insist on going out during the day, you will be well guarded." Lowering his voice so that the human gardener cannot hear, Robert murmurs, "I also want to remind you that you are no longer as vulnerable as you once were. You are developing some formidable powers of your own, is that not true?"

"I guess so."

"I _know_ so. If Quinn were to walk out of those woods right now, I suspect Hector there would soon be shoveling up a pile of Tiger ash."

With her forehead leaning against my chest, Sookie makes a sound half-way between a laugh and a hiccup. "All right then," the Knight continues, "We all agree that this lunatic must be caught at the first opportunity. Plans must be made, but if it is all the same to you, I would prefer to do it in a drier location." This earns him a shaky laugh. Giving her one last reassuring squeeze, he drops his arms and steps away.

Tilting her head back, Sookie looks up at me and says apologetically, "I'm sorry for acting like such an idiot, Eric. I swear, I don't know what came over me. I can't blame it on the vampire blood this time."

"You have been through a great deal in a very short amount of time, Dear One. Perhaps this was just one crisis too many. Now, let's get you back to the house before you catch a chill." Before she can protest, I swing her up in my arms and cradle her against my chest. Turning to the astonished gardener, I say, "Dig up every one of the tiger lilies first thing tomorrow. Pile them down by the lake."

Still looking utterly confused, he nevertheless agrees without question. "Yes, sir. Would you like for me to burn them?"

"No, I believe your Mistress wants that pleasure," I reply with a slight smile. Leaving our bewildered gardener standing on the wet lawn, I turn and set off for the house at a brisk pace. The rain has tapered off to nothing more than a light mist. Walking beside us, Robert studies the sky."I think this shower is nearly over. I imagine the servants have moved everything inside by now, but once the rain stops completely, perhaps they can—"

With a gasp of horror, Sookie shrieks, "Oh my God! The party! I was so upset I forgot all about it! How is that even possible?" One dirty hand flies up to her hair. The once elegant hairdo is a total loss, not only soaking wet but sticking out in all directions. Looking down at herself, she groans, "Oh, no! Look at me!"

She _is_ a mess. One bejeweled sandal has come off, probably still stuck in the soft dirt of the flowerbed. The other is covered in muck. Her elegant new outfit is streaked with mud. Robert and I are not quite as dirty but still thoroughly soaked. The Knight laughs. "I am afraid we are all a sorry sight, but if we hurry, we still have time to get cleaned up before your guests arrive. Being Fae, they are almost certain to be fashionably late." Just then, we round the bend in the drive and a look of dismay flashes across his face. With a wince, he adds "...or not."

Catching sight of the tell-tale golden glimmer near the house, I utter a few pithy curses under my breath. Instead of being fashionably (and conveniently) late, it appears that Sookie's family has chosen to arrive several minutes early. Sure enough, a nanosecond later, four Fairies appear in our driveway. Not wanting to startle them too much, I cover the rest of the distance at normal speed, stopping a few yards shy of our guests. Sookie is already at enough of a disadvantage, so I immediately set her on her feet.

For a moment, no one says a word. The three of us stare mutely at the breathtaking creatures now standing in front of us. Niall, Claudine, and Rhiannon stand side-by-side, immaculately dressed in colorful, shimmering fairy-cloth garments. The Prince must be maintaining some sort of invisible canopy over them, because although it is still misting, they are perfect dry. The three of them are the very epitome of mouth-watering Fae perfection. Even with my immunity, it is all I can do to keep my fangs from making an untimely appearance.

I quickly glance at Robert to make certain he is under control. I am pleased not even a hint of fang is showing. Indeed, he is not even looking at the three full-Fairies. His eyes are transfixed by the figure standing directly behind them. By the way his eyes are glowing, I know Sookie was right: my brother _is_ smitten with the little half-Fairy, Faeryn. At least, I assume it is Faeryn. Her head and arms are completely covered by a flowing scarf, and her face is tilted down so I cannot see it. Her floor-length gown is also made of fairy-cloth, but unlike her companion's colorful clothes, hers is a flat gray with no shimmer to it at all. Although she stands perfectly still, I nevertheless get the impression she is poised to pop away at the slightest provocation. The torture she endured must have been truly horrific to reduce the self-confident, vibrant woman I met in the islands to this timid, colorless creature.

Obviously shocked by this transformation, Robert cannot seem to tear his eyes away from the girl. As for me, I am busy counting Fairies. There are definitely only four. As I suspected, the Fairy Rhys is too much of a coward to face me. Given the current situation, though, I am actually quite relieved. Sookie has enough to deal with just now. Our Bond tells me she is already hanging on to her composure by a thread, and I suspect that having that particular guest turn up unexpectedly might prove to be one unpleasant surprise too many. She is still struggling to find something to say to cover this awkward and embarrassing situation, and finally manages to produce a rather lukewarm greeting. "Um. Hello, everybody."

Obviously expecting a much different reception, the three full-Fairies openly gape at their filthy, water-logged hosts. Even the Prince seems at a loss. A bit uncertainly, he asks, "Ah... Sookie, you _did_ say the dinner was tonight?"

For a moment, I fear my poor wife is going to burst into tears again. Under the circumstances, I can hardly say I blame her. However, with a supreme act of will-power she pulls herself together. Taking a deep breath, she replies, "Yes, I did. We had a little emergency come up, but everything is fine now." To my everlasting surprise, she pauses, shakes her head, and then gives her family a rueful grin. "You know what? That's a big fat lie. Everything is pretty much a disaster, and I'm horribly embarrassed. But y'all are my family, and I know you love me, so I'm going to tell you what really happened. Everything really _was_ fine until I got this delivery of flowers. I won't bore you with the details, but I suddenly figured out the identity of my anonymous caller, and it really threw me for a loop. Actually, that's putting it mildly. I went right off the deep end, and these boys had to chase me down and snap me out of it."

Niall regards his great-granddaughter thoughtfully. "To upset you to such a degree, it is almost certainly someone you once considered a friend," he guesses astutely. Shifting his eyes to mine, he demands, "Who is this man, and what do you intend to do about it?"

The name is bitter on my tongue. I spit out, "It is the Were-Tiger, Quinn."

Claudine barks out a laugh. "Quinn! Ha! Don't bother answering the second half of that question, Viking. I'd say the Tiger is toast. Whatever you've got planned, I'll bet it's going to be as gruesome and painful as possible."

At her words, Faeryn lets out a strangled gasp. She quickly glances up at me and then back at the ground. Her sudden motion causes her scarf to slip back. She scrambles to replace it, but not before we all catch a glimpse of what it concealed. Her once-perfect face and arms are covered with partially-healed cuts and multiple bruises. The deep wounds are symmetrically placed, obviously the result of deliberate and prolonged torture. A wave of horror and pity reverberates through our Bond, and I have to admit it is not only coming from Sookie. Unable to stop herself, my wife whispers sadly, "Oh, Faeryn."

Thoroughly incensed by the sight, Robert's fangs shoot down. Unthinking, he surges toward Faeryn, probably bent on trying to comfort her. Unfortunately, his sudden movement only serves to startle the poor girl. I fully expect her to poof away, but she just drops her head and stands there trembling. At the same time, all three full-Fairies step forward, aggressively blocking Robert's path. To avert disaster, I sharply order, "Brother, STOP NOW."

Heeding my command, Robert not only stops moving forward but retreats a few feet. Quickly retracting his fangs, he looks the Prince in the eye. "Please forgive me," he says quietly, "I truly mean Faeryn no harm. I am distressed beyond measure that such a beautiful woman was forced to endure such atrocities. I... I offer to heal her wounds, if she will allow it."

All three Fairies look astonished, as well they should. Coming from a vampire as old and powerful as the Knight, who has no real connection to this girl, it is an amazing and generous offer. Rhiannon peers at him for a long time, clearly trying to decide whether to trust him. After a moment, she looks back at her daughter. "Faeryn?" she asks gently, "What say you to the vampire's kind offer?"

A few seconds tick by. Finally, the little half-Fairy shakes her head "no."

Turning back to Robert, Rhiannon says sadly, "Thank you for your generous offer, Sir Robert, but I am afraid my daughter says no."

Seemingly not offended by this rejection, Robert replies, "I understand. Perhaps she will change her mind once we have become better acquainted. That is one of the purposes of this gathering, yes?"

Giving him one of her perfect smiles, Rhiannon says, "Of course it is, and we have all been looking forward to it." Clearly the beautiful Fairy knows how desperately Sookie wanted this evening to be a success and is doing her best to rescue the situation. Turning to her hostess, she says brightly, "Daughter, let us start again. I am so happy to see you! I am quite anxious to see your wonderful home."

"I am really happy to see you all, too," Sookie says in a much warmer tone. "Why don't we go inside and y'all can have cocktails while the three of us get cleaned up?"

Also wanting to put his great grand-daughter at ease, the Prince says jovially, "That sounds splendid. I would love a drink. A glass of Perianth would be just the thing."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know how to get any Perianth outside of the Portal," Sookie says apologetically, "I know you like Scotch, though, and we have some very nice single-malts."

"Don't tell me that Rhys hasn't been here yet! He was supposed to drop off the gifts earlier today."

"Rhys?" Sookie says faintly, "_Rhys_ is coming _here_?"

She quickly glances at me, but I try to look as innocent and unconcerned as possible. With any luck, she will think the Prince invited him. Unfortunately, Claudine cannot wait to chime in. "Well, you did invite him. At least, Eric _told_ me you wanted to invite him."

As Sookie would say, fuck me.

When I first issued that damned invitation, I was well aware that there would be a price to pay, but I truly believed it would only be a momentary irritation that could be easily overcome with a little Viking charm. The flash of anger that just came through the Bond tells me that I was sadly mistaken on that count. Before my irate mate has a chance to light into me, though, Niall says with satisfaction, "Ah! Here he is now."

A few feet to the left of the other Fairies, a man shimmers into view. Dressed in a loose-fitting garment similar to Niall's, he is holding a beautifully wrapped package in one hand. On the ground behind him are a few boxes and several wooden crates, but I do not even spare them a glance. I am too busy staring at my would-be rival. I once "saw" this man in one of Sookie and my shared dreams, so I was prepared for him to be attractive; but the dream version was only a pale imitation of the reality. The Fairy before me is nothing short of spectacular. Tall and well-built, he has dark blond hair, startling emerald-green eyes, and a face that would make the angels weep. In fact, they probably do, while they are lined up outside his bedroom waiting for a turn. He absolutely oozes masculinity and sex appeal, and even without his "charm," no female in her right mind would refuse a chance to bed him. Even considering our Bond, how Sookie ever managed to do so is a total mystery.

Of course, I hate him on sight.

It is all I can do to keep my fangs from descending, but I will _not_ give Claudine the satisfaction. I do not even have to look at her to know she is smirking. Ignoring her, I focus on my Bonded instead. Two red spots of embarrassment have appeared on her cheeks, but otherwise she is outwardly composed. On the inside, however, her emotions are in such turmoil, it is difficult to sort them out, especially since my own are so strong at the moment... But there is little doubt she is mortified for this magnificent male to see her looking so utterly bedraggled. I am not exactly thrilled to be caught at such a disadvantage myself.

As soon as the Fairy is fully materialized, he coolly assesses the scene. His sparkling emerald eyes do a slow sweep across Robert, then me, finally coming to rest on Sookie. Instantly, his gorgeous mouth twists upwards in a wry smile. "Good Lord, Princess," he says in a deep, melodious voice. "You seem to have a knack for getting caught out in the rain."

Unbelievably, instead of humiliating her further, this statement causes her to laugh! "Only when you're around," Sookie answers with a charming smile."It's good to see you, Rhys. Welcome to Valhalla."

Without so much as a sideways glance at me, she walks over to him and offers him her hand, but just before they touch, Sookie draws back. For a split-second, I think she has done so in deference to me... until she exclaims, "Oh! I'm sorry! My hands are filthy. As you can see, a problem came up at the last minute. I was just about to go in and change."

"Ah. I came just in time, then. Here, I brought you a little something."

He hands her the gaily wrapped gift, but before she has a chance to open it, he says, "Please, allow me."

With a wave of his hand, the package vanishes. Simultaneously, Sookie is transformed from a wet, muddy mess into a perfectly groomed goddess. Her dirty clothes have been replaced by a lovely fairy-cloth outfit in shimmering white and gold. Even her hair and makeup have been repaired. Grrr! My very first impulse is to rip the offending garment off my Bonded's body and tear it and the giver into tiny pieces. However, I am determined to honor my vow to leave the Fairies unmolested, so I manage to contain myself. Luckily for the Fairy, he left her jewelry right in place, or I doubt I could have stopped, vow or no vow. I find myself wishing I had left my fang marks on Sookie's neck in full view, and given her a few more for good measure.

Glancing down at herself, Sookie grins. "Wow! What a fabulous outfit! Thanks, Rhys!"

"You are most welcome, Princess." Taking her now-spotless hand, he brushes his infernally perfect lips across her fingers.

I can hardly believe my eyes! Not only did the Fairy have the temerity to give my Bonded a very personal gift, he actually touched her! It takes every bit of willpower I possess to keep from grabbing him and popping his gorgeous head right off his shoulders. Robert shifts uneasily at my side, every bit as revolted and aggravated by this brazen display as I am. Feeling my anger, Sookie turns her head and pins me with a glare that would reduce a lesser vampire to ashes on the spot. I know exactly what that very wifely look means: behave or else. In her best Southern Belle manner, she says ever-so-sweetly, "Rhys, I would like to introduce my husband, King Eric Northman of Louisiana and Arkansas. The vampire next to him is our nestmate, Sir Robert de Craon. Eric, Robert... this is my friend Rhys." Giving him a cute little smile, she adds, "I'm sorry, Rhys, but I don't believe I've ever heard your last name."

For the very first time, the Fairy's eyes meet mine. Oddly, I do not find even a hint of aggression in their green depths, only amusement... which I find even _more_ irritating. "It's somewhat difficult for non-Sylvan speakers to pronounce," he explains easily, "The English equivalent is Llewellyn. I am very pleased to meet both of you."

Very politely, he gives me a half-bow and Robert a friendly nod before turning to his Prince. Giving his monarch a deep, formal bow, he says, "Good evening, Your Highness."

"Rhys, where in the devil have you been? You were supposed to deliver those boxes hours ago."

"I was unavoidably detained, Your Grace, but perhaps a detailed explanation should wait until later." He gives his Prince a very significant look, which Niall seems to understand.

"I see. Well, better late than never, I suppose. Sookie was just about to take us inside for a drink. Bring a case of Perianth, will you?" He points to one of the smaller crates. Offering his arm to Sookie, he smiles and says, "If you are ready, my dear?"

"What about the rest of this?" she asks, "It might start raining again."

"It will be fine where it is for now." He waves his hand carelessly in the direction of the boxes, and although I cannot see it, I suspect he has placed another invisible canopy over them.

Cheerfully, Sookie says, "Okay, then! This way, everybody!" Taking Niall's arm, she leads the way into the house. Having been prepped in advance on my duties as host, I know I should offer to escort Rhiannon, but I am much too wet and dirty to touch her. Realizing this, Rhiannon just gives me a friendly smile and follows behind Sookie and the Prince. As instructed, Rhys grabs one of the smaller wooden crates, tucks it under one arm, and then offers the other one to Faeryn. In a gentle tone, he asks, "May I?"

After a brief hesitation, Faeryn wraps her hand around his arm and allows him to lead her inside. Beside me, Robert growls deep in his chest, but so quietly I am probably the only one who hears it. Claudine trails behind the rest of the group. As she breezes past me, she gives me an evil grin and whispers, "Smooth move, Batman. I should have known Sookie wouldn't have asked Rhys here."

With a low growl of my own, I start to follow her, but Robert grabs my arm and holds me back. He hisses, "Is _that_ the male that Sookie spent time with in the Portal?"

"Yes," I answer through clenched teeth, "He tried to seduce her but apparently without success."

"She was able to resist _him_?"

"She swears she did. I believe her, but..."

"Let me guess. You invited him here without her approval, in hopes of being able to track him down later."

"In a word, yes."

Running a hand over his beard, the Knight says, "Ah. A good plan, but do you really think you can make it through this entire evening without shredding him? If he touches my sister again, I just might do it myself."

"You cannot. I gave Sookie my solemn promise that no Fairy would come to harm tonight, from either myself or any other vampire."

Robert sighs heavily. "I suppose tearing one of her guests into tiny pieces _would_ tend to put a damper on her party. All right, then. We owe it to our nestmate to put our best foot forward. No matter how difficult, we will both be as charming as possible."

"Agreed."

"Eric... you _did_ limit that promise to tonight only?"

"Absolutely."

"Excellent."

By the time I step into the foyer, Sookie has already introduced Wilson to our guests and sent him off with the case of Perianth. Robert stops just short of the front door and takes a discreet sniff of the air inside, testing to see how concentrated the Fae smell is. The original plan was for the Knight to remain outside for the duration of the party, but now the rain has made that impractical. Catching sight of him, Sookie waves him in, explaining, "The Prince has offered to suppress everyone's scent as much as possible, just like he did at our wedding. Because of your age, he thinks it will be enough to keep us from having any problems."

Thoroughly surprised, Robert quickly steps inside and then gives Niall a half-bow in thanks.

"Now, why don't you boys go get cleaned up while I show everybody around the house?" Sookie suggests. Knowing that I cannot go to our chamber without revealing too much about its location, she smoothly adds, "I think I'll start with the living room. It's got some fabulous woodwork."

After she leads the Fairies into the formal living room, Robert flashes up the staircase and I hurry down to my chamber. I shower and redress, somewhat perversely choosing jeans, a Fangtasia t-shirt, and a pair of boots this time around. Since I am quite alone, I feel free to seethe and scowl as much as I like. By the time I make it back upstairs, Wilson has already served the Fairies a round of Perianth in delicate long-stemmed crystal glasses, and is now discreetly hovering just outside the living room doors. On his tray are two more glasses, also long-stemmed but ruby-colored instead of clear. As soon as he sees me, he hurries over and offers me one. "I think you will find this to your liking, Your Majesty. Sir Robert brought this blood from New York especially for this occasion."

One sip tells me it is Norwegian Royalty, pure, not blended. This stuff is quite hard to come by and costs a fortune, but sadly, even this rare blood tastes dull compared to my Bonded's. Slipping up beside me, Robert accepts his glass from the butler, takes a sip, and murmurs regretfully, "Not nearly as good, is it?"

"No complaining. I _did_ warn you."

"Brother, it was totally worth it."

For a few moments, the Knight and I stand side-by-side just outside the door, quietly observing the group on the other side of the room. They are so focused on each other, they have yet to notice us. Obviously enjoying themselves, the shining creatures are sipping Perianth and chattering away in their beautiful language... all except for Faeryn, who quietly watches the others. Although I have no idea what is being said, Sookie is obviously making an effort to draw the half-Fairy into the conversation, but the girl never says a word.

My Bonded told Robert and me that the Fae are very "touchy-feely" and now I see what she meant. They are constantly touching and stroking each other. Each contact produces a barely visible shimmer, almost as if they are sharing tiny bits of magical energy. Rhys has managed to position himself between Faeryn and Sookie, frequently punctuating his sentences by lightly touching one or the other of them on the arm or the hand. Each time he does it, I get a little more out-of-sorts, and I can tell that Robert feels exactly the same. When the Fairy actually goes so far as to lay his palm on the flat of Sookie's back, a wave of pure jealousy rolls through me. Although I manage to keep my fangs retracted, I simply cannot stop myself from growling, and this time, it is not all that quiet. Instantly, Sookie's head snaps in my direction. After a quick glance at me, she turns back to her guests. "Please excuse me," she says in English, "I need to see about the hors D'oeuvres."

She hustles across the room and through the open doors. As she passes Robert and me, she pins us both with The Look and hisses, "You two. Follow me."

She stomps off down the hall, and we obediently trail after her. Once out of earshot, she twirls around and gives us both a steely glare. Hands on hips, she exclaims, "What is _wrong_ with you two? If this is your way of showing the Fae they have the wrong idea about vampires, you had best re-think your strategy."

Completely bewildered, Robert says, "I already apologized for showing my fangs."

"That's not what I mean! The pair of you have been glowering and growling ever since Rhys got here."

Indignantly, Robert sputters, "But he keeps touching you!"

"I warned you both in advance that Fairies like to touch!" she says heatedly.

Immediately, I fire back, "I was prepared to let your family touch you. Rhys is a different story. Do you really expect me to tolerate him putting his hands all over you?"

Poking me in the chest with her tiny index finger, Sookie growls, "_You_ invited him. What I _expect_ is for you to man up and live with the consequences! Now here's the deal. When we're with vampires, I try really hard to follow vampire etiquette. I expect the same consideration from the two of you. At a Fae gathering, touching is perfectly normal. In fact, _not_ touching is considered quite rude. You two get a hall pass because you're vampire, but I'm not about to insult _any_ of my guests, including the one I _didn't_ invite."

"But Sookie, I—"

She holds up a warning finger. "No "buts"! Now, _I_ am going to go back in there and be a good hostess. If you two really want my party to be a success, _you_ will come back in with smiles on those handsome faces. No more grimaces, growls, or especially fangs! Are we clear?"

Properly chastised, the pair of us nod. "Good!" she exclaims, and then promptly vanishes.

I glance over at Robert. He looks so completely stunned that in spite of the circumstances, I find myself smiling. "_Mon Dieu_!" he says faintly, "Anyone who claims Fairies do not bite has never met that one!"

That makes me laugh outright. Clapping him on the back, I say, "Brother, I _told_ you she was not all sweetness and light. Now come, let's go see if we can get back in our nestmate's good graces. If we are charming enough, maybe she will share some of that Perianth with us after our guests have gone home."

When Robert and I finally step into the living room, we find the others admiring one of the oil paintings Sookie brought back from New York. Switching to English, Niall asks Robert about the gallery where it was purchased. Coincidentally, the Prince has purchased several paintings from the same place, and soon the two of them are soon deep in a conversation about art and antiques. Careful to keep a pleasant smile on my face, I move around with the others as Sookie continues her little tour of the downstairs. To show my spouse I am least attempting to be a good host, I help her answer questions about the history of the house.

To my surprise, Rhys is quite knowledgeable about the history and architecture of Louisiana, a subject I would have thought to be of little interest to one of his kind. As loath as I am to admit it, he has an easy way about him, clearly very intelligent and extremely witty. Ironically, if the circumstances were different, I would probably find him excellent company. Even so, I find it difficult to look at him directly without bristling, but I manage, in large part because Sookie has apparently decided to take pity on me. Since our talk, she has cleverly kept herself inserted between Claudine and Rhiannon, thereby minimizing Rhys' opportunities to touch her without her appearing rude.

Our little group ambles from room to room, slowly making our way toward the back of the house. Since we will shortly be occupying the dining room, Sookie does not stop there. As we pass the open doors, I note that the servants have already rescued the dishes from outside and set the long, very formal table. The ever-efficient Wilson has even added a place setting for our unexpected guest. For obvious reasons, I know very little about seating arrangements for dinner parties, so Sookie warned me in advance that as hosts, we will sit on opposite sides of the table with our guests between us. This seems very strange to me because at vampire affairs, quite naturally companions are expected to be at their vampire's sides at all times. No matter what is considered "proper," I certainly hope Wilson had enough sense enough not to place Rhys next to Sookie.

The next stop on Sookie's tour is my library. Nearly the first thing everyone notices is the wedding portrait of Sookie and me that hangs over the fireplace mantle. "That is a lovely picture of you, cousin," Claudine says admiringly, "It is nearly as beautiful as the portrait Faeryn painted of you."

"Sookie never mentioned that Faeryn painted her portrait," I say in surprise, "I have always wanted a proper portrait of my beautiful wife. I would love to buy it."

The Prince states firmly, "It is not for sale. It hangs in my library where I can see it every day."

"I see. Perhaps I can persuade the artist to paint another."

Faeryn, who still has yet to utter a word, frowns and quickly looks at the ground. Her mother says quietly, "Someday, perhaps. My daughter is not currently accepting any commissions."

"That is a great pity," I say with sincerity. "She is extremely talented."

Sookie says sadly, "I'm really sorry to hear that, too. Pam has been pretty mad at me lately, and I wanted to buy her a gift to smooth things over. It has to be something really special, though, so I was hoping to commission Faeryn to make her a bracelet."

The half-Fairy lifts her eyes to Sookie's. She still says nothing, but I fancy I see the merest glimmer of interest in her gray eyes. Also seeing this, Sookie says to her, "I was thinking maybe you could use some of those pink fairy-stones we found near the dragon's lair. Remember? I was totally paranoid the whole time we were hunting them, thinking he was going to show up and fry us into crispy-critters."

The barest ghost of a smile passes over the half-Fairy's lips, and she nods.

Robert says to her, "I have seen some of your jewelry. The set you made for Sookie is exquisite."

"Faeryn, that is quite a compliment," says her mother, "I believe Sir Robert is extremely knowledgeable about jewelry."

Sookie says proudly, "Not only does he know all about jewelry, he actually makes it himself. In fact, he just made these earrings and this bracelet for me." She holds out her wrist to display the beautifully-crafted piece. While the other Fairies examine it more closely, I notice Faeryn sneaking a quick peek at the Knight. A smidgeon of color rises in her cheeks before she rapidly looks away.

Next, the conversation turns to books. The Prince compliments my collection, even remarking that he sees many of his own favorite titles on my shelves. Spying my hand-carved chess set on the small game table in the corner, he says to me, "What unusual and attractive pieces. Sookie tells me you play. Perhaps someday we can find time for a game."

By the ways his eyes are twinkling, I suspect he will turn out to be a _very_ worthy opponent. "I will look forward to it," I answer quite honestly.

Soon afterward, Sookie it is time to move on, finally leading her guests into the more private areas of the house. When we reach the family room, Rhiannon says in delight, "Look, Faeryn! That is one of your paintings!"

"I put it in here because I spend a lot of time in this room," Sookie explains. "It's my favorite painting. I always think of Faeryn when I see it."

Just then, Juanita glides into the room with a tray of the little morsels of food Sookie calls appetizers. I note with amusement that instead of her normal attire of jeans, t-shirt, and tennis shoes, the little housekeeper is wearing a black dress, a starched white apron, hose, and low-heeled pumps. Even her salt-and-pepper hair has been swept up into a neat bun. Idly, I wonder if these startling changes were her idea or Wilson's. Although she seems as composed as ever, her eyes are dancing with excitement at her first glimpse of Fairy Royalty. After Sookie introduces her, she circulates around the room serving the appetizers. They are so beautifully prepared, even to me they look good. After selecting one, Claudine takes a bite and moans. "Oh, Sookie. This crab is delicious!"

With a pleased smile, her cousin replies, "Thanks! I can't take credit for it, though. I have a wonderful chef who's fixing everything. Now come on, I want everyone to see the sun room. It's right through here."

Drinks and snacks in hand, most of the group moves into the adjoining room, leaving Faeryn and me alone. The half-Fairy is still gazing up at her painting, a look of utter sadness on her tattered face. Knowing that Sookie wants me to be polite, I go over to speak to her, but even though I did not do so intentionally, I must have moved a bit too silently. When she finally realizes there is an over-sized vampire standing next to her, she gives a strangled gasp and jumps away. Unaccountably, instead of my normal biological reaction to fear and flight in a Fairy, her actions produce a very un-vampire-like response: a wave of pure pity flows through me, followed by a strong impulse to comfort her. Unfortunately, I have little experience with either. Not knowing what else to do, I clasp both hands behind my back and step away from her. Very quietly, I say, "Faeryn. I am sorry if I startled you."

It takes her a full minute to gather herself together, but eventually she nods. Keeping my voice low, I attempt to reassure her. "I give you my word I will not harm you, nor will I allow any other vampire to do so." After thinking a moment, I add the most sacred vow I can think of, "I swear this on my Bonded's life."

After a brief hesitation, she nods again. As if to prove her faith in my words, she takes a tentative step towards me, and then another. Eventually, we are once again standing side-by-side, staring up at her painting. "You know, this is my favorite painting, too," I tell her quite sincerely, "You are an extraordinarily gifted artist."

Without moving my head, I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. A sheen of tears has suddenly welled up in her sad gray eyes. Being no stranger to torture (in fact, having been on both the giving and receiving end, one might say I am an authority on the subject) it suddenly dawns on me why the little Fairy is so sad. She is not accepting any commissions because of lingering physical infirmities, but because her creative muses have deserted her. She is absolutely terrified that they may never return. To a true artist, that possibility is far more damaging than any physical wound could ever be.

I cast around in my mind, trying to think of something that might reassure her. "Unlike blood, Faeryn, true talent does not leak out of you," I finally tell her. "It is bone deep, woven into the very fabric of your being. Without exception, every vampire I know who was an artist in their human lifetime retained that talent after being turned. Sometimes it took a few months, but inevitably it returned. So you see, not even death can erase it."

Although I am trying my best to offer her solace, my well-meant words seem to have the opposite effect. Now her tears spill over and run down her battered cheeks in a fragrant flood. Silently, I produce the clean handkerchief I routinely carry now and hand it to her. Before I can make things any worse, I turn to go, but before I can take my first step, I feel a small tug on the back of my shirt. Very slowly, I turn back to face her. After mopping the tears from her face, Faeryn puts her hand to her throat. With considerable effort, she finally manages to rasp out, "Eric... Thank... you."

With a slight shock, I now realize her silence has not been purely by choice but because her throat and vocal cords are damaged, too. My second shock comes when I notice that her eyes and her dress are no longer dull gray but a very pale shade of blue. It is such an amazing feat, I cannot keep myself from smiling... which in turn, produces just a hint of a smile from her in return. Before I can say anything further, Claudine calls out from the sun room, "Faeryn, Sookie's taking us outside now. Don't you want to see the pool?"

Quietly, I ask, "Do you want to join the others now?"

A brief pause, then Faeryn bravely lifts her chin and nods "yes." After one last quick swipe at her eyes, she stuffs my sodden handkerchief into a concealed pocket of her gown. Tentatively, I offer her my arm. To my delight, she takes it without the slightest hesitation. I escort her into the next room where the others are still patiently waiting for her. The first to catch sight of us, Rhiannon lets out an astonished gasp. I do not know which is more shocking, the change in her daughter's appearance or that she is allowing a vampire to touch her. The others seem equally amazed, all except for Sookie. I must have finally done something right, because she is now beaming at me with pride and happiness.

Quickly realizing that the last thing Faeryn wants or needs is everyone making a fuss over her, her mother says brightly, "Sookie, the inside of the house is so lovely, I cannot wait to see what you have done outside."

Taking her cue, Sookie opens the door and leads the way outside. Even though the flower arrangements and dishes have been moved inside and everything else is thoroughly soaked, enough of Sookie's decorations are intact that everyone can see how much effort she has put into this party. Unintentionally, my poor mate lets out a ragged sigh. "As you can see, we were going to eat out here. The weather has been perfect all week. I sure wasn't counting on the rain."

Ever the fairy godmother, Claudine puts her arm around her cousin. "This is a lovely setting for a dinner, Sookie. The rain seems to be over. Would it be all right with you if we still eat out here? It won't take us a minute to put things right."

"I, uh... well, sure, if you don't mind."

"Of course not. Rhiannon, you get the table. Rhys, you light all the candles, and I'll get everything else."

Remembering her manners, Sookie says quickly, "Now, y'all don't go to too much trouble..."

"Don't be silly! This will be fun!" First giving her hostess a broad wink, Claudine cups her hands together and blows into them, forming a tiny tornado. Tossing it on to the flagstones, she sends it skittering over both pool and patio, busily sucking up every stray leaf or petal in its path. Not to be outdone, the other two begin their designated tasks in an equally theatrical manner. While the magic flies thick and fast around the terrace, Robert and I stand to one side and try our best not to gape. With a little direction from Sookie, they are able to reconstruct the earlier setting almost exactly. It turns out that Claudine was slightly off in her time estimate, though. It actually takes them _two_ minutes to get everything in order.

Once the last item is in place, the Prince looks around with satisfaction. As if she had done it all on her own, he exclaims, "What a romantic setting! This _is_ lovely, Sookie."

"Well, I had a lot of help," she replies with a smile, "Thanks, everybody."

Dusting off her hands, Claudine says, "You are most welcome. I seem to have worked up an appetite, though. Are there any more of those yummy hors d'oeuvres?"

"Of course. Juanita should be bringing another round any minute. In fact, here she is now."

As if on cue, the little housekeeper steps through the French doors bearing another tray of tidbits. It takes her a few seconds to register everything is now back in place, and even longer to figure out how it all got there. The totally stunned look on her face is priceless, but I also see that she is about to drop her tray. If I move quickly enough, I can probably catch it... but a split-second before I launch myself in her direction, she manages to get a better grip on her composure and her tray. Comically, almost on her heels is Wilson with another round of drinks and a nearly identical reaction, except that he really _does_ drop his tray. Luckily, this time I am more prepared and so is Robert. Between the two of us, we are able to rescue all eight glasses and the tray without spilling a drop, which is a pretty fair trick even for us. This feat seems to amaze both the human servants _and_ the Fae contingent. We even get a small smile out of Faeryn, which makes all the effort totally worth it.

After the two rattled servants finally make their rounds, Sookie tells Wilson, "Obviously we'll be eating out here. How long until dinner?"

"The Chef said he is ready any time you are, Madam," the butler replies.

"I think everybody's hungry, so let's say... fifteen minutes?"

"Very well, Ma'am."

It suddenly occurs to me that I never turned on the background music, so I excuse myself and head to the control room. In my haste to get to Sookie, I dropped the remote control into a tangle of wires on the floor, and it takes a bit of effort to contort myself into the right position to retrieve it. I finally manage to snare it and get the music started. Before I can extract myself from the cramped space, Sookie suddenly appears in the doorway. For a moment, I wonder if I have done something else wrong, but one look at her face reassures me I am still in her good graces. Still, there is no point taking any chances. "Yes, my love?" I ask cautiously, "What is it?"

"I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you being sweet to Faeryn," she replies, "I don't know what you said to her, but it seems to have done her some good."

"I am a Vampire King, Sookie. By definition, I am incapable of being sweet."

"Okay... how about 'kind' then?"

"Even worse."

"Um. 'Considerate'?"

"Absolutely not. Try 'powerful and ruthless."

"Well... Okay, but the reward I brought was for someone sweet. I guess I got the wrong guy."

"Reward? What reward?"

Eyes twinkling, she holds up her glass of Perianth.

"My, that _is_ a handsome reward. Perhaps you might reconsider your terms. After all, I _did_ prevent several of your grandmother's crystal glasses from breaking. The one in your hand, in fact. Surely that is worth a reward."

"Hmm. I suppose that was pretty impressive. All right, then. Come and get it."

She takes a sip, leaving her lips wet. In a flash, she is in my arms and I claim my reward with relish. The instant the essence touches my tongue, its magic begins to spread through my system. Once the last smidgeon of the luscious liquid is gone, I beg for more. Giggling, Sookie replies, "Nuh uh. One good deed, one reward. If you can behave for the rest of the evening, I just might give you another taste after everyone is gone. Think of it as an incentive."

"This is your way of paying me back for that remark about using my blood as an incentive, isn't it?"

Grinning, she says, "Well, if the shoe fits... Now come on, we need to get back to our guests. Dinner is about to be served."

Once we get back to the terrace, Sookie announces it is time to eat and points out where she would like each guest to sit. Happily, she asks Niall to sit on her right and Robert on her left. Rhys is placed between his Prince and Faeryn, who is seated to my left. Once everyone is settled in their designated places, the hostess rings a tiny bell and the dinner gets under way. The menu for the Fairies consists of traditional Louisiana cuisine given a modern twist by Chef Sinclair. Each course is accompanied by a suitable wine. For the vampires, the chef has also concocted recipes for each course. They are every bit as creative and tasty as the last ones I sampled, although this time, in deference to our warm-blooded guests, detailed descriptions are not openly announced. Robert is just as amazed and impressed by each offering as I was at my first "dinner". I am thoroughly amused to see that his first attempts at relearning the use of knife and fork are every bit as awkward as mine were.

Since everyone at the table is doing their utmost to be pleasant, the conversation is surprisingly light and easy. I am proud to discover that Sookie has a real knack for steering the conversation away from controversial topics. True to his word, Robert pours on the charm. He tells us about the latest plays on Broadway, as well as other interesting cultural events happening in New York. It turns out that he and the Prince have similar tastes in art, and they both share a deep fondness for Paris. Claudine likes to travel, and regales us with some amusing incidents from her last trip to Cozumel. Rhiannon, who is seated to my right, contributes her fair share to the conversation, and her voice is so lovely it is a total pleasure just to listen to her speak. Faeryn does not attempt to talk, but listens quietly as the talk flows around her. I am amused to see that she keeps sneaking peeks at the Knight when he is not looking... which is not that often, since _he_ is staring at _her _every chance he gets.

To my utter annoyance, Rhys proves himself to be an excellent conversationalist. Eyes sparkling with merriment, he keeps the others laughing at his humorous comments and amusing anecdotes. Having always viewed Fairies as rather stiff, haughty creatures, I am somewhat surprised to find they are actually quite lighthearted and playful. Being surrounded by her own kind has brought this out in Sookie, as well. In all the time I have known her, I have rarely seen her laugh so much, and I realize with a pang of guilt that it is quite likely my fault. As my Bonded, she is constantly surrounded by vampires, most of whom are anything _but_ lighthearted. As a group, the undead are definitely not known for their joke-telling skills; but of course, I _do_ know a few. Since Fairies are the brunt of most of them, though, I politely refrain from telling any. (The few I remember from my human days no longer make any sense. One would have to be Viking to appreciate them.)

Although I am careful to keep track of the conversation and respond when spoken to, I actually say very little. Instead, while everyone else is chattering away, I surreptitiously study my would-be rival. Even up close, he is disgustingly perfect in every way. I note that he takes great care to flirt with every female at the table equally, but I am not fooled for an instant. I see the way his eyes smolder when he looks at Sookie. In fact, his attention is so focused on her he never even notices me watching him. The only one at the table who does notice is the Prince, who, strangely enough, seems to be studying _me_. In typical Fae fashion, he does not bother to conceal his interest. Even when I am not looking in his direction, I can feel the weight of his stare. I am quite accustomed to being scrutinized, so it does not make me uncomfortable in the slightest, but I would dearly love to know what he is thinking. The blue eyes so resembling my Bonded's give absolutely nothing away.

In spite of the undercurrents, the evening progresses in a pleasant fashion. By the time the main course arrives, our guests seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves. As the Fairies become more comfortable in their surroundings, an amazing transformation begins to take place. The more they relax, the more they allow their true selves to show. No one but Faeryn looks even remotely human, including Sookie. In this other-worldly state, they are truly so beautiful it is practically impossible not to stare. And that smell! As powerful as he is, even the Prince cannot stifle their delectable scent entirely, and eventually the air around the table becomes saturated with it. My immunity prevents me from wanting to grab anyone, but keeping my fangs from popping out is a constant struggle; I gave up trying to suppress my erection after the first hour. I have no idea how poor Robert is managing, except when he begins to get that glazed look, his nestmate reaches over and strokes his arm until he regains his composure.

Once the last bite of dessert has been consumed, Sookie suggests that we move to more comfortable seats. To my delight, she comes around the table and takes my arm. Together, we lead the others over to the seating area near the koi pond, which has an excellent view of our entire back yard, including the rose garden. Sookie picks a loveseat and pulls me down next to her. While the others find a place to sit, she takes my hand in hers and presses her lips against my palm. Giving me the sweetest smile imaginable, she murmurs, "You are doing so well. I love you, baby."

Draping my arm around her shoulders, I reply just as quietly, "I love you, too, Angel."

Once everybody has settled in, Niall calls for another round of Perianth. As soon as it has been served, he announces, "Now that our wonderful dinner is over, I think it is time to present the gifts."

With a wave of his hand, all the boxes and crates that had been left on the front driveway suddenly appear a few feet away. The Prince continues, "Due to several unforeseen events, I have been remiss in giving our newly-weds their wedding gifts." Raising his glass to Sookie and me, he gives what I assume is a toast in Sylvan. Immediately, the other Fae raise their glasses and repeat his words.

For my benefit and Robert's, Sookie translates, "They said 'Good fortune and great happiness to the loving couple." Giving Niall a brilliant smile, she very graciously thanks him.

Returning her smile, he says, "I had a great deal of fun selecting your gifts, my dear. I am anxious to see what you think of them."

Sookie casts a puzzled glance over the large array of boxes. "But surely these aren't _all_ wedding gifts?"

"Of course they are. I was unable to spoil you when you were young, and I fully intend to make up for it now. Since you are currently unwilling to come to the Portal, I decided to bring a few of its treasures to you." Looking directly at me, he says seriously, "Eric, you already have in your keeping one of my greatest treasures... my great-granddaughter. Although not as dear to my heart as she, some of the gifts I bring are seldom allowed outside the Realm. I know you are wise enough and powerful enough to guard them properly."

What he is saying in a round-about way is that _my_ real gift is his respect and trust. For the Fairy Prince to entrust physical proof of the existence of the Fairy World to a vampire is nothing short of astonishing. Quite sincerely, I respond, "I appreciate your trust. I will take great care to keep _all_ your treasures safe."

"Very well. Let us get started." Niall points to two small crates stacked to one side. "That is more Perianth from my private stock," he says, "It is not fussy about temperature, but never store it underground for long, or it will turn cloudy and lose much of its potency."

"Thank you so much," Sookie says, clearly pleased with such a fine gift. "I will savor ever drop."

Ha! With any luck, we both will. Next indicating the three tall wooden crates, the Prince says, "Sookie, why don't you open one of those? I want to see if you can do it with your magic."

Through our Bond comes a wave of uncertainty. I can tell she is unsure how to proceed, but after a brief hesitation, she gets to her feet. "I've never really done this before, but here goes..."

I feel her gathering her energy. A moment later, she thrusts her hands out in front of her, and the front panel of the middle crate bursts into flames. Completely horrified, Sookie quickly jerks back her hands and cries, "Oh _no! _Somebody help! I don't know how to put it out!"

Instead of being angry or even dismayed, Niall bursts into laughter. He flicks his fingers at the flames and instantly they disappear. Still chuckling, he says to Sookie, "_Annwyl wyres,_ you are using a cannon when all you need is a sling-shot."

Rhys starts to rise from his seat. "Please! Allow me."

His Prince pins him with a look which is remarkably like the one Sookie gives me. "Sit down, Rhys. I know you like to play the hero, but Sookie needs to learn to do these things herself."

The male Fairy falls back into his seat looking a little crestfallen. Turning back to Sookie, Niall rattles off something in Sylvan which I assume are instructions, because she nods. Taking a deep breath, she tries again. The crate has been nailed shut, and one by one, each nail pops out and falls to the ground. Finally, the charred front panel swings open, revealing a small potted tree with yellow and green striped fruit hanging from its branches. All the other Fairies begin to clap and cheer at Sookie's success. Claudine whoops, "Woo hoo! Way to go, Sookie!"

I have no idea what is so special about a potted tree, but it absolutely delights my wife. She gasps, "Oh, sir! It's one of your special trees! Will it even grow here?"

"I am not altogether sure, but I think so. I assume you have a greenhouse. You will need to protect them from sunlight until we see how much the leaves can tolerate."

Looking slightly puzzled, Sookie says, "But they were growing in full sun in the Portal, weren't they?"

"Not exactly," her great-grandfather replies somewhat vaguely, "I wrote out some specific instructions. They are in the crate."

After that, Sookie opens the one of smaller boxes (using her hands this time). Inside is a board game made of fairy stone. A medium-sized but extremely heavy wooden box contains an ornate set of knives, forks, and spoons in several sizes, as well as several other utensils for which I do not know the names or their intended uses. The entire set is made of gold encrusted with sparkling gemstones.

"Oh, my goodness!" Sookie says in astonishment, "What a magnificent gift!"

Rhiannon explains, "As King and Queen of this territory, you will no doubt be entertaining people of all races. Since no Supernatural creature is allergic to gold, Niall thought those might come in handy."

The last few boxes contain other household items from the Portal, each more exquisite than the last. In total, these gifts are equal to a King's ransom, or more precisely, what the Prince probably considers an adequate amount of reparation for holding my Queen against my wishes. When Sookie has opened the last of them, she jumps up and gives her great-grandfather a big hug and kiss. "Thank you so much for all these amazing gifts! Eric and I will treasure each one of them."

The Prince folds her into his arms and presses his lips against her forehead. Smiling down at her, he replies, "You are very welcome, my dear."

Faeryn is sitting in a chair just to my right. She has been extremely still throughout all the unwrapping, almost as if she is holding her breath. Now she lets it out in a quiet but prolonged sigh. I glance at her, only to find a puzzled frown on her face. She seems deeply disappointed by something, and I very much wonder what has caused such a strange reaction. Before I have time to give it much thought, Claudine says, "Well, now that the gift-giving is over, I am dying- er, I am quite anxious to see your rose garden, Sookie. It looks beautiful from here."

"Yes! Is anyone else ready for a little after-dinner walk?"

Everyone seems enthusiastic about the idea, except for the Prince, who says, "You young people go on. Eric and I have a few things to discuss."

At well over 900 years old, Robert cannot be considered exactly young, but he is clearly included in that group. As the others start down the path towards the rose arbor, he hesitates, torn between following Faeryn and Sookie and hearing what the Prince has to say. Much preferring him to keep an eye on Rhys, I quickly wave him off. "Go on, brother," I say teasingly."You look like you need to walk off that enormous dinner you just ate."

With a quick salute, he hurries off to catch up with the others. The Prince settles back into his chair and casually holds out his hand. Instantly, two cigars appear in his palm, and he offers one to me.

"No, thank you."

"You do not smoke?"

Since neither tobacco nor marijuana has any effect on vampires, smoking is generally considered a waste of time... except that, like males of any race, I do enjoy a good cigar now and again. Eying his offering with regret, I say, "On occasion, but never around Sookie. She cannot abide the smell of cigar smoke."

"Trust me, she has no objection to these." Giving me a very un-Prince-like grin, he says, "Go on, have one. If she objects, I will tell her I twisted your arm."

As if he could! Chuckling at his little jest, I accept. Out of thin air, he produces a golden cigar clipper and a jeweled lighter. Soon we are both contentedly puffing away, and I see immediately why Sookie has no objection. These cigars produce a thin lavender smoke that smells simply marvelous! My only regret is my Bonded is not here to give me a few tastes of Perianth to go with it. A couple of minutes pass in amiable silence. Finally, the Prince says, "I suppose we need to get down to business. Now that the ladies are absent, we can discuss your plans for the Were-Tiger. I take it you plan to dispose of him as soon as possible."

"Of course. He is insane. He is clearly a danger to Sookie and must be destroyed."

He chuckles. "I totally agree with you, but of course, Sookie may object. She is still too tenderhearted for her own good. Once she thinks it over, it is possible she will try to stop you."

Now it is my turn to smile. "I doubt it. If Quinn is lucky, I will catch him before she does. You saw what happened to that crate."

Looking absurdly pleased, he says, "Yes, her magic is coming along quite nicely, isn't it? Obviously she has been practicing. Has she had any success controlling her appearance?"

"Some, but not nearly enough. I was hoping Faeryn could stay and give her some instruction, but clearly she is in no condition to help anyone just now."

"On the contrary, I think focusing on someone else's problems is exactly what the girl needs. Her color has already improved in the short time we have been here. She seems to be quite taken with you. Perhaps you can persuade her to stay."

"I will gladly try. Short of that, do you have any other ideas on how to speed things up? My Coronation is right around the corner."

"As I said before, I can temporarily block Sookie's magic, but I will only do so as a last resort. Ultimately, she must learn to control her appearance herself. As for her scent, I have an idea for a new perfume that might help mask it. I have my top chemists working on it, and with any luck, they might come up with something very soon. "

"Perhaps it is not the end of the world if non-humans find out she has some Fae blood. The larger issue is her connection with you."

The Prince says seriously, "Yes, I have long been afraid she could be captured and used against me. As you know, the Fae are capable of great cruelty, even towards each other. Faeryn is living proof of that sad fact. I fear the poor child may never be the same." His voice is even, but I see deep sorrow and regret in his old eyes. "Some good did come out of it, though. The battle that resulted settled some long outstanding issues. Most of those that presented a danger to me and mine have been captured or killed."

"If that is the case, is it possible that Sookie is no longer at risk?"

"Believe me, I ask myself that every day. I have come to love my great- granddaughter very much, and nothing would please me more than to be able to claim her... But still, dare I risk it? And what about you? Would _you_ want me to, if I could?"

"Niall, I have known you a long time. If you tell me she is no longer in danger from your enemies, I will believe you. If you are asking me if I am worried about keeping her safe from others of _my_ kind, I am completely confident in my ability to protect her from them."

"Ah, but if you will pardon a small pun, there is more at stake than Sookie's safety, is there not? As King, you are surely aware of the increased tensions between our races. You are a new King, whose power and influence is on the rise. If Sookie's connection to me is revealed, is that likely to help you or hinder you? Your fellow monarchs may view your connection to the Fae with awe... or with suspicion."

"Most likely, both," I admit. After a brief pause, I say softly, "I never thought I would say this, but I wish there was a way to settle our differences."

After taking another deep drink from his goblet, Niall replies, "Strictly between us? I feel the same. I certainly cannot afford to lose any more of my people in another senseless war."

"Over the last few years, my territory has suffered many loses as well. As much as I appreciate a good battle, I am not anxious to lose any more vampires."

He snorts. "Why not? Unlike us, you can easily make more."

"True enough, but with population growth comes risks. Newly-made vampires are very difficult to control. Without a great deal of supervision, they kill indiscriminately. Disposing of a body or two is one thing. Getting rid of them by the score is another. How long do you think it would be until the humans figured it out and came after us all with stakes? Unlike the Fae, we have no other world we can retreat to."

"Still, you cannot deny your race is on the rise. Mine is dwindling by the day. Unless I can find a way to fix our fertility problems, I fear it will not be long until we vanish entirely."

As arrogant and irritating as they can be, the idea of the most magical of all Supernatural creatures becoming extinct is surprisingly distasteful. "Sookie told me that part of the problem is repeated exposure to iron. As Prince, could you not ban your people from visiting this world until your population has time to recover? It might only take a century or two."

With a deep sigh, he replies, "Yes, I have often thought of closing all the portals. However, if I do I will have a true rebellion on my hands. You see, while our Realm is beautiful and ordinarily quite peaceful, it can also be a bit... dull. By comparison, this world is vivid and exciting. Even Fairies having no use for humans still crave the intensity your world provides."

"Have you ever considered those humans represent your best hope? _Homo sapiens_ have no issue with iron, and are generally quite fertile. Perhaps your people need to re-think their attitude towards keeping the race pure. Aren't half-Fairies better than _no _Fairies?"

"No matter what _I _think, those sorts of prejudices are not easily overcome. The Fae put a great deal of stock in magical ability, and Fae/human hybrids with half-blood or less are generally not up to snuff."

"Unless they have the Essential Spark."

The Prince gives me a piercing look. "What do _you_ know of the Essential Spark?"

"As I understand it, those that have it are quite magical, and they are also capable of producing full-Fae. Have you made a concerted effort to find those that have it? Obviously, I am not an authority on the subject, but would they not make excellent breeding stock?"

Instead of answering the question directly, he says, "Are you aware that Sookie carries the Spark?"

As if I had known about it all along, I say coolly, "Of course."

Given the conversation, I fully expect him to remind me what a sacrifice he has made in allowing Sookie to marry me, but he does not. Instead, his gaze shifts towards the rose garden. Turning my head in that direction, I see the others slowly making their way round the paths. Robert is talking with Rhiannon and Faeryn, his hands carefully clasped behind him. Claudine has stopped to admire one of the climbing roses just now coming into bloom. Although he is not touching her, Rhys is strolling along with Sookie. He is obviously telling her another joke, because she is laughing again. They are positively dazzling together, the perfect Fae couple. With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I realize what utterly perfect Fairy children they could make together, and no doubt the Prince is thinking exactly the same thing. "I want to ask you something, Eric," he says slowly."Would you give Sookie a child if you could?"

Normally, I would be seething at such a question, but somehow I know Niall is not _trying_ to be offensive; plus, my recent conversation with my Bonded on this very subject is still very fresh in my mind. This seems a night for confidences, not just monarch to monarch, or Fairy to vampire, but from one man who loves this special woman to another. With a heavy sigh, I reply, "The truth is, I would do nearly _anything_ to give her the child she so desperately wants... but can I allow her to be impregnated by Rhys or any other Fairy male? I am truly sorry, but the answer is no."

With a slight smile, Niall says, "I have known _you_ for a long time, Viking. Do you really think I would expect you to? No, I was asking if you yourself would father her child, if such a thing were possible."

"Then the answer is yes. As un-vampire-like as it seems, I would love to give her a son. But of course, that is completely impossible."

He is silent for a long time, his eyes never wavering from the beautiful pair in the garden. He seems to be weighing something in his mind, and finally he says, "I know how you probably feel about Rhys. I suppose I cannot blame you, but Sookie has made her choice. She could have stayed in the Portal with him, but she did not. I can assure you, she never even seriously considered it. Rhys knows better than to pursue her any further. As a personal favor to me, I ask that you not kill him."

"Is it that obvious?"

Chuckling, he replies, "Absolutely."

"I suppose you need him to breed with some other lucky Fae girl."

"Frankly, yes, and as many as possible. Now that he has seen for himself how much Sookie adores you, he will move on to someone else."

As much as I would love to be owed a favor by the powerful Fae Prince, I have to think about his request for a long time. "All right," I reluctantly agree."As long as he does not pursue Sookie any further, I will not kill him."

"Excellent. Now, I really would like to see Sookie's roses, and I expect you would like to pry her away from Rhys. Shall we?"

After a walk around the rose garden, we eventually make it back to the patio and settle in for some games. Sookie unpacks the board game Niall has just given us, and everyone tries to explain it to Robert and me all at once. The Prince finally shushes them. "With all of you jabbering away, they will never learn to play! Be quiet and let me explain it!"

The game _is_ a bit complicated, but we vampires soon catch on. It is very fast-paced and relies on both luck and skill, and I find myself enjoying it a great deal. Almost before I know it, it is time for our guests to leave. Although they could just as easily leave from here, they seem to feel it is only polite to depart the same way they came in. Once we reach the foyer, Rhiannon and Faeryn are the first to say their goodbyes. Sookie takes the half-Fairy's hand and says, "I know you still aren't feeling very well, but please stay. Maybe the change in scenery will do you good."

Faeryn gives her a smile, but does not answer right away. She quickly glances at Robert, then at me. Ever the gentleman, Robert says gallantly, "If you are hesitant to sleep under the same roof as an unfamiliar vampire, I will gladly go to ground elsewhere during your visit."

Still, the little half-Fairy looks at me, a question in her now-blue eyes. I could turn on the charm, but I sense that is not what she wants. Very seriously, I tell her, "Faeryn, I would like for you to stay. My Bonded needs help only you can give her. As I told you before, you are quite safe here, from vampires or anyone else."

That must be what she wanted to hear, because she painfully croaks out, "Thank... you. I'll... stay."

Clearly delighted, her mother says, "Oh, that _is _wonderful! Sookie, what room will she be in? I need to leave her some things."

I take that to mean that Faeryn is currently unable to conjure up her own things. Sookie answers, "In my room – the bedroom I was in the night I was sick. Let me show you the way."

"No need. I remember where it is. Stay and say goodnight to your guests. I will be right back." In a flash, the beautiful Fairy disappears.

Next, Claudine steps up to thank Sookie for the evening. As they hug each other goodbye, I hear Claudine whisper in her cousin's ear, "Please take care of Claude. I know he's an ass, but he needs you."

Sookie whispers back, "Don't worry. He's going to be fine," and gives her a reassuring squeeze before they break apart.

Much to my surprise, Claudine then turns to me and bravely offers me her hand. After a brief hesitation, I take it. As her warm fingers slide into my slightly cooler grasp, she actually looks shocked. Before she can stop herself, she says, "How funny! I always thought you would be much colder."

I smile faintly. "A common misconception."

For once, she gives me a true smile. "Eric, one thing I can say about you is that you always surprise me. I truly enjoyed myself tonight. I had no idea a vampire could be so much fun."

Wrapping her hand around my arm, Sookie says proudly, "See? I told you so!"

With a return to her normal sarcastic smirk, Claudine says, "It's probably the result of him drinking nothing but your blood for months... and you'd better cut back on that healing magic of yours, Sookie. The vampires of this territory will be horribly embarrassed if their king becomes known as Eric the Cheerful."

It is obvious she is just teasing me, so I give her a mock growl. Claudine just laughs, blows me a kiss, and goes to join her grandfather, who is still chatting with Robert. Seeing it is his turn to thank his hosts, Rhys saunters over to Sookie and me. Not letting go of my arm, Sookie offers him her other hand. "It was great to see you again, Rhys. Thank you for coming."

Taking her hand, he says, "Goodnight, Princess. Thank you for the lovely evening. I hope to see you again soon."

About ten things I want to say to him skitter through my mind, such as "Not bloody likely," and "Stay the hell away from my wife," but Sookie discreetly pinches my arm. Instead, I force myself to say, "Sookie and I are glad you could join us."

Reluctantly, Rhys lets go of her. Instead of moving away, his eyes slowly shift to mine. The tall blond male is only a couple of inches shorter than me, and for a long beat, we look each other squarely in the eye. At first, all I see is the same amused indifference I have seen all evening, but then, Sookie leans against me in a wifely gesture that prompts me to put my arm around her. The instant I draw her close, something quite different flashes in those emerald depths. It is there and gone in an instant, but not before I have seen what lies beneath the Fairy's passive, jovial exterior: an extremely tricky, aggressive and dangerous opponent who would like nothing better than to stake the pesky vampire standing between him and the female he desires. Naturally, this brings my own aggressive nature boiling to the surface, so I immediately allow Rhys a good look at what lies behind the mask of congenial host: an extremely possessive, aggressive, not-to-be-fucked-with Vampire King, who is exceeding close to ridding the world of one fantastically handsome, wife-stealing Fairy.

As we stand there taking each other's measure, the air in the foyer seems to condense, and all other conversation fades. Rhiannon, who is coming down the stairs in the normal way, takes in the situation at a glance. She promptly vanishes, instantly reappearing directly in front of her daughter. Her clearly protective motion makes me realize Sookie is also in harm's way. Sookie must realize it, too, but instead of moving behind me as she should, she slides between the male Fairy and me. "Cut it out, Rhys," she says quietly but firmly.

Although her voice is steady, the jolt of anxiety and distress coming from her is strong enough to penetrate my own dark emotions. Instantly, that tiny little voice in the back of my head starts to bleat out a warning, advising me to calm down before I damage my Bonded. Never taking my eyes from the Fairy, I slowly fight back my urge to kill him. Just in case, I gently grasp Sookie's arms and move her out of the danger zone.

Suddenly, from across the room, the Prince issues an imperious command. "Rhys. Take Rhiannon and Claudine outside. I will say my goodbyes and then join you."

Obviously unwilling to be the first to look away, Rhys does not move until his monarch barks, "I meant _now_, Rhys."

Hearing the dangerous tone in his monarch's voice, the male Fairy abruptly turns on his heel and strides through the door. After giving her daughter one last hug, Rhiannon follows him. Rolling her eyes and sighing loudly, Claudine, too, heads for the door, muttering under her breath, "God save us all from testosterone."

Shaking his head, the Prince walks over to us. Since I came so close to going back on my word, I fully expect a few sharp words, but instead, he says, "I freely admit, I was quite disturbed when I first discovered that my great-granddaughter had Bonded with a vampire, but clearly some very good things have come of it. Sookie, your Bond with the Viking has not only given you enhanced magical abilities and longevity, but also self-confidence and strength. Due to your influence, your vampire is learning to exercise restraint, something I thought impossible for one of his kind. I am quite proud of both of you."

Just as surprised by his words as I am, Sookie says, "Um. Well, thanks."

"You are very welcome, my dear. Now, before I go, I have one last gift to give you." Eyes gleaming, he extends his hand, and on his palm appears an absolutely exquisite Fabergé box. Offering it to Sookie, he says, "Since I was so late in giving you your wedding gifts, I think I will give you your first anniversary gift in advance."

Examining the small jeweled box, Sookie exclaims, "My goodness! This is just about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

"Oh, the box is not the _real_ gift," he says with a mysterious smile, "The real gift is what is inside."

"Oh! Can we open it now?"

Eyes twinkling, he says, "Certainly not. It will give you something to look forward to. Knowing a little something about feminine curiosity, I have enchanted it to stay closed until February 18th of next year. Furthermore, if you are not perfectly happy with each other on that day, it will not open until the _next_ year, and so on."

"Well, I guess that's a pretty good incentive to stay happily married!" Sookie says with a smile. "I'm going to be beside myself with curiosity until then."

Turning to Faeryn, the Prince gives her a stern look. Wagging his finger in her direction, he says, "And you, young lady...no telling her what it is, not even so much as a hint. Are we clear?"

For the first time tonight, Faeryn flashes him a real smile. In fact, she is positively beaming, and if I am not mistaken, her eyes and dress are one shade bluer. She croaks, "Yes... my... Lord." Quite suddenly, it dawns on me that this is what she was expecting him to give us earlier. Now my curiosity is really piqued. What could this mysterious gift possibly be, and why should Faeryn care whether we get it or not? Luckily, Niall decreed that she cannot reveal the contents to "her," meaning Sookie. He distinctly did not say "them." Maybe I can wheedle the information out of the little half-Fairy during her stay... but first, I will have to convince her to take some of Robert's blood so she can speak without pain.

Giving both girls one last kiss, the Prince goes out the door. Robert, Sookie, Faeryn, and I step outside to watch the others take their leave. From the porch, Sookie waves goodbye, saying, "Bye, y'all! Come back soon!"

A flash of brilliant light, and they are gone. As we walk back into the house, Robert says with a happy sigh, "Well, that was definitely one of the most incredible evenings of my long life. Thank you for including me, little sister. Now, since I promised this lovely lady I would go to ground elsewhere, I suppose I should say goodnight as well."

Sookie asks, "Are you going to stay down by the lake?"

Faeryn looks totally distressed, as if mentally picturing Robert burying himself in the dirt by the edge of the water. The tour of the grounds had never gotten as far as the lake, so the little half-Fae has no way of knowing about the garçonnière. Amused, I explain, "We have a little cabin down there. Appropriately enough, its original use was to house bachelors."

Roberts hastens to add, "I will be quite comfortable there, I assure you. Wilson can bring me whatever I need."

"Perfect!" exclaims Sookie, "Now that we have that settled, I'd better show Faeryn to her room." Turning to her friend, she says sympathetically, "Honey, you look positively exhausted. Let's get you to bed."

The half-Fairy nods. I bid her a fond goodnight. Without attempting to touch her in any way, Robert bows. "_Bonsoir, belle dame. _I hope to see you again tomorrow evening_."_

For the very first time tonight, Faeryn looks directly at him and gives him a timid but beautiful smile. After setting the Prince's mysterious gift on the hall table, Sookie takes her friend by the hand and leads her upstairs. Robert stands beside me as we watch the two lovely creatures ascend the staircase. Once they are out of sight, Robert sighs. In French, he says, "Poor damaged little dove. Why do you suppose she will not take my blood? Do you think she is in love with someone else and feels it would be inappropriate?"

I shrug. "More than likely, she is just squeamish. I cannot tell you how difficult it was to get Sookie past her aversion to taking my blood."

"What about the magnificent Rhys? Do you think Faeryn is interested in him? He could not seem to keep his hands off her."

"Yes, but he also could not keep his hands off Sookie or Claudine for that matter."

"Pfft. No female within a hundred miles of that one is safe. Damned Fairy charm!"

Grimly, I say, "Now you know how I feel."

"Yes, I do. I say we rid ourselves of this pest as soon as possible. I tried to get him to reveal where he lives, but all he would say is that he spends most of his time in the Portal."

"It does not matter. I promised the Prince I would not kill him."

"You did what! Are you insane?"

"It's a long story. I expect Sookie is going to be awhile getting Faeryn settled. I will walk you to the cabin and tell you all about it on the way."

"For some reason, I feel a bit restless," he replies with a frown, "Let's fly to the lake so I can work off some of this energy."

Grinning, I say, "Restless, eh? Are you sure a nice cold shower is not what you need?"

"Brother, what I _need_ is to have my head examined," he grumbles, "There is plenty of night left for me to go to out and find a female or two who would be thrilled to satisfy my needs. Instead, I cannot seem to tear myself away from the vicinity of a woman who will scarcely look at me."

"Robert, my friend, all I can tell you is I felt the same way when I first met Sookie. What can I say? These fairy females are addicting. Now come, let's go flying."

Unsurprisingly, the short flight to the lake is not enough to cure my brother's "restlessness." After being in the company of Fairies all evening, I have an identical problem. Shedding our clothes on the porch, we head to the water and swim a few laps around the lake. Robert seems disinclined to talk, so I spend the time mulling over the evening. Knowing the subject of Quinn will only put me in a foul mood, I quite deliberately tuck it away until later. Instead, I think about the differences in my Bonded while among her own kind. There is no question that being in their presence enhances her gifts, as well as her physical appearance. I can only imagine how spectacular she looks while in the Portal. No wonder Rhys fell in love with her.

Watching that damnable Fairy flirt with her all evening without being able to do anything about it was sheer torture, but in a way it was worth it. I now know that Sookie has no feelings for him other than friendship. Unfortunately, I _also_ know Rhys is head-over-heels in love with my wife. Just thinking about it makes my blood start to boil... until it occurs to me that no matter how hard this evening was for me, it had to be truly excruciating for the Fairy. He was forced to see with his own eyes how much Sookie adores me. How galling for him to realize even with his magnificent looks and Fairy charm, she _still_ chose me! No doubt he is gnashing his perfect white teeth at this very moment, knowing it will be _my_ cock plunging into her sweet depths tonight, not his. Never, ever his. Thinking about how miserable he must be cheers me up considerably.

After the fourth circuit around the lake, Robert heads for the shore, and I am right behind him. Neither one of us remembered to bring a towel, so we stand on the sandy beach for a moment to drip-dry. While combing my wet hair out with my fingers, I glance down and note that both of our cocks are still jutting out like swords, just as fully erect as when we went in. With a chuckle, I comment, "Maybe we should have gone a few more laps."

Contemplating his unruly member, the Knight says morosely, "At least you have a wife waiting for you at home. All I have is a date with my hand."

Robert is the most even-keeled vampire I know, and it is very rare to see him this out-of-sorts. To take his mind off his loneliness, I say, "Come on. Niall left me a few of his Fairy cigars, and I want you to try one."

Without a great deal of enthusiasm, he says, "All right. I will go fetch some towels and meet you back on the porch."

The Knight reaches the steps of the cabin just ahead of me. Head down, he is just crossing the porch when I spy a faint glimmer directly in front of the door. Just as I call out a warning, Sookie materializes practically on top of him. I do not know who is more startled, him or her. She lets out a little yelp, and I think for a moment she is going to pop away again; but then she realizes it is only her nestmate, and I am only a few steps behind him. Letting out a sigh of relief, she starts to relax... until it registers that neither one of us is wearing a stitch of clothing. Before she can stop herself, her eyes drop downward - then widen as she takes in my brother in his full glory. Jerking her gaze upright, she blushes furiously and stammers, "Oh, wow!... I mean... Robert, you... ah... you need a towel!"

Totally unconcerned with his nudity, Robert says calmly, "Yes, I was just going in to fetch some. Please excuse me."

Still rooted in place, Sookie is blocking access to the door. She seems to realize this and tries to move out of his way just as he steps forward. They end up moving in the same direction and bumping into each other. After being with her relatives all evening, Sookie looks and smells almost fully-Fae. With such close contact, even the Knight has his limits. Although he makes no attempt to grab her, his fangs snick down and his erection thumps into her fairy-cloth covered midsection. Mortified but clearly unafraid, Sookie gasps, "Ooof! Sorry!" and immediately tries to step out of his way, but again, they choose the same direction. Finally, the Knight grasps her shoulders, sets her to one side, and then continues on his path without another word. Not one joke, comment, or apology.

Sookie stands in the doorway with her mouth forming an astonished "O." She watches the vampire stomp across the room and disappear up the stairs. Eyes wider than ever, she whispers, "Honey, what's wrong with Robert?"

With a straight face, I reply, "You are just spoiled. Not everyone is as gifted as me."

"Gifted...? Oh! But his is nearly as big as... er..." Now she is blushing more furiously than before. "That's not what I meant, and you know it!"

"Caught you looking, didn't I?"

"I would have to be blind to miss _that! _Now quit teasing me and tell me what's bugging him. He isn't mad at me for what I said to him at the party, is he?"

Taking the last two steps on to the porch, I lean casually against the door jamb. Assuming a serious expression, I reply, "I think my brother has just realized he has an illness, and he is not quite sure how to deal with it. I recognize the symptoms, because _I_ have suffered from the same disease."

Really alarmed now, she cries, "Eric! Bill told me vampires weren't susceptible to any diseases! Are you telling me he was wrong?"

I nod solemnly. "Oh, yes. This one is very rare and in my case, incurable... although only time will tell if it will be the same for Robert. If I am not very much mistaken, he has developed a roaring case of "fairy-itis."

"Fairy-itis! But vampires love fairies... Oh. I think I see. You mean he _really_ loves one, don't you? You think he's in love with Faeryn?"

"Yes, he is exhibiting all the same symptoms I had when I first met you: disbelief, dismay, confusion, and the kind of sexual frustration that no fangbanger can possibly assuage."

"Good grief! If that's how you felt when you met me, then why on earth did you pursue me?"

"Because I _also_ felt elation, excitement, warmth, and hope. And did I already mention the mind-boggling sexual attraction? After the first night you showed up at Fangtasia in that little white sundress, I walked around with a non-stop hard-on for months."

She snorts, "Huh. From what I heard, you did that before you ever met me."

"This was different. I honestly did not know _what_ I was feeling or what to do about it. Pam accused me of being out-of-sorts all the time."

"That was because you didn't _want_ to be in love. Robert once told me he would be delighted to find true love again. If he really loves her, why isn't he happy?"

I reply truthfully, "Because he is smart enough to know the perils that lie ahead of him. What if she does not return his affection?"

"Are you kidding? Didn't you see her peeking at him during dinner? She sure wasn't looking at Rhys like that. I'd say the attraction is definitely there."

"Yes, but in her current condition, it may be a very long time until she is ready for a real relationship. Even then, there is no getting around their biology. Can a vampire ever be able to love a half-Fairy physically without draining her? That would be a terrible tragedy, don't you think?"

A wave of sadness and pity rolls through our Bond. Sighing heavily, Sookie says, "That would be just awful. Poor Robert. Honey, we've just got to do something to cheer him up."

"What do you have in mind? Do you want to slip him a little of your magic?"

"That, too. But I really had something else in mind." Holding out her right hand, she stares down at it with a look of intense concentration on her face. A second later, a half-full bottle of Perianth appears in her palm. Looking faintly surprised, she exclaims "Too cool! I wasn't sure I could do it from this distance." Suddenly, she frowns. "Honey, you don't mind if I give Robert a little, do you? Strictly for medicinal purposes, of course."

She has no way of knowing I already mentioned the possibility to him earlier. Rubbing my chin, I say thoughtfully, "Well, I suppose it _is_ your duty to care for your nestmate to the best of your ability. Although, as Elder, I must insist on trying out any "cures" first, to make sure they will not harm him."

Finally, I get a laugh out of her. "Oh, naturally. Maybe that's what Gran meant when she said "Age before beauty."

For that remark, I flash my fangs and give her a play growl, "Grr! No being fresh with your Elder! He just might have to spank you!"

"Promises, promises!"

In a flash, I am seated on the wicker loveseat with a squirming Fairy draped across my lap. I proceed to give her a few love pats on her fabulous bottom. Giggling like a maniac, she cries, "Baby! Cut it out! I'll spill the Perianth!"

Abruptly, she stops wiggling. Glancing over, I realize that Robert has suddenly appeared in the doorway. One towel tucked around his waist, he is using another to pat his hair dry, and a third is slung over his shoulder. He seems marginally more relaxed, and there is no tent in his towel, so I assume he has taken himself in hand and garnered a bit of relief. Careful to not come any closer to the fragrant Fairy in my lap, he tosses me the dry towel. "Sorry for the delay," he says quietly."I took a quick shower." Giving Sookie a faint smile, he asks, "So, little sister, did you get your friend settled in?"

Quickly repositioning herself upright on my lap, Sookie answers, "Yes. Her mother left her a potion to help her sleep. Thanks for offering to heal her, by the way. That was really sweet... oh, sorry. I mean, that was very _chivalrous_ of you."

"You are welcome," the Knight says, "Too bad she refused me."

"You know what I think? I think you deserve a reward just for offering." She wiggles the bottle of Perianth at him, "What do you say?"

I have to hand it to my Bonded. She certainly knows how to cheer up a vampire. Immediately, Robert gives her a broad grin and a sweeping bow. "Dear lady, it would be very _un_chivalrous of me to refuse, would it not? So I will say _yes_ to your kind offer... unless our Elder has any objections."

"Not as long as I go first, you old rascal. You will try to hog it all."

Sookie says, "I think there's plenty for everybody. Come sit down, Robert."

Suddenly, his frown returns. "After being with your family, _ma petite, yo_u smell extraordinarily luscious. My self-control seems to have worn a bit thin. Perhaps we should wait until another time."

Never one to take no for an answer, Sookie says firmly, "You need this, Robert. Throw me that wet towel, please."

With a puzzled look, he does as she asks. "Thanks," she says, "Now close your eyes for a minute, would you?"

As soon as he complies, she stands and strips off her fairy-cloth dress, revealing a gossamer set of matching underwear. Being intimately acquainted with my wife's selection of undergarments, I know right away that this set is new. I have an awful suspicion Rhys provided these at the same time he "gave" her the outfit. If so, he is probably back in the Portal right now, abusing himself while fantasizing about her in them. "Did that insufferable Fairy give you those, too?", I growl.

In a reasonable tone, Sookie replies, "My others were soaking wet. Would you have liked it any better if he had left me bare-bottomed?"

Sometimes, I hate it when she is right. With another growl, I rip both bra and panties off her body, shred them, and toss the remains off the porch. Rolling her eyes, Sookie shakes her head and sighs, but makes no complaint. She merely begins to scrub herself with Robert's damp towel. Once she has gone over every bit of bare skin, she holds out her arm for a sniff test. One deep, delicious inhalation later, I proclaim her within acceptable levels. Tossing the wet towel aside, she grabs the dry one, wraps herself in it and climbs back on my lap. After making sure it covers all the bits she deems necessary, she says, "Okay, Robert. I'm good to go. Open your eyes and come join us."

The vampire obediently complies, and is soon wedged in next to me on the settee. The wicker creaks a bit, but in the end proves to be well-built enough to withstand the combined weights of two large vampires and one small Fairy. As soon as our nestmate is settled, Sookie stretches her legs out across his and then thrusts the bottle of Perianth at him. "Here, hold this. I need to conjure up a glass." A second later, one from the cabin's kitchen appears in her hand. Robert quickly pours a healthy dollop into it. Raising her glass, Sookie says, "Here's to the best nestmates a girl could ever have. Cheers!"

After taking a sip, she wets her lips and offers them to her Elder. It seems like forever since our encounter in the control room, so I take my time, kissing my woman thoroughly and completely. Robert finally huffs, "Am I ever going to get a turn? At this rate, it will be dawn before you are through!

Of course, I ignore him. When we finally break off, Sookie pants, "Wow, honey! That was some kiss!"

We both glance over at our brother, whose large white fangs are now fully extended. He gives us both a very French shrug, as if to say, "What do you expect?" Sookie just giggles. She takes another sip, then leans towards him, her perfect little mouth pursed for his kiss. Obviously trying his best not to overstep his bounds, Robert leans forward and gently presses his lips to hers, delicately running the tip of his tongue over them. While he laps up every last smidgeon of the highly intoxicating essence, Sookie places her free hand on his bare chest and begins to stroke him, sending her healing magic through his system. Wanting to share the experience with them, I quickly tug the edge of the towel from under her bottom and slide my hand under it. With my palm pressed against her skin, I can feel the hum of her magic, and as always, it fills me with an amazing sense of well-being.

Once he has captured every driblet of Perianth, Robert sits back with a happy sigh. Capturing the fairy's hand, he brings it to his lips and kisses her palm. "Thank you, sister. I feel... I feel _marvelous_. That was a wonderful reward."

Leaning her head against me, Sookie laughs. The silvery sound is so lovely it actually makes me shiver with pleasure. With a tiny slur to her words, she cries gaily, "Brother dear, you were a _good_ vampire tonight! All good vampires deserve favor!"

Apparently we vampires are not the only ones susceptible to Perianth's intoxicating effects. Add this last little tipple to the unaccustomed amount of liquor she has already consumed, and my little fairy-wife is well on her way to being lit! She is just so adorable! "Kiss me again, Sookie!", I demand.

With the cutest little smile, my Bonded obeys. First handing me the glass, she slips her arms around my neck and proceeds to give me a passionate kiss that leaves me tingling from my head to my toes. Once she is done, our nestmate looks so envious, I put the glass to her lips and encourage her to give him another taste. She obediently wets her lips and offers them to him. Between the effects of the Perianth and the magic spreading through his system, Robert's already eroded control slips another notch. The kiss he gives her this time is not nearly as chaste as the first.

Taking her face between his palms, he gives her a deeply sensual kiss. Unsurprisingly, the vampire in me finds this entire experience extremely erotic. My little Fairy does not need our Bond to know it, either. The harder-than-diamonds erection under her sweet little bottom makes it perfectly clear. As if on cue, she wriggles a little, which immediately sends my arousal into overdrive. If she keeps this up, I am going to need my towel back- to clean up the mess I will be making!

I manage to last a couple of more rounds. By that time, we are all three well and truly smashed. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), my well-bred Southern Belle seems to realize the three of us are perilously close to doing something her Grandmother would definitely _not_ condone. Laying back in my arms, Sookie exclaims, "Hoo! You boys are really hard on a girl's morals! Honey, you'd better get me home."

Running his hands up and down her smooth legs, Robert says hopefully, "Are you sure you do not want to stay here? There is plenty of room upstairs."

We all know he is not merely offering to share a bed for the day. Instantly, visions of the two of us giving our little Fairy indescribable pleasures dance in my head. For a brief moment, the vampire in me thinks about talking her into it... but then the Twice-Bonded part of me asserts itself. "Better not, brother. She would never forgive either one of us. I had best get my little Belle home."

Holding her in my arms, I rise to my feet, not an easy thing to do in my current state. Very carefully, I make my way off the porch. From my arms, Sookie calls out, "G'night, Robert! Rest well! See you tomorrow night!"

Getting unsteadily to his feet, Robert cries, "_Bonsoir, ma belle_! I had a good time tonight!" With a last wave, he staggers for the door. Somewhere along the way, his towel has disappeared, so the last we see of him is a view of his rather impressive backside.

"Mm-mm-mmm," Sookie says appreciatively."That is one prime hunk of vampire. No matter what it takes, Faeryn is one crazy fairy if she doesn't jump on that immediately."

"Speaking of fairies jumping on vampires, do you know we still have nearly an hour until dawn?"

Grinning, my randy little female replies, "You don't say. Baby, how fast can you get us home?"

"Hold on and we'll see." Knowing it is the quickest way, I launch us into the air. I have never tried flying while intoxicated before, and I find myself weaving off course a time or two. Still, by using the lights of the big house as a beacon, I get us home in record time. Setting down on the back patio, I am pleased to see that the servants have already cleaned up and put everything away, including Niall's gifts. Carrying my woman through the French doors, I head straight for our chamber. Just as we emerge into the central hallway, I see Wilson coming from the kitchen with a tray of freshly washed glasses in one hand and the Faberge box in the other. He seems only marginally surprised to see a naked, fully-erect Viking vampire carrying a towel-wrapped Fairy through the house. Giving me a slight bow, he says, "I was just finishing up for the evening, Your Majesty. I put the Queen's other gifts in the morning room, but I was unsure what to do with this one."

"Put it on the mantle in my library. The Queen can decide what to do with it tomorrow."

"Very good, sir. If I may say so, I think your party was a great success."

I am not inclined to stand around the hallway chatting with servants when I could be making love to my Fairy, so I quickly bid him goodnight, and continue on my way. Over my shoulder, Sookie cries, "Thanks, Wilson! You guys did an amazing job! See you tomorrow!"

Navigating the stairs to our chamber is a little tricky, but I get down them without incident. I gently lay my wife on our bed, but before I have a chance to remove her towel, she rips it off and launches herself at me. Giggling wildly, she wraps her arms around me, grabs my bottom with both hands and squeezes. "Ha!" she exclaims, "Have I ever told you that you have the world's greatest butt?"

Smiling down at her, I reply, "By the way you were staring at Robert's, I thought perhaps I had lost that title."

"Hmm. I guess I'd better have another look." Letting go of me, she makes a circular motion with her finger. "Turn around."

Obligingly, I spin around. She sits back on the bed and thoughtfully regards my backside. "Muscular... check. Smooth... check. Squeezable... check. What about kissable, though? That's going to require a test."

Crawling forward, she gives each cheek a big smooch. "Kissable... double check."

"So I win?"

"Just one more category." Unexpectedly, she gives me a sharp nip on one cheek.

Although it does not really hurt, it does surprise me. I cry, "Ouch! What kind of category is that?"

Chuckling, she says, "Bite-ability. Out of a possible ten, that's definitely a twelve. Okay, I'd say that does it. You retain your title."

"So what is my prize?"

"Turn around and you'll see."

Obligingly, I turn back towards the bed. Laying on her stomach, Sookie is about eye-level with my erection. Taking it in hand, she licks it from base to tip several times, and then places as much of it as she can get in her hot little mouth. As aroused as I am, it is all I can do to hold back from spilling immediately. "That _is_ a nice prize," I manage to gasp.

To my dismay, she releases me and sits back. With a wicked gleam in her eye, she says, "Oh, that's not the real prize."

Climbing off the bed, she slips around behind me and shoves me forward, so that I am bent over the mattress, supporting my weight with my arms but with my feet still on the floor. Wondering what she is up to, I glance over my shoulder at my still-intoxicated mate. Eyes gleaming, she runs her hands slowly over my lower back and buttocks. Leaning forward, she kisses the indentation at the base of my spine... and then moves down a bit, licking and nibbling first one cheek and then the other. Having a fascination with this area of my body, she has done this before, and as always, we both enjoy it immensely... but the sense of anticipation coming through or Bond tells me this is not all she has in mind. I have no idea what is coming next, but with the slightest provocation, it will be me.

Falling to her knees, she continues to nibble while coaxing my legs further apart with her hands. She sensually slides her palms up and down the muscles of my inner thighs a few times, then reaches between them and begins to massage my shaft. Due to our little cocktail party with Robert, I am already extremely aroused. All it takes is a few sure strokes of her hand and the pressure of a release starts to build... but I absolutely do not want to come just yet. I definitely want to see where my adventurous little lover is going to take this. Unfortunately, in my current state of euphoria, I am not as rigidly in control of my responses as usual. Gritting my teeth, I count to forty... and then backwards to one, this time in Mandarin. Just about the time I have myself under control, she nuzzles her head between my legs and laves the back of my scrotum with her tongue. With the fingertips of her free hand, she gently rolls one of the round globes into her mouth. While gently sucking and massaging it with her tongue, she continues her slow rhythmic massaging of my erection. Now I have to fight back my orgasm in earnest. By the Gods, if she keeps this up, I will not last another five seconds!

Now that our Bond is fully repaired, Sookie knows exactly how close I am to the point of no return. Her mouth releases my flesh and her hands go still, allowing me to regain at least a modicum of control. Once I am out of the danger zone, I shift a bit to one side, to make it easier for her to give the other testicle its fair share of attention, but instead, I feel her warm, velvety tongue sweeping across the stretch of skin between my balls and anus. This is such an unexpected treat, I let out a sigh of sheer bliss.

Even though it is pure torture to keep my hips from moving, I force myself to stay as still as possible. I am absolutely burning for my woman to try something _very_ adventurous, something that I have done to her but not yet asked for in return. In my wildest dreams, I never thought my relatively inexperienced lover would think to try it without any prompting from me. To my amazement and utter delight, she parts my cheeks gently with both hands and moves her tongue a bit higher, tentatively running its tip around the most intimate area of a male's body. Unable to stop myself, my entire frame quivers with pleasure and excitement, and I let out a prolonged moan.

Taking this reaction as encouragement, my emboldened mate chuckles deep in her throat and gives me a much firmer lick, followed by several more. That does it! With a hoarse shout, I lose my battle for control. My orgasm barrels through my body, my essence pumping out of me in savage spurts. Once I am spent, I crawl onto the bed, roll over and collapse. Sookie laughs exultantly, knowing exactly what intense pleasure she has just given me. In a very satisfied tone, she says, "Hmm. I guess you like that."

I mumble something totally incoherent. Chuckling again, she quickly mops up the mess with her discarded towel. Throwing it aside, she crawls up my body, stretches out on top of me, and peppers my face with kisses. When I am finally able to speak, I tell her, "You are a wanton woman, Mrs. Northman. I _love_ it."

"It's all _your_ fault. I was a nice girl when you met me," she says with mock sadness.

"That is true. Fortunately, you seem to be a fast learner. In fact, after that performance, I can see that it is time to move forward with your lessons."

Bracketing my hips with her knees, Sookie rubs herself sensuously across my newly deflated member. With an adorable pout, she says, "Judging by the feel of things, I think you might not be up for any lessons tonight."

"Think again."

Before she draws her next breath, I have rolled us over so I am now on top. Luckily, it seems that Perianth has no effect on my recovery time because I am already rising to the occasion. One or two passionate kisses is all it takes for me to be rock-hard again. My woman writhes beneath me in anticipation, her moist heat beckoning. She tries to guide me into her warmth, but I resist, only coming close enough to brush my tip across her slick folds. Putting my mouth close to her ear, I whisper playfully, "Do you want me, lover?"

"Mm hm."

"How badly?"

"What do you think?" She wriggles against me, trying in vain to impale herself on me, but again I shift just enough to evade her. With a little moan of frustration, she says, "Eric! Come on, baby."

With a wicked smile, I reply, "Not so fast. Since you implied I was not up to the task, I think you had better beg."

"Oh, you think so, do you? I'm pretty sure Fairy Princesses are not supposed to beg Vampire Kings for sex. It just isn't done."

"Ah. You are probably right. Too bad."

I start to roll away, but she wraps both arms around my neck and holds tight. Giggling, she exclaims, "Wait! Wait! Okay, I'll beg!"

Settling back into the cradle of her soft body, I grin down at her. "All right. Let the begging commence."

"Please make love to me, baby," she pleads prettily.

Shaking my head, I tell her, "Sorry. You'll have to do better than that."

"Okay. How 'bout this?" Pulling my head down to her lips, my Fae Princess whispers a _very_ unladylike plea in my ear along with some explicit instructions. A second later, I have her heart-shaped bottom grasped firmly in both hands. Raising her hips slightly off the bed, I bury myself to the hilt and begin pumping for all I am worth, giving my woman exactly what she begged for. Each powerful stroke brings forth a little whimper of pleasure, and in no time at all she is climbing toward what is sure to be a spectacular orgasm. I know exactly how to time my bite to give her the greatest satisfaction, and as I plunge my fangs into her soft, fragrant skin, she arches under me and screams my name. I am filled with a sort of savage joy, knowing no one, not even a magnificently handsome Fairy male, could ever hope to make her scream like that.

Considering all the blood I have already consumed over the course of the evening, there is really no reason for me to take more than a sip, but once the ambrosia of my Bonded's blood touches my tongue, my current condition makes it nearly impossible to practice moderation. I drink greedily, trying to satisfy my intense craving... until that small voice in the very back of my brain reminds me I am already quite intoxicated. To take one drop more of her Fairy-laced blood would be very, very dangerous. And so, I force myself to seal the wounds.

Lifting my head, I stare down at my indescribably beautiful wife, who gives me the lazy, sensual smile of a well-satisfied angel. The craving for her blood is suddenly replaced by another, even more intense desire. The Bonded vampire in me insists that the ritual be completed. I _need_ to feel my blood circulating through her veins. I _must_.

Bundling her in my arms, I roll us on to our sides. Still joined, we are now facing each other. I thrust into her slowly with long, even strokes. Staring into her eyes, I say, "Bite me, Sookie."

Knowing I fully intended to wait a few more days for this, her eyes widen in surprise. Elation and anticipation rush through our Bond. Still, she hesitates. "But you said..."

"I know. Do it anyway."

Without further argument, she leans her head into the crook of my neck, and licks and nibbles my skin. I try to keep my thrusts slow and steady, but my hips have other ideas. The more she teases me, the faster I pump... and within moments, I am racing towards another orgasm. I growl, "Do it. NOW!"

Immediately, my lover complies. Since the transfusion, Sookie's teeth are much sharper than they used to be, but she still has to bite very hard to break the skin. The pain is brief but exquisite, and sends me right over the edge. No longer a shrinking violet when it comes to taking my blood, she sucks it down in greedy gulps while my body shudders through a second intense climax. Long after the punctures have sealed themselves and the last spasm has passed, we lay clenched together, entirely too blissful to move. The Bond is fully open, and I swear I cannot tell where she ends and I begin. We are simply... one.

After a time, I realize my other half is getting a bit chilled, so I reluctantly let her go long enough to pull back the covers, slip her under them, and crawl in next to her. I lay on my back and settle her into the crook of my arm. Closing my eyes, I savor the feeling of my blood coursing through my Bonded's veins, and I know she is doing the same. As if choreographed, we give out identical sighs of contentment. After a few minutes, Sookie whispers, "Having your blood in me is amazing. It feels... It's just... " she trails off, unable to come up with the right words.

I laugh softly. "It feels just as good to me."

"I'm glad you changed your mind about waiting."

"Believe me, so am I."

She says nothing else for a time, and then, "Eric?"

"Yes, love."

"We had a nice party, didn't we?"

"Yes, we did. I am very proud of you. You make a wonderful hostess."

"Thanks." She pauses to stifle a yawn. "Weren't all those gifts Niall gave us amazing?"

"Well, I certainly enjoyed the Perianth. What is so special about those trees?"

"The Prince's hobby is breeding plants and things. Those trees are hybrids that took him years and years to get perfect, and he's very proud of them. The fruits taste just like lemons, but they're safe for Fairies to eat."

"Ah. What did he mean about keeping them out of the sun?"

"I have no idea. They were growing outside in the Portal." Pause. Yawn. "Honey, what do you think is in the beautiful little box? You know, the one for our first anniversary?"

"The box is too small to hold much. Maybe it is full of gemstones. What else could it be?"

"Well, he _is_ the Fae Prince, " she says drowsily, "Maybe it's full of wishes..."

With that, my sweet fairy-wife falls asleep in my arms. Even though she cannot hear me, I whisper to her, "I do not need any wishes. I already have you."

_Author's notes: I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. Please don't forget to leave me a review! I always look forward to hearing from everybody._


End file.
